Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Eachsummer,fromlateJulytotheendofAugust,SalzburghostsitsfamousSalzburgFestiv-
al,foundedin1920toemployVienna'smusiciansinthesummer.Thisfunandfestivetimeis
crowded—a total of 200,000 tickets are sold to festival events annually—but there are usu-
ally plenty of beds (except for a few August weekends). Events take place primarily in three
big halls: the Opera and Orchestra venues in the Festival House, and the Landes Theater,
where German-language plays are performed. Tickets for the big festival events are gener-
allyexpensive(€50-600)andselloutwellinadvance(bookablefromJanuary).Mosttourists
think they're “going to the Salzburg Festival” by seeing smaller non-festival events that go
on during the festival weeks. For these lesser events, same-day tickets are normally avail-
able (the ticket office on Mozartplatz, in the TI, prints a daily list of concerts and charges a
30 percent fee to book them). For specifics on this year's festival schedule and tickets, visit
Musicloversintownduringthefestivalwhodon'thavetickets(ormoney)canstillenjoy
Festival Nights,
a free series showing videos of previous festival performances, projected
onabigscreenonKapitelplatz(behindthecathedral).It'safunscene,withplentyoffolding
chairs and a food circus of temporary eateries; schedules are posted next to the screen.
Salzburg is busy throughout the year, with 2,000 classical performances in its palaces and
churchesannually.PickuptheeventscalendarattheTI(free,bimonthly).I'veneverplanned
inadvance,andI'veenjoyedgreatconcertswitheveryvisit.Wheneveryouvisit,you'llhave
anumberofconcerts(generallysmallchambergroups)tochoosefrom.Herearesomeofthe
more accessible events:
Concerts at Hohensalzburg Fortress (Festungskonzerte)
Nearly nightly concerts—Mozart's greatest hits for beginners—are held atop Festungsberg,
in the “prince's chamber” of the fortress, featuring small chamber groups (open seating
after the first six more expensive rows, €31 or €38 plus €3.80 for the funicular; at 19:30,
20:00, or 20:30; doors open 30 minutes early, reserve at tel. 0662/825-858 or via
www.salzburghighlights.at
, pick up tickets at the door). The medieval-feeling chamber has
windows overlooking the city, and the concert gives you a chance to enjoy the grand city
view and a stroll through the castle courtyard. For €51, you can combine the concert with a
four-course dinner (starts 2 hours before concert). The downside: Hearing Baroque music in
an incongruously Gothic setting is not ideal.
