Autumn in Austria!

Salzburg, famous for being the birth town of 18^th century classical composer Mozart, is the fourth largest city in Austria and renowned for its baroque architecture. Tourists visiting Salzburg make it a point to tour the historic centre and the scenic Alpine surroundings.

1) The Mirabel Palace and Gardens–

built in 1606, is used for political business. It houses the offices of Salzburg’s mayor and the municipal council. The Mirabel Gardens are a joy to visit. Considered to be one of the most beautiful Baroque gardens in Europe, they are world-famous, thanks in part to being features in the classic movie ‘The Sound of Music’.

Its centrepiece is the Pegasus Fountain, which was installed in 1913. If one plans to visit, please note of its timings…normally open from early morning till dusk. The admission to the Mirabel Gardens is free. Great photo taking opportunity with beautiful gardens as backdrop. It’s huge area to walk around and admire the lush surroundings and expert gardening, with seasonal flowers blooming.

As you walk further, you come across the birthplace of Mozart. The building he grew up in is a museum. One must visit the museum to have a look at the famous composer’s work. Take some time to see the various sections. Entrance is free if you hold Salzburg tourist card.

2) Mozart Platz Square

In the heart of the old town of Salzburg holds the statue of Mozart and the area is well-connected with horse-drawn carriages for tourist to enjoy a refreshing ride. You will find some historic buildings all around this area including the residence of Mozart, now turned into a museum.

3) Further walking along, one comes by The Grand Cathedral, which is truly awe-inspiring. Rebuilt in 1181, with its three huge domes and paintings all over, the area above the entrance of the Cathedral has four large sculpted figures of Saint Rupert holding a salt barrel, Saint Vigilius holding a church, Saint Peter holding keys and Saint Paul holding a sword.

The Getreidegasse near the Cathedral is Salzburg’s busiest lane: one super-expensive boutique next to another! The area has quite a few alleyways where you can find some exclusive shops and restaurants all decked up. What we noticed is people eat early, by 6pm, most of the restaurants were full.

4) The next day we visited Hohensalzburg Fortress, which is the biggest fully preserved castle in Central Europe. This emblem of Salzburg is one of the most famous landmarks in the ‘City of Mozart’. Discovering more than 900-year-old Hohensalzburg Fortress is truly an amazing feat of Salzburg’s medieval history.

The castle hosts many events during the year and it also has a major concert hall. Inside the castle there is a permanent Fortress museum that can be visited anytime of the year. The visit to the castle costs approximately 9 euros per person but they have various packages to suit a larger family. If you hold a Salzburg tourist card entrance is free. The opening hours are from 0930-1800, but this can change if they have an event, details of which can be obtained when buying your ticket at the Funicular railway desk.

 

To be continued…Autumn in Austria – Part 2