In honor of the 50th anniversary of "The Sound of Music," i.e. the greatest movie ever in my opinion, this month's "Destination Spotlight" is Salzburg, Austria! While most of us know Salzburg due to it being the main setting for the movie, there is much more to Salzburg. Therefore, following are a few fun facts about the city whose "hills are alive with perfection!" I apologize in advance for any song lyrics from "The Sound of Music" that may get stuck in your head as you read this blog post. Now, let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start:
Salzburg is all about salt, literally, as the German word "salz" means "salt." Salzburg is located along the banks of the Salzach River, which was once used to transport salt as part of Salzburg's burgeoning economy. The river now beautifully divides Salzburg into the "New Town" and the "Old Town." When I'm feeling sad, I simply remember one of my favorite European river views and then I don't feel so bad! Tourist attractions including the Mirabell Gardens are located in the "New Town," while the pedestrian-friendly "Old Town" is home to places such as St. Peter's Cemetery, Nonnberg Abbey, and the towering Hohensalzburg Castle atop a hill.
That sound of music that you hear in Salzburg? It's probably more Mozart than the Von Trapps, as the famous composer and performer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg; visitors can see and, for a small fee, tour inside his
gebertshaus located at Getreidegasse, 9. Salzburg pays homage to its musical son in other ways, too. As a chocoholic, my favorite tribute is the
Mozartkugel, which is a candy made with chocolate and marzipan; it is a sweet symphony of taste! You can buy these chocolates in most grocery stores in Salzburg, but the best selection, highest quality, and most elegant shopping experience can be found at Reber, which is a famous Austrian candy store located in the
Alter Markt (Old Market Square). Seeing its colorful window displays alone are enough to make you believe that somewhere in your youth or childhood, you must have done something good!
Once you've had your delicious fill of
Mozartkugel, if such a state exists, you can spend some quality one-on-one time with Mozart by visiting his statue located in the
Mozartplatz. If, like me, you're lucky enough to be in Salzburg during the Christmas season, you can ice skate under the watchful eye of Mozart in his rink; it's fun for all ages, even if you're not sixteen going on seventeen! I have confidence that my smooth moves on the rink would have made Mozart proud.
How do you solve a problem like hunger after you've worked up an appetite ice skating or strolling in
Mozartplatz? You follow every street sign until you find your gastronomical dream at St. Peter Stiftskeller, which is located in the Old Town and is
Europe's oldest restaurant! Be prepared to feast on such traditional dishes as
wiener schnitzel, delectable parsley potatoes, and
apfelstrudel....these are a few of my favorite things! Each of the restaurant's dining areas are filled with a combination of delightful aromas and ambiance. I dined at St. Peter during the Christmas season, so the decor was especially festive with European elegance.
Another unlikely elegant spot in Salzburg? St. Peter's Cemetery, which is
one of the oldest cemeteries in the world. Mozart's sister and other notable Austrians are buried there in graves identified with intricately detailed wrought-iron markers.
While the movie Von Trapps hid from the Nazis behind the gates of the cemetery's catacombs, my mother and I ventured through the gates and into the adjoining Stiftsbackerie St. Peter, which is
Salzburg's oldest bakery and is operated by the monks of the adjoining St. Peter's Abbey monastery. The bakery is located right at the base of a grain mill with the original water wheel outside and the original wood-burning ovens inside. My mother bought a few freshly baked rolls that were delightfully presented to her in a brown paper package tied up with string. Small and white, clean and bright, the rolls were delicious and definitely one of her favorite things!
Though I hated to leave this delightfully gorgeous and historic city, as I cannot tell a lie, I know that my life will be blessed with a return to Salzburg and Austria where I'll have fun once more!
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