There is no doubt that I am utterly in love with Austria. I have done quite a few posts on different cities and villages that are wonderful to visit even if your not an avid skier or mountain biker. (Although if you are, that is definitely an added bonus!) Leogang is another one of those very special places which are well worth visiting if you are planning a trip to this amazing country.
While I am a bit partial to Christmastime in Munich, there are definitely many great places to see this time of year in the German/Austrian area which will most certainly get you into the holiday spirit, Salzburg being one of them. Last week a friend and I went to explore the Salzburg Christmas markets and it was no disappointment. The streets are filled with lights and decorations, amazing smells fill the air, and there is an overall holiday vibe everywhere.
As a girl living in Munich, I’ve learned that while there are great shops all over town, I’m not usually willing to shell out 150 Euros for a cute dress. Most of the small boutique shops I’ve found here have some really unique styles and clothing but are quite often insanely overpriced (for my budget at least) and while H&M has better prices, it would be nice to have more choices for inexpensive shopping.
Last winter I came to the realization that I could have a great time in a ski town, even if I’m not a skier. The same goes for visiting the mountains in the summer. About this same time last year we traveled to Wildkogel in Neukirchen for a Mountainbike event, the Trail Masters, and I was pleasantly surprised at what a great weekend I had, even though downhill mountain biking was completely foreign to me.
Last weekend while visiting a good friend in Berlin, she introduced me to a local cafe that impressed me in every way and certainly is now on my list of favorite cafes. Factory Girl is a small, cozy spot located on Auguststrasse 29 near Hackescher Markt and has it all, amazing food, comfortable atmosphere, and some of the friendliest service around. (And I’m from the states where people can be overwhelmingly friendly!)
*update (March 2013) They have moved to a new location so some of the photos are a bit out dated, but this is still a great spot!