Epic Alpine Adventure
Images: Salzach River; Hohensalzburg Fortress; Weathered domes of Salzburg;
Epic Adventures in Salzburg
2 days pre-tour
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Salzburg RS walking tour and concert
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Sound of Music and Hallstatt
Days 1-2 of tour
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More Salzburg wanderings
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Konigssee and Obersee
How many miles I walked
Saturday: 9.67
Sunday: 9.76
Monday (Day 1): 10.04
Tuesday (Day 2): 8.81
Worth repeating: The classical concert at Schloss Mirabell.
Four Days in Salzburg
On my first excursion to Europe in 2007, I spent a few hours at the Salzburg Christmas Market. From that afternoon visit, I had a long list of things to see. So I added two days prior to the start of the tour. A great way to see the highlights is the RS city walk, from the cobblestone streets to the top of the Monchsberg. (Faster if you don't stop for stuffed pretzels, gelato or a glass of wine, but less fun.) I split this walk over a couple of days, and different weather. It was easy to wander off the main path.
This top block of photos are not nearly all that I saw. I lingered in the plazas watching people. I gazed at the many flowers in the cemetery gardens. I visited the Cathedral, the museum next door, and the Hohensalzburg fortress. Salzburg started to feel familiar, especially the epic walk up to the Hohensalzburg, which I did three times. The third time, surprisingly, was the easiest.
Our tour started on my third evening in Salzburg. I'm sorry I didn't get a picture of our spirited first meeting, which included more gruner vetliner wine! It was clear we were off to a fun start.
Images: Mirabell Gardens, Salzburg Cathedral, Residenzplatz;
Horses in Residenzplatz, grave gardens at St. Peter's Cemetery, a cloudy view of the other side of Salzburg from Monchsberg ridge;
Early morning on Getreidegasse, farmer's stand, best bread ever;
Below: One of my favorite evenings: a picnic after my outing to Konigssee.
Sclosskonzert Mirabell
The architecture alone is worth the price of this concert at the palace by Mirabell Gardens. I heard the Ensemble 1756, which plays period instruments. Highly recommend this epic event, and it's just as enjoyable in the less expensive seats .
An Epic Drive: Hallstatt and Sound of Music
Above: Lake Hallstatt
Hallstatt was a must-see for me. One of my options was to travel a full day from Melk, stay overnight, then travel on to Salzburg. This was a big investment of time and money.
So I was thrilled to find a tour from Salzburg with Bob's Tours. It combined Hallstatt and Sound of Music. Bonus, we traveled the back roads, taking in the epic beauty of the Salzkammergut.
Bob's Tours stays ahead of the tour buses. Thus, the streets of Hallstatt were quiet when we arrived. On my walk along the lake, I passed many cute open air shops and places to eat. And I was content to simply breathe the air here.
Top: Swans on the lake; Heart inscribed unforgotten in the cemetery; the ossuary.
Bottom: a view along the lake; a view from lunch; a view with a cow
It is true what you read - the streets soon filled with people. I fled up - the hill to the Ossuary. With what I'm guessing was a perfectly pitched Gruss Gott to the door keeper, I received my guide - in German! I was too proud to ask for the English.
With limited space, graves are reused here. Skulls are cleaned and moved here as part of a second burial. These were painted - with the symbols of an owner's profession, dates of life, or cause of death. It was, um, unusual to see all the skulls stacked like this, on top of an altar supported by bones. Cue spooky music!
Back downhill, I was able to snag a seat with a view, and a glass of wine. And also a Schaumrolle - a pastry tube like a cannoli, but softer, filled with light, sweet, rich cream. I had to sample this local favorite, and walk a little extra to make up for it. On the way back to the van, I had my first cow sighting! Warning: many more cow photos to come - and closer up.
The Sound of Music portion of this tour visits the major sights, and provides insights and anecdotes from the movie filming, from Old Town Salzburg to Leopoldskron to Helbrunn to the wedding chapel. Mondsee was my favorite stop on this tour. The wedding chapel was more grand than it looks in the movie, but the lake... Well, the picture speaks for itself.
Could you get a more beautiful day? (below picture at Mondsee)
Above: Mondsee
Maria skips down this alee on the way to Captain von Trapp's house; the side of Leopoldskron we see in the movie, where Maria and the children fall in the river; the famous Gazebo, now at Helbrunn Palace; and the Wedding Chapel altar.
What a Day for a Daydream: Konigssee
Imagine a darkened high school classroom, circa 1988. Beethoven’s sixth symphony plays over the tinny speakers while blue-green lakes between rocky peaks flash on the screen. I can’t tell you why Konigssee stuck in my brain, but it was at the top of my list when planning.
So I navigated two packed bus rides to reach the Schiffahrt - the electric boat ride across Konigssee. The hour-long narration is in German, and difficult for a non-native speaker. But I did understand the song some children across from me were singing.
Das Lied (the song) stayed in my head, and I sung it as I strolled down the path. Another traveler mistook me for a German speaker, he struck up a conversation. Fortunately he was patient with my ein bisschen Deutsch, and we stumbled through a mixed-language conversation on the way to Obersee. We had trouble translating cow, and I'm not sure he knew what I was looking for as I continued on the path around the lake.
A steep, slippery-when-wet stone path climbs along the right side of Obersee. I made a pit stop at the hut, then another steep climb to a meadow and Rothbackfall. I found a rock, not far from the cows grazing and had my picnic lunch. Listening to the waterfall, the clang of cow bells and soaking up the sun.
A beautiful daydream come true.
(Right, Rothbackfall; Below, cows in the pasture by Rothbackfall, boat dock on Konigssee; Looking back at Obersee.)
Characters of Salzburg
You'll see plenty of people as you wander Salzburg's
Old Town streets. Here are a few who are there no matter the weather, the crowds, or time of day.
Mozart in Mozartplatz ; St. Rupert, in the square home to the Stiftskulinarium; St. Peter overlooking the waterwheel, right next to the amazing Stiftsbakerei.
