The Hills Are Alive…

Salzburg, Austria July 4 – July 5, 2009

Salzburg is one of those cities I’ve always fantasized about going to. “The Sound of Music” holds a special place in the heart of many, myself included, bringing back childhood memories for me; I remember watching the movie with my Oma and Opa as a kid, and eating a milk chocolate covered Haagen Dazs vanilla ice cream bar. It’s no wonder that many travelers frequenting the area are drawn with similar visions of the city – a quaint town settled in the beautiful hills of Austria – in fact there’s a Sound of Music tour that draws in a pretty large crowd. Needless to say, we didn’t go on a special tour but we did come across the gardens that appear in the film, and it was fun for me to be able to make that connection.

“Lovely” is a short and sweet summation of Salzburg, from the architecture and beautiful landscapes, to the feeling I left with on the train to our next destination. It’s one of those places that remains true to itself, while of course keeping up with the times, still has a sense of an old world, untouched gem. It’s a great place to explore on foot, small enough to navigate easily in a day and still have time to relax and soak it all in. It’s a very pretty town and I highly recommend getting the panoramic view from the fortress that sits high atop Salzburg – Hohensalzburg. And make sure to enjoy the culinary treats throughout the city. We had one of our best meals here. Delish!

With lots of little shops around the corner, you can find genuine goods made by local artisans, traditional clothing, and wonderfully decorative items from hand painted eggs to intricate Christmas ornaments. Thinking back, I wish I’d have been able to purchase one or two for my tree, but the shop hours weren’t in our favor that weekend.

One of my favorite stops, and hopefully a place I’ll revisit in the future.