This post is long overdue, but considering I’ve done another trip since the last one and have another one coming in a few months, I needed to get on it! So much has happened this year that finding the time to give this post the attention it needed was quite a challenge. While I normally write a single post for each day of my travels, I thought it would be better to summarize the best parts about the time I spent in Austria last year with my best friend Anine.

Neuschwanstein Castle

Before you say “But Neuschwanstein is in Germany, not Austria!”, hear me out. I can’t not mention the fact that we spent the day before going to Austria in Neuschwanstein, but it’s not enough to create a dedicated post on. At least, not with the limited time that I have to make this one.

When I visited for the first time in 2015, I was alone and didn’t speak a word of German, so I joined a bike tour that fetched me and the other tourists from a spot in Munich and drove us back afterwards. This time, since I was now so comfortable with getting around Germany on my own, I decided to use public transport.

We had booked the 10am tour and were on time for the train to Füssen from Buchloe, but at the last second, the platforms changed. We realised it immediately when the train started going north instead of south! Classic Deutsche Bahn. Anine and I realised it at the same time but in different ways – she had looked at her map, and I looked at where the sun was in relation to us. We just glared at each other and immediately decided to get off at the next stop, Schwabmünchen, which wasn’t too far away.

Long story short, we eventually made it to Füssen, hopped on the bus to Schwangau, and arrived Neuschwanstein a whole 2 hours after our tour time. It was pouring with rain by then and I wanted to kick myself because it was the only day where I really needed my waterproof jacket and didn’t carry it!

Although we missed our tour, there was a little space in the 12pm tour so the official was kind enough to let us join that one. It was another one of those “pinch me” moments because Anine had always wanted to go to Neuschwanstein, and I always wanted to go back and show it to someone who would appreciate it as much as I did. The time we spent “getting lost” in Schwabmünchen was part of the fun and we weren’t the least bit bothered. Things like that happen when you travel, but if you have common sense and a basic sense of direction, you can figure it out.

We had enough time to visit the Hohenschwangau Castle too, so make sure you check it out when you visit Neuschwanstein.

Salzburg

The Sound of Music tour

When planning what to do in Salzburg, Anine and I had a bunch of tours and activities to choose from but the single best one I could personally vouch for with 100% accuracy was the Frauline Maria’s Bicycle Tour. Although they are now called something else, the tour is identical.

If I had to pick a single highlight from Salzburg, it would be the Sound of Music bike tour. There is absolutely nothing more special than riding through the Austrian countryside with your best friend. It felt as though we went back in time, to a much happier, peaceful place where nothing else mattered or existed. Just the warm sun on our faces, the clean air, and the unforgettable, breathtaking view of open fields, and mountains in the distance.

The Food

We also had what I think remains the best dish we’ve ever had, in Salzburg – the roast pork from Sternbräu, a very popular, beautiful restaurant close to Mozart’s birth place. I am not normally one to eat pork because I was never raised to, but I had to try it because it was voted the best one in the city and I always like trying the local food everywhere I go because I feel like that is one of the best ways to get to know a place and its culture. The gravy was to die for, and we were actually sad when we finished eating.

We went back there for lunch on our last day to have it one more time, although Anine decided to try something else. We shared a Nockerl the second time round because that’s also a traditional dessert in Salzburg that can’t be missed. A little bee decided to join in, too.

The view from Hohensalzburg Fortress

I went up the fortress back in 2015 but it wasn’t a very clear day and the sun only peeped out for a few minutes. This time, it took my breath away because the weather could not have been more perfect. I did not want to leave.

Berchtesgaden

Eagle’s Nest

Berchtesgaden is also in Germany, but it’s best to visit there from Salzburg. So we did a day trip there using a few busses, after meticulously going through the schedules and planning our route so that we’d be able to maximize the time. While we didn’t see much of Berchtesgaden town itself, the main point of the trip was to go up to Eagle’s Nest, Hitler’s holiday home, to see this view.

There isn’t much to see in the house itself, but there are some very interesting things to read so if you’re a history buff, it’s worth spending a little time in.

Königsee (King’s Lake)

We didn’t have time to do the lake cruise, but we still managed to see some of the town itself, shop for souvenirs, and most importantly, try Glühwein for the first time at last! It tasted as magical as I hoped it would and we made sure we had more of it in Hallstatt when we went a few days later.

Hallstatt

Hallstatt in its entirety is a highlight. In fact, even the journey there was special because I retraced my steps exactly the way I did in 2015. Only this time, the weather was perfect, and I was with my best friend, so I could share my happiness. Also, we stayed for 2 nights which really wasn’t enough, but I fulfilled my promise to myself about staying the next time I visited.

I wouldn’t be doing Hallstatt justice if I picked any single day or activity out, so here are some my favourite photos. If I had to post all, this post would take days to get through.

There are a number of things to do in the little village across the lake, Obertraun, as well. I recommend staying in Hallstatt for at least 4-5 days to really take advantage of all that the area has to offer.

Vienna

Vienna is like living art, and after visiting there, it was easy to see why it was voted the most livable city in the world. There is so much to see and do, but we still barely scratched the surface despite spending 5 days there (with 1 day in Budapest).

The Kunsthistorisches Museum

The Kunsthistorisches Museum is hands down the most beautiful museum I’ve ever visited and easily gives the likes of the Vatican and The Louvre a run for their money. Not only was the museum itself beautiful, but some of the pieces on display were the most intricately crafted sculptures I’ve ever seen. Photos do not do justice but I highly recommend this museum if you ever visit Vienna. It is a feast for the eyes for any art and history lover.

The Coffee Shop inside the Kunsthistorisches Museum

The coffee shop deserves a special mention because it is insanely beautiful and one of the best coffee moments I’ve had. Some may call it fancy, and I guess it can be seen as that, but it’s actually just pure art. We are so used to plain, grotesque modern buildings that we call what was once considered ordinary, “fancy”. I had a hot chocolate and Anine had a cappuccino, so nothing out of the ordinary, but just sitting there taking in our surroundings was a cultural experience I’ll never forget.

The Opera House

We didn’t attend an opera, but the Opera House was our tram stop of choice because not only is it super central, but there was a tram directly to the central station which was a 5 minute walk from our hotel. Seeing the Opera House every night was like our comfort, and it was just a spectacular sight.

Seeing a friend from India

I met my friend Ranjana several years ago at work in Johannesburg. She worked for a company that was consulting for the company I used to work for, and we became friends there. She now lives in Prague and when she saw that I was travelling further east (my trip started in Stuttgart), she took the day off work and got on a 4 hour train ride (one way) to meet us in Vienna. We had a light lunch, went to the most famous coffee house in Vienna – Cafe Socher – specifically so we could try the famous Sacher Torte, and of course did some sightseeing. However, it was mostly about catching up and enjoying each other’s company. After all, we hadn’t seen each other for close to 5 years.

St Stephan’s Cathedral

I’ve never been inside a church at night and when I noticed that St Stephan’s Cathedral was open, I went to take a peek inside. The moment I stepped in, my jaw dropped and I was rendered completely speechless. I had never seen such a breathtaking church interior in my life. It looked like something out of The Da Vinci Code…dark, mysterious, slightly smoky, with stunningly intricate baroque/gothic design. I was completely awestruck. None of my photos can do justice (and they do make the interior brighter than it actually was – thanks iPhone), but it instantly became the most beautiful church I’ve ever seen.

The Wiener Schnitzel

The traditional Wiener Schnitzel is veal and was first made at a restaurant called Figmüller, which opened in 1905. I highly advise booking in advance because there is always a queue and you will have to wait to get a table. We were lucky to have only waited for about 20 minutes, but it could have been for much longer as they were fully booked like they always are.

Note that there are 2 Figmüllers around the corner from each other, one much smaller than the other that’s down an alleyway, so you have a better chance of getting a table at the bigger one if you haven’t made a resevration.

The schnitzels are absolutely massive, and we clearly ordered with our eyes and not our stomachs because we could only finish half despite how thin they are. We took the other half back to our hotel and had it for dinner the way you’d bite into a pita. And yes, it’s worth the hype!

The National Library

We couldn’t go inside because there were renovations going on, but the building itself is a masterpiece.

The Danube River

Thanks to my mother who travelled to Vienna before I was even born, I dreamed about seeing the Danube for most of my life, but I was not prepared for how massive it actually is.

Vienna’s Giant Ferris Wheel (Reisenrad)

I must admit, I’m a little scared of heights, and while the views were spectacular from the top of the ferris wheel, I did get a little vertigo when the car shook a little, especially when some of the other people were walking around it and shifting the balance. Nevertheless, it was an experience we couldn’t miss, and thankfully Anine got the good photos!

Budapest

I know, I know, Budapest is also not in Austria, however we squeezed in a day trip there from Vienna. We had a choice between Prague and Budapest, but Anine thought that since I was visiting a number of places again (and her for the first time), that we should go to Budapest since I had been to Prague before so that we could experience it for the first time together. Prague is still on our list (particularly the Christmas Markets), but we decided to save that for another trip.

A day trip to Budapest is not nearly enough. You could easily spend weeks there, but a day was just enough to whet our appetites and we can’t wait to go back for a few days at some point. The architecture, energy, and atmosphere was unlike anywhere we’ve been before and it really captured our hearts. The people are warm and friendly, and there’s so much to see and do.

Here’s some of my favourite moments:

Anine had watched me travel to Europe several times prior to this trip and we always talked about going together, and I always wanted to show her around the places I had been. After all, happiness is doubled when it’s shared, but it’s super important to share it with someone who appreciates it as much as you do.

I consider myself to be one of the few lucky people on earth who gets to travel with my best friend. As older millenials, society says we should be having a midlife crisis soon, but we have instead decided not to make the same mistake most of our parents’ generation made: waiting until retirement to travel. We are healthy, able, and financially secure enough to see the world now because who knows how long we have and what the future holds?

Here’s to living a life without regrets. Prost!