Flashback: Salzburg is for Kids

Jonathan first visited Salzburg by himself and he wanted to take me back someday. Salzburg is Sound of Music country and it was the first city that came to his mind when we were brainstorming where we would take three-year old Xander.

Salzburg is laid back and charming, with the lovely Salsach river that runs through the center. The Kapuzinerberg mountain with the Capuchin Monastery and Monchsberg mountain are walking distance from the AltStadt (old town), with its lovely Baroque architecture.

Salzburg is the birthplace of Mozart, and although Mozart is a bit overdone here, it is still possible to have fun without being overwhelmed by the kitch.

We stayed in the AltStadt and spent most of our visit outdoors. We ate at outdoor cafes on the Salsach. We took the stroller and followed the small road that tangled its way through the mountain to the Capuchin Monastery.  And we discovered some amazing parks with fabulous play structures or cool locations.

We visited Salzburg shortly after our court date in Stavropol, Russia. All three of us were travel weary, and Salzburg was the perfect place to recharge our batteries and prepare for the rest of our adventure.

Flashback: Kid Friendly Austria

Austria is a wonderful destination when you are traveling with kids. The beautiful open spaces, the fabulous parks and the casual dining destinations are perfect for the family with a preschooler ... or a kid of any age for that matter.

In 2008 we picked Austria to spend our 10-day waiting period before we could bring Caleb home. Xander loved every minute of it. By the time we got back to Russia we were so very relaxed.

When I talk to friends about travel, Austria is not top of mind for a vacation destination, but it should be.  Weather-wise, Austria is fairly cool during the summer in the low 70s to low 80s -- perfect if you are trying to escape a hot climate. It has the wonderful, mountainous lakes region with small villages, parks and plenty of hiking. It has large cities like Vienna, that seemed to be built for children, with the Prater, a large park with the Wurstelprater Amusement park and the Lilliputbahn, a narrow guage railway throughout the park, as well as the opera film festival in Rathausplatz complete with outdoor food market (we ate dinner there several nights). Then there is Salzburg, a low key city, with plenty of places to walk, and great parks with unique play structures.

Over the next couple of weeks, we'll got into detail on our adventures in Austria with our then three-year old.