DESTINATION SALZBURG (AUSTRIA).
Salzburg, one of Austria's most beautiful historic cities and it makes a wonderful base for day trips to the lakes and mountains of Austria and Barvaria.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Austria is a stunning, modern and efficient country in central Europe. It stretches from Germany to Bulgaria. Salzburg is literally beside the German border. Austria was once a super power in the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and signs of the wealth of that period are everywhere. Vienna the capital, is a long day trip from Salzberg (worth a trip on its own). The Austrians are proud of their heritage and don’t like to be mixed up with Germans. Some say it is envy but I think maybe they just feel proud of their small, wealthy, advanced, creative country (they didn’t want the supermarket Aldi there because they were German so they had to change their name to Hofer in Austria- to sort of hide their identity).
PRACTICAL INFORMATION:
Austria is a proud member of the European Union, uses the Euro, has 2 prong European plugs, lots of ATMs and great Banks, accepts the Euro-heath card, has excellent medical facilities, great roads and drives on the right hand side of the road. To drive on the pay roads you need to buy a pass for a garage to stick on your windscreen. If you’ve paid a fortune in Italy- you’ll find the €9.50 for 10 days good value. Some of the big tunnels have an extra charge (e.g. between Salzburg and Graz there are 2 massive tunnels which cost €9 ). There are 2 month and annual passes as well. Most things shut on Sunday (damm fine idea) and many places close at lunchtime on Saturday. Many of the tourist are seasonal, open either in summer or winter. So it’s worth checking. The castles, churches etc. are all year around but some cable cars and restaurants are closed in winter. The in between seasons of November and May are quiet, often cheap but some attractions close. There are great supermarket chains with prices similar to UK and cheaper than Australia (isn’t everywhere these days). There are lots of mountains (of course) so winter driving can be a challenge with some passes closed and chains needed on small roads. You can however avoid all of these if you wish. Don’t miss the Christmas markets at most churches form late November.
GETTING IN AND OUT/MOVING ABOUT:
You can of course fly directly into Salzburg but it is rather expensive. The cheap airport near-by is Bergamo (just outside Milan). We have flown cheaply here from most parts of Europe. Its outside the city with the BES Hotel which is excellent, just nearby. Rental cars are also cheaper in Italy and the collection and drop off easy and efficient. It is just over 5 hours to Salzburg if you take the pay roads or 7 hours if you opt to go through the mountain passes. It is SO worth the drive if you have an extra day at the beginning and end. We chose 2 different, equally stunning routes over the mountains- both ending in Innsbruck, where we joined the autobahn for the last 2hrs into Salzburg. Both the routes had no tolls in Italy (compared to €30 each way on the Italian Autostrada) and require an Austrian road pass (mentioned above- it is avoidable but will add 30 mins to the Innsbruck to Salzburg drive).
Route 1: Via the SS42 and the Italian Dolomites.
Route 2:Via Switzerland (3) and St Moritz into Lake Lecco (SS36)- If you want to see the Lake make sure you don’t get onto the motorway here as there are 12 tunnels that miss most of the stunning views. Austria has great, reliable and reasonably priced public transport. Salzburg is compact so if you only want to see the city for a short break, you could skip the rental car. There are however so many great day trips that are easier if you have a car. There are however tours to all of these.
WHAT TO SEE:
I’ve divides the things to see into:
Salzberg City (Walking tour of 20 top sights): You could visit a dozen times and still find more amazing little corners and secret alleys.
Top day trips (5 driving day trips): So many to choose from! Mountains or lakes? Castles or farm houses? Valleys or Gardens? I havn’t included the places to see that I think are too far for a day trip (Vienna, Graz), you’ll have to wait until I write the next blog on that one!
Sound of Music Highlights (10 places to see): Come on, you can’t come to Salzburg without seeing at least a few, especially in its 50th anniversary year!
SALZBERG CITY
I’ve arranged the sights into the walking tour route we followed- starting at the car park (1 Euro and hour) Mirabellplatz (just behind the garden). I’ve given you a link to an Ap that has a map that almost matches. I’ve picked the top 20- there are lots of others. You could do it all in one day but it is probably better to break it down over 2or 3 days:
1. Schloss Mirabell and Mirabell gardens: the name means beautiful view. The south entrance has two large pairs of Greek fencing statues leaping towards each other. As you walk through the grounds with you lots of fountains, elegant statues and amazing flowers. If you turn around you see fantastic views of the whole in Salzburg Fortress. The Pegasus statue fountain was moved here in 1913. Near the Pegasus Fountain is the other entrance with two lions. There is also a footbridge to the Dwarf Gnome Park. 15 of the original 18 gnome statues was said to be modelled after work real court dwarfs. The dwarf are carved out of marble and each is unique.There is a long pergola and vine tunnel and a hedge maze. The palace itself is often overshadowed by the gardens. It was built in 1606 by the Archbishop. Mozart performed here as a child.
2. Sebastian church and cemetery. This is home to the grave of Mozart’s wife Constance and his father. Not a lot to see but lovely and you go right past.
3. Capuchin Monastery: this Monastry is the highest point in Salzburg and has excellent views of the old town. It was established in 1594 around the remains of former castle dating back to the 1200s. There are steep steps or road up and on the way you pass by parts of the mediaeval city wall. You can continue hiking up further to the Saint Francis fortress. This was built in the 1600s as a watchtower for the city wall and is now restaurant.
4. Stone Alley. From Roman times there was a narrow road squeeze between the cliff and the river this route continued through over the Alps. Wagons of salt poured into Salzburg along the river Road and through Stone Alley turning into the old town along the Roman bridge. It was a point where tolls were collected. Today it’s a Cobblestone Lane that you feel like you’re walking inside the city wall. Look for the fortified inner stone gate built in 1812 which had a drawbridge all the way along until 1900. The historic brothel dates back to 1513 and is still open today. The violin makers house opposite made Mozart’s childhood violin in 1746. It’s a pedestrianised street with a lot of unusual doorways.
5. Mozart’s Bridge: Another pedestrian bridge. As you walk across you’ll see the fortress. The first bridge he was built by the Romans in 15 BC and was covered with mediaeval market stalls until it was replaced in 1599.
6. Mozart Place. There’s a giant statue in Mozart Square. He lived here for 25 years from 1756 to 1781 before moving to Vienna. The statue was added in 1841 and they discovered the foundations of two Roman Villars also in the square is the Church of Saint Michael which dates back to 1813.
7. The New Residence. Not really new as they were started in 1887 on the side of the square. There are museum now with a huge clock and bell belltower sitting on top. It chimes at 7, 11 and 6 pm with 35 bells. There are lots of handicraft shops and the Museum of history and art.
8. Residents Square and Fountain. This is the original sight of the ancient Roman forum with an altar to Jupiter and a temple. The form was built over after the Romans left in 488.
9. Gold Lane. This curved laneway gets its name from the Goldsmith who were there in mediaeval times.
10. Old market Square. The city got market rights in 996 but it was 1297 before the old Market Square took shape. It directly lines up with the only bridge that used to cross the river. The Saint Florentine Fountain is in the square built in 1488. Café Tomaselli opened in 1700 is the oldest café in Austria. You can see the old town hall built in 1300 just off the corner of the old market.
11. Old Residence Palace. There has been a mansion here since 1120 including the current one which was building 1596. The Archbishop tore down a whole bunch of mediaeval houses and the cemetery which themselves have been built on top of the Roman forum.
12. Salzburg Cathedral: Is the biggest church in Old Town, faces 3 town squares at once, and is where Mozart was baptized. This first parish was consecrated on September 24th, 774 when the remains of Saint Rupert were moved here. In 1598 the magnificent Baroque style Salzburg Cathedral you see today was built. Before entering the Salzburg Cathedral it is hard to miss the beautiful Virgin Mary (Madonna) Statue in Dom Square in front of the doors. Moving closer to the Cathedral’s entrance you’ll notice large scene with the Statues of Four Saints (1600s) and three towering bronze gates (1900s).Inside the entrance look for the bronze baptismal font (1311) with lion statues (1200) where Mozart was baptized. The most impressive part of the interior is the huge 233 foot tall dome. The working organ from 1703 was the one that Mozart played during two years as the Church’s organist, an old tomb filled crypt with exposed pieces of the old Romanesques foundations from both 774 and 1167, plus an interesting Cathedral museum.
13. Chapter Square: The Chapter Square is also where Maria catches the bus from Salzburg to visit the Von Trapp Family. Check out the giant over-sized chess board with two-foot-tall pieces and a 30-foot-tall yellow orb sculpture topped with a man standing on top. Continuing through Kapitelplatz Square, you’ll run into a medieval Horse Bath Fountain (Kapitelschwemme) from 1732 AD. Nowadays the Horse Bath is more of a well and pond, but back in the 1700s it served as a horse wash. The area around the fountain is also an excellent spot for photos of the High Fortress on the hilltop above you.
14. Fortress funicular and Castle: There has been a lift up Mönchsberg Mountain to Hohensalzburg Fortress since at least two decades before 1515AD and a modern funicular since 1892. It is €14 to go up and €14 to go down (that includes the entry). There is a puppet museum, a great AV display and fabulous views from the top of the fortress. Since 1077 AD, this castle-like High Salzburg Fortress (Hohensalzburg) has been towering over Salzburg from Mönchstein Hill offering an ever steady sense of protection. Thanks to an expansion around 1500 AD, Hohensalzburg is one of the largest fortifications in Europe and one of the only ones never over taken by force.
15. St. Peter’s Cemetery, Catacombs and Abbey . St. Peter’s is one of the oldest (and most beautiful) cemeteries in the world, going back to 700 AD. The scene of the Von Trapp’s hiding from the Nazi’s was filmed here. The cliff-side catacombs go back to 215 AD. You can even get some get vantage points in of the Salzburg castle high above you as you stroll among the tombs. The oldest surviving headstone is from 1288 AD. The most interesting thing about Saint Peter’s, unlike most cemeteries around the world, is that you do not buy the plots but instead rent them! In the center of the cemetery is the Gothic-style stone chapel which was dedicated to Saint Margaret in 1170. Now used as a mausoleum, the church was originally built as Amandus Chapel around 700AD by Saint Rupert before being rebuilt in 1170 and again in 1491.In the mid-1600s, iron-gated arcades holding private family tombs were added ringing the cemetery. Behind the arcades on the Eastern side of the cemetery is the Saint Peter’s Bakery which is the oldest in town going back to 700 and is famous for its sweetbread. While touring the cemetery, you may also notice a number of window-like holes along the Southern cliffside in the cemetery which are the now empty catacombs. As the Roman’s carved away stone to build their city of Luvaum (15BC-488AD) part of the cliff-side started to be used by early-Christians for assembly and hermitage as early as 215AD. After climbing stone 48 steps you find chapel of Saint Gertrude (died 659) dating back to 1178 and 36 steps further up is the chapel for Christian martyr Maximus (died 250). Seeing the mainly bare underground catacombs requires hiking up a lot of stone steps carved inside the cliff, but the views of the cemetery below are stunning.
16. Francisican Church: There has been a church here since 1139, but it is the current Gothic-style one that will make your jaw drop. You’ll enjoy trying to wrap your head around the scale of the forest of columns holding up the uniquely designed vaulted canopy of a ceiling.
17. University Square: Salzburg’s main open-air market sits in the vast University Square. Known as the Green Market (Grünmarkt), it was established in 1857 and is still open daily. Tucked away along the West side of the Church is a large grassy square called Prince′s Park (Furtwänglerpark) which was once part of a Franciscan Monastery then by the 1600s the University of Salzburg. With most of Salzburg’s squares paved over since Medieval times, there aren’t many huge green spaces like this in the heart of Old Town. Leave University Square toward Grain Lane (Getreidegasse) through the narrow Medieval pathways connecting the two streets called Through House Alleys (Durchaus)
18. Grain Lane(Getreidegasse (pronounced Ga-try-Da-gah-sa), is the main shopping street in Salzburg since Medieval times. It is complete with high-end stores. Stop into the active Wieber Blacksmith Shop (No 28, Facebook) to get a real life look into the trade as local craftsmen hammer their red-hot creations into an anvil. There has been a blacksmith here since 1415AD.
19. Mozart’s residence: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived with his family in this house from the age of 17 to 25.
20. Lovelock bridge: lots of cities in Europe of these. The Salzburg Lovelock bridge was completed in 1905 and was severely damaged in World War II.
We used Bigboy self-guided walking tour and extracted the bits we wanted:
TOP 5 DAY TRIPS
1. Obersalzberg- Berchtesgaden (Germany)- Lake Chiem and the Konigsee Valley.
Obersalzberg: 450-year-old salt mine at the base of the Obersalzberg. Now a popular museum and visitor attraction, Salt Mine Berchtesgaden takes you deep under the mountain through numerous caverns and grottos and includes a ride on a refurbished underground railway, a raft ride, and a fun slide.
Eagles Nest: This WWII-era community in the district of Berchtesgaden was once favored by the leaders of the Nazi party. Today Obersalzburg is a small ski resort area in a lovely valley. The infamous Eagle's Nest, was built in 1938 and was Hitler's favourite place of rest and relaxation. It is a beer garden open in the summer and has stunning views Berchtesgaden and the beautiful Bavarian Alps. At the end of the war it was the last remaining Nazi stronghold besides Berlin, and the Allies saw it as Hitler’s little dreamhouse, where all his most important meetings and plans were hatched. This made the capture of Eagle’s Nest a massive priority.
Konigsee: Lake Königssee (or Königsee) lies just a couple of miles south of the town of Berchtesgaden and is Germany's deepest and cleanest lake.
Lake Chiem: The largest lake in Bavaria is the Chiemsee, which is otherwise known as the "Bavarian Sea". The lake has an area of 80 square kilometres and originated from the primeval Thetis Sea which once covered almost half of Europe.It has three islands – Herreninsel, Fraueninsel and uninhabited Krautinsel – which all have frequent ferry connections to the mainland. On Herreninsel King Ludwig built Schloss Herrenchiemsee, while Fraueninsel has an 8th century Benedictine convent.
2. Hallstatt - Hallstätter See – St Wolfgang- Monsee
An easy hour's drive southeast of Salzburg is the beautiful Hallstätter See, Austria's most visited lake, and the postcard-perfect lakeside town of Hallstatt. Stretching some eight kilometers end-to-end and up to two kilometers wide in places. In the summer you can take a ferry across the lake to the train station opposite the town. The town is a popular tourist stop over. You can drive around the top of the Lake almost opposite but then have to come back as only the train passes on the opposite side of the lake. On the way, don’t’ miss St Wolfgang Lake, near-by Muhlbach Waterfall and the cable car ride to the 380-meter-tall Hallstatt World Heritage Skywalk. It is only a small additional trip to get to Monsee which is a lovely lake which is home to the historic medieval Mondsee Abbey. The cloister church was used for the site of the wedding in The Sound of Music.
3. Werfen – Golling- Hellbrunn
Werfen is an easy drive through a lovely valley. On one side of the river, set high in the hills are the Eisriesenwelti Ice Caves (open in summer). The world's largest system of ice caves (30,000 square meters, with a total of 45 kilometers of underground tunnels). On the otherside of the vally at a similar height is the stunning meadow overlooking the castle where Maria and the Trapp children sing the song “Do Re Mi” The Meadow is called the Gschwantanger and you can see the castle in the background. The castle is the magnificent Hohenwerfen Castle overlooking the river. You can get a cable car up to the castle in the summer. Also worth a visit is nearby Abtenau, a picturesque little market town. On the way back don’t miss a walk to the beautiful Golling Water falls (75 metres ,on 2 levels) , complete with a water wheel and the historic Salzwelten salt mines. You can finish your drive back into town via Hellbrunn Palace with the most beautiful gardens (and a very popular zoo).
4. Kitzbühel: A little under 90 minutes southwest of Salzburg is one of Austria's largest and most popular ski resorts, Kitzbühel. Perched on a long ridge of hills, this picturesque medieval town is a treat to explore, with its narrow streets and centuries-old gabled houses.The town also makes a great base from which to explore the mountains of the Kitzbühel Alps, the closest of which is the 1,655-meter-tall Hahnenkamm. Getting to the top is surprisingly easy, thanks to the many chairlifts and cable cars available. It's a journey that's well worth the effort — the views of the surrounding countryside are wonderful, as are the many excellent walking trails leading back down, and even if you only go part of the way, it's a worthwhile experience. Alternatively, the 1,772-meter-tall Hornköpfli, also reached by cable car, offers equally stunning views, including those from the Gipfelhaus, a unique mountaintop complex with a chapel, restaurant, and garden.
5. Linz: A pleasant 75-minute drive northeast of Salzburg, Linz is located on the banks of the mighty Danube River. Linz can trace its roots back to Roman times, when in the 2nd century AD, it served as a camp for the empire's troops. Standing high above the Danube, this historic site has acted as a fort since the early 9th century (the original walls can still be seen), with much of the present structure built in the 16th century. The Schlossmuseum, with displays from the prehistoric, Roman, and medieval periods, including arms and armour. In addition to its splendid cathedral, Linz is home to the country's oldest church, St. Martin's Church (Martinskirche), an 8th-century structure equally famous for its fine 15th-century frescos.
SOUND OF MUSIC HIGHLIGHTS
Alright I admit it, I’m a child of the 60’s and grew up with the Sound of Music (started filming in Salzburg 1 April 1964) and have memories of my own children playing the video until it was worn out! All of the sites listed below are sites that are must see’s in their own right (even if you’ve never seen the movie) and I have listed them on my Salzburg city section. Here are my top 10:
1. Picnic Meadow, Werfen. Werfen, about a 40-minute drive up to the Gschwandtanger Meadow (there is a path 30 mins uphill from town) to the meadow- steep- easier to drive. This is the picnic scene where they sang “Do Re Mi.” The views of the Hohenwerfen Castle an the 5 mountains are STUNNING!
2. Mirabell Palace and Gardens, Salzburg: “Do Re Mi” was filmed at the Mirabell Palace Gardens right in Salzburg’s old town. They dance around the Pegasus Fountain in front of the palace. You will also recognize the steps leading to a rose garden North of the Fountain and the Greek fencing statutes at the entrance and the arched gazebo. This is the stairs that they step up one at a time when they’re singing. They also skip across the Mozart footbridge.
3. Residenzplatz Square and Fountain, Salzburg . During “I Have Confidence in Me” Maria splashes in the Baroque horse fountain. Later on, when Germany annexes Austria in March 1938, Nazi soldiers march through the square and a giant swastika flag is raised above the entrance of the Old Residence Palace.
4. Summer Riding School (Felsenreitschule), Salzburg .This is the place where the Folk Festival was filmed and the family sang “Edelweiss” and “So long, Farewell.” You have to either book a theatre tour to get inside or buy tickets for a show. In real life, the von Trapp family never performed at the festival but won the Salzburg Music Festival in 1936 instead.
5. St. Peter’s Cemetery and Catacombs, Salzburg .In the movie, the von Trapp family hides behind the tombs from the Nazis. While the scenes were not actually shot in Salzburg, fans will recognize all the little details carefully reconstructed on the Hollywood set.
6. Leopoldskron Palace, Salzburg : The lake terrace scenes at the von Trapp’s family home were all shot at the baroque Leopoldskron Palace. It is here where Captain first listens to his kids sing, where they drink pink lemonade—and Maria falls off the boat. It is a hotel and entrance is for guests only, however you can still see the palace from the west side of the lake.
7. The Sound of Music Pavilion, Salzburg . In this gazebo Liesl sings “16 going on 17” and Captain and Maria fall head over heels in love when they sing “Something Good.” The pavilion is at the Eastern entrance to the Hellbrunn Palace . You are not allowed into the gazebo, but you can take pictures from the outside. The Palace and surrounding gardens are amazing.
8. Nonnberg Abbey Convent, Salzburg . Four scenes of the musical were shot in the building overlooking Salzburg: Maria leaving the abbey singing “What will this day be like?”, the nuns talking about her, the children visiting and the Nazis hunting the von Trapps.
9. St. Michael Basilica, Mondsee . In the centre of lake-side Mondsee is the Gothic Collegiate Church of St. Michael where Maria and Georg von Trapp got married.
10. Horse Pond (Pferdeschwemme), Salzburg . Near the Riding School is the Horse Pond where they dance during the ending of “My Favorite Things.”
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