The Commuter In Austria: The Charming Spittal an der Drau

Charming was indeed one of the first few things that came to my mind when my friends and I were given the chance to go around Spittal an der Drau. We didn't have to ride a train again nor go from one place to another by bus or taxi. Just a few blocks from our hotel, we come to the venue of the annual Internationaler Chorbewerb. It was a pleasant change from commuting by train to simply walking around. Aside from the Portia Castle, there is also the park, the churches, and of course, our own hotel looks like a charming, cozy, cabin set against a background of green and snow-capped mountains.

Our hotel in Spittal an der Drau

The side of the hotel

Interior of our room, three of us share this room. My friends are just getting settled on our beds.

The balcony outside of our hotel room

The river, bridge, and roundabout as seen from our hotel room

Close up shot of the roundabout

Schloss Portia

Interior of the Schloss, taken during the opening concert that officially starts the choral festival

The coat of arms

Exterior of the Schloss

The Tower

The Park, located beside Schloss Portia

Flags of the different countries being represented in the choral festival

Here is the Philippine flag, on a windy day like this, the flags get folded and twisted

That's me, enjoying the flowers. Didn't I say the place was charming?

The Crucifix within the church grounds of Sankt Maria

Interior of Sankt Maria, or the Church of the Annunciation of Mary

Trees and snow on the mountains

So that's the second installment of my trip to Austria. This is really a place that's good for walking and relaxing. Being a commuter, walking is a regular exercise. But as a commuter who goes to work, walking to work is truly different from a recreational walk. What's nice about a recreational walk is getting to commune with nature: the trees, the flowers, the bushes...they all offer a source of sanctuary from the usual busy, busy world. I was truly charmed by this place.