Salzburg is not a large city and its population is only 145,000. However its baroque architecture, extensive history and cultural experience makes it an ideal gateway to the Alps. I can say that it is a city that I really enjoy.

Starting first as a Celtic then Roman settlement, it is one of the oldest cultural centres in Austria. Salzburg was founded on mining of gold and salt, from where it gets its name. It was finally united with Austria in 1816 having been previously controlled by both France and Bavaria. Its status as a tourist Mecca is partly due to the fact that it is the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

You will find it in western Austria close to the border with Germany. It is the capital of the federal state of Salzburg, which includes Kaprun and Zell am See.

The city's transport links include frequent trains servicing Vienna, Munich, Innsbruck, as well as being a hub for travelling by train through the Alps into Italy. Salzburg Airport has scheduled flights to key European cities such as Frankfurt, Vienna, London, Amsterdam Zürich, and Ibiza, It is only a short taxi ride from the city centre.

Some of the recommended attractions of Salzburg include Salzburg Fortress (Festung Hohensalzburg), Sound of Music Tour, Mozart’s Birthplace (Mozart Gerburtshaus) and Mozart Residence (Mozart Wohnhaus)

The Salzburg Fortress (Festung Hohensalzburg), is a wonderful 11th-century castle which dominates the city with wonderful views of Salzburg an its surrounding mountains.

The entrance fee includes entrance to the fortress gardens, the rooms in the castle and the fortress towers from where you can admire the stunning view over the city and the mountains. You can also eat at an outdoor restaurant. The funicular stays open late on the evenings when there are candlelit Mozart recitals.

The Sound of Music Tour is a sight seeing tour of the city that take in several of the sites seen in the classic film The Sound of Music.

Mozart's Birthplace (Mozart Gerburtshaus), includes many musical artefacts from his early childhood while Mozart Residence (Mozart Wohnhaus) is a speciality museum. The presence of Mozart is felt everywhere in the city from his statue dominating Mozartplatz to his face on golden bottles of chocolate liqueur and boxes of chocolates.

Getreidegasse in Salzburg is an elegant shopping street with a wonderful historical atmosphere. Found in the old town, it has distinctive gilt and wrought-iron signs. Even McDonalds has a traditional iron sign. You will find designer clothes shops and cafes serving warming gulaschuppe and Salzburger schnitzel. Also worth visiting are the Easter egg store and the Christmas store opposite. Both are magical at any time of year

Salzburg is city to really enjoy especially at Christmas.

The Christmas market is very good and many visitors come back for more. It’s very charming and atmospheric, with music food, and beautiful crafts. There are even choirs singing carols from the steps of the cathedral. You could not want you want more from Christmas! But there is more. A snowfall, horses and traps trotting through the old town and shops dressed with fir branches and fairy lights, all add to the Christmas ambience at the markets. Highly recommended.

As well as the Getreidegasse, mentioned above there are the many squares and streets with churches, shops, cafes with speciality cakes. Over the river there’s the Linzergasse, another shopping street but not so crowded.

Every July and August world-renowned The Salzburg Festival takes place. This music festival and the smaller Salzburg Easter Festival attracts a large number of tourists each year.

Even though Salzburg is not a noisy city there are several bars open until the small hours. Although you might think that visitors are more interested in the various Mozart recitals there is nightlife to be found

The Picnic Bar on the Getreidergasse has a lively, young crowd of people drinking at wooden tables until 11.30pm. Near the Haus der Natur (Museum of Natural History), the dark cavernous Bar Flip stays open until 3am with yellow oil drums for tables and a menu of champagne and cocktails.

You may probably prefer to stroll thought the city late at night via one of the footbridges spanning the river, when the city is beautiful and peaceful.

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