Salzburg was an absolute feast for the eyes. It really got my Instagram senses tingling! Well-known as Mozart's birthplace, the city is filled to the brim with references to the legendary composer. This neat and pretty city is nestled amongst a picturesque Austrian backdrop of dramatic mountains. Not everyone I told about my holiday knew much about Salzburg, obviously more people are attracted to Vienna when visiting Austria.
It was a touristy city (SO many South Korean groups would come out of nowhere in lines of 50+ people) but it was the perfect size for me and Jack, as we only had 4 full days there to explore! One particularly kind café owner told us that visiting in October is typically a quieter period between tourists peak times, since in the winter the city gets much busier ahead of Christmas. I could see why, at Christmas this would look like a festive toy town dream!
Read on to see my top 5 things to do in Salzburg.
1. The Mirabell Garten
This palace, built in 1606 was a stunning sight against the cloudless sky. After a quick google I recently learned that a few scenes of The Sound of Music were filmed here, including when they sing "Do-Re-Mi"- I wasn't a big fan of that film so I didn't notice! The unique layout of the gardens is what drew me. To the left of the palace is a beautiful orangery, a quiet lane shrouded by trees, with lots of people who were sat reading in the shade.
There were a lot of tourists milling around here taking hundreds of photos, but then again, so was I, and it's not hard to see why.
2. The secret greenhouse
Whilst exploring the Mirabell Palace Gardens, we came across what appeared on the outside, an unassuming glass building near to the side entrance (Mirabell Platz). We walked inside and found the most wonderful greenhouse, as the light poured in through the glass. It had the neatness and prettiness of the gardens, yet it still felt quite exotic compared to the primness of the gardens.
Adorable colourful budgies tweeted away in the elegant bronze cage,it felt so magical and brought a quietness that the touristy gardens couldn't bring.
Be sure to keep your eyes peeled if you visit - it was surprisingly easy to miss!
3. The view from the fortress
This is the breath-taking view you meet as you reach the foot of the historic fortress. We simply stood and took it in for a while as the wind whistled around us. Most of the fortress is still intact so we were able to explore lots of rooms and chambers. Totally worth the visit.
4. The charming old town
The Mozart influence was particularly concentrated around these winding high streets - we even spotted him on a flashing disco ball (I mean who wouldn't want to be remembered this way?). The square pictured was right by the stunning cathedral, with intricate white detailing and paintings engraved onto the ceiling. We also wandered through the museum connected to the cathedral and learnt a little more about its astounding history.
This really was a case for always looking up. Everywhere we looked we found small details which made everything look neat and put together yet stopped in time. There was an abundance of sophisticated coffee shops with decadent cakes, all rather expensive might I add!
5. Cable car to the mountains in Untersberg
As you may have noticed, Salzburg is hardly short of beautiful viewpoints! This had to be the most exhilarating experience we had during our holiday, it felt like we were walking on a path on the edge of the world. To reach the cable car you have to take a bus out of the city to a little village called Untersberg, not far from the German border.
It was full of typical Austrian charm - little log cabins in the countryside against the dramatic Austrian Alps. I was a little terrified when I got in the cable car, since it did not look particularly stable. How everyone shat themselves when it swayed back and forth! Another horrifying moment was ascending whilst we were completely shrouded in a cloud, as we couldn't see anywhere out of the windows. Definitely didn't think my life would end there and then...
When we reached the top of the mountain the rather scary journey was forgotten. I couldn't believe the view - there were no words to describe the feeling other than feeling a little vulnerable yet amazed. In the background we saw miles of snowy peaks, below us tiny-looking towns. We walked alongside thick and imposing cloud, with the strong winds whipping our hair left, right and centre.
We treated ourselves to a comforting hot chocolate afterwards, as we felt rather chilly after the walking around! This experience was unforgettable and I would recommend to everyone.
Thanks for reading! Have you been to Salzburg before? What would you recommend?
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