Austria
Salzburg: Mozart and Movie Sets
Two things I love in life apart from travelling is classical music and old movies with great soundtracks. So, while on a trip to Munich, we realised that Salzburg was only an hour and a half away on the train, ideal for a day away. So we got up early and headed to the train station. The fact that Munich was experiencing heavy snowfalls and plummeting temperatures was no barrier. The efficient train service ran to time and we arrived in Salzburg on a damp grey day. However that took nothing away from how pretty it is with the river Salzach running right through it.
After wandering around the old town and through the Altmarkt, the main square, we stopped at one of the riverside cafes for hot chocolate and cake.
Warmed up a bit, we were ready for the climb up to the Hohensalzburg Fortress. The medieval fortress dates back 900 years and is accessible by footpath. The journey on foot takes about 20 minutes but is quite steep in parts. However you can take the funicular, the oldest one in Austria and which has been open since 1892.
After lunch it was time to tick a couple of things off the bucket list. Walking through the Mirabell Gardens, where scenes from The Sound of Music were filmed, you could almost hear the gentle Edelweiss melody playing softly through the trees. Look out for the Pegasus fountain. In the film Maria and the von Trapp children dance around it singing do-re-mi.
Next up was a visit to the house where Mozart was born in 1756. Salzburg is very proud of its most famous composer and everywhere you go there is some reference to him. His home at has been turned into a living museum with exhibits from his life on display and with the building preserved in its original state although it has been painted yellow so you really can’t miss it. You can book tour tickets in advance and expect to spend around 1.5 hours going round the house.
If you still want more Mozart head to Mozartplatz in the old town. You’ll know you’re there when you see the large Mozart statue in the centre.
However there’s more to Salzburg than Mozart. There are a multitude of museums and beautiful squares and gardens to enjoy. And if you’re looking for a culinary experience St. Peter is the oldest restaurant in Europe, reputedly dating back to 803AD. Reservations are a must.
We took an early evening train back to Munich having had a great day away in this beautiful city.
