Tag: Culture

8 Day Itinerary for Austria

house near body of water

Because castles, cafes, mountains, and Mozart. That’s right; we’re off to Austria! We’ll be taking a stroll in Tyrol during our first trip to this landlocked country. But first we’ll be in the elegant Vienna, the cultural and political capital. And as always, we’ll balance everything out with a hike or two. This is what our 8-day itinerary for Austria looks like:

Our 8-Day Itinerary for Austria

Day 1-4: Vienna

We’ll start off in the epicurean epicenter of Vienna, where Mozart lived and the cool kids still attend black-tie balls. Here are a few highlights we’re looking forward to enjoying:

  • Strolling around the Historic Center, including checking out St. Stephen’s cathedral
  • Choosing which attractions to visit in the Museumsquartier section
  • Spend a half day on one of the city’s official urban hikes

We’re going to stay in an over-century-old hotel just outside the Historic Center. On the final night we’ll hope to catch some sleep on the Nightjet train to Innsbruck, a 7-ish hour ride.

Day 5, 6: Innsbruck

Next is the Tyrollean city of Innsbruck, a focal point of fun in the Austrian Alps. We only have two days and so won’t be able to do everything, but a few things that caught our attention are:

  • Neuschwanstein castle. Because it looks friggin’ fantastic, and being from the Americas, castles are the ultimate novelty for us.
  • Mierders alpine coaster, or any mountain coaster. Because adrenaline.
  • Hiking. It’s spring in the Alps- what else would we do?!

There a lots of cool-looking breweries, museums and tours in the actual city of Innsbruck. So we’ll have our hands full deciding what to do.

Day 7: Towns of Tyrol

road leading to mountain

Day seven is going to be a bit loco. We are going sightseeing in a couple of picturesque towns near Innsbruck. We’re especially excited for waterfalls, castles, and to explore the medieval downtown in the village of Pfunds!

We splurged for a compartment on the Nightjet train back to Vienna to ensure we’re well rested after all this exploring :)

Day 8: Vienna

Our last day will be where we started! We’re staying in the middle of Vienna’s historic center in a fancy hotel. We justified the cost by booking the night train for two evenings earlier in the trip.

Packing List

Our goal is to travel without checked luggage, but that will be a challenge with an 18lb weight limit for carry-ons. Temperatures in both Vienna and Innsbruck will range from 40-70F (4.4-21.1C), and it will likely rain some days. So we’ll have to pack versatile clothes that layer well. And we’ll have to balance that with hiking clothes and our camera.

Right now my packing list looks like this:

  • Hiking shoes or boots
  • Socks, underwear
  • Two pairs of easy walking pants
  • Shirts for layering: two short-sleeved, two long-sleeved, one thermal
  • Sweater
  • Coat or rain jacket
  • Sunglasses
  • GoPro and charger
  • Phone and charger
  • Book
  • Notebook
  • Sweater
  • Wallet with credit card and cash
  • Passport!

Where We’re Staying

This trip is all hotels (except for the two night trains). We didn’t find Austria’s hotel options to be limited or too expensive. And of course the two nights on the train saved us some lodging money.

While we considered a more economical option like a pension or hostel, we decided to go with non-big-chain hotels for a comfortable and real experience (and the included breakfast!).

Why Austria in May

We didn’t specifically choose to go to Austria in May, but this month is a great time to visit if you want to avoid crowds and high prices. Summer visitor numbers peak in July, and prices climb in winter due to Christmas and outdoor sport attractions.

May is spring in Austria, so the weather is warming up and trees and flowers are blooming. Because of that, it’s a spectacular time to go hiking in Austria.

Conclusion

The reason we picked Austria was to connect with Janina’s ancestral history. But we’re also psyched for the adventure and cultural options! Plus it’s our first time in Central Europe.

Be on the look out for our complete guide for visiting Austria, which we will publish soon. We’re also preparing guides for each major city and the best hikes in the country. Stay tuned!

Why You Should Try Calientito When You Visit Peru

The ingredients for my perfect Chamis on a cold night!

Coziness doesn’t usually come in a plastic cup that a stranger hands you. But that was my introduction to Calientito.

Calientito is a warm drink made with Pisco, and it’s a tasty way to enjoy cold Andean nights. In this case it was prepared in a giant pot, and a señora poured it into plastic cups with a ladle. I gratefully sipped the steaming liquid and noticed lime and Pisco as the drink warmed me up.

In that part of Peru the drink is actually called Chamis. I imagine this is the Quechua name for Calientito. But what really matters is, Calientito is the perfect way to pass a cold evening. And if you want to sample it, you can find the ingredients at home!

calientito- handsome man with Pisco bottle
Sad because it’s cold and you don’t know what to do with all this Pisco?
same handsome man with drink
Have no fear! Calientitos are here!

Why Calientito is The Best Drink When It’s Cold

In that village on the side of a mountain, there were a few ways to avoid the worst of the cold. But nightly temperatures lowered to almost-freezing, and in the rainy season there seemed to be no escape.

The whole town was in bed by 8PM every day. And every bed had so many heavy blankets it was almost impossible to move under them.

Someone had also told me adobe was a good insulator, but I doubted this in the middle of freezing nights. I later recalled she moved to the warmer coast and had been there for years when she told me this.

Still, calientito is my favorite way to warm up on cold Peruvian nights. It’s a warm drink to begin with, and of course the alcohol gives a feeling of warmth too. Since it’s found in bars and shared in streets there is a social aspect. In the village this was a big plus because my Spanish skills were weak, making calientito a great way to connect with my new neighbors.

My Recipe

This is a simple drink to make. Make sure you have the following:

  • 1 lime
  • 1-2 shots of Pisco
  • 1 tsp of honey
  • Hot tea (any kind works- I prefer green tea)

Once the tea is ready, add the honey and Pisco. Finally, cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice into the drink. You have Calientito!

Conclusion

Definitely try this at home! It’s tasty and a cool cultural experience in a time when travel isn’t super realistic.

When you are ready to experience Peru’s amazing food scene and drink a Chamis in the Andes, consider using ethical hotels.

And check out these itineraries to have the best South American adventure!