My Visual Travel Experience: Melk (Austria)

I visited Melk from Vienna with my wife Kamalini and my 10 year old son Rehaan in June 2025. I had visited Melk much earlier with my parents in the late 1980s, when we lived in Vienna for 4 years. I had distinct memories of the beautiful abbey and I was keen on seeing it again and showing it to my wife and son. We went by train and from the railway station, it was easy to walk around the small town, and even walk up the hill to visit the abbey.

Melk is a town in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It is located in the Wachau Valley along the Danube. Melk has a population of about 5,000. The town is best known for its Benedictine Abbey, Stift Melk, or Melk Abbey. 

View of Melk from Stift Melk

The area around Melk was given to Leopold I in 976 AD. The current abbey was once the spot for a Babenberger castle. Leopold II gave it to Benedictine monks in 1089. That resulted in the large baroque abbey we see today. The town was notorious during World War II for housing a sub-camp of the Mauthausen Concentration Camp run by the Nazis.

Stift Melk is located on a hill rising above the town. It was founded in the 11th century AD. A monastic school and a monastic library were first established. The library houses some rare medieval manuscripts. The baroque abbey was built in 1736. The abbey church is particularly impressive, with its twin baroque towers and large dome. The views of the town from the abbey are magnificent!

View of Stift Melk
from the Town below

Facade of the Abbey Church, 
Stift Melk

Entrance Gateway, 
Stift Melk

Corridor, 
Stift Melk

Staircase, 
Stift Melk

Pfarrkirche Maria Himmelfahrt has its origins dating back to the 11th century AD, when there was a church dedicated to St Stephen. The dilapidated church was rebuilt in 1491. The church tower is 55 meters tall and was built in 1865. The church has a noteworthy high altar, pulpit, organ and stained glass windows.

Facade, Pfarrkirche
Maria Himmelfahrt

High Altar, Pfarrkirche
Maria Himmelfahrt

Interior, Pfarrkirche
Maria Himmelfahrt

Pulpit, Pfarrkirche
Maria Himmelfahrt

View of Pfarrkirche
Maria Himmelfahrt from
Stift Melk

Hauptstrasse is a pedestrianized street running through the heart of the town. It has the Rathaus (or Town Hall), several popular eateries, souvenir shops and the famous Statue of Johannes Nepomuk, situated close to Pfarrkirche Maria Himmelfahrt.

Eatery on Hauptstrasse

Fountain on Hauptstrasse

Coat of Arms of the Town of Melk, 
featuring a Golden Lion with a Key, 
on Hauptstrasse

Statue of Johann Nepomuk, 
Hauptstrasse

I am really glad we visited Melk. The abbey was nothing short of spectacular, but so was the rest of this charming little town with all its treasures!

My Visual Travel Experience: Alpbach (Austria)

An honest confession - I had never heard of Alpbach till 2025, despite having lived in Austria for 4 years from 1985 to 1989. Then in 2025, when we were planning our annual summer trip, we chose to visit Austria, Germany and Czech Republic. Though my then 10 year old son Rehaan and I love exploring vibrant cities, my wife Kamalini enjoys spending time in scenic little villages. As a result, on every trip of ours, we always spend a few days in such villages. Kamalini researched and found out about the village of Alpbach, supposedly a hidden gem, and we decided to spend a couple of days there. It turned out to be a fantastic decision because Alpbach was nothing short of being breathtaking!

We rented a car in Salzburg and we kept it for over a week. I drove from Salzburg to Hallstatt to Alpbach to Neuschwanstein to Munich, before returning the at the car rental outlet in Salzburg again. In Alpbach, we stayed in a very spacious, beautiful, and well equipped 2 bedroom apartment called Apartment Dicka. Having a great place to live in just enhances the travel experience that much more!

Alpbach is a village in Kufstein district in the state of Tirol in Western Austria. The village has a population of about 2,500. It is situated in the middle of the Kitzbuehl Alps. Alpbach is referred to as “Austria’s Most Beautiful Village”. This well-deserved accolade is due to the majestic mountains surrounding it, and the marvelous, uniform, traditional wooden architecture that is prevalent all over the village. 

Human settlements around Alpbach go back to about 1000 AD. In the 15th century AD, deposits of copper and silver were discovered in the region. That led to a lot of commercial activity, but by the 19th century AD, productivity at the mines had declined and they had to be closed. Tourism began in Alpbach in the early 20th century, and today it is the village’s main source of income, in summer as well as in winter (when it is a popular destination for skiers).

Pfarrkirche St Oswald lies in the heart of the village. It was consecrated in the 15th century AD. The present structure, however, dates back to the early 18th century AD and it was elevated to parish church status in 1891. The church has a gothic tower, a baroque high altar, and a prominent organ. In the church yard outside, one can see the cemetery, with numerous graves beautifully laid out all around. Traditional music concerts are regularly held outside the church.

Facade,
Pfarrkirche St Oswald

Interior,
Pfarrkirche St Oswald

Cricifixion Altar, 
Pfarrkirche St Oswald

Cemetery,
Pfarrkirche St Oswald

Music Concert,
Pfarrkirche St Oswald

There is a story behind Alpbach's architecture. In 1953, the village council made it mandatory that all new buildings are to be as per the traditional wooden style of architecture. That explains why no modern looking buildings have been allowed to come up in the village. It has certainly helped in giving Alpbach its charming and beautiful look.

Building with Alpbach's
Village Emblem

Der Boglerhof

Gemeindearmt

Messner's

Skischule Alpbach

Lauserland in an adventure playground situated at a height of 1,850 meters on a mountain just outside Alpbach. To get to the top, one has to go by cable car. There is also a walking trail that one can take. From the summit, there are spectacular views of the mountains, the valleys and the village below! The highlights of Lauserland include the Lauser Saucer (a thrilling Alpine coaster, that goes up and down the mountain slopes), numerous other fun rides for kids, and Hornboden Restaurant (a restaurant with a view, offering a range of Austian and other cuisines).

View from the Summit,
Lauserland

Cable Car at Lauserland

Track at Lauser Saucer, 
Lauserland

Slide at Lauserland

Bratwurst at Hornboden
Restaurant, Lauserland

I would highly recommend Alpbach to any visitor who wants peace and quiet in a wonderful, friendly and incredibly scenic environment!!

My Visual Travel Experience: Hallstatt (Austria)

I lived in Austria for 4 years from 1985 too 1989, from the ages of 12 to 16. My father was the Indian Ambassador in Vienna back then. We travelled extensively around Austria, but somehow I never made it to the town of Hallstatt, supposedly one of the prettiest small towns not just in Austria, but across the world! My parents and I did make a plan once, but we had to cancel just the day before because I got high fever!

Decades later, in the summer of 2025, I finally made it to Hallstatt. I visited for a couple of days with my wife Kamalini and my 10 year old son Rehaan. To put it mildly, all three of us were mesmerized by its beauty! We stayed at a lovely, well-equipped, spacious apartment called Apartments Marie A, walking distance from the heart of town.

Hallstatt is a small town in the Gmunden District of the Austrian state of Upper Austria. The town lies in the scenic Salzkammergut region and is situated along the Hallstaetter See. It has a population of just over 700 residents. It draws numerous tourists to it because of its breathtaking beauty. In fact the town has suffered from reports of over-tourism, with an active drive to actually limit the number of tourists who visit. The town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

A View of Hallstatt, with Lake Hallstatt
and the Evangelische Pfarrkirche
Hallstatt

Besides its picturesque lake and lovely architecture, Hallstatt is also famous for its salt mine, which is the world’s oldest operational salt mine. Hallstatt was known way back in the Bronze Age for its salt production, and salt mining was a major occupation of the population in the 8th to the 5th centuries BC.  In 1846, a large prehistoric cemetery was discovered near the salt mines, and excavations yielded over 1,000 burials.

The Marktplatz lies in the heart of town. It is a bustling square, full of cafes, restaurants and shops, including popular souvenir shops. In the centre of the square lies the Holy Trinity Statue. In 1750, the historic square was badly damaged in a devastating fire, but it was subsequently rebuilt. The square is a venue for many events, including concerts, cultural events and the Christmas Market!

Marktplatz, with the 
Holy Trinity Column

The Evangelische Pfarrkirche Hallstatt dates back to 1863. The protestant church replaced an earlier church built at the site in 1785. The church has a prominent tower.

Exterior, Evangelische
Pfarrkirche Hallstatt

High Altar, Evangelische
Pfarrkirche Hallstatt

Organ, Evangelische
Pfarrkirche Hallstatt

Pfarrkirche Maria Himmelfahrt is the Roman Catholic church of Hallstatt. The church was completed in 1505. After the fire of 1750, the church was given a Baroque spire. 

Exterior, Pfarrkirche
Maria Himmelfahrt

High Altar, Pfarrkirche
Maria Himmelfahrt

Pulpit, Pfarrkirche
Maria Himmelfahrt

Hallstaetter See, or Lake Hallstatt, stretches from south to north. It is 7.5 km long, and 1.4 km wide at its widest point. The lake is popular for fishing. It is also a favourite with tourists, who use it for swimming, diving and boating. The town lies on the western shores of the lake.

Halstaetter See

Swan, Halstaetter See

Museum Hallstatt is a museum that takes visitors through a journey of 7,000 years of the region’s history. The museum was founded in 1844. The museum’s highlights include artefacts from excavations of the Hallstatt Salt Mines and burial grounds, Neolithic exhibits, and exhibits from the region’s culture, the Roman times and modern times.

Museum Hallstatt

Cone Shaped Hat (14th to 8th
Century BC), Museum Hallstatt

Figure of a salt mine worker,
Museum Hallstatt

Shoe (8th to 4th
Century BC), Museum Hallstatt

Hallstatt Salt Mines are the world’s oldest salt mines still in operation, with a history going back 7,000 years! The mines consist of 21 levels, ranging from 514 meters above sea level to 1,267 meters above sea level. Visitors can see the mines in guided tours, through a combination of walking, going on mine trains along the tracks, and going down the slides from one level to another. One enters the mines by going up on a mountain cable car from the town. From the top, there are spectacular views of the town and lake below. 

View from the Top,
Hallstatt Salt Mines

, Mountain Cable Car,
Hallstatt Salt Mines

Mine Train,
Hallstatt Salt Mines

Tunnel,
Hallstatt Salt Mines

Salt Bucket,
Hallstatt Salt Mines

Slide,
Hallstatt Salt Mines

Seldom have I seen the kind of pristine beauty that I saw in Hallstatt. The only thing that left a slightly bad taste in the mouth was an isolated incident at Marktplatz. I got my son an ice cream. When I asked for a tissue, the ice cream seller took off on me for polluting the environment by using paper instead of using water from the fountain at Marktplatz. He then went a step further and said Indians are like that only, and don't care about the environment. Very politely but firmly, I told him he was being racist. He then got defensive and said Indians are very nice people, it's just that they should look after the environment better. It wasn't a big deal, as I've endured far worse racist comments in my life. Perhaps it was just a reaction to the over-tourism that locals in Hallstatt have had to endure over the years. However, it slightly soured an otherwise amazing visit to this incredible little town!