The Hills are Alive - Lissa Poirot

ƒravel
s a l z b u r g
by LISSA POIROT
photos cour tesy of
SALZBURG TOURISM
It’s six o’clock.
I know this not by
glancing at my watch but
because the church bells
are chiming as I sit on my
chaise lounge, double
windows overlooking the
Salzburg River and the
Hohensalzburg Fortress at
the top of a foothill of the Alps.
Below me, a café is filled with
couples silently people watching
while sipping coffee. Across the
river I can see the cable buses
carrying Austrians home from
work, some still wearing
traditional lederhosen and drendl,
while tourists, mainly from Vienna
and Germany line the streets,
popping in and out of shops
selling souvenirs. Just beyond is
Old Town, where St. Peter’s
cathedral and monastery sit. When
day turns to night, the fortress,
church and monastery will be
illuminated. And foolishly, I will
think how similar the illuminated
buildings look like Cinderella’s
Castle at Disney World at night.
Except, this is the real thing. The
fortress and the city, a true alpine
gem and the former capital of
Bavaria, is more than a century old.
This is Salzburg, Austria.
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ƒravel
s a l z b u r g
ƒravel
s a l z b u r g
Top to Bottom: Although winter’s snow hides
Mirabell Garden’s color, the winter-white scene
is still an impressive sight to behold; Panoramic
view of Salzburg; Step back in time for a dinner
served by candlelight and period-costumed
musicians performing classic works by Mozart
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My desire to visit Salzburg was never because I have a passion for classical music and
this is the birthplace of Mozart. It wasn’t because I wanted to see where Maria Von
Trapp fell in love while singing to the children in her care (although I very much
want to burst out singing “The hills are alive with the sound of music” when I first
arrive by bus into the city, surrounded by hills and mountains). Perhaps it is because
of my German lineage (don’t let my husband’s French name fool you) that I have
always had a desire to visit the Alpine villages and towns of Bavaria. It was everything
I ever imagined.
A Musical History
So here I sit, on my chaise in the Hotel Sacher Salzburg, eating my rich, chocolate,
world-renowned Sacher Torte and taking in the view as the cathedral bells toll 6. It’s
time to visit that cathedral and monastery for my first evening in Salzburg, a Mozart
dinner concert in St. Peter’s Baroque Hall. Candelabras flank the white-linen covered
tables, the silver polished and sparkling and period-costumed waiters are freely pouring
Austrian wine. The three-course dinner begins with songs performed from “Don
Giovanni.” As is custom in Austrian opera, songs are sung in the language in which
they were written, so Italian fills the air. A short break for a light lemon cream soup
with cinnamon, and then we are entertained with a selection of songs from “Le Nozze
di Figaro.” Then it’s dinner of roasted capon breast with polenta and truffle-sagecream
sauce served with potatoes and vegetables from “Father Prior’s garden.” The
concert ends with performances from “Die Zauberflote” and a semi-frozen parfait of
honey. The event and meal are the perfect welcome to an ancient city.
The next day is right out of “The Sound of Music,” visiting sites I have only seen
in the movie. Austrians are bemused with our fascination with the movie and the
Von Trapps, but I am eager to discover Salzburg myself. I cross the street of the Hotel
Sacher to visit the Mozart Museum, as this was his birthplace. His original home was
destroyed during WWII, but an exact replica has been created nearby, with the addition
of a basement to keep everything safe should history repeat itself. Beside the
museum is Mirabell Gardens and Palace (where Julie Andrews trapezes with the children),
which unfortunately lost most of its belongings to Napoleon. The palace and
gardens are Reich Dietrich’s homage to his beloved Salome. A popular figurehead,
Dietrich did not want to be named an archbishop – Salzburg was ruled by archbishops
for 300 years – as he wanted to marry Salome. He was elected bishop anyway, so
he asked the pope for permission to marry. Denied, he kept Salome in this palace,
fathering her 15 children and loving her his entire life.
Top to Bottom: Tiny
streets lined with Bavarian
shops make holiday shopping
even more fun; A tribute
to Mozart.
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Fortress Around My Heart
Traversing the very walkable old districts
of Salzburg, I catch glimpses of
the fortress walls that once safely held
and protected Hohensalzburg Fortress,
which was constructed in 1077 and
has never been conquered. At the
base of Monchsberg are shops, restaurants,
museums and palatial squares,
and I encounter something new at
every turn – the Salzburg Cathedral, the Residenz Palace of the archbishop rulers, the
Salzburg Museum. It is on these streets that the famed Salzburg Festival takes place
annually, an elegant parade of Europe’s most fashionable visiting to celebrate music
and drama. Old Town Salzburg, most visited by tourists, is filled with tiny, winding
streets lined with shops selling true Bavarian goods.
But it is the imposing fortress that is most worthy of a visit, as it is one of the
largest and best preserved castles in Central and Eastern Europe. A cable car quickly
ascends to the top of the fortress, affording 360-degree views of Salzburg. St. Peter’s
Cemetery, located inside the walls on the lower level, is still in use by the monastery
and is the final resting place to many members of Mozart’s family. Catacombs dig into
the side of the Monchsberg, and tomb markers are surprisingly decorative and whimsical.
(Sound of Music fans will recognize the graveyard as a Von Trapp hiding place
at the end of the movie.) The fortress has restaurants at various levels, such as the
Stieglkeller, a traditional beer garden overlooking St. Peter’s and the river.
Top to Bottom:
Towers; Salzburg and
its imposing fortress
amidst its winter
snow; December
brings a number of
Christmas markets to
Salzburg’s snowcovered
streets.
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Winter Wonderland
Being a city nestled into the foothills of the Alps, travelers in search of adventure will
love the Salzburg Snow Shuttle, a daily connection to the most beautiful and popular
skiing regions in the area. The multilingual Snow Shuttle guide also arranges lift
tickets, ski rentals and lessons, so all visitors need to do is be ready to have some fun.
Depending on snow conditions – although the area is covered in snow most of winter
– skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing and even sleigh rides can be enjoyed in
Obertauern, Zauchensee, Gastein, Kitzbuhel, Schladming, Flachau, Leogang,
Hinterglemm, Zell-am-See or Kitzsteinhorn.
One of the most beautiful times of year to visit Salzburg is the month of
December, when its snow-covered streets are festively decorated for
Christmas and an array of Christmas markets are spread out across the city –
go early and bring home handmade ornaments of intricate designs and blown
glass for everyone of your Christmas list! Music continues to be a draw with
contemplative Advent concerts occurring across the city, as well.
When I return to my hotel on my last evening, I take in the view once
again and wish I could stay longer and just continue to take in the beauty
that surrounds me. Austria has taken my breath away. I guess I’ll have to
return to get it back. !
For More Information
City of Salzburg Tourism: salzburg.info; Sacher Hotels: sacher.com