A Tour of the Austro Hungarian Empire

[WAB]

My wife and I are recently returned from a tour of Budapest, Prague, Vienna and Salzburg. While billed as a Christmas market tour, I somehow kept finding myself in hunting shops. Although burdened with draconian EU firearms laws, the hunting heritage is alive and well in these countries.

A piece of bad news for CZ lovers, the Safari rifles are well and truly gone. There are
Rumors of Safari calibers in the CZ 600, but this is in no way a replacement for their Mauser actions.

Joh. Springer’s in Vienna was a true Safari shop with an impressive array of clothing, double rifles and custom Mauser rifles finished in-house. The clothing in all of the shops was functional and tasteful. This trip was a nice complement to my hunt in Romania in September.

If you want a trip you and your spouse will both enjoy, do a Christmas Market/Hunting Shop tour of the Austro Hungarian empire!

Prague Old Town Square

My Wife and I on the castle walls in Salzburg. I couldn’t resist a traditional Austrian hat!

 

[Altitude sickness]

Very nice

 

[Red Leg]

Hit all our favorites!

 

[sierraone]

So much envy. Spent lots of time in Budapest and the Hungarian country side. Lesser time in Vienna. Never made it to Prague or Salzburg during my contracting days. The country side in Hungary was covered with herds of antlered game both large and small. Unfortunately I didn't know then what I know now!!!! What a great trip for you and the better half. Congratulations and Merry Christmas to you both....

 

[Fatback]

Sounds like a wonderful trip.

 

[sgt_zim]

Haven't been to Budapest yet, but we did go to Prague and Vienna back in 2019.

The eastern European nations that are Catholic - curiously their languages are Slavic, but they use the Latin alphabet. You can read everything, but have no idea what you're reading.

@WAB - did you guys happen to swing by St Stephens while in Vienna?

I want to revisit Prague one October while they celebrate their independence. My favorite composer is Czech, they play a lot of his music during the festivities.

Sure is easy to pick out the shitty commie architecture from the classic Gothic stuff. Really is a blight. Talking to people my age or older, the hatred for the Russians came out in a hurry. The tour guide we hired to take us through Terezin was one such gentleman.\

I thought the military history museum in Vienna was spectacular.

 

[WAB]

Haven't been to Budapest yet, but we did go to Prague and Vienna back in 2019.

The eastern European nations that are Catholic - curiously their languages are Slavic, but they use the Latin alphabet. You can read everything, but have no idea what you're reading.

@WAB - did you guys happen to swing by St Stephens while in Vienna?

I want to revisit Prague one October while they celebrate their independence. My favorite composer is Czech, they play a lot of his music during the festivities.

Sure is easy to pick out the shitty commie architecture from the classic Gothic stuff. Really is a blight. Talking to people my age or older, the hatred for the Russians came out in a hurry. The tour guide we hired to take us through Terezin was one such gentleman.\

I thought the military history museum in Vienna was spectacular.

Yes, we had the great privilege of hearing the Vienna Philharmonic perform in St. Stephen’s Cathedral. We also attended concerts in St Mathias cathedral, Budapest and the Mirror Chapel in Prague. That, along with three Michelin Star restaurants and numerous other great restaurants, made for an incredible
Trip. We will be back!

 

[sgt_zim]

My favorite things about that part of the world
1. the meats: schnitzel in Vienna and all of the cured pork and sausages in Prague
2. the beer. OMG the beer, especially in Prague. Never had the same beer twice, never had a bad one.

If I lived over there, I'd weigh 400 lbs in about 2 weeks just from the beer.

Vienna is absolutely the cleanest, most litter-free place I've ever been. I didn't even see any cigarette butts on the ground.

Looking forward to a stag and boar hunt in CR.

Funny. I had this epic idea about what the Vltava would look like from the music written about it, and the Danube Still beautiful scenery, but I grew up on the banks of the Mississippi.

 

[WAB]

My favorite things about that part of the world
1. the meats: schnitzel in Vienna and all of the cured pork and sausages in Prague
2. the beer. OMG the beer, especially in Prague. Never had the same beer twice, never had a bad one.

If I lived over there, I'd weigh 400 lbs in about 2 weeks just from the beer.

Vienna is absolutely the cleanest, most litter-free place I've ever been. I didn't even see any cigarette butts on the ground.

Looking forward to a stag and boar hunt in CR.

Funny. I had this epic idea about what the Vltava would look like from the music written about it, and the Danube Still beautiful scenery, but I grew up on the banks of the Mississippi.

I want to hear more about that stag and boar hunt in Czechia!

 

[Finprof]

In 2019 my wife and I did a tour of Central Europe - including Prague, Vienna, Salzburg, Budapest. I didn’t even think of going to gun shops because I knew I couldn’t buy anything. I also avoided the red light district of Amsterdam for the same reason.
The highlight of the trip for me was the Eagle’s Nest. I had previously seen it on Band of Brothers.

 

[MontanaPat]

I really enjoyed the Joh. Springer shop in Vienna as well last year at Xmas markets, they had some beautiful double rifles. Saw several other gun shops but can’t remember the names. Prague, Vienna and Salzburg are all great places to visit, haven’t done Budapest yet.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I frequently take my children and grandchildren to Vienna on holiday.

The veal Weiner Schnitzel at Skopik & Lohn is absolutely second to none.

The apple strudels at Kaffee Alt Wien are more addictive than heroine itself.

@WAB, next time you and the Mrs. go to Austria... be sure to pay the old city of Ferlach a visit. It was once the gun making capital of Austria.

 

[FlowHamed18]

It was once the gun making capital of Austria.

Well it still is the capital refered to fine gun making or the education of future gunsmiths

Ferlach is a very nice place to spend an afternoon or two

There is also a hunting museum in a town called Stainz in Styria where you can look at some pretty old guns, even one from the emperor Franz Josef I.

Hunting Museum and Agriculture Museum Schloss Stainz

www.museum-joanneum.at

 

[rgsiii]

I am in Prague now and will go to Dresden for a day later in the week. The snow is gone now and I have yet to hit a gun shop—that will change tomorrow. I’ll get back home just before New Years, in time for the peak of deer season.

 

[Nyati]

A great trip, congrats

 

[Foxi]

I am in Prague now and will go to Dresden for a day later in the week. The snow is gone now and I have yet to hit a gun shop—that will change tomorrow. I’ll get back home just before New Years, in time for the peak of deer season.

make a short drive to Salzburg.
Christkindlmarkt in the evening.
Than dinner in Imlauer Sky Restaurant, or roof terrace at Hotel Stein.

 

[WAB]

make a short drive to Salzburg.
Christkindlmarkt in the evening.
Than dinner in Imlauer Sky Restaurant, or roof terrace at Hotel Stein.
View attachment 575762

The quality of goods at the Salzburg market was a significant step up from Vienna. My absolute favorite was the blacksmith in Prague.

 

[rgsiii]

The quality of goods at the Salzburg market was a significant step up from Vienna. My absolute favorite was the blacksmith in Prague.

Hi Bill what is the Blacksmith? A market or gunshop?

 

[WAB]

Hi Bill what is the Blacksmith? A market or gunshop?

There were blacksmiths actually working in the markets in Prague. I am fascinated by hand forged work.

 

[Jäger_Ivo]

Business trip in Vienna 2 weeks ago.