Trip to Salzburg
Green hills, breathtaking spires and romantic gardens are all it takes to make you fall in love with Salzburg. Although it seems like it’s been in the shadows of Vienna or Graz, the city has a tourist-per-capita ratio higher than even Venice and Florence, which makes it one of the busiest places in Europe throughout the year. Behind Mozart’s hometown stands a city with vibrant art scene, yummy food, quiet side streets and charming concert halls that keep musical tradition for centuries. Check out what’s not to miss in this lovely Austrian city!
1) Mozart’s birthplace
9 Getreidegasse in Salzburg sounds familiar? For a reason, it’s the house where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on January 27th, 1756. Today, Mozart’s birthplace (Mozart’s Geburtshaus) consists of a number of interesting features, including rooms which used to be occupied by the composer’s family. Now a fantastic museum, with numerous mementos on display, including the young Mozart’s violin and portraits, the house also has an exhibition called Mozart in the Theater with a number of illuminated miniature stages showing his achievements. The admission fee is €11 and the museum is open daily 09:00 a.m. – 05:30 p.m.
2) Hohensalzburg Castle
The city of Salzburg is dominated by the picturesque Hohensalzburg, a fortress on the southeastern peak of the Mönchsberg. Only a 20 minute walk from the Old Town centre, or via funicular railway from Festungsgasse, the original castle dates back to 1077, with much of what’s seen today originating from the early 1500s.
On your way to the fortress, you’ll pass through many impressive arched defensive gateways under the 17th-century Fire Bastion to the Reisszug and through the Horse Gate into the Haupthof with its ancient lime tree. Other highlights include the tiny Church of St. George and the famous Salzburg Bull from 1502.
3) Salzburg Old Town
There are numerous wonderful passages, known as Durchhäuser weaving north to Getreidegasse, a busy pedestrian zone with old merchant homes from the period between the 15th and 18th century. Apart from many wrought-iron shop and inn signs and lovely courtyards, in this Old Town area you can visit numerous galleries, boutiques, workshops and bars as well. At the eastern part you’ll come across the Kranzlmarkt with the old Town Hall (Rathaus) surrounded by old medieval houses. Also, don’t forget to check out Judengasse with narrow, twisting lanes, and the Chiemseehof from 1305 whose arcaded courtyard is decorated with coats of arms.
4) Schloss Mirabell and Gardens
In the city’s lovely Mirabellplatz, Schloss Mirabell was remodeled in Baroque style before being restored in the simpler Neoclassical style of the period after a fire in 1818. The best part of this visit includes the magnificent Grand Staircase from the 18th century, with many statues by Georg Raphael Donner and his students. Other than that, check out the Marble Hall, still used for concerts, and the Schloss Mirabell Baroque Museum housed in the Gardener’s Building exhibiting European art of the 17th and 18th centuries. South of Schloss Mirabell there is the Mirabellgarten, a splendid example of Baroque landscape design with numerous terraces, marble statues and fountains. Another important villa from this period is Hellbrunn Palace (Schloss Hellbrunn), built in 1619 and popular for its exquisite gardens.
5) Salzburg’s Festival Theaters
Salzburg has been widely known for its music festivals, which manifested in the form of a number of historic theaters and concert halls. Collectively famous as the Festival Theaters (Festspielhäuser), these buildings consist of the large Festspielhaus and the smaller Haus für Mozart, between which there is the Karl-Böhm Hall used for exhibitions and receptions, with 17th-century frescoes as well. The famous Salzburg Festival has been held since 1925, displaying the best of European music and drama. Other notable Salzburg festivals include Mozart Week focusing on the works of the Austrian composer, and Salzburg Cultural Days which is 2-week-long festival in October including symphonic and chamber concerts, as well as opera performances.
