Salzburg in the run-up to Christmas and a visit to the Christmas market

I’ve already had Salzburg in fast forward. In spring, I took advantage of a two-hour Railjet break on the way home from Vienna to Zurich to take a look at Salzburg. How I got the most out of my short stay, you can read here. I took your feedback (Salzburg should definitely be dedicated to more than just two hours) to heart and returned to the city of Mozart at Christmas time.

So, on a dark November evening, I stood on the tarmac of Zurich Airport, waiting in the modest crowd of people until I could board the mini-plane that was in front of us. I found it strange that the nice flight attendant only spoke English to me. It would then turn out that Intersky is currently using a chartered aircraft including crew from Hungary on the Zurich-Salzburg route (which is served twice a day). Well, the flight was on time (which is already a great success for me) and thanks to the efficient process at Salzburg Airport, I was in the middle of the baroque center in no time.

The starting point of my Christmas discovery tour is the Hotel Altstadt Radisson Blu. Since I was upgraded to one of the 13 suites, I am more than satisfied with my room. In particular, the huge bathroom, about the size of a standard room, inspires me. The standard rooms of the Hotel Altstadt, on the other hand, have seen better days and are more worthy of four stars than five stars.

Walking tour through the old town of Salzburg

I start my day with a leisurely walk through the old town. On my first visit, I was really rushed through here. This time, there is enough time for details – such as the beautiful, old doorbells at the Mozarthaus.

Unfortunately, I have to skip the traditional Café Tomaselli this time as well. In return, I treat myself to an “original” Salzburg Mozartkugel at the Fürst. Hand-rolled, of course. I walk through the beautiful St. Peter’s Cemetery and then take the train up to Hohensalzburg Fortress. This time I am equipped with the Salzburg Card and thus well prepared for this trip.

Once at the top, I first enjoy the view over the Salzburger Land. After the first visit it was only enough for the view of the city of Salzburg, I am now amazed by the impressive mountain view on the opposite side. Afterwards, I treat myself to the first mulled wine at the Salzburg Fortress Advent, which is located in the middle of the fortress. The small Advent market with its medieval ambience is definitely worth a detour.

Mulled wine makes you hungry. My way to Schnitzel heaven leads me past the “Balkenhol Mozartkugel”, part of a total work of art called Spharea (art in public space is usually a bit bizarre). In the restaurant K+K on Waagplatz there is a Salzburger Schnitzel for refreshment, which, in contrast to the Wiener Schnitzel, is filled with ham, mushrooms and onions. Delicious!

Salzburger Christkindlmarkt – Christmas Market

In the afternoon, I stroll through the traditional, historic Salzburg Christmas Market, which is located around the cathedral. In my opinion, the most beautiful stalls are located directly on the cathedral square and if you are already there, I recommend taking a look inside the cathedral as well. The market itself surprised me in a positive way. On the one hand, it was not yet hopelessly overcrowded on this first weekend of Advent and on the other hand, it offers a true source of inspiration for creative Christmas decorations. Of course, the culinary delights are not missing.

There’s one thing you shouldn’t miss in Salzburg. The old town thrives on the numerous passages between the buildings. These passages are beautifully decorated at Christmas time and smell wonderfully of cinnamon and cloves. This irresistible fragrance comes from the traditional Salzburg spice wreaths, which are a nice souvenir.

Winterfest in Salzburg

In the evening I have the pleasure of seeing David Dimitri live for the first time. As part of Winterfest, Austria’s largest festival for contemporary circus, he will be performing in Salzburg until 6 January (ticket prices start at 29 euros). With his program l’homme cirque, David Dimitri impresses me with a brilliant solo performance. I sit speechless in the audience and am thrilled. It proves that even nowadays good entertainment works perfectly with very few resources.

After 60 minutes, the circus magic is unfortunately already over. But the absolute highlight is yet to come. I’m the only one in the mood for dessert and, despite the warning, I don’t miss the opportunity to order a Salzburger Nockerl. One of my travel partners grins maliciously. Unlike me, he knows what to expect. I associate the word dumpling with something small (it sounds so nice). That’s why I don’t quite understand the schadenfreude. When the waitress puts a gratin dish on the table with something that looks most like a loaf of bread sticking out of it, it dawns on me. Luckily, everyone participates in the dumpling fun at the end.

Note: I was invited to Salzburg by Austria Tourism. Thank you very much for this. Nevertheless, my readers can be sure that I always represent my own opinion and enthusiasm here.