Traveller Story: A Fun Family Christmas

Traveller Story: A Fun Family Christmas

Michele and her family travelled on our Christmas in the Austrian Tyrol tour in December 2013. They enjoyed a family holiday filled with visits to Christmas markets, touring magical castles, exploring some of Europe's greatest cities and making memories in the snow covered village of Neustift, Austria. 

 

Traveller:

What tour did you travel on?

When did you travel? 

Who did you travel with?

Why did you select this particular tour?

The itinerary really suited us and we liked the combination of sightseeing and free time. We also wanted to experience Christmas in Europe with time in the snow.

Have you travelled with Albatross Tours previously?

What was your favourite places on your Albatross tour?

We loved all the places we visited on this tour! We really enjoyed wandering around the Christmas markets in Munich, Salzburg and Innsbruck – particularly sampling the mulled wine and roasted nuts.

Our full day in Salzburg was just magical. We had time to wander the ancient fortress, shop at the markets and even take a horse and carriage ride around the cobblestone streets of the old town.

We also really loved visiting Neuschwanstein Castle. This castle had been on my bucket list for many years and I certainly wasn’t disappointed – what a magical place!

Our favourite place of all had to be Neustift in the Stubai Valley. This is the small village we stayed in for 5 nights over Christmas. We stayed in a lovely family run hotel right in the heart of the village. We had time to explore the valley travelling up the mountains on chairlifts and also braving the 8km toboggan run! It was a lot of fun!

What was the most amazing thing you saw or did on your Albatross tour?

The most amazing thing we did was to travel on a wooden sled down the 8km toboggan run in Neustift! Not something I would normally do but lots of fun. Of course, we fell off a few times, but that was part of the fun.

Tell us about your most memorable moment on tour?

Our full day in Salzburg. We had a full day to explore the old town and it was like being in a dream. From the ancient fortress overlooking Salzburg, to the warm inviting restaurants offering hearty schnitzels to the twinkling of the lights in the Christmas markets… it is a day we will never forget.

What was your favourite meal on tour?

It would have to be the massive veal schnitzel I had in Salzburg. The schnitzel itself was almost the size of the plate, and it was crumbed and cooked beautifully – so tender!  It just melted in my mouth!

What advice do you have for anyone interested in travelling on this tour?

If you are wanting to play in the snow, my advice would be to pack waterproof pants, jacket, gloves and shoes. There is nothing worse than being cold AND wet.

When buying mulled wine at the Christmas markets, you can keep the mug as a souvenir. You pay extra for your first mug, and then pay less for refills.

Washing facilities were quite limited on the tour, so make sure you pack clothes that can be easily hand washed. The good news is that our hotel rooms were well heated so it was quick for our clothes to dry.

Would you recommend this tour to family and friends? If so, why?