Salzburg in Austria with its Baroque town centre on the edge of the Alps makes the perfect destination for a paced Slow Life holiday. With plenty of sites to explore on foot, its traditional cafe culture and rich musical history – Mozart was born here – the city is a great place to unwind, reflect on Austria’s cultural history and sample the local Artisan chocolate and cake specialities.
The Old Town of the city (also called Historic Centre or simply Altstadt) is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site comprising of Medieval and Baroque buildings. Start your tour with a funicular trip up the hill to visit the Hohensalzburg Fortress, built in 1077, to view the medieval rooms. If you are lucky there might be a free classical concert on in the romantic courtyard.
Next head to the cathedral, which is probably the city’s most significant piece of church architecture and its ecclesiastical center. With its magnificent façade and mighty dome it represents the most impressive early Baroque edifice north of the Alps.
A visit to Mozart’s birthplace is a Salzburg must, the Mozart family lived on the third floor of the “Hagenauer House” at Getreidegasse 9 for twenty-six years, from 1747 to 1773, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born there on January 27, 1756. Mozart is omnipresent in this city and many chocolatiers around the Old Town sell the world-famous ‘Mozart Kugeln’, little chocolates filled with marzipan, pistachio and nougat.
Salzburg is a culinary dream and many restaurants will use regional, organic produce. Generally, Austrian cuisine is very diverse and colourful, mixing the sweetness of Bohemia, the spices of Hungary and the seasoning of the Mediterranean.
In case that you are staying in the city for a bit longer, it might be worth thinking about sights beyond the city. The scenic lakes of the Salzkammergut are nearby, and hikes in the Alps can be both soothing and exciting.
Find out more about Salzburg here.
To book a train to Salzburg with Rail Europe click here
