Salzburg is a lovely Austrian city on the Salzbach River; it’s located in a beautiful part of the country on the border with Germany. The city has many things to interest a visitor: Mozart was born there, the film “The Sound of Music” was filmed there, and the fortress, castles, and Old World atmosphere of the city will take you back to medieval times. Salzburg is one of the most charming cities in Europe, and here are some things you will want to see if you visit.
The Hohensalzburg Fortress, one of Central Europe’s largest and best preserved, towers over the city. Built during the 11th century, the fortress can be seen from all over Salzburg, and you can ride the funicular up to the top of the hill or walk up on a really steep path. Once at the fortress, you will have amazing views of the city, so remember to take your camera for some great panoramic shots; you’ll have a good view of the old part of the city, the Alstadt. Inside the fortress, some parts can only be viewed on a tour, but are worth the price. There’s a little city inside the walls, and you can see the Golden Room, with its elaborate Gothic carvings, the medieval princes’ apartments, instruments of torture, medieval weapons, and more. The audio tour will tell you lots of interesting details about the history of the fortress, and there’s a terrace café that overlooks the city if you want to enjoy a spectacular view while you lunch.
If you grew up watching “The Sound of Music,” you’ll want to visit some of its locations filmed in Salzburg. You can go on a tour that will take you around to all the sites, or find some on your own. Some of the scenes from the movie were filmed at Mirabell Palace and Gardens, where Maria and the von Trapp children sang “Do-Re-Mi,” the Benedictine Convent, where Julie Andrews sang “Maria,” and Felsenreitschule, where “Eidelweiss” was sung by Baron von Trapp. Other locations in the movie were filmed at Residenz Square and Residenz Fountain, Leopoldskron Palace, Frohnburg Palace, Hellbrunn Palace, Mondsee, and Werfen Castle. There are a couple of different tour companies that will give you the same tour; the tour guides will point out some of the differences between the true story of the von Trapp family and the filmed version, and tell you anecdotes about the filming of the movie. Watch the movie one more time before going to Salzburg so you’ll be able to retrace the steps of Maria in Salzburg.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg in 1756, and his birthplace is at No 9 Getreidegasse. There’s a museum on the floor where his family lived then, and you can see some pictures, letters, and some of his violins, clavichord, and piano. There’s another house where Mozart moved when he was 17, located very near Mirabell Palace, where he wrote much of his music, and you can see some of the original scores and his pianos on a tour there. Both of the houses are painted in unusual colors (yellow and pink) so are easy to find. You can see signs around Salzburg that will tell you things about Mozart and point out buildings of interest to his life, and there’s a statue of him in Mozart’s Square; if you want a memento of your visit to Mozart’s city, you can find everything from chocolate violins and “Mozart balls” to beautiful marble busts of the famed composer for sale in the shops.
St. Peter’s Cemetery is a peaceful place of amazing beauty. Cut into the side of a mountain are catacombs that date back to the 3rd century. There’s a Gothic chapel in the center of the cemetery, and many graves dating back several centuries are carefully tended with beautiful flowers and plants, little wrought iron fences and markers, and elaborate tombstones. It’s interesting to stroll around and read some of the grave markers; many people important to Salzburg’s history are buried there. This cemetery was the model for the one filmed in “The Sound of Music” during the flight scenes.
Salzburg’s name refers to salt, and the salt mines are as fun as an amusement park to visit, plus you’ll learn all about the early salt trade. Located on the border between Austria and Germany, you will travel underground back and forth between the two countries. Before going into the salt mine, you’ll be given a white outfit to put on so you won’t get your own clothing dirty. You get down into the mine by riding on a little train that seems to go very fast; once underground you’ll learn the history of the salt mines from a guide, slide down a couple of wooden slides that the miners used to reach deeper parts of the mines, and ride on a boat across an underground lake. The tour of the salt mines is really fun, and it’s a rather bizarre experience that you’ll certainly remember.
Salzburg has wonderful food and drink, and you will find many restaurants and beer halls there. Behind the Augustine monastery, where the monks first started brewing beer many hundreds of years ago, is a beer garden set under chestnut trees; you can buy deli food there or bring your own for a picnic. If you’re interested in the history of beer and brewing, you should visit Stiegl’s Brauwelt, which claims to be “Europe’s largest exhibition of beer;” a beer, pretzel and other gift are included in the admission price to the brewery. At the local restaurants, you can find food such as Weiner schnitzel, sausages, sauerkraut, and knodel (a big dumpling); at the Hotel Sacher you can order the original Sachertorte, first created by an apprentice-chef there in 1832. There are many street stands where you can buy sausages and other finger foods, and there are many shops selling chocolates. Whether you want casual or elegant dining, Salzburg has much to offer in its many restaurants.
If you want to experience the outdoors in Salzburg, hiking in the mountains or walking around the city and along the river are popular activities. The countryside around Salzburg is very scenic, and day trips to Mondsee or Bertchesgarten will put you in beautiful surroundings. Winter sports, such as skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating, are enjoyed by many people in Salzburg, and water sports on nearby lakes are also activities you could pursue during the summer. There’s also a luge course south of the city if you want to take a fast and thrilling ride down a mountain; a ride is included on some of the “Sound of Music” tours.
Salzburg is a wonderful city to visit; it has spectacular scenery, delicious food, and many interesting places to see and things to do. It’s one of my favorite cities in Europe, and one that you should certainly visit if you like a blend of the old and the new. If you plan to visit a lot of attractions in the city, buy a Salzburg Card, which will get you into all of the major attractions, plus let you ride on the public transportation for a certain length of time; you can buy the card for 24, 48, or 72 hours, and the price is quite reasonable.
