"SALZBURG ~ the Sound of Music" Salzburg by longsanborn

The first time I know about Salzburg was from that famous classical musical with Julie Andrews "The Sound of Music". In fact, I associated Austria with Salzburg (I didn't even know about Vienna then!).

Ok. Here's the facts about Salzburg. Salzburg is a city in western Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg with a population of approximately 150,000 (2006). The city is noted for its baroque architecture and Alpine settings.

When I first visited Salzburg city, I ended up in the old town part of Salzburg. I guess the old town is where all the historical & cultural heritage and buildings are preserved. The old town is rather small and compact.

On my second visit to Salzburg, I visited the Festung Hohensalzburg (the Fortress) - you cannot miss this huge imposing Fortress sitting on a hill overlooking the city. You need to take a little train that goes up the sharp incline or - if you're on a budget and very fit - you can walk up thousands of steps and hiking paths up to the Fortress. I took the easy way up - I paid for the train ride.

Famous main shopping street

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - the famous composer - is ever-present in Salzburg. Mozart was born and raised in Salzburg, for whose archbishops he worked from 1769 to 1781. His house of birth and residence are tourist attractions. You can see all kinds of souvenirs, chocolates, toys, crystals, porcelains, statuettes, etc., with Mozart's images.

Strange that this city celebrates Mozart now when it didn't want him hundred of years before. In fact, I read that Mozart was "chased out" of Salzburg to Vienna, where he made his fortune. Mozart had spent a good part of 25 years away from Salzburg. I could be wrong.

Anyway, Salzburg is a favorite amongst tourists, with them outnumbering locals by a large margin in peak times (which is the whole year!); the reasons are becos of:

1) Mozart, off course!
2) The Sound of Music tours, what else!
3) Skiing is the key attraction during winter even though Salzburg itself has no skiing facilities. It just acts as a gateway to skiing areas to the south.
4) The baroque architecture, including the Salzburg Cathedral, and the Mirabell Garden.
5) The Salzkammergut is an area of lakes in the Salzburg state, and it's natural beauty captivated all tourists.
6) The Untersberg mountain is next to the city and on a clear day, it can provide panoramic views of the city and the Alps.
7) The Eagle's Nest, Hitler's retreat, is in nearby Berchtesgaden.

• Pros:Pretty, Historical, Cultural, Musical
• Cons:Overated, Touristy, and Expensive
• In a nutshell:The hills are alive with the sound of .... tourists coming!