AUSTRIA - Best of Europe 2014 - page 120

Even without Mozart and the Von Trapps, Salzburg is steeped in history. In about A.D.
700, Bavaria gave Salzburg to Bishop Rupert in return for his promise to Christianize the
area. Salzburg remained an independent city (belonging to no state) until Napoleon came in
theearly1800s.Thanksinparttoitsformidablefortress,Salzburgmanagedtoavoidtherav-
ages of war for 1,200 years...until World War II. Much of the city was destroyed by WWII
bombs (mostly around the train station), but the historic old town survived.
Eight million tourists crawl its cobbles each year. That's a lot of Mozart balls—and all
thatpopularityhasledtoaglutofbusinesseshopingtocatchthetouristdollar.Still,Salzburg
is both a must and a joy.
Planning Your Time
While Salzburg's sights are, frankly, mediocre, the town itself is a Baroque museum of
cobbled streets and elegant buildings—simply a touristy stroller's delight. Even if your time
is short, consider allowing half a day for the Sound of Music tour. The S.O.M. bus tour kills
a nest of sightseeing birds with one ticket (city overview, S.O.M. sights, and a fine drive by
the lakes).
You'd probably enjoy at least two nights in Salzburg—nights are important for swilling
beer in atmospheric gardens and attending concerts in Baroque halls and chapels. Seriously
consider one of Salzburg's many evening musical events (a few are free, some are as cheap
as €12, and most average €40).
Togetawayfromitall,bikedowntheriverorhikeacrosstheMönchsbergcliffsthatrise
directly from the middle of town.
Orientation to Salzburg
Salzburg, a city of 150,000 (Austria's fourth-largest), is divided into old and new. The old
town, sitting between the Salzach River and its mini-mountain (Mönchsberg), holds nearly
all the charm and most of the tourists. The new town, across the river, has the train station, a
few sights and museums, and some good accommodations.
Tourist Information
SalzburghasthreehelpfulTIs(maintel.0662/889-870, www.salzburg.info ) :atthe trainsta-
tion (daily June-Aug 8:30-19:00, Sept-May 9:00-18:00, tel. [phone]); on Mozart-
platz in the old center (daily 9:00-18:00, July-Aug until 19:00, closed Sun mid-Jan-Easter
and Oct-mid-Nov, tel. [phone]); and at the Salzburg Süd park-and-ride (April-Sept
generally Tue-Sat 10:00-16:30 but sometimes longer hours, closed Sun-Mon and all of Oct-
March, tel. [phone]).