Salzburg is known to many people – as "the" festival city of Austria, with celebrity events at the premieres of the Salzburg Festival in the summer and other festivals at Easter, Whitsun and other occasions. But that is by far not all.
Six good reasons to visit the city at the foot of the Alps:
1. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
He was small, not particularly handsome and it was probably obvious that he had smallpox as a child: In Mozart's birthplace in Getreidegasse in Salzburg, visitors learn surprising things about the man who was considered a child prodigy and composed his first pieces when he was only five years old.
Today the whole house is a museum, which is not only about the musician, but also about the time in which he lived. In addition to facts about the not always easy life of a musician, visitors also learn a lot of things that have only a limited connection with Mozart's work.
2. Mozartkugel
The number one souvenir from Salzburg is the Mozartkugel: marzipan, pistachios, nougat, dark chocolate – and all perfectly shaped. This is the invention of Paul Fürst. The confectioner opened his store on the Alter Markt in 1884, which quickly became very popular and still stands on the same spot today.
It was 1890 when he made the candy for the first time. Soon after, he was awarded a gold medal for his work at the World Exhibition in Paris. To this day, the Mozartkugel is rolled by hand according to the original recipe. Dipped in the chocolate on a wooden skewer.
3. Salzburg has been designated as a city of "special value to humanity" since 1997. Thus recognized as a world cultural heritage of Unesco. 236 hectares and more than 1000 objects comprise the heritage, plus the long history as a metropolis of art and culture.
The city and its historical treasures to the right and left of the Salzach are easy to explore on foot. The older, left side, where the Getreidegasse, the Kaiviertel, the Festungsberg and the Mönchsberg can be found, are part of the World Heritage Site. Not only are there lots of old buildings, but also traditional craftsmen and long-established small stores: traditional costume tailors, hat makers, a tannery.
4. City in the green
Salzburg has a population of just over 150,000, but it is Austria's fourth-largest city – and is located in the middle of the countryside. The baroque Mirabell Gardens are the jewel box of the city center. But you can also be in nature during an excursion to Leopoldskron Palace or Hellbrunn Palace with its Renaissance fountains. Many places can be reached by bike – on a guided tour or on your own.
5. Salzburg for children Music, art, culture – sounds exhausting for children at first. But it is not. Because Salzburg has a lot of things to offer that are suitable for children. For little city explorers there is a special walk with "Little Amadeus" – a kind of scavenger hunt that leads to the most important sights.
A classic, not only for families with children: the Salzburg Marionette Theater. Since 1913, famous characters such as the Queen of the Night, Rumpelstiltskin or the Little Prince have been carved, painted, costumed and brought to life by ten puppeteers in the theater.
6. The Music
Hugo von Hoffmannsthal's "Everyman", performed against the backdrop of Salzburg Cathedral, is as much a part of the Salzburg Festival as the castle on the fortress hill. Director Max Reinhardt brought the "play of the rich man's death" to the stage on 22.