This small Austrian town is often part of most European itineraries. Salzburg is not only charming and medieval, but simply stunning and enchanting, apart from being the hometown of the famous 18th century composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Not far from Munich (145km), this romantic city is perfect for a weekend getaway or even for a day trip from the Bavarian capital.
I have been to Salzburg 3 times, but the third one was even more special, as I had the pleasure to take my mom and show her around when she visited me last October. I decided to take her for a day trip in a very European way, by train. It was a very pleasant and fruitful day.
The way from Munich to Salzburg was a breathtaking one, offering views from the lakes and the Alps. The central station of Salzburg is within walking distance to downtown, only about 15 minutes, so we had no need to spend money with any kind of transportation in the city whatsoever.
When we arrived, we headed straight to the famous Mirabell Palace and garden. This is no doubt a mandatory stop in Salzburg, what can I say… it is beautiful and it offers a beautiful view to the Hohensalzburg Castle.
We then made a quick stop at the house where Mr. Mozart lived – different from the one where he was born. We didn’t enter, as we had other plans for the day.
We enjoyed the morning wandering around the old town, mainly window shopping and talking about our lives. What could be better than explore a little town with no hurry? You always end up discovering hidden places that often give a special touch to the trip.
Of course we entered Mozart’s birthplace, the famous yellow house where he was born and began his career. The place is amazing and very well conserved, totally worth the visit.
After having lunch in one of the restaurants at the old town, we decided to wander a bit more, this time towards the Festungsberg, this little mountain where the gorgeous Hohensalzburg Castle is located.
It is possible to get to the Hohensalzburg Castle with a funicular or walking. You know me, I am afraid of heights, so I decided to walk, even if it took physical effort to avoid slipping on the very much inclined way to the get up there. It was worth the effort, the view to the city is stunning, and the castle is fascinating, so much that here was where we spent most of our time. How couldn’t we?
At the end of the day we walked back to the central station and took the train back to Munich. Was it worth it? Every single second, it was. We didn’t spend more the 100€ for the train tickets + eating and drinking + attractions tickets for 2 people, not to mention that the most important of all was the mother-daughter time we had.
If you ask me if Salzburg is really worth the visit, my answer will certainly be a yes. Once you are there, you immediately understand why people talk so much about such a small town, and you don’t even need to stay too long.
