"Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius." - Mozart 🎶
Some of the cities that are widely talked about can be overrated - Salzburg is not one of them.This city deserves all the attention it gets as one of the best cities to visit in Austria (perhaps even in Europe): elegant, charming, full of history, culture, and surrounded by gorgeous mountains and natural sights.
Like many European cities, Salzburg is also relatively easy to see on foot. All of the major attractions are in one area, connected by a few bridges.
When we arrived in the early afternoon, we decided to go see Hohensalzburg Fortress first since it was a perfectly clear day that would allow us to see the views of the city below. Situated at an altitude of 506 meters, this is one of the largest medieval castles in Europe containing a large courtyard, a few museums, and lots of viewpoints from which Salzburg and its surrounding area can be seen.
After taking hundreds of pictures and having a cold beer and a pretzel on one of the outside patios that overlooks the mountains, we walked down to the castle by the lake where some of the Sound of Music scenes were filmed – Schloss Leopoldskron. We concluded the day by walking around the outskirts of the city and stopping at the Augustiner Brewery for a fresh cold one.
I woke up early the next day to go for a run around the city after taking some early morning street photos. Six miles was just enough to run from the center to the north side of town, up to an overlook by the fortress and then back down in time for a late breakfast. We spent the day exploring various parts of town, including visitng Mirabell Gardens (another Sound of Music location) and hiking up Kapuzinerberg, a hill on the east side of the Salzach river from which there is another gorgeous view of the town below.
After seeing the description of it on a lunch menu, I knew I couldn’t leave Salzburg without trying a Mozart-Würfel, a chocolatey treat filled with marzipan and nougat. Mozart balls (Mozart kugel) are also highly recommended and easily found in pretty much all stores in Austria.
We belong. You belong. Not just to any particular nation or country, nor to just any one belief system, nor to any one particular expression of life. We belong to the world. We are the children of the universe, as much as the gentle and colorful butterflies or the strong tall pinetrees. You belong to humanity, to this one planet, to this solar system. & to belong somewhere, to know you are not just some random speck on one corner of the earth, to know you are essential to it... perhaps that is one of the most liberating feelings.
❤SO