Travel advice for Austria and Germany

AUSTRIA

The world's best music festivals. The world's largest music festivals and famous, the Salzburg Festival. Other important Austrian music lovers delights are the Haydn Festival in Vienna and the International Chamber Music Festival. Tickets for the festival are cheaper if you buy them in Austria. "Tickets for events in Austria" is an information sheet from Austrian National Tourist Office, tel is. (212) 944-6880 Internet:http://www.austria-tourism.at.

the world's best horse. The 400 years the Spanish Riding School, located in the Imperial Palace, is the noble white stallion, imported from the Spanish horses of Austria by Emperor Maximilian II in the 16th century descendants. Horses Viennese dance music, performed by experienced drivers to wear the traditional uniform of brown and gold buttons and gold-embroidered black hat. Performances are held at the school on Sunday morning at 10:45 and watch the occasionalWednesday evening at 7 clock from March to June and from September to December. It 'hard to find tickets, six months in advance to write the Spanish Riding School, Hofburg, A-1010 Vienna, Austria, Tel (43) 1-533-9031.

The most romantic hotel. Less than an hour away from Vienna, the castle of Durnstein, telephone (43) 2-711-212, presided over a wide arc from the Danube. The hotel is located deep in the wine growing region of Wachsu is distinctive of this magnificent castle surrounded by hills covered with vineyards, ancientRuins and timeless picturesque villages with single-lane roads. According to legend it was here that the captive King Richard the Lionheart was with his faithful singer who had sung his way through Europe in search of his master reunited. Also interesting is the winery (the 8000 "bucket" of wine can contain), the arc traversed by cobbled courtyard and 33 rooms with chandeliers, the man in front of the Danube.

GERMANY

Heidelberg, the most romantic city. Heidelbergis the center of German romanticism. Schumann began his career as a composer of the romance of this lovely city and Goethe fell in love here. Heidelberg is Germany's oldest university town and the location of scenes from the movie and musical The Student Prince. The best place to hike is the main street of Heidelberg, which is lined with cafes and small shops. A drink in a bar in the town hall. Or move along Philosopher's Walk, where Goethe and Hegel moved.From the way you have a bird's eye view of the city and castle of Heidelberg. Do not leave town without visiting the Museum of the Palatinate, home to the 500,000-year-old Heidelberg jaw.

Germany's best fish market. The best fish market in Germany, Sunday morning in Hamburg. This raucous affair but the fun is close to the Altona Pier and begins at 5 Clock

Worms: the most strange story. The city of Worms has a strange name and even strangerHistory. E 'state after a legendary giant worm with fangs and webbed feet, living in Reno and asked the name of human sacrifice. Worms was the capital of the fifth century of the legendary Nibelungen. The tribe left the area after the announcement, after the evil Hagen killed their hero, Siegfried, and his treasure fell into the River. A huge statue of Hagen reminded of the story. The city was destroyed in 436 by Attila the Hun. In the midst of the city, in the old part is high, inspiredCathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, in the 11th and 12th century built. Worms is a giant statue of Martin Luther, the oldest synagogue in Germany, built in the 11th century and restored in 1961 and the oldest and largest Jewish cemetery in Europe. Grave stones date from the 11th Century.

Hitler's favorite hiding place. The House of the Eagle (also known as Eagle's Nest), on a rocky outcrop above the town towers Berchtesgaden, Hitler's favorite retreat. No wonder the view fromHideout-turned-restaurant is intoxicating. Anyone could develop delusions of grandeur here. Alpine peaks above cottony clouds at this level. The snow peaks glistening in the sun. Below stretches a thick carpet of dark green fir trees in the valley. The road to Eagle's Nest is so steep and dangerous that he can not use cars, you need a special bus from Obersalzberg-Hintereck take parking. You can dine in the restaurant from mid-May toIn mid-October.

The world's best game of passion. Every 10 years, is moving more passion in the world, in the shadow of the Alps in Oberammergau performed artisans. From May to September in the year-end zero local amateur actors put aside their daily chores and devote himself entirely to the game. Written in the 17th Century, it takes the suffering of Christ between the Last Supper and his death. The villagers have made the game every 10 years because the17. Century, when he swore he would follow his passion, when the black plague stopped. He did, and they have. The picturesque Passion Play House (Passion Play) can be visited all year. The huge open-air theater holds 700 theater actors and wooden benches holding 5,200 people. You can use the elaborate costumes in the game, the passion, when to visit. Show starts at 8:30 and ends at 6 clock with a lunch break of two hours. The bestHotel Oberammergau is Alois Lang. This quiet location offers rooms with private bathrooms and three dining rooms good.

the world's best asparagus. Each spring, the German stem crazy, gorging themselves on the ground white asparagus or asparagus. The German asparagus, introduced by the Romans 2,000 years ago, is plump and ivory with delicate purple spikes. E 'among gourmets from all over the world every year in April, May and June, around the world estimated asparagusMecca. Asparagus is very big business in Finthen in Mainz, where all 5,000 residents work in the cultivation of vegetables in white Lampertheim, between Mannheim and Worms, where every housewife coveted growing vegetables in their backyard, in Schrobenhausen, in the downtown area of only together in southern Bavaria, where asparagus is grown, and Tettnang and Schwetzingen, Germany's capital known asparagus.