Mozart, Mountains and Museums

We've been in Salzburg recently, to do research for the update of our "CityTrip Salzburg" at Reise Know-How. Arrived on Wednesday afternoon in the pouring rain and departed on Friday in the sun, Inbetween, we followed a great itinerary planned for us by Salzburg Tourismus.

 

A lot is currently going on in Salzburg, especially, museum-wise: Salzburg Museum/Belvedere, UNESCO Center/Sattler Panorama at Mirabell castle, Sound of Music Museum at Hellabrunn, a new Domquartier Info Center and Archeological Museum – these are just a few of the projects currently going on in Salzburg. Once all accomplished (in 2027/28) the city will offer even more museums and sights, modern and instructive ones, in addition to  all its Mozart and Festspiel activities, sights and events.

 

 

We had a couple of firsts: The Viticulture Museum in Salzburg (on top), at the slopes of the Mönchsberg. called "Paris Lodron Zwinger"  Traditionally, there was always vineyards and wine being produced. The little museum in a historic building, surroundeed by vineyards, mostly the typical Frühroter Veltliner (Malvasier) is grown, The museum also gives a great introduction about the history of vinticulture and about nowaday's wine industry in Salzburg-Land. 

 

Gaisberg - next first, and, a great one! It's the most popular mountain of the locals: 4.200+ ft (1.300 m) high and easily to be reached by public transport. A bus drives up all the way to the summit and from there views are gorgeous, towards the Berchtesgadener Alpen with the Watzmann, and towards Salzburg. Paragliders love it up there, and, so do hikers. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hellbrunn - planned by prince-archbishop Markus Sittikus as a retreat and built 1612-1615 by architect Santino Solari, who also built the Cathedral. In the castle the  exhibition "SchauLust" tells about Hellbrunn's history and different other aspects. Main attraction, though, are the fountains, about 20 different ones, with antique sculptures, grottos and "trick fountains". 

The park and gardens surrounding the castle are spacious and nicely manicured. Right now, a new "Sound of Music Museum" is coming up at one end of the area. Looking forward to seeing it, once accomplished!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a hardhat tour at castle Mirabell's Orangerie, where right now a lot of construction is going on to get the new Orangerie/UNESCO Welterbe/Sattler Panorama ready until next year. In the former Barock Museum (photo was taken years ago!) a completely new museum, top-notch, is currently under construction to host an UNESCO. World Heritage Center plus the famous Sattler panorama - a huge round history mural, formerly in the Salzburg Museum – in the near future.

  

 

 

Not firsts, but always highlights: Augustiner Bräu (above) - the oldest (and, in our opinion, best) brewery in town, and the Schrannenmarkt (a weekly farmers' market) at the Andrä Church. We stayed across the street, in a new hotel called "Andrä". Great location and very modern and convenient! View below shows what we saw on Thursday morning (market day) from our hotel room. We bought some of the mostly organic/regional/high-quality/seasonal products sold on the market, and, we had dinner – pork knuckle (photos above) – at Augustiner beergarden (yes, the weather has changed on our second day!). 

 

Freshly picked chanterelles (left) and blueberries / cowberries (cranberries) on the right. 
 

 

Enjoyed a Mozart concert on Thursday  afternoon,part of a new series of concerts taking place in the Residence. Checked out old town, of course, around its famous Getreidegasse and Dom (cathedral) and, watched the "Salzburg Business Marathon" strolling along the river Salzburg at night.

 

 

  Below a couple of impressions of Old Town and the DomQuartier.

Getreidegasse

 

Above, right: cathedral tower with a ride, built up for "Rubertikirtag", an annual event/fair with entertainment and vendors

Below: River Salzach at night and Business Marathon 

Before departing by train on Friday, we quickly checked out the Designer Outlet nearby Hangar 7 (a plane/race car museum in one modern airport hangar, founded by the Red Bull-creator Mateschitz). Leaving early afternoon from the airy, clean and comfy main railroad station, took us about three hours in total to get home. It's been an interesting 2 1/2 days. Learned a lot, again.