Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
FESTIVAL TIME
In 1920, dream trio Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Max Reinhardt and Richard Strauss combined cre-
ative forces and the
Salzburg Festival
(
www.salzburgerfestspiele.at
)
was born. Now, as then, one
of the highlights is the staging of Hofmannsthal's morality play
Jedermann
(Everyman) on Dom-
platz. A trilogy of opera, drama and classical concerts of the highest calibre have since propelled
the five-week summer festival to international renown, attracting some of the world's best con-
ductors, directors, orchestras and singers.
Come festival time, late July and August, Salzburg crackles with excitement, as a quarter of a
million visitors descend on the city for some 200 productions. Theatre premieres, avant-garde
works and the summer-resident Vienna Philharmonic performing Mozart works are all in the mix.
The Festival District on Hofstallgasse has a spectacular backdrop, framed by Mönchsberg's cliffs.
Most performances are held in the cavernous
Grosses Festpielhaus
( 066284 45-579; Hof-
stallgasse 1)
accommodating 2179 theatre-goers, the
Haus für Mozart
in the former royal
If you're planning on visiting during the festival, don't leave
anything
to chance - book your
flights, hotel and tickets months in advance. Sometimes last-minute tickets are available at the
Karajan-Platz 11; 9.30am-1pm & 2-5pm Mon-Sat)
, but they're like gold dust. Ticket prices
range from €5 to €370.
Sleeping
Salzburg's accommodation is pricey by Austrian standards, but you can get a good deal if
you're willing to go the extra mile or two. Ask the tourist office for a list of private rooms
and pensions. Medieval guesthouses oozing history, avant-garde design hotels with river
views and chilled-out hostels all huddle in the Altstadt
,
where booking ahead is advis-
able.
Bear in mind that the high-season prices below are jacked up another 10% to 20% dur-
ing the Salzburg Festival. If Salzburg is booked solid, consider staying in Hallein or just
across the border in Bavaria.
GUESTHOUSE
Haus Ballwein €
( 82 40 29;
www.haus-ballwein.at
; Moosstrasse 69a; s €35-45, d €58-68, tr €78-85, q
€85-98, apt €100-115;
)
Country or city? Why not both at this farmhouse guest-
