We got the TGV high-speed train from Poitiers to Paris- we were sat upstairs first class (fancy pants!) Though only because it cost the same as a normal fare)- and then flew from Paris CDG to Salzburg.
Salzburg is beautiful even before you get off the plane, there are mountains you can see from just about everywhere. We stayed at YoHo International Hostel, which we thoroughly recommended - good service, food and drink, and secure lockers. Here we enjoyed some schnitzel and a pint (well 0.5L) of Austrian beer. We also got a free apple strudel shot at the bar and then hit the streets. The hostel plays the Sound of Music film every night, but we didn't hang around for that. We walked over the river to the Augustiner-Bräu in the old town, where you select and rinse your stein (they're already clean, but it's all part of the fun) and then hand it over to be filled. Augustiner-Bräu is huge. HUGE. There are five indoor halls, a bit like school halls but with alcohol, and outside there is the biggest beer garden I've seen. There is also a small indoor market area where you can get pretzels, schnitzel, strudel, and even sliced radish. We sat out in the beer garden and whiled away the hours with a couple of steins.
The following morning we had a continental breakfast at the hostel and then set off exploring. We walked along the river and over Makartsteg Bridge, which is covered in "love locks", back into the old town. We didn't have much of a plan, just wandered and took in the sights. We happened upon the birth place of Mozart, with a very fancy Spar underneath, which tickled me. I actually thought the crowds of people were stopping to look at the Spar.
We walked through Residenzplatz and saw Salzburg Cathedral and then climbed the hill to Fortress Hohensalzburg, which sits at the top and has amazing views over the city. We took a path that carried on past the Fortress and into some woods and eventually came out at a clearing with panoramic views over the mountains.
We walked through Residenzplatz and saw Salzburg Cathedral and then climbed the hill to Fortress Hohensalzburg, which sits at the top and has amazing views over the city. We took a path that carried on past the Fortress and into some woods and eventually came out at a clearing with panoramic views over the mountains.
On the way back down we stopped for some lunch at a small understated restaurant that was hidden away in a shop. It looked like nothing from the outside but out the back they had a small terrace with great views. We went for traditional Austrian street food: a schnitzel burger and bosna (a spicy sausage with onions, mustard, ketchup, curry powder and served in a grilled bun). Plus a couple more beers each to wash it down. This was the perfect find for budget travellers like us- a cheap taste of Austria with a great view. To find it, just follow the road downhill from Fortress Hohensalzburg and after a few minutes it'll be on the left (see picture).
After lunch we had a couple of hours to explore the Mirabell Palace gardens and then it was time to head for our train to meet our new hosts in Grassau, Germany.
Salzburg has become one of our favourite cities and now we've had a teaser we'll definitely revisit in the future.
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