Salzburg - Perfect Day Trip from Munich

Saturday, March 17, 2018


Long before we set foot in the romantic little city of Salzburg, we were warned of its love affair with its most famous inhabitant. Tiny, gold-foiled, chocolates called Mozartkugel were sold in every corner of Bavaria, and as the name would suggest, they carried a portrait of Mozart on them. They were delicious, and in hindsight, foreshadowing the town’s fascination with the legendary musician.

We took a daytrip from Munich to Salzburg a couple of days after New Year’s last year. In contrast, to Munich’s urban, big-city vibes, Salzburg was a whole new world. It was a city I fell in love with quite instantly and although Paris is often touted as the ‘City of Love’, I’d say Salzburg came pretty damn close. Something about the city’s atmosphere, with its shimmering night skyline, the rhythmic bustle and soulful food, gave you something akin to first date butterflies. The streets were filled with the sound of violins and enthusiastic (and extremely talented) buskers emerged from every corner, an ode to Mozart’s musical influence on the city. While the way the entire city appeared to be humming along to his symphonies was beautiful, Mozart’s influence had another less poetic consequence. Every shop, café, bar, and hotel appeared to have squeezed in his famous last name into their own name to cash in on the wide-eyed tourists roaming around. But put aside this capitalistic consequence, and the legacy the composer has left behind lingers in meaningful ways in the everyday life of Salzburg residents and we got a strong taste of it even in our short 24 hours there. 

Mirabelle Gardens - Our visit to Mirabelle Gardens looked a little different to how you may recall the place from the Sound of Music. The chilly winter weather meant there wasn’t a whole lot of greenery around, but that’s not to say the effect was any less impressive. Covered in frost, and in the early hours of the day, the gardens may not have been as beautiful but they provided the perfect view of the town we were about to set foot on.


Salzburg CathedralThe city’s love for Mozart really hits you in the face the minute you walk in but if you’re looking for a way to trace his footsteps instead, start by visiting the impressive 17th century Baroque cathedral. It was here the composer was baptised and where his earliest symphonies were played on the Dom’s organ. It’s easy to imagine how beautifully the music would have fit into the cathedral’s larger than life architecture. And while Mozart isn’t here to play the tunes himself, many young musicians played in the streets surrounding the Dom to keep the spirit alive.






Hohensalzburg FortressAfter exploring our way through the Salzburg Cathedral and listening to plenty of talented buskers along the way, we set our sights on Hohensalzburg fortress, the largest fully preserved castle in the central European region. The fortress was imposing from beneath and boasted of an incredible vantage point once you caught the train to do a tour of its interior. The charm of the city was truly palpable from above where among the breathtaking architecture, you could catch glimpses of lively streets. Other viewpoints from the fortress, captured the quieter parts of the city with a backdrop of the stunning mountains and a particularly beautiful sunset. Quite content with all the panoramic shots we captured, we drank gluhwein (red wine that is heated and infused with various spices) at the very top of the fortress before heading back down to explore. 


Exploring old town The atmosphere beneath the fortress was incredibly festive, with food stalls and artists everywhere you look. It also evoked a sense of a time gone by, with soldiers dressed in traditional uniforms marching the streets and a spectacular cannon fire show on the fortress to act as the perfect climax. Salzburg’s Old Town or Altstadt, is the epicentre of its baroque heritage (and includes the fortress). It boasts of incredible architecture, great traditional cuisine and plenty of Mozart-ian influence. We used the opportunity to enjoy plenty of local dishes. We tried berry punsch, a warm spiked punch, at a small local eatery. Punsch is pretty readily available in Salzburg, especially during Christmas and New Year, so I’d highly recommend having some as its delicious. Alongside this, we tried vegetarian strudel (made with a savoury filling instead of the sweet ones we had tried so far) and some soup to keep us warm. Oh and that last picture there is a testament to the fact that we've continued our hunt for the perfect pretzel -- but it doesn't exist!



Souveniers - When walking away from a city you adore, it’s only fitting to take away a memory of its most iconic aspects. It’s for this reason, we stopped by a local stall to pick of plenty of Mozartkugel. The picture of me you see above was captured just as we were leaving the town. Walking along the bridge with a cheeky bag of Mozartkugel in hand and the town centre behind you, you could get a true sense of what Salzburg was – dazzling, alive and besotted with Mozart.

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4 comments

  1. Wow, must be so breathtaking in person. Your photos look like they came from a movie!

    www.jeannieinabottleblog.com

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  2. Salzburg looks incredible! All your photos make me want to go there so badly. It sounds like a wonderful place to get away and adventure around.

    Shann Eileen | www.shanneileen.com

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  3. Amazing photos ! Great post :) xx

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  4. Wow, So beautiful photos, I love! :))

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