A guest post by blogger Josie Loves

We often associate the word road trip with faraway destinations. California, Canada, Australia. Or, the European south comes to mind. Italy. Spain. Portugal. And yet beauty is often so close. Really close. I'm talking about our neighboring country Austria. And today we prove it to you with impressions from our road trip across the alpine country. With numerous tips, of course.

In the last months we were allowed to dive into the world of Romantik Hotels, and our third journey together led Chris and me to our wonderful neighboring country. By the way: Had you already read the first two articles on the 50th anniversary of Romantik Hotels? We introduced you to two special wellness hotels in South Tyrol and Bavaria, and in July we got to know the (very worth seeing!) Harz mountains. OUR AUSTRIA ROAD TRIP: TYROL, SALZBURG, THE ROMANTIKSTRASSE AND VIENNA

OUR AUSTRIA ROAD TRIP: TYROL, SALZBURG, THE ROMANTIC ROAD AND VIENNA

In our third joint special, we now turn our attention to Austria. The small country in the heart of Europe has so much to offer, and a round trip should be on absolutely every travel bucket list. Our hotel selection for Austria shows quite wonderfully the diversity of Romantik Hotels and brings into focus the values for which the association stands. Two completely different hotels, but all owner-managed with a lot of heart and love for tradition.

Vienna and Salzburg are undoubtedly among the most beautiful cities in Europe, and Tyrol is one of our favorite regions in Austria. Reason enough to choose these three destinations as stops for our one-week road trip. And true to the motto "the way is the goal", we will also show you probably the most beautiful route in the country.

Der richtige Zeitpunkt für eine Österreich Rundreise

Spätsommer, Herbst , Frühling oder Winter: Generell ist jede Jahreszeit perfekt für eine Österreich Rundreise geeignet. Klar, der Sommer mit seinen langen, warmen Tagen ist sicherlich einer der Favoriten. All die herrlichen Bergseen kann man dann nicht nur bestaunen, sondern nach der Wanderung in der Sonne auch ins kühle Nass springen. Aber auch der Frühling und der Herbst haben ihren ganz eigenen Charme. Und die Berge im Winter sind sowieso ein absolutes Winter Wonderland. Nicht zu vergessen die prachtvoll geschmückten Städte in der Vorweihnachtszeit … Kurz und knapp: ein Roadtrip durch Österreich ist zu jeder Jahreszeit wunderschön.

Ein interessanter Fakt am Rande: Die kürzeste Route von Ehrwald nach Salzburg führt fast ausschließlich durch Deutschland. Entlang der Strecke liegen jedoch einige der schönsten Highlights Bayerns, wie Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bad Tölz, der Tegernsee und der Chiemsee. Natürlich kann man auch ganz oder teilweise über österreichische Straßen fahren, aber diese Strecke dauert deutlich länger.

Our second stop: Salzburg and the Elixhauser Wirt at the gates of the city

But now we come to the second road trip stop, which led us to Salzburg. More precisely, to the gates of the city. The Romantik Spa Hotel Elixhauser Wirt is located in a village idyll on the outskirts of Salzburg, about 15 minutes by car to the city. Or conveniently by bus, the bus stop is located a few meters from the hotel. A great combination, when on the one hand you are offered the diversity of an exciting city in no time, and on the other hand you have the feeling in the hotel that you are in the middle of the countryside. Including pretty routes for a walk in the immediate vicinity. Perfect if you travel with an animal family member like we did.

I love to dive into the history of a hotel during a stay, to learn more about the traditions and the people behind it. And the Elixhauser Wirt is one of those establishments that can impress with a very special history. This goes back to the year 1334, and so the hotel is the oldest family business in Austria. What began as a guesthouse and farm in the heart of Elixhausen many centuries ago is now a modern wellness hotel. Today's host counts to the 23rd (!!!) generation of the family. Fascinating, isn't it?

Entering the hotel, you will encounter the tradition of the house at every corner. Old parlors where guests dined hundreds of years ago, old original staircases and roof beams that bring so much charm to the concept of today's hotel.

Nice to see how centuries-old tradition and awareness of a guest's needs go hand in hand in 2022.

A total of 74 differently designed rooms and suites are spread over several buildings. My favorites: the modern superior double rooms "Untergrub" with a view into the garden, as well as the categories "Tiefenbach" and "Ursprung".

We unfortunately had a lot of bad luck with the weather during our stay (more precisely, "perfect spa weather!"), so unfortunately we couldn't sit in the charming courtyard and take a dip in its outdoor pool. But I imagine it's lovely to lie in the beautiful garden in summer and unwind before strolling through the little streets of Salzburg in the afternoon.

But the Elixhauser Wirt offers guests not only an outdoor pool, but also an indoor pool. And this one is really something special! From the pool, you look out through large panoramic windows onto the charming village and the illustrious Salzburg mountains - and can hardly believe that the vibrant city center of Salzburg is in the immediate vicinity.

Der Wellnessbereich "Horizont" im Elixhauser Wirt erstreckt sich über eine großzügige Fläche von 1.500 Quadratmetern. Neben den beiden Pools stehen den Gästen auch verschiedene Saunen, Dampfbäder und Ruheräume zur Verfügung. Zusätzlich können sie aus einem vielfältigen Angebot an Behandlungen und Wellnessanwendungen wählen. Auch externe Besucher haben die Möglichkeit, sich mit den Day Spa-Paketen einen Tag lang im Elixhauser Wirt verwöhnen zu lassen.

Das mit renommierten Auszeichnungen dekorierte Hotelrestaurant erfreut sich sowohl bei Hotelgästen als auch bei externen Besuchern großer Beliebtheit. Hier kann man entweder à la carte speisen oder im Rahmen der Halbpension ein exquisites Feinschmecker-Menü genießen.

By the way, we also ate fantastically as vegetarians and were able to enjoy creative creations with regional products. An example: Burrata mousse with pickled cherry tomatoes, olive oil cookies and basil pesto to start, followed by a cream of chanterelle soup with black bread croutons. Tagliatelle with baby spinach and truffle cream sauce as main course, iced Kaiserschmarrn with pickled plums and rum foam as grand finale. As I write this, my mouth is watering again ...

Our Top Five Tips for Salzburg

Of course, a few short, snappy tips for this wonderful city should not be missing. And here they come, our top five recommendations for a day in Salzburg:

1. A walk through the Mirabell Gardens. A beautiful park that offers a magnificent view of the old town and the Hohensalzburg Fortress.

2. Einen exzellenten Kaffee trinken im 220GRAD Rösthaus und Café (verschiedene Locations in Salzburg)

3. Auf den Mönchsberg spazieren und das wunderschöne Panorama genießen. Den allerbesten Blick auf die Stadt hat man von der Plattform vor dem Museum der Moderne. Für alle, die nicht so viele Stufen laufen möchten oder können: Es gibt auch einen Aufzug.

4. Feast on Austrian delicacies on the terrace of the Herzl Restaurant (Getreidegasse 37).

5. Just let yourself drift and stroll through all the beautiful little streets of the city. Preferably in the morning, before the tourist crowds flood the city.

The Austrian Romantic Road from Salzburg to Vienna

And that brings us to the most beautiful route in Austria, which we would highly recommend for a drive from Salzburg to Vienna: the Austrian Romantic Road, which connects dreamlike landscapes, numerous beautiful places and panoramic views on about 380 kilometers off the highway. The route includes Lake Fuschl, Lake Mondsee, Bad Ischl, Lake Wolfgang, Steyr and Schallaburg Castle.

Es gibt verschiedene Möglichkeiten, die Romantikstraße zu erkunden. Man kann die gesamte Strecke befahren, einschließlich eines Abstechers nach Hallstatt, oder nur einen Teil davon und dann auf die Autobahn wechseln. Es besteht auch die Option, mehrere Tage einzuplanen, um jedem Highlight entlang der Strecke einen angemessenen Besuch zu widmen. Alternativ kann man sich auch einige persönliche Favoriten auswählen, kurze Stopps an den Panoramaausblicken entlang der Straße einlegen und die Route in etwa fünf bis sechs Stunden absolvieren. Letztendlich bleibt es jedem selbst überlassen, wie man die Romantikstraße erkundet - alles ist möglich.

Our third stop: Vienna and the Romantik Townhouse Beethoven

The anticipation for Vienna was huge! The city already enchanted me years ago, and I look forward every time anew to spend time in Vienna and to get to know new corners. So was our hotel, where we ended our road trip while delving deep into the history of this fascinating city. The Romantik Townhouse Beethoven is really something special! A colorful, very individual boutique hotel, where every detail tells its own little or big story. A place with a lot of heart and a very special ambience.

Romantik Hotel Beethoven is located in a quiet side street, just a few meters from the famous Vienna Naschmarkt. Each floor of the hotel is dedicated to a different Vienna theme. The fourth floor, for example, is dedicated to the traditional "Theater an der Wien", which is located directly opposite the hotel and in whose rear wing Ludwig van Beethoven himself lived for two years.

The third floor is dedicated to the famous namesake, while the hostess pays homage to the strong Viennese women on the sixth floor. No room is like the other, each designed individually with great attention to detail and matching the respective floor theme.

The heart of the hotel: the charming Papageno Lounge, where guests can also have breakfast in the morning. Or you can relax there on a comfortable couch with a cup of tea from sightseeing and leaf through one of the numerous books and magazines. Tea and sweet treats, by the way, are available free of charge to guests during the day. In addition to the large, present features, it is so often precisely these small things that remain particularly positive during a hotel experience.

Speaking of breakfast: Until eleven o'clock, guests can enjoy the rich breakfast buffet, which is complemented by numerous à la carte dishes. From the pancakes, to the large bread-sausage-cheese selection and the homemade spreads, to the porridge, Bircher muesli or avocado toast: breakfast at Hotel Beethoven is great fun! Especially if you get the most coveted and beautiful seat by the window in the lounge. And this is the perfect way to start an active Vienna day packed with highlights.

It ends on the first floor of the hotel, where you can find the famous Lvdwig Bar. And this is very popular not only with guests, but especially with the locals. In keeping with the hotel's famous namesake, small concerts are held every weekend at Hotel Beethoven. The focus? Viennese classical music, of course!

Our Top Five Tips for Vienna

Theoretically, you could easily put a 0 behind the 5, because the city adorned with baroque splendor has so incredibly much to offer. It is not uncommon for Vienna to be called the most livable city in the world. But I'll still try to settle on five very special highlights.

1. the most beautiful view in the city center is from the terrace of the Albertina Museum.

2. at Joseph Brot (several locations in Vienna) there is not only the best bread, but also all kinds of outrageously delicious cupcakes and cakes. Oh, and the banana bread: heavenly!!!

3. a magical place: the big palm house in Schönbrunn with plants from all over the world.

4. "Neni" is from Vienna, by the way, and the flagship of the popular Israeli restaurant chain can be found at the Naschmarkt. By the way, this is a must-see anyway, especially if you're staying right next door at Hotel Beethoven.

5. Clementine im Glashaus" in Palais Coburg - not only a great restaurant, but also one of the most beautiful locations in Vienna.

Phew, yes, that was really five already. But more would go beyond today's scope. I think it's time for a new, detailed Vienna Special with many, many more tips.

Our conclusion to the route

So, and last but not least a small conclusion to our trip and the planning. One thing in advance: I can heartily recommend the route to you. Nature, culture, wellness, culinary highlights and some of the most beautiful places in Europe: What more could you want?

We had planned two nights per hotel. If you only have a week, this is a perfect arrangement. If you have time to spare, I would plan two nights in Tyrol, three in Salzburg and four in Vienna. You have even two weeks or more and want to make more stops in Austria? Then be sure to browse the Romantik Hotels website, where you'll find a great selection of accommodations. Among them are also some along the Austrian Romantic Road.