I will be giving my wife her long awaited European vacation this month. Since we both love beer, we will start in Munich with the first three days of Oktoberfest. From there we drive to Italy where we will visit Venice and Rome. The entry and exit points will be Frankfurt and the trip is three weeks in length, September 18 - October 9th. We "may" venture into Spain as far as Barcelona, visit Andorra and parts of France. How does this relate to the good members of AR? Well, I'm looking for advice on how to include an AR style day or two in this itinerary. Are there any gun makers in reasonable distance who offer tours? Restaurants specializing in game dishes? Gun collections? A day of driven shooting would be fantastic, but likely above my means on this first trip unless I convince the Mrs. do opt for lesser lodging on the trip, and that just won't happen. So, I'm pretty sure hunting is out. Suggestions are appreciated.

I would recommend stopping in Ferlach, Austria in the province of Kaernten on your way from Munich to Venice. It is not too far out of your way and the beauty of this part of Austria is worth the longer drive time. It would also give you an opportunity to drive through some of Slovenia. Ferlach may well have the hishest concentration of gunsmithing talent of any one place in the world and the weapons produced there are spectacular works of art and engineering. There is a museum, a gunmaking school, and many small gunmakers in town. Many Austrian restaurants have game on the menu this time of year and it shouldn't be too hard to come across. Try Gams (chamois) if you have the opportunity - it's fantastic. It sounds like a fun trip and I hope you enjoy it. Good luck.

Local restaurants in hunting areas will have game. You can also find in better restaurants occasionally 'prosciutto di cinghiale 'or wild boar prosciutto !!

In Germany, you can find game dishes in every better restaurant, ispecially if you drive along the Highway no.5 (Bundesautobahn A 5)along the "Schwarzwald" (Black forest). Beautifull country and high developped cooking!

Mike,

Since you'll be in Munich I can recommend the German Hunting & Fishing Museum.

http://www.jagd-fischerei-museum.de/

The Octoberfest will definately be a happening! Unless you already have a reserved table at one of the Beer Tents - get there early (I think it opens at 11:00 (?) or you'll be searching for a place to sit for a while.

After you sober up the rest of the trip ought to be a good time, too.....

quote:

Originally posted by mete:
Local restaurants in hunting areas will have game. You can also find in better restaurants occasionally 'prosciutto di cinghiale 'or wild boar prosciutto !!

I prefer the Spanish jamon de jabali!

They also have lomo de cerevo as a salt cured product. Red stag loins!

Great ideas all! I'm printing these posts and will take them with us.

Thank you!

In Varese( north of Milan, Italy) 22-28 september there is the world cycling championship.
Elite men road race is 28.

Mike,

Gerry is right the German Hunting and Fishing Museum is the No. 1 in Germany.

When you leave Munich, on your way to Venice, Ferlach is very close to your way.

www.ferlacherpraezision.com

click "Die Meister" for all Ferlach gunsmiths.

and

www.hoferwaffen.com
www.ferlacherjagdwaffen.at

Maybe its what you are looking for.

Burkhard

Visit the Frankonia Jagd stores either in Frankfurt, Stuttgart or Munich and pick up one of their nice catalogs.

The wife can have a look at their Dirndl and country style dresses while you drool over the rifles.

DUK,

Actually, the wife will likely drool over the rifles as well. She is going to Namibia with me in May as a full participant in the safari.

Burkhard,

Some of the guns on those sites are just fantastic. Do you know if tours are offered?

Mike,

there is a hunting museum in Ferlach.

http://www.ferlach.at/?siid=46&arid=147

There you can find a lot of informations about guns.
I think they dont offer an special tour to the gunsmiths in Ferlach. I think you should contact the different smiths for a visit.

But I will telephone on monday with the tourist office and the gunsmiths organisation in Ferlach.

Maybe i can give you more informations.

Burkhard

Mike,

I telephoned with the Ferlach tourist office and the gunsmith organisation.
There are no special "gunsmith tours".
They recommend to contact the single gunsmiths for a date.

Interessting information.

All the Ferlach gunsmiths together produce less than 100 rifles per year.
That explains a lot, I think.


Burkhard

Burkhard,

Thank you for the great information. Hopefully we will make it to Ferlach. The museum in Munich sounds like a must see.

Mike