As if rising from Swan Lake itself, the town of Hallstatt is the subject of thousands of travel posters. "The world's prettiest lakeside village" perches precariously on what seems the smallest of toeholds, one that nevertheless prevents it from tumbling into the dark waters of the Hallstättersee. Down from the steep mountainside above it crashes the Mühlbach waterfall, a sight that can keep you riveted for hours. Today, as back when—Emperor Franz Josef and his Elisabeth took an excursion here on the day of their engagement—the town is a magnet for tourists, and accordingly a bit too modernized, especially considering that Hallstatt is believed to be the oldest community in Austria. More than 1,000 graves of prehistoric men have been found here, and it has been such an important source of relics of the Celtic period that this age is known as the Hallstatt epoch.
Salzkammergut Hotel Reviews
In the grand old days, the aristocratic families of the region would welcome paying guests at their charming castles. Today most of those castles have been, if you will, degentrified: they are now schools or very fine hotels. But you needn't stay in a castle to enjoy the Salzkammergut—there are also luxurious lakeside resorts, small country inns, even guesthouses without private baths; in some places the Herr Wirt, his smiling wife, and his grown-up children will do everything to make you feel comfortable. Although our hotel reviews cover the best in every category, note that nearly every village, however small, also has a Gasthaus or village inn. Many hotels offer half-board, with dinner in addition to buffet breakfast (although most $$$$ hotels will often charge extra for breakfast). The half-board room rate is usually an extra €15–€30 per person. Occasionally quoted room rates for hotels already include half-board accommodations, though a "discounted" rate is usually offered if you prefer not to take the evening meal. Inquire when booking. Happily, these hotels do not put their breathtakingly beautiful natural surroundings on the bill.
Fairy-tale landscape. The lakes and mountains resemble the pictures in a children's book.
Bad Ischl. This town, where the rich and famous have long come for the healing waters, was Emperor Franz Josef's summer retreat in the 19th century.
Cradle of culture. Vienna and Salzburg may get all the credit, but the composers who made those cities cultural capitals came to this part of Austria to hear the music in the air.
Sports abound. Everyone knows about the region's great ski resorts, but there is an endless array of summer sports as well.
For nearly two centuries the Salzkammergut Lake District has been a wellspring of inspiration to great artists and composers. Richard Strauss, Gustav Klimt, and Franz Léhar are just a few of the great names who ventured here to holiday and, as souvenirs of their trips, left behind immortal symphonies and paintings.
It was in the 19th century that the region was discovered. French philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau's "back to nature" theories and the Romantic movement of the 19th century made tourism fashionable. And the Salzkammergut was opened for the first time to visitors (previously, the "salt-mine" region was a private preserve of the Habsburgs).
Following the example of Emperor Franz Josef and other royals, painters and poets soon began flocking to this region to enjoy the "simple life." The region's spas also attracted aristos by the boatload. Archduke Rudolf—brother of the emperor and pupil of Beethoven (for whom the composer wrote his Missa solemnis)—was the first Habsburg to enjoy the cure in Bad Ischl. The sensitive souls of the composers of the Romantic era were highly attracted by the beauty of the landscape. Little wonder that listeners can hear its reflection in the music written here: listen to the Scherzo movement of Gustav Mahler's Third Symphony and you'll know where its cuckoo-theme and wistful post horn come from. Then when the Salzburg Music Festival hit its stride in the 1930s, many of the great artists involved—Hugo von Hofmannsthal and Richard Strauss among them—liked to escape to summer houses in the hills after performing in town. Just as Johannes Brahms used to walk over a meadow on a sunny day or through a silent forest, or climb a mountain to renew mind and spirit, they followed his example and footsteps. So should you.
original on fodors.com
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий