Eurotrip: Salzburg

It is difficult to express how excited I was to visit Salzburg, known as the quintessential Austrian city offering ornate architecture, mountain air, and all things Mozart. Joe and I didn't make it here during our Christmas Market tour, so I was thankful that Angie wanted to visit during our Eurotrip. As the train made its way closer and closer to the city, we knew we were in for a treat. I had no idea what a treat it would be!

We took a very easy train from Vienna and made it to Salzburg by noon. After a quick stop in the OBB Lounge for snacks and drinks, we headed to our hotel. There we learned we had been upgraded to the Crown Plaza. I may have mentioned that Angie & I are keeping a somewhat tight budget for our lodging, so getting this upgrade was a great surprise. We once again were able to stay in a hotel that provided toiletries, had comfortable beds, and even had a gym. Luxury!

Our Salzburg exploration started by wandering across the River Salzach to the east bank. As we walked along the river, we were amazed at all of the activity. Cyclists, runners, people lying on the banks, boat cruises, tourists.... all with this incredible backdrop.

Every street in this area was filled with something new to see. Rather than upload about fifty pictures, I picked a few highlights. (The church is the Salzburg Dom.)

Our loose objective was to make it to the Kapuzinerberg, a Capuchin monastery at the top of the hill. (We had thought it was a castle, but turns out it was some fortification-happy bishops working their magic.) We took a guided tour, but I am not sure either of us were paying that much attention. We were more interested in the views.

I *think* a king or two stayed here? I'm still not sure, but I do know that Angie is too tall for this room!

We had expectations of seeing a Mozart concert, because that is basically the quintessential thing to do in Salzburg. We never quite made it, but we did pay our respects who helped make this city famous.

For dinner, we stopped at the AfroCafe, which was recommended in Angie's guidebook. I'm not sure this place would quite make it in PC-worried America. The food was actually pretty darn good, although I'm not sure it was African at all.

We had two more things to see after dinner, and along our way to the Augustiner Braustubl we were passed by Critical Mass Salzburg.

Inspired by all the active people, we decided to earn our beers and go explore for a bit. We found this very cool rock climbing area before going on a little hike around the hill.

Yes!! Random hikes lead to stunning scenery in Salzburg!

At last we made it to the Augustiner Braustubl, which is a giant beer hall that seats up to 2,800 people. We had a great time people watching and enjoying some monk-crafted brew.

Our final stop was the Mirrabelgarten, which is one of Salzburg's most photographed places. Look familiar?

Yes! It is home to scenes in the Sound of Music! (Specifically the part where Maria teaches the children Do-Re-Mi!) The manicured gardens were gorgeous, as evidenced by the pictures. Plus the views (the Dom and the Monastery in the background) made this park go from 10 to 11. We spotted tons of people sitting on benches sipping wine, thanks to a nearby mini-wine festival. We were tempted, but ultimately decided that our day in Salzburg was perfect enough.

I think it is clear that I found Salzburg to be one of the most charming cities I have seen. I definitely want to come back and spend more time getting to know this city. For now, this trip may have risen to the top of my favorites!