Salzburg – Day 1: The Salt Castle
SALZBURG
Day 1: The Salt Castle
March 12, 2024
It had been almost a month since my last city holiday in Paris. After travelling for so long through so many exotic countries, the idea of visiting another city wasn’t one I was particularly fond of – no matter how charming it might be. Annoyingly, the city seemed determined to prove me wrong almost immediately.
The name Salzburg literally means “Salt Castle”, owing to the plentiful salt mines and salt trade that brought immense wealth to the region in the form of “white gold” back in the Middle Ages. If that’s not enough, it’s also the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – one of the greatest composers of all time. More interesting facts? The Sound of Music was filmed around the city and its surroundings, with the Alpine backdrop making for a breathtaking setting.
As soon as I got to my hotel, I was faced with my first dilemma. With my reservation came a free bike rental, meaning I could cycle around the city – something both locals and tourists alike do. Having learned how to ride a bike just a few months earlier, I felt as if I’d be tempting fate if I ran off into the streets of a city I wasn’t familiar with, on a bike I had never tested. Though equipped with this new skill, I decided to err on the side of caution and go about my touristing the old-fashioned way.
Postcard Streets and Fortress Views
The walk to the historic centre was pleasant, to say the least, with charming streets lined by the most exquisite, pastel-coloured shops and buildings. Everything looked picture-perfect – scenes straight out of a postcard.
A massive bridge took me right over the River Salzach and straight into the Old Town, with Hohensalzburg Fortress looming above. Being one of Salzburg’s main attractions, I ventured uphill and started off on my first tour of the day.
The impressive fortress is one of the largest and best-preserved medieval castles in Europe. Armed with thick walls, towers and ramparts, its construction began in 1077 under Archbishop Gebhard. Over the centuries, it was expanded and fortified to protect the city, assert the power of the prince-archbishops and serve as a refuge during periods of conflict and war. Today, the fortress’s interior includes historic rooms, the princely chambers and museum displays on Salzburg’s history.
Going around the castle was fascinating, to say the least, with panoramic views of the city, the river and the Alps leaving me in awe.
Mozart, Cathedrals and Missing the Sea
After the tour, I headed back down to the Old Town, where I wolfed down a Wiener schnitzel and downed a pint of local brew.
My digestif was a stroll around the Mirabell Gardens – one of Salzburg’s most famous and beautiful attractions, found behind Mirabell Palace in the heart of the city. Featuring symmetrical flowerbeds, elegant pathways, fountains, statues and manicured lawns, the gardens make for the most extraordinary foreground to the Hohensalzburg Fortress above, with a striking statue of the winged horse Pegasus at their heart.
Always ready for more, I then embarked on yet another tour – this time round in Mozart’s Birthplace Museum. As the name suggests, this is the house where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born and spent his early years. Today, it’s a museum dedicated to the life, music and legacy of the prodigy.
While I’ve never been a fan of classical music – as my experience at the opera back in Paris can confirm – I have to admit that this experience made me appreciate it way more than I previously had. Walking through the house, I could simply envision young Mozart learning, composing and performing. To top this off, I immediately scoured the web to see if I could attend a Mozart concert later that night – which, to my dismay, was fully booked. Then I saw the exorbitant prices for the following night and contented myself with this tour.
With still plenty of time on my hands, I made my way to the Baroque masterpiece that is Salzburg Cathedral and the adjoining St Peter’s Cemetery – a walk along the cobbled paths, flanked by centuries-old tombstones and tiny chapels, offering me a quiet and reflective escape.
I finished off with an unplanned visit to the Haus der Natur, the House of Nature – a museum that covers natural history, science and technology. While it might not have been one of the most obvious attractions the city had to offer, I just wanted to stare at the fish in the aquarium section. I missed diving, okay? Sue me!