Snow in Salzburg

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Geo: 47.8, 13.0333

The kids have been hoping, wishing and praying to experience falling snow- we didn't get a white Christmas in 2013 or 2016....but today in Salzburg, guess what happened!!!!

Recapping - we arrived at 8pm last night and hauled our selves and our bags to our cute hotel in the pedestrian zone, under the Capuchin hill at Hotel Trumer Stube. Rooms were not as tiny as we feared, and at least had normal sized beds (the doubles in Munich were not double sized! Fine if you're in love, less fine if you're sharing with your brother!). A nice breakfast and then out into what at first seemed like light rain...but then we noticed that the snow stuck to our jackets (and nose and eyelashes, as the song goes!)

We walked through Mirabell Gardens - frankly, not their best in mid winter, and past the Hotel Sucher and Hotel Bristol where Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer respectively stayed, and then up the windy narrow streets to climb to the Capuchin monastery with its incredible views over Salzburg. It was then that the rain turned white and we realized it was snowing!!!! Down the hill, and across the Mozart Bridge (Doh-Reh-Mi) into Mozart Place, and along Goldgasse, a medieval street, looking for a coffee to warm us. We found the perfect place at Cafe Tomaselli, operating since 1703.

We then entered the Residenz Castle of the Prince Archbishops of Salzburg, who ruled Salzburg from 1077 until the Napoleonic era (1803). The baroque castle was intended to show their power - and still does this job well. We went through the State Rooms, each more sumptuous than the next. Then the tour took us to the Art Gallery - we were going to walk through quickly, but some paintings (a Rembrandt painting of his mother praying, and the most amazing painting by Waldmuller of children looking through a window) took our breath away. Then through the religious art, and through the choir loft looking down into the cathedral.

The tour took us almost 2 hours, but we could have taken twice as long if we weren't hungry. So we left the Palace, and headed to a beer cellar near the funicular to the fortress for sustenance - very good schnitzels, sausage and beer.

Then we took the funicular up to the fortress where we had wonderful views over the city. We explored some of the museums - we've left the State Rooms till next visit - and the towers, and then watched the sun set over the Alps. We headed off on the dark down to the old town, past glittering streets and Christmas Markets, across the Lock Bridge, and home to dinner at the restaurant on our street, which was excellent.

Another 13km day - we are sleeping very soundly!!

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Comments

[Ross and Katie Nicholson]

Lovley. .... enjoy the break... Ross and Kate xx

[Adam]

This is really neat!Not the screaming child though :(Plane food has come along way, I don't mind it Keep posting,

[Lyn]

So much food. You may need to go shopping for more clothes!!

[Jane Reilly]

Hi Sue and Clint what an exciting birthday you will have once you arrive in Dubai...I always think the journey is exciting to any holiday....apart from a screaming child!