Salzburg, Austria
Published in Woman's Weekly 7th August 2007
Published in Woman's Weekly 7th August 2007
Austria : Salzburg and the Carinthian lakes District
Following the phenomenal success of the BBC programme How do you solve a problem like Maria last year and the sell-out run of the original stage musical at the London Palladium, interest in everything The Sound of Music has never been greater.
If you want to relive and follow in the footsteps of the Trapp family then a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Salzburg in Austria is a must.
Sound of Music fans can visit many of the sites from the Oscar-winning film including The Mirabell Gardens where Maria (Julie Andrews) and the children dance and sing “Do-Re-Mi”. Nonnberg Convent, St Peter’s Cemetery, where the family hides behind the tombstones, Leopoldskron Palace and the Summer Riding School where Baron von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) sang “Edelweiss”.
Several companies provide guided minibus tours to the locations or you can travel independently.
Salzburg Panoramic Tours
Tel: 0662/874029
www.panoramictours.at
Salzburg Sightseeing Tours
Tel: 0662/881616
For lovers of classical music Salzburg is famous around the world as the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the city’s most famous son whose bright-eyed features peer from every type of tourist merchandise from mozartkügel chocolates to Mozart watches. Many special events take place throughout the year including the prestigious Salzburg Festival, a five week celebration of the performing arts but be prepared to book well in advance as accommodation and tickets sell fast.
For programme and booking details contact the tourist information centre or call the Festival booking office
Tel: 0662/8045 555
www.salzburgfestival.at
For a hugely enjoyable theatrical flavour of Mozart you must experience a dinner or lunch concert at the stylish setting of the Stiftskeller St Peter, one of Europe’s oldest restaurants. In the opulent baroque function room, local musicians in period costume perform a selection of some of Mozart’s most popular compositions while the food is prepared according to traditional 18th century recipes that includes a delicious cream soup flavoured with lemon, wine and a hint of cinnamon.
Tel: 0662/8286 950
www.mozartdinnerconcert.com
Another excellent show can be seen high above the city at the dramatic setting of the 1,000 year old Hohensalzburg Fortress where an ensemble of musicians perform a selection of musical treasures from some of the great masters of music. The setting is truly inspiring and the view from the concert hall looking down onto the city and countryside at sunset is breathtaking.
Tel:0662- 825 858
www.mozartfestival.at
For the chocoholics, a trip to the “Sacher café” a typical Austrian coffee house offering the world-famous Original Sacher-Torte is highly advisable.. The Original Sacher-Totre is regarded as the most famous chocolate cake in the world and produced by a secret recipe known only to a handful of people. The story of the legendary chocolate cake filled with apricot jam began in 1832. Franz Sacher was a 16-year old apprentice at the court of Prince Metternich when he was asked to create an especially delicious dessert for distinguished guests. The guests loved it and it became known as the Sacher Torte.
Try it with cream and a cup of tea or visit the in-house shop for that perfect souvenir for a sweet toothed friend or relative.
www.sacher.com
Salzburg sights.
Salzburg is one of the prettiest cities in Europe with a homely small-city atmosphere and an enviable location on the banks of the Salzach river beneath the surrounding cliffs. The locals are extremely law-abiding and the clean, prosperous, pedestrianized old town is a pleasure to explore on foot both night and day.
There are plenty of cobbled alleyways, courtyards and grand squares to explore but the heart of Austria’s most beautiful shopping area is the Getreidegasse. A narrow lane of specialist shops which are characterized by their attractive wrought iron guild shopping signs produced by skilled craftsmen. At no 9 is Mozart’s Birthplace where he lived for the first seventeen years of his life and now a very popular museum exhibiting a range of artefacts including Mozart’s tiny childhood violin.
A daily “Green Market” still flourishes in front of the magnificent backdrop of the Collegiate Church offering a large range of fresh products and every Thursday morning local’s head to the “Schranne” a colourful market in front of St Andrew’s Church. Specialties to look out for include "Bauernkrapfen" (farm-style doughnuts), "Buchteln" (baked yeast dumplings), "gebackene Mäuse" (fritters) or Pofesen (slices of toast dipped in batter and then fried).
Salzburg’s Cathedral is probably the most significant piece of Baroque Church architecture in the city with its magnificent facade and mighty dome. Among the precious objects to be found inside include the Romanesque font in which Mozart was baptised and the delicate ceiling frescoes.
Just outside the city lies the water themed Hellbrunn Palace designed by the famous Cathedral architect Santino Solari as a summer residence for Prince Archbishop Markus Sittikus in 1612. Be prepared for a soaking as the famous Wasserspiele ( trick fountains) have an uncanny knack of spurting to life when you least expect them.
Tel:0662-8203 720
http://www.hellbrunn.at/
The inexpensive way to explore Salzburg is to purchase the widely available “Salzburg Card” offering free access to the majority of city museums and attractions as well as unlimited use on the city’s excellent transport system.
Prices start at €21 for a 24 hr pass (€10.50 for children 6-15 years)
A complete contract to city life can be discovered around the Austrian province of Carinthia in the southernmost part of the country bordering Italy and Slovenia. The area is highly regarded as one of Europe’s most enticing vacation spots due to its warm Mediterranean climate together with an impressive combination of lake and mountain scenery.
The region of Millstätter See provides the perfect base to explore and is affectionately known as “the jewel of Carinthia” due to its simple unspoilt natural beauty. The lake itself is surrounded by various mountains including Millstätter Alpe where you can follow a variety of marked hiking and rambling paths for all levels of difficulty. Head to the Lammersdorfer Hütte (mountain hut) for some authentic local food and a warm musical welcome from Hans Werner who regularly plays his accordion with help from the customers.
Closer to Lake Millstätter is the new 30km cycle path that covers the entire length of the lake through countryside and villages. For a gentle cycle you can hop onboard the free Peter Pan cycle ferry that connects almost every stage of the tour.
Try to visit the Benedictine abbey and Romanesque church at Millstätt where many musical performances are held from the months of May to October.
Medieval banqueting and revelry at Sommeregg Castle provides a fun evenings entertainment involving a lot of dressing up in period costume accompanied by plenty of food and drink. It’s not for the faint hearted but most guests eventually succumb to laughter at the silliness of it all.
www.millstaettersee.at
Also at Burg Sommeregg is a gruesome museum of torture featuring an array of appalling methods of extracting confessions ranging from a metal human-shaped cabinet with sharp spikes on the inside to grotesque masks which petty criminals were forced to wear in public.
Further a field lies Austria’s first “Alpine Wellness Village” at Bad Kleinkirchheim where the local healing thermal spring water relieves pain and helps relaxation. Nearby walking trails have mountain huts where the weary feet of ramblers can be soothed in the cool water baths and the local Speik oil (sourced from an Alpine plant) can be rubbed onto the skin for added comfort and health.
www.badkleinkirchheim.at
The lakes at Ossiacher See and Faaker See are worth exploring including the Monastery of Ossiacher with its pretty cake-icing stucco-work on the interior of the church.
For a superb lunch head to the award winning family run restaurant/hotel Gasthof Tschebul at Lake Faaker See. The landlord takes great pride in sourcing only the finest local ingredients and the difference in taste is amazing. Try a selection of appetisers such as the white cheese with wild garlic or the duck liver pate with plum accompanied by homemade crackers.
Tel:04254 2191
Following the phenomenal success of the BBC programme How do you solve a problem like Maria last year and the sell-out run of the original stage musical at the London Palladium, interest in everything The Sound of Music has never been greater.
If you want to relive and follow in the footsteps of the Trapp family then a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Salzburg in Austria is a must.
Sound of Music fans can visit many of the sites from the Oscar-winning film including The Mirabell Gardens where Maria (Julie Andrews) and the children dance and sing “Do-Re-Mi”. Nonnberg Convent, St Peter’s Cemetery, where the family hides behind the tombstones, Leopoldskron Palace and the Summer Riding School where Baron von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) sang “Edelweiss”.
Several companies provide guided minibus tours to the locations or you can travel independently.
Salzburg Panoramic Tours
Tel: 0662/874029
www.panoramictours.at
Salzburg Sightseeing Tours
Tel: 0662/881616
For lovers of classical music Salzburg is famous around the world as the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the city’s most famous son whose bright-eyed features peer from every type of tourist merchandise from mozartkügel chocolates to Mozart watches. Many special events take place throughout the year including the prestigious Salzburg Festival, a five week celebration of the performing arts but be prepared to book well in advance as accommodation and tickets sell fast.
For programme and booking details contact the tourist information centre or call the Festival booking office
Tel: 0662/8045 555
www.salzburgfestival.at
For a hugely enjoyable theatrical flavour of Mozart you must experience a dinner or lunch concert at the stylish setting of the Stiftskeller St Peter, one of Europe’s oldest restaurants. In the opulent baroque function room, local musicians in period costume perform a selection of some of Mozart’s most popular compositions while the food is prepared according to traditional 18th century recipes that includes a delicious cream soup flavoured with lemon, wine and a hint of cinnamon.
Tel: 0662/8286 950
www.mozartdinnerconcert.com
Another excellent show can be seen high above the city at the dramatic setting of the 1,000 year old Hohensalzburg Fortress where an ensemble of musicians perform a selection of musical treasures from some of the great masters of music. The setting is truly inspiring and the view from the concert hall looking down onto the city and countryside at sunset is breathtaking.
Tel:0662- 825 858
www.mozartfestival.at
For the chocoholics, a trip to the “Sacher café” a typical Austrian coffee house offering the world-famous Original Sacher-Torte is highly advisable.. The Original Sacher-Totre is regarded as the most famous chocolate cake in the world and produced by a secret recipe known only to a handful of people. The story of the legendary chocolate cake filled with apricot jam began in 1832. Franz Sacher was a 16-year old apprentice at the court of Prince Metternich when he was asked to create an especially delicious dessert for distinguished guests. The guests loved it and it became known as the Sacher Torte.
Try it with cream and a cup of tea or visit the in-house shop for that perfect souvenir for a sweet toothed friend or relative.
www.sacher.com
Salzburg sights.
Salzburg is one of the prettiest cities in Europe with a homely small-city atmosphere and an enviable location on the banks of the Salzach river beneath the surrounding cliffs. The locals are extremely law-abiding and the clean, prosperous, pedestrianized old town is a pleasure to explore on foot both night and day.
There are plenty of cobbled alleyways, courtyards and grand squares to explore but the heart of Austria’s most beautiful shopping area is the Getreidegasse. A narrow lane of specialist shops which are characterized by their attractive wrought iron guild shopping signs produced by skilled craftsmen. At no 9 is Mozart’s Birthplace where he lived for the first seventeen years of his life and now a very popular museum exhibiting a range of artefacts including Mozart’s tiny childhood violin.
A daily “Green Market” still flourishes in front of the magnificent backdrop of the Collegiate Church offering a large range of fresh products and every Thursday morning local’s head to the “Schranne” a colourful market in front of St Andrew’s Church. Specialties to look out for include "Bauernkrapfen" (farm-style doughnuts), "Buchteln" (baked yeast dumplings), "gebackene Mäuse" (fritters) or Pofesen (slices of toast dipped in batter and then fried).
Salzburg’s Cathedral is probably the most significant piece of Baroque Church architecture in the city with its magnificent facade and mighty dome. Among the precious objects to be found inside include the Romanesque font in which Mozart was baptised and the delicate ceiling frescoes.
Just outside the city lies the water themed Hellbrunn Palace designed by the famous Cathedral architect Santino Solari as a summer residence for Prince Archbishop Markus Sittikus in 1612. Be prepared for a soaking as the famous Wasserspiele ( trick fountains) have an uncanny knack of spurting to life when you least expect them.
Tel:0662-8203 720
http://www.hellbrunn.at/
The inexpensive way to explore Salzburg is to purchase the widely available “Salzburg Card” offering free access to the majority of city museums and attractions as well as unlimited use on the city’s excellent transport system.
Prices start at €21 for a 24 hr pass (€10.50 for children 6-15 years)
A complete contract to city life can be discovered around the Austrian province of Carinthia in the southernmost part of the country bordering Italy and Slovenia. The area is highly regarded as one of Europe’s most enticing vacation spots due to its warm Mediterranean climate together with an impressive combination of lake and mountain scenery.
The region of Millstätter See provides the perfect base to explore and is affectionately known as “the jewel of Carinthia” due to its simple unspoilt natural beauty. The lake itself is surrounded by various mountains including Millstätter Alpe where you can follow a variety of marked hiking and rambling paths for all levels of difficulty. Head to the Lammersdorfer Hütte (mountain hut) for some authentic local food and a warm musical welcome from Hans Werner who regularly plays his accordion with help from the customers.
Closer to Lake Millstätter is the new 30km cycle path that covers the entire length of the lake through countryside and villages. For a gentle cycle you can hop onboard the free Peter Pan cycle ferry that connects almost every stage of the tour.
Try to visit the Benedictine abbey and Romanesque church at Millstätt where many musical performances are held from the months of May to October.
Medieval banqueting and revelry at Sommeregg Castle provides a fun evenings entertainment involving a lot of dressing up in period costume accompanied by plenty of food and drink. It’s not for the faint hearted but most guests eventually succumb to laughter at the silliness of it all.
www.millstaettersee.at
Also at Burg Sommeregg is a gruesome museum of torture featuring an array of appalling methods of extracting confessions ranging from a metal human-shaped cabinet with sharp spikes on the inside to grotesque masks which petty criminals were forced to wear in public.
Further a field lies Austria’s first “Alpine Wellness Village” at Bad Kleinkirchheim where the local healing thermal spring water relieves pain and helps relaxation. Nearby walking trails have mountain huts where the weary feet of ramblers can be soothed in the cool water baths and the local Speik oil (sourced from an Alpine plant) can be rubbed onto the skin for added comfort and health.
www.badkleinkirchheim.at
The lakes at Ossiacher See and Faaker See are worth exploring including the Monastery of Ossiacher with its pretty cake-icing stucco-work on the interior of the church.
For a superb lunch head to the award winning family run restaurant/hotel Gasthof Tschebul at Lake Faaker See. The landlord takes great pride in sourcing only the finest local ingredients and the difference in taste is amazing. Try a selection of appetisers such as the white cheese with wild garlic or the duck liver pate with plum accompanied by homemade crackers.
Tel:04254 2191
