# I'm going to Salzburg...



## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

In about two weeks. A musical pilgrimage, with a bit/lot of hillwalking. Anybody here ever visit?

And can you recommend a venue for some great music? Mozart, of course, but even some after-dinner stuff, PC's, etc.

Cheers! :tiphat:


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## Kleinzeit (May 15, 2013)

glückliche Europäer!


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

I have nothing to contribute, but it sounds fabulous and Taggart & I hope you have a really lovely time; I gather the weather can be dreadful, but then we're all used to that...


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Kleinzeit said:


> View attachment 19011


Ha! I know several people who have taken that tour. Apparently it is popular with Americans. They even had to build a gazebo on the castle because the tourists were disappointed there wasn't one there, like in the movie.


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## samurai (Apr 22, 2011)

Yes, Kieran, please do have a wonderful and safe trip. Here's to hoping that you enjoy every minute of it and get to listen to some great music in the bargain! :cheers:


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

Cheers! Am looking forward to it! Lots of Sound of Music stuff too...


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Kieran said:


> In about two weeks. A musical pilgrimage, with a bit/lot of hillwalking. Anybody here ever visit?
> 
> And can you recommend a venue for some great music? Mozart, of course, but even some after-dinner stuff, PC's, etc.
> 
> Cheers! :tiphat:


Take plenty of money,they're a grasping lot.


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## Marisol (May 25, 2013)

Kieran said:


> In about two weeks. A musical pilgrimage, with a bit/lot of hillwalking. Anybody here ever visit?


Been there a few times, always enjoyed my stay.

Beautiful town, you can do lovely walks through the town and the hills. Everything about Mozart is commercialized till you get sick of it. For music I would really not bother unless there is some festival.

I recommend a trip to Fuschl am See, you can take the bus for a nice ride.

With respect to "The Sound of Music", just a warning: the average Salzburger may not be so trilled about "The Sound of Music as many would perhaps think and I am putting it mildly.

Cafe Winkler no longer exists but still I would recommend getting a drink in the museum cafe on the Mönchsberg with a great view on the city, you can climb it or take the elevator right through the mountain.


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

Marisol said:


> Everything about Mozart is commercialized till you get sick of it.


I bet you did! :lol: 

But thanks for that, Marisol! I'm planning to visit The 'Gangerl's gaff, obviously, then maybe an evening show of piano or something, but more than anything I'm looking forward to the nature, lakes, etc. The elevator to the cafe on Mönchsberg sounds excellent! Will only be there three nights.

Thanks for the tips! :tiphat:


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

I went in '96 exclusively as a musical pilgrimage and I highly recommend it. Best chicken I've ever had...can't remember the exact name but ask for the whole roasted kind  Also, once in the area, there are lovely mountain town not far up the hills..Zell am Zee and the tallest waterfall in Europe, Krimmel. Have fun!


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

Cheers, kv466. Oh, if I encountered your namesake there I would be made...


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

Haha,...funny enough, I took a bunch of cd's for that trip and the friggin rental had cassette  So I bought Brendel playing the 20, the 9 and the rondo, I think. This was only a couple of years before AOL came out and I became _kv466_.

Anyway, buddy...have a blast!!


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

I have the phone loaded up with Wolfie as it is, but I think I might add more Salzburg period music, stroll about the place listening to it. But yeah, the mountains too, can't wait for that!


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

Let us know (with pictures) how it went  I'm thinking of trying my hand at the Festspiele in a couple of years (depending on what's on, who's in it - what can I say, I'm picky, but for that money I should be ).


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## Bone (Jan 19, 2013)

So lucky - enjoy your trip!


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

Cheers! Will post some pics when I return...


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## Skilmarilion (Apr 6, 2013)

That's fantastic Kieran, hope you really enjoy yourself!


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

So I had my few days in Wolfie-town! Very enjoyable too, although it more a trip for my pa-in-law's 70th, so obviously I was being polite throughout, suppressing the urges and gently steering the old codger and crew past places of significant interest (to me).

First thing: I felt Vienna is a better town for getting Mozart. He's all over Vienna but has a discreet, if undeniable, presence in Salzburg. I don't mind that, but there's less music of interest to go to. In fact, I found nothing which gripped me and didn't go to any show, which was slightly to be expected given we were only there for 3 nights. On the last night myself and the missus wanted to go to a piano sonata recital, bringing others too, but they balked and then when we wanted to go alone, but everyone moved too slow and things got too late. I wasn't downcast.

The Mozart-Wohn house, where he resided and wrote music until he left Salzburg, had a disappointing exhibition inside, I must say. A lot of pictures and speculation about what he looked like, and how he's been portrayed through the generations, but not much on the music. Not even any indication of which room was which. I asked the attendant, where's the stairs to go upstairs and she said there was nothing upstairs. "So, which room was his bedroom? Where did he compose his music?"

A blank handsome Austrian smile: "There's his piano," she said. I slicked off a few snaps. "No photography!"

"You want me to delete them?" I asked, charming rakish Oirish grin not melting the Salzburg snow of her frosty lips.

The positives are huge, however: Salzburg is a dreamy place, as beautiful a city as you could enter. We took a tour out to the lakes and mountains, which was gobsmacking. In fact, if I go again, I'd stay out there and go to the town for a day trip. One lake was huge and blue and 100% drinking water, which is extraordinary. Boats, _yodel-ay-ee-ho _music, strudel, forests, glamorous hotels and castles, architecture that's meant to be seen as well as lived in. Visually, Salzburg is fairytale pure.

So I truly enjoyed it, and the weather? 34 on the first day, which was too hot for the father in law, but it came down to a thirsty 24-28 for the rest of it, which was fine. Food was great, but then I'll eat anything, really.

Thanks for all the tips - I'll post some photos in a couple days! :tiphat:


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Kieran, thanks for those Austrian trip words. I look forward to the pics.

I thoroughly enjoyed my one visit to Vienna and Salzburg in 1990. Hope to get back.

In Vienna, stayed at the Hotel Konig Von Ungarn, and the room was adjacent to WAM's apartment. Good energy/vibrations was felt.

St. Stephen's Cathedral is only a few hundred yards from both.

I agree with you that Vienna's best for appreciating, and WAM himself felt that way.

Attended a church concert of Mozart Requiem during the Salzburg Festival. While returning to car parking's mountainous garage (Altstadtgarage), I briefly chatted with Muti as he was autographing outside Festival Hall. His large scrawl is on the Requiem program.

Sidetrip to Berchtesgaden and Eagle's Nest. That was spooky, particularly riding in the bad guy's elevator. The bus-ride up and down was death-defying. 

View attachment 20158


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

Thanks vaneyes,

I didn't get to the Eagle's Nest, but would have felt the same shivers you did. But I think Salzburg is a place I'll go back to and explore in more detail. I actually like the feel of Austrian places I've been to, which are Vienna and Salzburg. Kind of confident, laidback, cool. Beautiful too. And listening to classical music in Vienna has a great aura to it. I don't know if there's a Classical Music Capital City, but Vienna must still be one of the places to go to. They sell string quartets and piano sonatas on the street corner there the way other cities sell drugs and prostitution...


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