Our final stop on our Christmastime adventure in Austria was the “Salt-Castle” itself, Salzburg. Salzburg is among the largest cities in Austria and, historically, one of the most important. For most of its history, Salzburg has not belonged to Austria. Rather, it was the seat of the Archbishop of Salzburg of the Holy Roman Empire. The salt trade made the Archbishops very wealthy, and, today, that wealth can be seen throughout Salzburg, with references to the city’s history everywhere you look.
The train ride from Innsbruck was short and direct, with an arrival in Salzburg just after noon. We checked into our hotel and quickly started making memories in Salzburg.
Arthotel Blaue Gans
Arthotel Blaue Gans, meaning Blue Goose, was our chosen hotel for our stay in Salzburg. Not quite our style aesthetically, we chose this hotel due to its absolutely unbeatable location. The hotel is located on Getreidegasse, the city’s main shopping street and is within walking distance to everything in Salzburg; we used no public transportation during our time in Salzburg. We booked a medium double room which was very roomy and had city views overlooking Getreidegasse. The included breakfast was served in the hotel’s restaurant and was similar to others we’d had in Austria: a buffet of breads, meats, cheeses, and fruits plus eggs prepared to your liking. I have nothing bad to say about Blaue Gans, and I’d certainly recommend a stay there, mostly for the great location.
Apple Strudel and Christmas Cookie Cooking Class
Our first stop in Salzburg was something fun that we’d not done yet on this trip: a cooking class. Learning how to cook a dish from any foreign country is a great way to bring something back with you that won’t take up any space in your luggage! The Edelweiss Cooking School was a short walk from our hotel. Located in a building carved into the mountain along the Salzach river, the room used for cooking has a very rustic and authentic ambiance.
We were first offered the opportunity to purchase a drink (we both ordered an Aperol Spritz) before being led to tables in pairs. The whole group was about ten people, making this a fun activity to meet other travelers while learning a new skill. The cooking instructor first demonstrated how to make the apple filling for our strudel and then how to spread the dough. Then each group of two got to prepare their own apple strudel, which we ate later after they’d cooked. In the mean time, the instructor showed us how to make vanillekipferl, vanilla crescent cookies that are enjoyed in Austria around Christmas. After forming the dough into the crescent shaped cookies, we allowed them to cook and sat down for a meal served by Edelweiss, beef goulash. The soup was wonderful and full of flavor! Finally, our desserts were brought out for us to try. The apple strudel and vanillekipferl were both heavenly, and we left the class stuffed to the brim with food.
We both were in dire need of a little nap, so after a quick recovery, we made our way out for dinner. With no table booked, we found our way to Goldene Kugel, an Austrian restaurant in the busy area near Mozartplatz. The food was fine, but most of it was prepared and visible in a food case as we were being seated. For this reason, I would recommend trying a different restaurant. Overall, our luck wasn’t so great when just walking in to restaurants in Austria. Most of our best meals resulted from recommendations and pre-booked tables.
We walked around Salzburg at night after dinner as we began to learn about the city. We didn’t stay out long but walked down Getreidegasse and through the main Salzburger Christkindlmarkt. We’d be returning to really enjoy the Christmas Market the next night.
Salzburg Free Walking Tour
After a wonderful, restful night’s sleep, we enjoyed breakfast at the hotel before walking to the meeting spot for the morning’s walking tour. Free Walking Tour Salzburg was well-reviewed, and for good reason. Our guide, Johannes, was funny and knowledgable and led a great tour for about two hours. He took us to spots around the city that included modern art, palaces and gardens, and historical landmarks. We visited the Mirabell Palace gardens that can be famously seen in The Sound of Music, the world’s smallest “Golden Arches” on Getreidegasse, and Mozart’s birthplace. In all, the tour was great, and we really enjoyed it!
Cafe Tomaselli
Ready for a warm drink after a few hours in the cold, snowy weather, we took our guide’s advice and went to Cafe Tomaselli. This coffee house claims to be the oldest in Austria and that Mozart himself was a frequent visitor. A great place to experience the Austrian coffee house culture, we luckily found a seat quickly and ordered coffee and cakes. Unknown to us, there is also an upstairs seating area where it seemed a bit easier to find a table. Our stop was quick but much-needed to warm up and re-caffeinate!
Hohensalzburg Fortress
The next “must-see” place for us to visit in Salzburg was Hohensalzburg Fortress. Sitting atop of Festungsberg, it was built by and for the Archbishops and is one of the largest medieval castles in Europe. The Archbishops were powerful figures at this point in history, and the Hohensalzburg Fortress is evidence of their power.
There are two ways to access the Fortress, by foot or funicular. The walk up the hill takes about 20 minutes, but in weather like ours, the much easier option is the funicular. The Festungsbahn takes visitors from the heart of Salzburg up to the Fortress in less than a minute. You can’t beat that convenience!
There are several tickets that can be purchased to enter Hohensalzburg Fortress, so make sure that you purchase the all-inclusive ticket. It includes a round-trip on the Festungsbahn, the castle museums and armory, the panorama tour (access to the roof’s viewing platform), and, importantly, the Prince’s chambers. The Prince’s chambers were the four state rooms within the Fortress that show an example of incredibly well-preserved medieval quarters. Almost all castles and palaces that we’ve toured have a similar appearance because they’ve been redesigned throughout history, but the Prince’s chambers in the Hohensalzburg Fortress are distinctly different and medieval. They were the highlight of the tour. Additionally, the entire museum and fortress tour includes informative multimedia displays that teach a lot about this less familiar point in history, including a model of the city of Salzburg made of salt!
During our visit, the weather was very cloudy day with on and off snow showers. Unfortunately, this meant our views of Salzburg from the Hohensalzburg Fortress were less than stellar. Still, it was awesome to ascend to the top of the castle and imagine the Archbishops quite literally peering down on their subjects many hundreds of years ago.
Advent Market at the Hohensalzburg Fortress
The walk down from the panoramic tour of the Fortress led us into the Advent Market at Hohensalzburg Fortress. This Christmas market was small and simple yet delightful because of its location at the castle. It continued to snow as we took photos in front of the adorably decorated Christmas tree and sipped on wine with extra rum shots. When all warmed up from the inside, we walked back to the Festungsbahn and returned to the city.
Salzburg Cathedral
Our next visit was the Salzburg Cathedral. As we approached, we realized that there was an adorable group of school children performing a Christmas concert on the front steps of the Dom. We stayed and listened for a few songs until the concert concluded and then entered the Cathedral. The Dom is the only church in Salzburg with paid admission; all the others are free. To be quite honest, I found the Salzburg Cathedral to be rather plain compared to others around Austria. Baroque is the predominant architecture and style throughout Austria, and, even though the Dom is Baroque in style, it is not near as grand or colorful as many other Baroque examples. For someone in a rush, venturing inside the Salzburg Cathedral might be worth skipping.
We exited the cathedral and ate some food at the Christkindlmarkt on Dom Square, located right outside the Cathedral. This is a very pretty market right looking up at the Cathedral, but many of the stalls sell imported goods. Emily did enjoy her chocolate-covered strawberries, though. As we left the market, we came across a young boy beautifully playing “Hallelujah” on a wooden flute. It seems we’ve heard this song played by street musicians at various times of the year and all over the world. We always stop, listen, and give a tip as the song reminds us both of Emily’s dad, Ralph.
Sporer Spirits and Augustiner Bräustübl
We walked back down Getreidegasse toward our hotel and stopped for a punch at Sporer Spirits, which has been selling spirits from this location since 1905! Sporer is famous for its schnapps, in particular its orange punch. This location was directly next to our hotel, and, until our morning tour guide gave us the answer, we were quite curious why so many people were always standing outside the building. As it turns out, Sporer is much loved in Austria, and many people around the world consider it to be the world’s best schnapps. The orange punch was served warm and was utterly delicious!
Wanting to continue our afternoon of libations, we walked a healthy ways to Augustiner Bräustübl, Austria’s largest brewery and tavern that has been serving since 1621. Accidentally, we first entered the restaurant side of the complex but made the most of it and had a small meal. We were hungry, after all. We then found the brewery and beer hall, where we ordered his and hers sizes of Augustiner’s house lager beer. The beer hall was loud and lively, as you’d expect from a Bavarian-style beer hall, and the beer was cold, served out of a freshly-tapped keg. Augustiner Bräustübl is a must-visit for any beer fan visiting Salzburg.
Drinking beers at Augustiner was a great way to spend the afternoon and led us right up to our dinner reservation at Meissl & Schadn. Luckily the restaurant was just down the street from our hotel, so a quick stop to change clothes and freshen up was all we needed before going to dinner. Meissl & Schadn is known locally for their Wiener schnitzel, which diners can see being prepared through the glass windows next to the entrance. We enjoyed a lovely seat on the second floor overlooking the lobby and its hanging chandelier. After sharing a shrimp cocktail, I enjoyed the platter of boiled beef (shoulder, short ribs, tongue, and bone marrow) while Emily ordered the classic Wiener schnitzel. Overall, this was a nice meal that we enjoyed.
Salzburg Christkindlmarkt at the Dom and Residenzplatz
Following our dinner, we walked back to the Christkindlmarkt at the Dom and Residenzplatz for more snowy, Christmas magic. A stall selling lovely Christmas cookies drew us in, and we enjoyed them as a dessert and for the days to come. We also found some small nutcrackers to bring home for our niece and nephew. After perusing the market, we went for a walk on the Salzach River. This river is calm and peaceful at night and worthy of a romantic evening stroll.
Mirabellplatz Christmas Market
Our final day in Austria began with a trip to our final Christmas Market, Mirabellplatz. Located across the Salzach near the Mirabell Palace, this small Christmas market felt very local and authentic. It is a bit further from the hustle and bustle of Salzburg’s popular tourist area but still within easy walking distance. It may have been a bit earlier in the morning, but it is never too early for a warm mug of Glühwein.
Day Trip to Hallstatt
Across the street from the Mirabellplatz was our meeting point for a day trip to Hallstatt. Hallstatt is a very small town in the alps that sits on a lake that shares the city’s name. It is known for the production of salt, which dates back to the prehistoric times. Currently, there are less than 1,000 people who call Hallstatt home, and tourism is what it is mostly known for. The town is downright adorable and picture-perfect in so many ways.
Our tour was a large group bus tour that left from Salzburg. The drive was beautiful as we coursed through the mountains and along lakes and lakeside towns. We passed the Red Bull headquarters on our drive and made one stop at a viewpoint along the way. The roughly 90-minute drive flew by as we learned more about the area and its history from our guide.
Immediately on arriving in Hallstatt, the entire group made our way to the SkyWalk that overlooks the city and lake below with endless mountain views all around. A ticket includes the round-trip transport on the funicular up to the viewpoint 360 meters above. The weather was decent, with some surrounding clouds but ultimately the ability to enjoy the great views. We didn’t stay up there long because it was quite cold and we were anxious to see everything in Hallstatt during our roughly 90 minutes in the town.
Once we had descended from the SkyWalk, we walked through the town of Hallstatt along the Seestraße lined with alpine houses to the viewpoint at the far end. Hallstatt is a beautiful little town to walk through, but it completely filled with tourists. You certainly don’t get that small town, authentic, Austrian feeling when meandering through its streets. Still, it’s just breathtaking and worth a visit for that reason.
We walked back through town and up to the Catholic Church where there was a graveyard and a very interesting placed called the Charnel house. The Charnel house is a chapel that dates back to the 12th century filled with hundreds of painted and decorated skulls. Because the cemetery is so small and unable to expand, graves were reused, and the former occupant of a gravesite would be remembered by their painted skull on display in the Charnel house.
We spent the remainder of our time in Hallstatt admiring the colorful, simple town and stopping in a few of its shops. We purchased some cooking salt to bring home from one of the world’s oldest salt mines outside Hallstatt and walked down to Lake Hallstatt to see the swans and ducks. Finally, we stopped for a quick bite to eat, a hot dog and döner kebab, before walking back to the bus along the Seestraße with the sun setting on Hallstatt.
Stern Advent Christmas Market
Our final night in Austria was spent much like almost every other evening, enjoying a Christmas market, eating Austrian street food, and enjoying some Glühwein. We had already walked through the Stern Advent Christmas Market because it was so close to our hotel. This market was much more captivating at night, though. It was the most beautifully decorated market of them all. There were limited options for food, so we found some sausages at another market before calling it a night. We had a very early flight out of the country in the morning.
Austria at Christmastime proved to be exactly what we were hoping for. We spent more of our time exploring Christmas markets, eating and drinking Christmas specialties, and enjoying the beautiful winter weather. We toured Vienna, Innsbruck, Salzburg and Hallstatt during our week in Austria and had an unforgettable spa experience. If you’re looking for an authentic experience with tons of Christmas markets to choose from, consider visiting Austria in December! Happy traveling!