I live in Vienna, Austria, and I enjoy travelling (especially to England and Scotland). --> See ...
I live in Vienna, Austria, and I enjoy travelling (especially to England and Scotland). --> See my detailed profile for more <--
Member since:16.02.2001
Reviews:39
Members who trust:71
Salzburg is a lovely town in Austria, with a population of less than 150,000. It is the birthplace of Wolfang Amadeus Mozart. I have been there a number of times and I will certainly go there again.
For many centuries, Salzburg was dominated by the Prince-Archbishops, and you can still see many signs of their power nowadays.
The name Salzburg can be translated as 'Salt Castle' and it refers to the castle which overlooks the whole town (Hohensalzburg) and to the importance of salt mining in the area of Salzburg which has contributed to the richness of the population (in particular of the Archbishops).
The most important and recommendable sights where I have been to are as follows:
THE OLD TOWN
You can see most of Salzburg by just walking around. Situated on both sides of the Salzach river, you can see a lot of lovely buildings, parks and the main shopping streets.
The Cathedral, located at the Domplatz, is a very nice 17th century building (some Baroque, but
mostly Renaissance style) with a very impressive interior (marbles, stucco, great paintings), and in the crypt you can see the tombs of the prince-archbishops.
Some other interesting churches are St Peter's, the Franciscans' Church and Dreifaltigkeitskirche (Holy Trinity Church).
Getreidegasse is the most famous shopping street in Salzburg (any maybe in the whole of Austria). Many lovely small shops offer everything you could dream of - and a lot of things to take back home. I'm quite sure that every tourist will buy something in one of the Getreidegasse shops.
It is a narrow street with old houses (five to six storey houses), and most of the shops have the typical old iron signs indicating what type of shop it is.
Also in Getreidegasse, at no. 9, you'll find Mozart's Birthplace, which is a must for every Salzburg tourist. It was the flat where Mozart's father lived and where Wolfang Amadeus was born on 27 January 1756.
On display are some of Mozart's violins (including the one that he used as a child), some manuscripts as well as portraits and letters. Brochures are available in English.
Towards the end of Getreidegasse, you'll find the Hofapotheke (a very old pharmacy in Rococo style).
The lovely shops continue throughout Judengasse.
The Residenz Palace at Residenzplatz is the residence of the Archbishops and it dates back to the 16th century. Inside, there is a museum of old paintings.
THE CASTLE
A visit to Salzburg is not complete without having been to the Castle Hohensalzburg which is located on a rock (120 meters high) close to the centre, overlooking the whole of the Salzburg area.
You can go there using the funicular, or simply walk upwards. The former stronghold of the Prince-Archbishops offers a breathtaking panorama view.
Inside the castle, a lot of rooms are open to the public (guided tours available) where you can still see some of the original decorations, furniture, carpets, china, paintings etc.
If you have time, visit the museum (Burgmuseum) to see very interesting medevial art and arms.
MIRABELL GARDENS
A very nice park at the other side of the Salzach river is Mirabell Gardens. Unfortunately, not much is left of the original palace, but the gardens are worth a visit (many flowers, sculptures, pools) - a place to sit down and relax.
HELLBRUNN
Hellbrunn is located 5 km out of Salzburg, but this is our favorite attraction. You may visit Hellbrunn castle (the summer residence of the Prince-Archbishops), where the decoration of the rooms dates back to the 18th century.
Very often, Hellbrunn Castle is used for receptions and celebrations (business as well as private) taking advantage of the superb scenery - excellent catering service available.
Most interesting for our kids, however, was a tour around the special gardends of water games (Wasserspiele), which is very pleasant and offers a lot of (wet) surprises! Fountains (some of them are hidden and suddenly start to sprinkle) and caves as well as an impressive mechanical theatre (113 figures, set in motion by water via a clockwork) can be seen there.
After you leave the Wasserspiel area, continue to walk around the lovely gardens and visit the zoo at the other end of the park.
SALZBURG FESTIVAL
Every year in August, there is a famous festival in Salzburg (it became well-known and connected to the name of maesto Herbert von Karajan) which offers a series of excellent events (classical music concerts, opera, ballet, theater, including the famous open-air performance of 'Jedermann').
GENERAL INFORMATION
There is an international airport in Salzburg (SZG), and there are a few daily scheduled flights (Ryanair) from London; otherwise you best fly via Amsterdam, Zurich or Frankfurt. By car or train from Munich (100 km) or from Vienna (300 km) is another option.
There are many hotels in all pricing categories as well as many restaurants in and around Salzburg. Prices are much higher in August during the festival season, where it is often impossible to find a free room.
If you have any questions, just leave a comment or send me an e-mail.
All very useful info. Thanks! Myself and my wife are going to Salzburg for the day on Saturday! Just to go to the Christmas markets, really. We'll have about 10 or 11 hours there. Any specific advice on what to see/not see to make the best use of our time there? If you could leave a little comment in my guestbook, it'd be much appreciated! Andy.
Schini 20.11.2001 16:46
You forgot to mention the rather snobbish inhabitants ;-) Greetings, Schini
Squidget 06.06.2001 23:15
So exactly how much travel do you actually do another fabulous opinion well done! Squidget :o)
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Advantages: Very picturesque town, Lots of cultural things going on, friendly locals Disadvantages: Can see everything in a weekend, not cheap, very croweded during the festival
outonalimb 15.06.2001 ·
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Review of Salzburg (Austria)
May 19th, 2001
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