Fifi LaMode, The Budget Babe's International Shopping Advisor, makes us wistful for old-world charm, natural wonders and incomparable hospitality in glorious Austria. —TBB
by Fifi LaMode
Simply put, Austria's gorgeous. Medieval castles look out over the Danube, the Alps hover over lovely villages, where cowbells alert the casual hiker, and Vienna, ah, Vienna, what can one say? Strauss and Klimt found inspiration here. Coffee houses, art galleries, antique shops abound, beautiful mementos of a bygone era. Art nouveau, baroque, deco, all meld in this glorious city.
We leave Vienna's many temptations for Salzburgerland, Sound of Music country. Our base is Alpendorf, about an hour's drive from Salzburg, dotted with chalets abundant with flowery balconies. The Berghof, run by the Rettenwender family, is a 5 star property at unbelievably reasonable prices with a state of the art wellness center and delicious healthy cuisine, and service to make you feel like royalty. You're wondering where the "budget" part of this article comes in, right? A night at the Berghof with buffet breakfast and 5 course dinner will run you about the same as an average B&B in New England!
Frau Rettenwnder is a fashion guru, with her model's looks, wearing a variety of dirndls and folk-inspired clothing of the finest quality suedes, silks and weaves. Note about dirndls: Outside Alpine countries, they're costumes. As tempting as it may be to buy one (some are really trendy), you will be limited to wearing them at the odd garden party.
So I'm thinking, can you find great clothes in such a small out-of-the-way town? We wander into neighboring St. Johann and we're amazed at the quality of the clothing and tasteful displays. It's also very 'green' here - grocery stores charge for plastic bags, but cardboard boxes and paper bags are available for free; it's against the law to leave your engine running while you're in the car, and no trucks are allowed on the roads on Sundays. Everyone, almost without exception, wears sensible, great quality shoes. One of my favorite Austrian brands, which IS available in the U.S., is Gabor. Leather inside and out, they come in dressy and casual styles and are tres chic. About the same price as Via Spiga or Amalfi.
by Fifi LaMode
Simply put, Austria's gorgeous. Medieval castles look out over the Danube, the Alps hover over lovely villages, where cowbells alert the casual hiker, and Vienna, ah, Vienna, what can one say? Strauss and Klimt found inspiration here. Coffee houses, art galleries, antique shops abound, beautiful mementos of a bygone era. Art nouveau, baroque, deco, all meld in this glorious city.
We leave Vienna's many temptations for Salzburgerland, Sound of Music country. Our base is Alpendorf, about an hour's drive from Salzburg, dotted with chalets abundant with flowery balconies. The Berghof, run by the Rettenwender family, is a 5 star property at unbelievably reasonable prices with a state of the art wellness center and delicious healthy cuisine, and service to make you feel like royalty. You're wondering where the "budget" part of this article comes in, right? A night at the Berghof with buffet breakfast and 5 course dinner will run you about the same as an average B&B in New England!
Frau Rettenwnder is a fashion guru, with her model's looks, wearing a variety of dirndls and folk-inspired clothing of the finest quality suedes, silks and weaves. Note about dirndls: Outside Alpine countries, they're costumes. As tempting as it may be to buy one (some are really trendy), you will be limited to wearing them at the odd garden party.
So I'm thinking, can you find great clothes in such a small out-of-the-way town? We wander into neighboring St. Johann and we're amazed at the quality of the clothing and tasteful displays. It's also very 'green' here - grocery stores charge for plastic bags, but cardboard boxes and paper bags are available for free; it's against the law to leave your engine running while you're in the car, and no trucks are allowed on the roads on Sundays. Everyone, almost without exception, wears sensible, great quality shoes. One of my favorite Austrian brands, which IS available in the U.S., is Gabor. Leather inside and out, they come in dressy and casual styles and are tres chic. About the same price as Via Spiga or Amalfi.
This sleepy town has some really nice shops. Prices are competitive by Euro standards, and quality is very high. Service is pleasant and laid back, though knowing a few German phrases helps, as this neck of the woods is unfrequented by Americans (why am I writing this? I should keep this jewel to myself, right?). The ski season brings mainly other Austrians, and Europeans from neighboring countries. A small department store has men's and women's clothing, mostly locally made, which is getting to be a rarity in Europe now as well. The most remote places flog Chinese goods these days. Here blazers, pants, skirts, t's, proudly carry the "Made in Austria" label (in German of course!) For the more adventurous, specialty shops carry folk-themed evening wear in velvets, satins and silks, with a modern edge.
So get on a plane and give this country your money because 1) they're good to our planet, 2) their products are unique and well-made, and 3) gosh, their Schnapps is good!
Best time to go: Anytime—ski in winter, walk in the hills in the other seasons, and there are plenty of outdoor and indoor attractions in the immediate area (Werfen castle with its birds of prey, Salzburg with it's Mozart-spent-time-here-and-don't-you-forget-it musical heritage, and of course the glorious Alps everywhere).
Best way to get there: Fly to Munich (we like Lufthansa where coach passengers still get treated like humans) and rent a car - it's roughly a 2 hour drive.
Where to stay: Hotel Berghof, Alpendorf: www.hotel-berghof.com. Be sure to check out their off-season specials.
Read more of Fifi LaMode's expert travel advice here. >>
So get on a plane and give this country your money because 1) they're good to our planet, 2) their products are unique and well-made, and 3) gosh, their Schnapps is good!
Best time to go: Anytime—ski in winter, walk in the hills in the other seasons, and there are plenty of outdoor and indoor attractions in the immediate area (Werfen castle with its birds of prey, Salzburg with it's Mozart-spent-time-here-and-don't-you-forget-it musical heritage, and of course the glorious Alps everywhere).
Best way to get there: Fly to Munich (we like Lufthansa where coach passengers still get treated like humans) and rent a car - it's roughly a 2 hour drive.
Where to stay: Hotel Berghof, Alpendorf: www.hotel-berghof.com. Be sure to check out their off-season specials.
Read more of Fifi LaMode's expert travel advice here. >>
Austria, here we come! (Some day! )