Salzburg: Music, Mountains and Mystery
The charm of Salzburg lies in its deceptively simple settings. Like any other European town its set along a river called Salzach and seems to be waiting for the people to come and uplift it's spirits. However, the similarity with other cities gets over here. The glimpse to majestic Alpine peaks towards the south and hint of rolling plains towards the north of it makes it mysteriously alluring.
Salzburg is one of the most popular tourist destination in Austria. Not only because of its scenic beauty but also it's strategic location and its aristocratic links. It's standing as a chic town with latest fashion trends and cultural events makes it popular amongst rich and famous Europeans. No wonder an average Salzburger feels very proud of his city (A little too proud for my liking:))
An average stay in Salzburg can be of two nights three days but unfortunately we barely had two days to spend there. My day started by arriving into the city by road from Munich. I had taken a shared Taxi from Munich airport to the city. It was much more economical and hassle free. The road to Salzburg gave a view to the lake Chimsee and I decided to make another trip to Bavaria just to be staying for two days on the shores of Chimsee. Since Salzburg sees more tourists than its inhabitants the choice for accommodation can confuse you to no end. There are so many choices which suit your budget that choosing one can be a task. My friend who is a local there wanted me to stay with her so I was spared the task. However, for those visiting Salzburg it would be advisable if they googled the accommodations before booking.
I went to my friend's place which was north of Salzburg and was near to the football stadium called Red Bull arena. Although not a regular tourist spot I liked the area as it is near to a golf course and a casino with well maintained gardens. It was a treat to sit near those flowers and feel the fresh air on the face. My friend suggested that we should explore the city on the cycle on the first day. It turned out be an excellent idea. Salzburg is not that big and many things can be explored by cycle or on foot.
We went to Mozart's birthplace first. Well, it happened to be the first place as it was near the market place. Mozart and music, undoubtedly, are the most famous association factor with Salzburg. It was worth a quick visit to his birthplace to know a little more about the genius. For those more interested in Mozart, people can visit Mozart's Residence museum also. We however went to Mirabell Garden and Castle. It is located next to Salzach river. The beauty of "Garden of Dwarfs" and the Garden of Roses can be mesmerizing for those visiting it in the summer monhs. Inside, you find the marble stairs of Raffael Donner, and the world's most beautiful wedding hall, the Marble Hall. People come here from all over the world to get married. Well, I would rather marry outside in the gardens but then you need to have a person to get married to, isn't it:) From there we went to Alter Markt place. It was a place where old architecture can be seen in the shops which are selling some really cool stuff.
We decided to have some food in Altstadt area and went to an Italian restaurant (I usually choose Italian or Indian restaurants because otherwise my choice gets restricted as I am a vegetarian). We called it a day after having some really good Italian food in Restaurant Mediterrane at Moosstrasse. The next day we took a a funicular to Festung or Hohensalzburg Fortress. It was a sunny day and the panorama of Salzburg offered from the top of the mountain was quite amazing. It is one of the largest medieval castle in Europe and holds history of almost a thousand years. We had a stroll through the old masonry. The famous Golden Hall is made up of Gothic wood-carvings and ornamental paintings. The audio guide tour of 30 minutes takes you to state rooms formerly belonging to the influential archbishops and many other interesting places like interiors of a dungeon! The interesting thing is that you can notice all the changes and additions done to the Festung are quite evident. One can have a 360 view of the city or Salzburg and the Salzach River. The Festung provides a perfect backdrop for various events and I would have loved to attend any concert or event just to feel the magic of such a place.
We decided to walk down from the Festung and felt that It was quite a refreshing walk with all the old and charming houses and beautiful and different perspective of the Green Dom Cathedral. Once we reached down and were in Altstadt area we decided to visit Sacher Hotel and have the famous 'Sacher Tort'(how could I miss opportunity to eat chocolate cake and that too such a famous one:) We had to leave Salzburg soon after but I promised myself that whenever I wanted to have holidays to relax I shall take a cottage near Salzach river and just immerse myself in the mystery of such breathtaking beauty of the nature.
Salzburg is one of the most popular tourist destination in Austria. Not only because of its scenic beauty but also it's strategic location and its aristocratic links. It's standing as a chic town with latest fashion trends and cultural events makes it popular amongst rich and famous Europeans. No wonder an average Salzburger feels very proud of his city (A little too proud for my liking:))
An average stay in Salzburg can be of two nights three days but unfortunately we barely had two days to spend there. My day started by arriving into the city by road from Munich. I had taken a shared Taxi from Munich airport to the city. It was much more economical and hassle free. The road to Salzburg gave a view to the lake Chimsee and I decided to make another trip to Bavaria just to be staying for two days on the shores of Chimsee. Since Salzburg sees more tourists than its inhabitants the choice for accommodation can confuse you to no end. There are so many choices which suit your budget that choosing one can be a task. My friend who is a local there wanted me to stay with her so I was spared the task. However, for those visiting Salzburg it would be advisable if they googled the accommodations before booking.
I went to my friend's place which was north of Salzburg and was near to the football stadium called Red Bull arena. Although not a regular tourist spot I liked the area as it is near to a golf course and a casino with well maintained gardens. It was a treat to sit near those flowers and feel the fresh air on the face. My friend suggested that we should explore the city on the cycle on the first day. It turned out be an excellent idea. Salzburg is not that big and many things can be explored by cycle or on foot.
We went to Mozart's birthplace first. Well, it happened to be the first place as it was near the market place. Mozart and music, undoubtedly, are the most famous association factor with Salzburg. It was worth a quick visit to his birthplace to know a little more about the genius. For those more interested in Mozart, people can visit Mozart's Residence museum also. We however went to Mirabell Garden and Castle. It is located next to Salzach river. The beauty of "Garden of Dwarfs" and the Garden of Roses can be mesmerizing for those visiting it in the summer monhs. Inside, you find the marble stairs of Raffael Donner, and the world's most beautiful wedding hall, the Marble Hall. People come here from all over the world to get married. Well, I would rather marry outside in the gardens but then you need to have a person to get married to, isn't it:) From there we went to Alter Markt place. It was a place where old architecture can be seen in the shops which are selling some really cool stuff.
We decided to have some food in Altstadt area and went to an Italian restaurant (I usually choose Italian or Indian restaurants because otherwise my choice gets restricted as I am a vegetarian). We called it a day after having some really good Italian food in Restaurant Mediterrane at Moosstrasse. The next day we took a a funicular to Festung or Hohensalzburg Fortress. It was a sunny day and the panorama of Salzburg offered from the top of the mountain was quite amazing. It is one of the largest medieval castle in Europe and holds history of almost a thousand years. We had a stroll through the old masonry. The famous Golden Hall is made up of Gothic wood-carvings and ornamental paintings. The audio guide tour of 30 minutes takes you to state rooms formerly belonging to the influential archbishops and many other interesting places like interiors of a dungeon! The interesting thing is that you can notice all the changes and additions done to the Festung are quite evident. One can have a 360 view of the city or Salzburg and the Salzach River. The Festung provides a perfect backdrop for various events and I would have loved to attend any concert or event just to feel the magic of such a place.
We decided to walk down from the Festung and felt that It was quite a refreshing walk with all the old and charming houses and beautiful and different perspective of the Green Dom Cathedral. Once we reached down and were in Altstadt area we decided to visit Sacher Hotel and have the famous 'Sacher Tort'(how could I miss opportunity to eat chocolate cake and that too such a famous one:) We had to leave Salzburg soon after but I promised myself that whenever I wanted to have holidays to relax I shall take a cottage near Salzach river and just immerse myself in the mystery of such breathtaking beauty of the nature.
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