By Rosemarie Bruce

Let me take you to one of the most beautiful and romantic countries in the World - Austria!

Austria is a country that ranges from the very high Alpine regions in the south to verdant fields and woods, with hundreds of exquisite lakes lying in the valleys like jewels and its rivers crowned with castles along their winding banks. The most famous river being the beautiful Blue Danube. The Danube River, together with the Rhine, the Mosel and a canal can take you by boat all the way from Amsterdam to the Black Sea!

Austria has somehow maintained its charm and a feeling of serenity, no matter where you go. To start, we will concentrate on an area called the "Salzkammergut" - The translation of this is almost impossible, but it comes from the time that salt (salz) was mined in all the surrounding mountains and this made the area very rich.

We arrive by plane at the Salzburg Airport and have a pre-arranged car rental, which we pick up and head for Lake St. Wolfgang - only 31 miles away***. First we get on the A1 Autoroute out of Salzburg, going east to Thalgau and then going south 5 Kilometers (that is about .3 miles) to Route 158, which will take you past the lovely Lake Fuschl (Fuschlsee) and Castle Fuschl . Stay on Rte. 158 and follow the signs to St. Gilgen and "Wolfgangsee" (Lake St. Wolfgang), and on around the Lake to Strobl at the other end and then on to St. Wolfgang.

Im Weissen Rossl
Here we have made reservations at a Romantic and Historic Hotel called "Im Weissen Rossl" (The White Horse Inn - literally little white horse). It has been documented that the Inn has been in existence at this spot since 1474, called the "Kucherlerhaus", which today is at the centre of the Modern White Horse Inn.

In 1874 the Inn became The White Horse Inn, visited by Emperors and the Nobility. Famous composers and writers came for peace and solitude and to enjoy the charm and beauty of the area.

The hotel now is truly a romantic hotel and is part of the "Romantic Hotels of the World" Chain. It has an indoor pool, a lakeside pool, a sundeck, a sauna, a jacuzzi and a spa with all facilities, a solarium, a fitness room, etc. Almost anything your heart desires can be obtained from Mr. Peter and his staff at the Lobby Desk.
Nowadays, guests at The White Horse Inn find personal hospitality, comfort and service, completely removed from the bustle of tourism in St. Wolfgang. Discover for yourself how the staff will indulge you in this oasis of the senses!

You have arrived! You can pre-arrange a pick up by the hotel from the airport at a charge; this must be ordered at the time the room reservation is made. Every Monday at 6:00 p.m. the family of owners welcome you with cocktails. There are a number of restaurants, including an outdoor one overlooking the lake.
Breakfast is buffet style, but you can ask the fully multi-lingual waiters for any other items you might wish to eat. On sunday mornings breakfast is served with champagne and piano music!
The main village street and side streets are rich in interesting and unusual shops, where many types of souvenirs may be obtained. Additionally, there are some very high-end clothing stores you will really enjoy.
Heading south on the main street, almost out of the village, you will go past a large "castle hotel" to the Ralph Benatsky Promenade (Ralph Benatsky was a famous composer who often stayed at this Hotel and also wrote, in conjunction with other composers, a very famous Operetta about the White Horse Inn).

Experience the Spa at
The White Horse Inn

At the other end of the Promenade there is the 110-year-old rack railway which takes you to the top of the Schafsberg - literally Sheep's Mountain; this is a magnificent ride with superb views as you climb to the top. There is a seasonal hotel and restaurant where you can enjoy refreshments as you drink in the spectacular view. There is a path located at the top of the mountain intriguingly called "The Gate to Hell" -- at the end there is a large archway and on the other side there is a sheer drop down so far that you cannot see the bottom.

There are Lake Steamers that will take you on sightseeing trips around the lake, ranging from the old paddlewheel steamers to very modern boats. Most any type of water sports are available here - the choice is yours. Also, golf enthusiasts will find many good courses on which to play.

This is also a wonderful area for people who like to hike; there are many well-marked walking routes which wind their way through the hills. If you are up to it you can climb all the way up into the Alps. You can obtain special maps that will give you all the details. There are "huts" along the way where one can stop and rest, eat and sleep, if you are on a multi-day trip.

The first time to take out your car would be to drive over to the Mondsee - Lake of the Moon. Those of you who can remember the wonderful movie musical "The Sound of Music" will find that the Church in the village of Mondsee is the one in which Maria's wedding to her Captain was filmed. It is a very ancient and beautiful church and well worth the visit. If you have any further interest in this subject you can take the "Sound of Music" tour from Salzburg, which takes you to all of the sites used in the movie. (We will go to Salzburg another time, as there is far too much to do and see there to include it today. It even has a wedding chapel on top of the Monks Hill, where very romantic - and expensive - weddings can be arranged).

Paddle Boat on Lake Wolfgang


The Pilgrim's Church right beside The White Horse Inn is a definite must-visit. Wolfgang, the Bishop of Regensburg, spent seven years at the lake over 1,000 years ago and founded the church, a monastery and a castle for his lodging. It became a Pilgrim's Church and is still very popular today on the various pilgrimage routes. It is furnished with the world-famous work of art - a Gothic winged altar piece by the South Tiroler painter and wood carver Michael Pacher.

Now we come to the "Snow White White Horse Inn, which is a splendid Winter Playground! This is a true winter wonderland with the lake being mostly frozen, surrounded by snow-covered Mountains. Now the activities center on skiing, skating, horse-drawn sled rides and horseback riding. Christmas and New Year bring some wonderful old customs and celebrations with Carols being played by a brass band from the Church Tower, followed by a visit to the cemetery for locals to visit relatives that have passed away and Midnight Mass at the old church. There is a gathering of all the guests and staff around the Christmas tree in the lobby where much singing and drinking ends the evening.

New Years's Eve again follows local traditions and two bands play for dancing and entertainment in two different areas of the hotel. Of course, as everywhere in Austria, the New Year is ushered in with the playing of the Blue Danube Waltz from every radio and television station, every church tower and anything that can make music!
On New Year's Day, it is the custom for the "Gloeckler" to run in the early morning darkness with their fairy tale-like lighted caps to spread their mysterious magic

Entrance of
Im Weissen Rossl
As you can see, The White Horse Inn and the St. Wolfgang area is magical. The best time to visit is in the Spring; April to early June, mid-September to mid-October, and then the winter holiday season.

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