Summary. Salzburg, Austria, is the birth place of composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. A little over 2 hours by train from Vienna, Salzburg is a vibrant, high-class City. Rich in history, architecture, and museums, Salzburg is also known for music (both classical and modern) and, of course, beer. The historic center of town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is filled with horse-drawn carriages and street performers. One thing to note if you are traveling on a budget, this city is expensive. Stores are high-end, restaurants are luxurious, and accommodations will set you back. We addressed this by cooking primarily in our Air BnB, selecting just a few museums, and spending more time hiking urban parks and enjoying the streets and architecture by foot.
On our second day in Salzburg, we filled our day with history and enjoyed the beautiful City known as Mozart's birthplace. We started by heading out on foot to see the Mirabel Palace grounds. Built in 1606, and later redesigned in 1640, Mirabel Palace's Baroque architecture and lovely garden grounds are centrally located and accessible on foot. Admission is free at the Palace. Next we headed to Mozart's birthplace and museum, our next stop (no photos here). At 12 Euros per person, it is somewhat of an expensive couple of hours but if you love music history, it is worth seeing this museum's collection of Mozart artifacts.
Next we headed up the to see Fortress Hohensalzburg. This is the large medieval castle that dominates the skyline in Salzburg. Construction began in 1077 and thereafter went through several additions and changes through it's 900 year history. Admission is 12.9 Euros per person if you walk up the hill by foot, which we did. Admission is 16.30 Euros to add the funicular ride up and down the hill. If walking is OK, we do recommend it as the foot path leading up to the grounds is lovely. Once inside, the audio tour will take you through some interesting exhibits, including medieval armor collection and a torture chamber for good old fashion shock value.
Once back down the hill, we visited Saint Peter's Abbey Founded in the 7th Century, the church has beautiful frescos and architecture to admire as you respectfully visit the inside of this still-running sanctuary. The cemetery was the inspiration for the famous scene in The Sound of Music where the Von Trapp Family hid in the Abbey's cemetery. The shaded grounds outside of Saint Peter's Abbey made for a nice picnic spot for lunch.
Finally, we headed to DomQuartier Salzburg and Residenzplatz, two bustling City squares that are part of the the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Strolling at a leisurely pace, we enjoyed the baroque buildings, horse-drawn carriages, and street musicians.
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