Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getreidegasse
This street, rated
▲▲
, was old Salzburg's busy, colorful main drag. It's been a center of
trade since Roman times (third century). It's lined with
Schmuck
(jewelry) shops and other
businesses. This is the burgher's (secular) Salzburg. The buildings, most of which date from
the 15th century, are tall for that age, and narrow, and densely packed. Space was tight
here because such little land was available between the natural fortifications provided bythe
mountainandtheriver,andsomuchofwhatwasavailablewasusedupbytheChurch.Fam-
ous for its old wrought-iron signs, the architecture on the street still looks much as it did in
Mozart's day—though much of its former elegance is now gone, replaced by chain outlets.
Asyouwalkawayfromthecliffs,lookupandenjoythetraditionalsignsindicatingwhat
each shop made or sold: Watch for spirits, bookmakers, a horn (indicating a place for the
postal coach), brewery (the star for the name of the beer, Sternbräu—“Star Brew”), glazier
(window-maker), locksmith, hamburgers, pastries, tailor, baker (the pretzel), pharmacy, and
a hatter.
On the right at #39,
Sporer
serves up homemade spirits (€1.60/shot, Mon-Sat
9:30-17:00, closed Sun). This has been a family-run show for a century—fun-loving, proud,
and English-speaking.
Nuss
is nut,
Marille
is apricot (typical of this region), the
Kletzen
cocktail is like a super-thick Baileys with pear, and
Edle Brande
are the stronger schnapps.
The many homemade firewaters are in jugs at the end of the bar.
After noticing the building's old doorbells—one per floor—continue down Getreide-
gasse. At #40,
Eisgrotte
serves good ice cream (€1/scoop). Across from Eisgrotte, a tunnel
leads to the recommended
Balkan Grill
(signed as
Bosna Grill
), the local choice for the
verybestwurstintown.At#28,HerrWieber,theiron-andlocksmith,welcomesthecurious.
Farther along, you'll pass McDonald's (required to keep its arches Baroque and low-key).
The knot of excited tourists and salesmen hawking goofy gimmicks by #9 marks the
home of Salzburg's most famous resident:
Mozart's Birthplace
(Geburtshaus)
—the
house where Mozart was born, and where he composed many of his early works (described
on
here
).
At#3,dipintothepassageandwalkunderawhalebone,likelyonceusedtoadvertisethe
waresofanexoticimportshop.Lookupatthearcadedinterior.Ontheright,atthevenerable
SchatzKonditorei,
youcanenjoycoffeeunderthevaultswithyourchoiceoftop-endcakes
and pastries.
With your back to the pastry shop, go straight ahead through the passage to Sigmund-
Haffner-Gasse.Beforeheadingright,looklefttoseethetoweroftheoldCityHallattheend.
The blue-and-white ball halfway up is an 18th-century moon clock. It still tells the phase of
the moon.
• Go right, then take your first left to....
