7-Days in Germany & Austria at Christmas!

AUTHOR’S NOTE: I wrote this blog post back in 2018/2019 but never got around to publishing it! So almost four years later (and just in time for the Christmas holiday season), here is everything we did on our trip to Germany & Austria! I’ve added Author’s Notes anywhere that 2022 Vivian is commenting throughout.

Back in December 2018, Drew and I went to Germany and Austria with his family. I spent a full 7-days there before coming back early to spend Christmas with my family. We visited five cities across both countries during that time.

This was our first time visiting either country. I had “visited” Germany in passing via the airport, but nothing worth writing about. His mom basically planned the entire trip and did a fabulous job! It was truly a magical time and made the Christmas holiday much sweeter.

I’ve been wanting to write about our trip (for years) and have finally decided to do just that! Scroll to the bottom for a day-to-day summary of all of the cities and sites we visited and where we ate.

Itinerary

Day 1-3: Munich
Day 4-5: Salzburg
Day 6: Salzburg & Vienna
Day 7: Regensburg & Nuremberg

Travel Accommodations

Airfare: I had enough points from my Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card that we got two free round-trip flights! I highly recommend getting a credit card to build up points every time you spend money.

Hotels: We stayed at hotels in each city, both local and international (aka Holiday Inn). We shared a room with his sister and her hubby in Vienna for two nights but it wasn’t a problem! However, be prepared for small elevators across all European hotels.

Munich: Cortiina Hotel. We loved this hotel! It was sleek, modern, and clean the staff was professional. The room was the perfect size for two people.
Salzburg: Hotel Elefant. This hotel was tucked away in the streets of Salzburg. We arrived early but the staff allowed us to put our luggage in our rooms anyway so great customer service.
Vienna: Hotel Anatol. A little further back from the main center of the city, this hotel was perfect for a two-night stay. We shared this room with Drew’s sister and BIL and it was the perfect size for 4!
Nuremberg: Holiday Inn near City Centre. A welcome piece of home during our stay in Nuremberg. The hotel was the largest and had the most “amenities”. It was on the edge of the city wall and near the city’s “red light district”.

Transportation: In each city, we walked pretty much everywhere! Our hotels were pretty central in each city so we weren’t far from all of the sites. In some cities, we used public transportation (ie. underground metro). We took trains between each city with ease (except to Regensburg, a story for another day).

Day-to-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Munich

We arrived in Munich and went through the customs lines fairly quickly. Our hotel, Cortiina Hotel, was close enough to the airport so we walked over and dropped off our luggage. The streets were mainly brick and cobblestone so it was quite bumpy, but nothing to complain about!

Marienplatz Christmas Market

We walked straight toward the Marienplatz Christmas Market which was in the main square. There were so many vendors selling anything from ornaments, meronis (which were roasted chestnuts, and my new favorite), cookies, and pretty much anything and everything Christmas-y you could think of. Our first stop was for Gluhwein, a mulled wine. I didn’t have any since I don’t drink alcohol, but everyone else in the group loved it. Drew and I opted to get potato pancakes, pomme frites (aka fries), and a German equivalent to a hot dog.

2022 Author’s Note: I still crave those meronis to this day! I’ve found some pre-packaged “roasted” chestnuts at Costco and the Asian supermarket, but nothing beats the fresh ones at the Christmas markets.

It was extremely crowded (which feels weird thinking about in this COVID environment) but the lines went by pretty quickly. Just make sure to have your payment out and ready. Most vendors took credit cards but I would say it’s safer to have cash on you.

Medieval Christmas Market

After walking through the Marienplatz Christmas Market, we walked through Munich in search of other markets. On our way, we walked by Altes Rathaus, Cuvillies Theatre, and Feldhernhalle, where carolers were singing. We eventually made it to the Medieval Christmas Market. This market was smaller than the previous one but had more or less the same types of vendors (which I found to be common across all markets during our trip). However, there was a huge brightly-lit windmill in the center that served…you guessed it: Gluhwein. I got some chocolate-dipped strawberries as a late-night snack while everyone else refilled their Gluhwein.

*Fake drinking this glass of wine for the photo*

We were pretty tired from our travels so we challenged ourselves to stay up until 9 pm and headed back to the hotel. We had a quick nightcap (beers for everyone else, snacks for me) and called it a night.

Day 2: Munich

We started day 2 with a non-complementary breakfast at our hotel (no shade, just truths) with a “buffet” of breads and cheeses. I was feeling the jet lag today so I made sure to stock up on my caffeine (it was Diet Coke at this time, but I have since become a healthier human).

2022 Authors Note: I am no longer living the “healthy human” lifestyle. #DietCokeForever

St. Peter’s Cathedral

We spent the morning wandering around Munich and ended up at St. Peter’s Cathedral. Admission was free so we walked in and admired the beauty around us. I’ve always known that the churches in Europe are breathtakingly beautiful, including how well-preserved they were, but I am still in awe at every church we walked through.

Glockenspiel Clock Tower

Every day at 11 am and 12 pm (and 5 pm March through October), the Glockenspiel Clock Tower has a “show” where the figurines dance and twirl inside the tower. We tailored our morning to the 11 am showtime and found a spot in the Old Town Square about 20 minutes prior.

I wondered how the clock tower was kept so clean and free from birds, but I realized that most statues and architecture were covered in a mesh so birds couldn’t stoop. The mesh isn’t obvious so doesn’t interfere with the natural beauty of the buildings, but it’s an effective way of keeping them free of unwanted visitors.

The show itself lasts around 10 minutes and was a nice way to take a break from walking around.

Augustiner Klosterwirt

After the show, we wandered around the streets of Munich on a quest to find a lunch spot. We passed by many churches: St. Michael’s Church, Asam Church, Frauenkirche, and Heilig-Geist-Kirch. We finally stumbled upon Augustiner Klosterwirt. It was a cozy dining hall with Christmas decorations all around. The staff was friendly and spoke English (which most vendors and restaurants do).

This was our first official sit-down meal so we were excited to see what German food was like. I ordered a veal weiner schnitzel with fries. I don’t think I’m a veal person, so I wasn’t a huge fan but not sure what I was expecting. However, the ambiance of the restaurant and the friendliness of the staff more than made up for it!

Nymphenburg Palace

The next stop on our agenda was to take the hop-on-hop-off bus to the Nymphenburg Palace. You are able to hop on and hop off at any stop along the route. We used it as an opportunity to see more of Munich without having to walk. On our way to the bus stop, we walked through the Viktualienmarkt, which was a smaller Christmas market. We prepurchased our tickets and were able to check in quickly and grab our front-row seats on the second floor.

The main stop of the tour we were hoping to visit was the Nymphenburg Palace, which most recently served as the home to King Ludwig II of Bavaria. The grounds were beautiful including a large pond in front with swans swimming around.

All of the rooms were filled with lavish tapestries and finishes – I mean it was a palace fit for a king after all. Many of the main areas were empty, but there were some rooms with the furniture setup as the King would have had it (so they say). The garden area was beautiful in the “backyard”, but we opted to stay warm inside.

Ratskeller Munchen

Once we arrived back at our original stop, we stopped by Coffee Fellows for a quick early evening pick-me-up before heading to dinner at Ratskeller Munchen. This place was an underground cellar turned restaurant. It was very lively and every table was filled. Luckily for us, we had a reservation and were seated almost immediately.

The space was large and felt like a dining hall, but intimate enough for us to have a comfortable dinner. I ordered a salad with spinach and grilled cheese with a side of cheese spaetzle (aka German mac and cheese). It was absolutely delicious and the perfect way to end a long day of site seeing and exploring.

Before heading back to the hotel, we stopped by a small Christmas market to get…flaming Gluhwein! According to the group, it tasted the same as the normal Gluhwein you get but was just 1000% cooler.

Day 3: Munich

The last day in Munich was my favorite! We started the day early to get on a bus tour to three stops (the main one being the “Disney” castle). We all sat on the bus while the tour guide gave us the history and background of everything we were seeing.

Wasserspiel Linderhof

The first stop was to Wasserspiel Linderhof or Linderhof Palace. This palace was another home of King Ludwig II…you know, the guy whose home we visited yesterday. This one was much smaller but just as beautiful. A fun thing he had in this home was a table that was lowered from the second floor so his staff could set the table and raise his meals to him in his bedroom (fancy amirite?).

Oberammergau

Our second stop on the tour was the town of Oberammergau. This town is the home of the Passion Play, which is held only on years ending in a zero (except 2020 due to COVID). This town was quiet and quaint with lots of local shops. We didn’t spend much time here so each couple split up to wander until it was time to head toward our main attraction.

2022 Author’s Note: The Passion Play ended up being postponed until 2022, but one of my best friends actually went with her hubby and in-laws and said it was AMAZING! Adding this to my lifetime bucket list.

Drew and I got beverages and snacks (obvi) and walked around the streets to find the perfect ornament. Fun fact: Drew and I collect ornaments from each city we travel to so we can reminisce while putting up our Christmas tree. I also wanted to have a mini-photoshoot so I made Drew take pics of me in the snow (which is also why I dressed up for this trip).

Neuschwanstein Castle

After a quick 30 minutes, we made our way to the main attraction: Neuschwanstein Castle. This is the main attraction for a lot of people because it is rumored that the Cinderella castle (aka the Magic Kingdom castle, aka the Disney castle) was inspired and/or modeled after this castle. I can totally understand why! The tour guide handed us our prepaid/pre-scheduled ticket for the entrance and let us on our separate ways.

Before heading up to the castle, we stopped by a local restaurant, Josy’s, for lunch. It was a buffet-style lunch and I have to be honest, it was no good. The food took forever to prepare and be served, which caused us to have to rush up the hill to get to the entrance. We only picked this place because there was no line.

2022 Author’s Note: It looks like Josy’s has since permanently closed 🙁 But you can venture to other places in the area!

My biggest takeaway from this day, however, was that visiting the Neuschwanstein Castle is not a 1.5, 2.5 or even 3-hour event. I would recommend going independently via bus or car for the following reasons:

You won’t feel rushed to make it up the hill. It takes about 45 minutes to walk up the hill or 20 minutes to ride a horse-drawn carriage. Our tickets had a scheduled time (as part of the bus tour) so we had to finish lunch and make it up the hill in time. Drew’s parents took the carriage and ended up missing the ticket time so didn’t get to see the inside of the castle.
The best views are from a bridge far from the base of the main castle. The iconic view you see in pictures of the castle is unsurprisingly not from the castle. Marienbrücke, or Mary’s Bridge is behind Neuschwanstein castle and gives you that famous view. Unfortunately, we did not have enough time to walk across the bridge and get pictures of the castle from afar.
There are so many other places to visit and things to do near the castle, including visiting Hohenschwangau (Alpsee boathouse), taking a bath at the thermal baths in the nearby town of Schwangau, or riding a cable car to the top of Tegelbergbahn mountain.

The inside was beautiful, as expected, but surprisingly unfinished. We went on a guided tour of a few of the many rooms within the castle walls, of which only a few were fully furnished while many remained empty. My favorite room was the king’s throne room which was covered in gold everywhere. The attention to detail was impeccable throughout.

The walk back down was easier than upward but we were ready to head back to the bus for our trip back to Munich.

Hofbrauhaus

On our way to dinner, we stopped by yet another market. Let me just tell you, Germany (and Austria for that matter) was not short on Christmas markets, so don’t be afraid if you miss something because the next market will most likely have what you’re looking for.

For dinner, we ate at the infamous Hofbrauhaus, which is where Hitler gave a speech (just an unpleasant fun fact). This was a true dining hall experience with long tables filled with different people. There was live music playing and the hall just had an overall lively vibe.

We sat down immediately and ordered the essentials: (1) beer and (2) pretzels! These pretzels were HUGE. I’m talking size-of-my-face huge (see picture above for size)! They were made fresh and were sold via servers carrying them around and asking if you want any.

Hofbrauhaus was a great way to end our three nights in Munich with some feel-good music, food, and company.

Day 4: Salzburg

We woke early up on day 4 to catch a train to Salzburg. The train station had many breakfast options so Drew and I opted for two slices of pepperoni pizza (because why the heck not??). We sat at a table for 4 and had two separate seats right next to us.

The train ride was so peaceful and passed by the countryside of Munich and Salzburg. One of my favorite parts of traveling abroad is being to ride trains between cities. Since we don’t have that in Houston, it’s such a unique experience for us, and it’s a great way to see more of the city.

Burgurista

After arriving in Salzburg, we took (two) taxis to our hotel, Hotel Elefant. There were poles in the middle of some streets preventing cars from driving (yay for walkability!) but taxis had clickers to lower them and were able to drop us off in front of our hotel. The staff was very accommodating and let us check in early so we could drop our luggage off.

For lunch, we ate at Burgurista. I opted for three mini sliders and fries with a Diet Coke (ya girl had to get her caffeine fix). At this point, I think the group was craving some “American cuisine” and opted for hamburgers. The crowd was mainly teenagers so it must have been a hip place.

Mirabell Gardens

We had a Sound of Music tour scheduled for 2 pm so after lunch we headed to the meeting place. Our hotel was on the west side of the Salzach river so we made our way to the east side. The bridges in Salzburg had “love locks” adorned on them, similar to the iconic tradition you see in Paris. We didn’t have any locks so just posed for pictures instead.

On our way, we stumbled upon the Mirabellplatz Christmas Market. It wasn’t nearly as large as the Christmas market in Munich but had vendors selling similar things (ie. ornaments, chocolates, clothing, etc). We also passed by the Mirabell Gardens, which is part of Mirabell Palace. The gardens were the location where the end of “Do Re Mi” in Sound of Music was filmed, which was fitting because we were headed toward our Sound of Music tour.

Sound of Music Tour

After checking in with the tour guide, we boarded the tour bus to embark on our Sound of Music Tour. The tourists were from all over the world – Europe, America, Asia, and Australia! We watched the Sound of Music prior to our trip we were refreshed on all of the sites we were about to see. Here is a summary of where the tour took us within Salzburg and some fun facts we learned along the way:

Lake Leopoldskron. This was the lake the boating scene was filmed! We could also see the back of the Von Trapp house. Fun fact #1: The Von Trapp house was a combination of two filming locations: (1) Schloss Frohnburg and (2) Mozarteum Music Academy.
Old Town in Residenzplatz. Maria sings “I Have Confidence” along the outer corridor of Old Town where she enters through the arches and plays in the Residenz Fountain.
Leopoldskron Grounds. We drove by the original location of the gazebo where Liesl and Rolf sing “16 Going on 17”. Fun Fact #2: The gazebo was originally kept at the Palace but was moved to a more secure location because it kept getting vandalized.
Nonnberg Abbey. Still an active women’s convent, this was the location for filming Maria’s scenes as a nun. You aren’t able to tour the convent but can visit for a church service.
Mozart Steg. We drove by the famous footbridge Maria and the Von Trapp children sang “My Favorite Things”.

*Lake Leopoldskron. You can see Schloss Leopoldskron where the backyard and lakeside terrace scenes were filmed.*

*Two ducks joined us for this portion of our tour.*

We then headed outside of Salzburg to visit some of the scenes that were filmed farther away from the city:

Lake District. We stopped by Lake Fuschl and Lake Wolfgang, where some of the panoramic shots of Austria were filmed. The hills were covered in snow (obvi, because we were there in December) but would have been beautiful in any season.
Schloss Hellbrunn. The original gazebo was reconstructed on the grounds of Schloss Hellbrunn. There was a Christmas market within the grounds, but you had to pay to get in. Our tour went straight through to the original gazebo where “16 Going on 17” was filmed in.
Mondsee. Our last stop on the tour was the town of Mondsee. We stopped by Braun Cafe for a quick snack (cheese sandwich and apple strudel). Mondsee is also where Holy Trinity Church is located, which was the church where Maria and Baron were married. There were also many small shops to purchase souvenirs.

*The reconstructed gazebo was used for the filming of “16 Going on 17” with Liesl and Rolf.*

*The town of Mondsee, including Braun Cafe where we stopped by for a snack*

*Holy Trinity Church where Maria and Baron Von Trapp were married*

Residenzplatz Christmas Market

Following our Sound of Tour music, we stopped by the Residenzplatz Christmas Market and got some meronis (aka chestnuts) to snack on. I think I had at least 30 meronis every single day of this trip. Growing up I would snack on preserved chestnuts from the Asian supermarket, but having literal chestnuts roasting on an open fire in Germany was something else.

For dinner, we opted for Italian food at Spaghetti & Co. I ordered spaghetti bolognese and Drew had pizza.

2022 Author’s Note: It’s me, hi! Reminder that I still love meronis.

Museum of Modern Art

After dinner, Drew, his sister, BIL, and I wanted to do some more exploring on our last night in Salzburg. Our hotel was fairly close to the Museum of Modern Art. The museum itself was closed, but we purchased tickets to go to the rooftop. The views were incredible (see above). There was a restaurant lounge on the rooftop but it was closed to the public due to a private event. I highly recommend visiting the museum, even if it’s just for these views.

Sternlounge

We decided to end the night at the Stern Lounge, which was near the Museum of Modern Art. We were seated in the downstairs portion of the lounge and enjoyed the rest of the evening with drinks and snacks.

Day 5: Salzburg & Vienna

Our last morning in Salzburg was filled with tours of historic places (think fortress and Mozart), then we took a train to Vienna.

Cafe Tomaselli

Cafe Tomaselli is the oldest coffee house in Austria so we made a visit for breakfast. The cafe felt very cozy and “lived-in” and had newspapers hanging from a turntable. I honestly could have stayed there for an entire day. The breakfast menu was pretty light, as were most other restaurants. We opted for something light: soft boiled egg and a ham and cheese biscuit.

Hohensalzburg Fortress

Our main attraction for our last day in Salzburg was the Hohensalzburg Fortress, which sits atop Festungsberg hill. I love visiting historical sites where the layout and furniture (in this case armory) are preserved so we can see what previous life was like.

We could have walked We rode the Festungsbahn to the top of the hill. This was a funicular that runs every 10 minutes to bring you to the top of Festungsberg hill. We could have walked but (1) we didn’t have enough time and (2) the funicular was way more fun!

*Pieces of wood lined the brick-floored hallways to act as a guide for the night guards*

The views from the fortress were unbelievable. Seeing the entirety of Salzburg from an aerial view puts everything into perspective. The grounds within the fortress walls were oddly cozy and felt like there would have been a community, including a church.

We went on the Discovery Tour, which was a self-guided tour with an audio guide that gave us the history of the fortress. There was a room that had dioramas of the fortress throughout the years it was under the rule of over 6 archbishops, a torture chamber with examples of torture devices, and a “Golden Room” that served as a waiting area for guests.

Fun fact: The hallways had a piece of wood that ran along the center of the floor that acted as guides for night guards so they could tell where they were walking.

Mozart’s Birthplace

After visiting the Fortress, we headed back down to the main city center to visit Mozart’s birthplace. There are three museums dedicated to Mozart throughout Salzburg and our hotel was closest to his birthplace. We purchased tickets and were able to see the three-story home he grew up in. You could walk through all of the rooms of the home and see original furniture and pieces of sheet music he worked on throughout his life and even listen to some of his work.

Maredo Steakrestaurant

For our last meal in Salzburg, we opted for something quick. Maredo Steakrestaurant had no line and we were seated quickly. Unfortunately, the service was not speedy and they forgot to make some of our food. I was feeling pretty “heavy” from all of the other meals we’ve had (and probably because of the maronis) and headed for the salad bar. We ate quickly and got out of there. I wouldn’t…not recommend this place, but maybe try your luck somewhere else or just make time for slower service.

2020 Update: Per their website, the Salzburg location is permanently closed due to COVID but they have locations all throughout Germany.

After lunch, we grabbed our bags and headed to the train station to get on our train to Vienna.

Rathaus Christmas Market

Upon our arrival in Vienna, we headed straight to our hotel, Hotel Anatol, to drop off our bags. We then immediately headed to the Rathaus Christmas Market, the main Christmas market in Vienna. Let me just tell you – this was our favorite market we visited. It was expansive and had a large variety of vendors, including chocolate tools. I highly recommend purchasing some of these as gifts for your friends and family and doing an innocent prank on them (I did that to my dad and he had a kick out of it).

Each couple split up to explore the market on their own. Drew and I got our Vienna ornament and of course some maronis (roasted chestnuts for those who need a refresher). We purchased tickets to a small Ferris wheel at the market. It was a nice break from walking around and let us see the city from an aerial view.

Taqueria las Mexicos’s

We were craving some familiar cuisine, so we decided on Mexican food. The only place we found was Taqueria las Mexico’s. The kids walked there (only about 25 minutes) while the parents opted to take a cab. The restaurant was cozy and offered more authentic Mexican food rather than the Tex-Mex that we are used to. The group ordered a round of margaritas and I opted for Diet Coke. After dinner, we walked back to our hotel and settled in for the night.

Day 6: Vienna

After spending 5 days together exploring as a group, day 6 of our trip was a “free day” where the couples could go off and explore on their own. Drew and I had no plans and decided to wander around the city.

Cafe Central

One of my college friends studied abroad in Vienna for six months and he recommended Cafe Central for breakfast. Apparently, this cafe was a popular spot and was frequented by many historic icons, including Sigmund Freud. We arrived early enough to avoid any major lines and were seated fairly quickly. Our table was by a window large window. We ordered potato soup, fruit salad, and a meat and cheese board.

Since this day was just the two of us, I made Drew take a ton of photos. With no plans, we spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the city. Our trips usually consist of detailed itineraries by the hour, but this was a refreshing and freeing way to spend the day. We allowed ourselves to wander aimlessly, stopping at anything and everything we saw.

Hofburg Museum

We wandered upon Hofburg Museum. Unfortunately, there was a decent queue at the ticket booth so we pass on going into the museum. The outdoor museum grounds were just as beautiful. Surprisingly it didn’t seem like there weren’t many people walking around the grounds as the number of people waiting in line.

The architecture of the buildings seemed much different than what we saw in Munich or Vienna. The area surrounding the Hofburg Museum

Maria-Theresien-Platz Christmas Market

As we continued to explore, we stumbled upon a smaller market, Maria-Theresien-Platz Christmas Market. This market had more “craft” type vendors, including a vendor who handcrafted scrapbooks and notebooks. We purchased a scrapbook so I could document our European travels (I ended up doing a photobook through Blurb, but it’s still a nice scrapbook for future travels). I also snagged a funnel cake because why not?

If you are looking for a calmer and less crowded market, I would recommend this one in Maria-Theresien-Platz! They even have heated bathrooms for use.

Rathaus City Hall

After our morning exploration, we went to the Rathaus City Hall for their free afternoon tour. They have a tour every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 1 pm excluding Council meeting days or public holidays. We got our queue number from a City Hall receptionist and waited for the tour to start.

We were able to walk through the various chambers and staterooms within City Hall, including meeting rooms and congregation halls. Other stops included the two Coat of Arms Halls, the Stone Halls, the Grand Staircases, and the Arcade Courtyard.

*The ceiling, architecture, and artwork in the Council chamber*

The tour took us to various floors and gave us the opportunity to absorb the intricate architecture and design throughout the entire Hall. I trailed behind for almost every stop so I could take pictures of all of the details, including floors, ceilings, and columns.

Mari’s Metcha Matcha

Following the tour, Drew and I were pretty hungry and craving something “familiar” for lunch. We found a local Japanese restaurant within walking distance (5 minutes), Mari’s Metcha Matcha. The restaurant was very intimate (as most restaurants were). Luckily for us, it’s easier to get seated for a party of two so we were seated relatively quickly, albeit against a wall.

We both ordered ramen bowls that were (1) delicious and (2) very warming. The service was on the slower side but understandably so and also welcome as we were trying to defrost from our morning exploring. They sold traditional Japanese dishware in addition to being a restaurant. If we lived locally, I would have loved to purchase everything there!

Prater Amusement Park

While the main Christmas market at Rathaus, Drew’s main “attraction” in Vienna was the Viennese Giant Ferris Wheel at Prater Amusement Park. Created in the 19th century, this Ferris wheel is one of the oldest Ferris wheels in the world. It was originally created with 30 gondolas, but was severely damaged during World War II and was only restored with 15 gondolas.

You can now purchase tickets to ride in one of the gondolas and see views of the Vienna skyline, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and Schönbrunn Palace. There were not many people in our gondola with each gondola being large enough to fit over 10 people. Every other gondola is set up for private dining, which would be a unique experience. If you have more time or plan ahead, I would recommend doing that!

On our way off of the Ferris wheel, we naturally stopped by the gift shop to purchase our traditional ornaments and mugs to remember our trip by! After we made our purchases, we rushed back to our hotel to drop off our souvenirs and headed to our opera.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral

We had plans to watch an opera at the State Opera House so we decided to stop by St. Stephen’s Cathedral, which was only a 10-minute walk away. We didn’t have an opportunity to go inside, so we snapped a few photos outside and headed to the opera.

State Opera House

For our last evening in Vienna, we watched Hansel and Gretel at the State Opera. We arrived a few minutes early and met Drew’s sister and BIL at the cafe for pre-show drinks and snacks. The interior of the opera house was just as beautiful as all of the buildings we had visited throughout.

We had upper-level tickets. Prior to going to our seats, we were required to check our jackets at the coat check. Each seat was equipped with its own screen that was there to display the lyrics of the opera in your native language. It was a pleasant tool I wasn’t expecting but was incredibly helpful to follow along with the story.

The opera was two acts with an intermission in between. It was a wonderful interpretation of the Brothers Grimm story dating back to the 19th century. The acting, singing, and orchestral accompaniment were the perfect way to spend our last evening in the city.

Mozart’s Restaurant

For our last meal in Vienna, we went to Mozart’s Restaurant. This restaurant felt like a pub with dim lighting and cozy seating. We were seated in one of the large booths that had historic benches that were representative of traditional Austrian interiors. Known for its Weinschenke Burger, we ordered burgers to enjoy our last evening in Austria.

2022 Author’s Note: It looks like Mozart’s Restaurant has closed since our trip. But I do see Cafe Mozart which seems related.

Day 7: Regensburg & Nuremberg

On the last day of my Europe trip, we split the day between Regensburg and Nuremberg. We woke up early this morning to catch our train to Regensburg. Our trip to Regensburg was mapped out perfectly. We knew when/where we were supposed to change trains.

What we didn’t know was that you had what felt like 30 seconds to grab your luggage and exit the train before the doors shut. Drew’s sister, brother-in-law, and I got off the train and were ready for our next train. The moment I look back at the train, I see Drew and his parents staring back at us behind the closed doors of the moving train…

Long story short, they weren’t able to grab their luggage in time before the doors shut and the train moved on to the next destination. Thankfully, Drew’s brother-in-law was able to get us reconnected by talking to a train attendant (while Drew’s sister and I were on our phones trying to buy the next best ticket). We made it to Regensburg, albeit a little later than planned, but it made for a funny story.

Old City Center

Once we arrived at the Regensburg train station, we rented a few lockers to keep our luggage and made our way toward the city center. It was rainy and overcast when we arrived so it wasn’t super crowded. The buildings lined both sides of the main road and were colorful, which was a nice contrast to the gloomy weather.

Regensburger Weissbrauhaus

At this point, we were all hungry so we stopped by Regensburger Weissbrauhaus, a local brewpub. I was craving something warm and comforting, so I ordered the beef goulash made with one of their homemade dark beers. The servers there were very friendly and patient with us when we were deciding on drinks. Since we all wanted to see different things, the couples decided to split up and explore the city on their own.

Roman Walls

*Drew standing by the Porta Praetoria, dating back to 179 AD*

One of the main reasons we made a trip to Regensburg was because of the Roman walls throughout the city. The first stop we made was to a small remaining portion of a Roman wall that dated back to 179 AD, the Porta Praetoria. This arched gate was considered the gateway to Regensburg.

The next stop we made was the Regensburger Legionslagermauer, which was a remaining piece of the fortress. It was located off the main path slightly down the hill. I didn’t venture down there but Drew did and said there were quite a few…drug paraphernalia.

We met everyone at the train station, grabbed our luggage, and made our final trip of the day to Nuremberg.

Nuremberg Christmas Market

We headed directly to our hotel, Holiday Inn near City Centre. This was our first stay at a US-branded hotel, so it was nice to be in an environment that was a little more like “home”. Drew’s cousin lived in Spain so she made a trip to Germany and met us at our hotel. Our first stop was the Nuremberg Christmas Market.

This was the largest and most crowded Christmas market out of all of the ones we visited. There were choirs singing, triple the vendors, and all the snacks and yummies. Because this was my last night in Germany, I bought the rest of our souvenirs including a Nuremberg ornament, gingerbread cookies, and chocolates. I also had to have my last meronis of the trip and even got some Nuremberg sausages.

Kinder Christmas Market

The Kinder Christmas Market was next to the main Christmas market and was tailored toward children. It was much smaller than the main market, but it was the perfect place for kids to enjoy an evening out in the market, even including a Merry-Go-Round and full diorama. There were vendors that had crafting activities for the children (but really for the parents to “guide” the children).

Toni Travolta

We ended the evening at a pizza place, Toni Travolta. To be honest, the food wasn’t amazing (at least compared to the pizza I was used to in America), but the ambiance of the restaurant was great. I was happy to spend my last night of the trip with everyone in a lively restaurant.

Since I was only in Europe for 7-days, this was my last meal with the group before heading back to the US to spend Christmas with my family. It was a great end to a wonderful 7 days in Europe with Drew’s family.

Summary

Here is a day-by-day summary of everything described above: