The drive through the mountains to reach St. Johann is utterly breath taking. You experience the majestic beauty of undisturbed nature at its arguably most scenic time of year – winter. Once you arrive at St. Johann, you see the warmth and friendliness of its people – greetings of “Gruss Gott”, the smells of the pastry shops, and the unhurried display of the locals. After you get settled in your room – try taking a little walk through the resort. You will notice the accommodating and very courteous staff, the exquisite Austrian food prepared in the main dining room, the abundance of wonderfully tasting beer and schnapps of Wally’s’ Pub (can you say “Prosit”?), and the late night beats from the disco. Of course after all this carousing – you may want to indulge in a sauna and massage or a workout and swim.
If you decide to take day a off from skiing, or yet, if you don’t ski (like me), try taking a drive through the countryside. Make sure that you find Zee Alm. See and drive through the mountains to reach Maria Alm – a wonderfully relaxing drive with views that even the best camera cannot capture the essence of. There are a variety of stop offs – through little towns you will find small stores and cafes that delight the senses. Go in have a cappuccino or espresso and a pastry and talk with the locals.
Another wonderful place to visit during your stay is the great city of Salzburg – a mere 40-minute drive from St. Johann. In Salzburg, you will find Mozart’s house, tours for the Sound of Music, some old and magnificent churches, and many small shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants. Salzburg is definitely a place worth investing a day or more of your time.
If you decide to do some additional excursions – maybe two to three days – you must travel to Vienna – one of the great cities of the world. Go hear Straus being played on the street, see the palaces of the once mighty Hapsburgs, the great cathedrals of St. Stephen and St. Charles, the smells and tastes of the Nachsmarkt, or do some heavy damage in the upscale shopping district.
Whatever your tastes are and whatever time you spend, you will find your stay in Austria to invigorate the soul and make all of your problems seem a world a way (they are almost, aren’t they?). After all, isn’t that why you went on vacation in the first place?
