Day
01 : SALZBURG
Upon arrival at Salzburg ,make your own way to the Hotel of your choice.
Check-in at the Hotel. Day free at leisure. Overnight
at the Hotel.
Day
02 : SALZBURG
Breakfast at the Hotel. After breakfast, begin your day with a city tour
of Salzburg." Overnight at the Hotel.
Day
03 : SALZBURG
Breakfast at the hotel. Day free for exploring the local market and natural
beauty of Mozart City. Overnight at the Hotel.
Day
04 : SALZBURG
Breakfast at the hotel. In the afternoon check out and proceed for the onward
journey.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Salzburg Attractions
Festung
Hohensalzburg
The 11th-century Festung Hohensalzburg (Hohensalzburg Fortress) is the high
point (literally and metaphorically) of a visit to Salzburg, offering a
stupendous northern city view from its 120m (400ft) elevation. The view
to the south is of Alpine peaks, including the Untersberg, 1853m (6080ft).
One of Europe's largest existing castles, it was never captured by an enemy.
It takes about 15 minutes to walk up the hill from the old town or you can
use the funicular adjacent to St. Peter's Cemetery. The funicular fare includes
entry to the castle grounds from where you can enjoy the views, but it is
worth paying an extra fee for the complete tour of the interior. Be sure
to make your way around gruesome torture chambers, the lookout tower and
impressive State Rooms, as well as two small museums. Below the castle on
the eastern side, you can see the 1300 year-old Benedictine convent, Stift
Nonnberg, the oldest convent in German-speaking lands. The real Maria, of
The Sound of Music fame, was a teacher in the convent school. She was married
to Captain von Trapp in its ancient church.
Haus
Der Natur
You could spend hours roaming around the diverse and well displayed exhibits
at the Haus Der Natur (Museum of Natural History), located in the centre
of the old city. Its 80 exhibition rooms attract over 300,000 visitors each
year. Apart from the usual flora, fauna and mineral displays there are exhibits
on physics and astronomy, plus a few bizarre oddities such as the stomach-churning
display of deformed animals on the 4th floor. The 36-tank aquarium is considered
one of the most beautiful in Central Europe and contains a vast collection
of brightly coloured tropical fish. Another highlight is the excellent reptile
house with over 200 animals inhabiting 56 terrariums. If you need some sustenance
to stave off possible museum fatigue there's an inexpensive outdoor terrace
cafe.
Mozart-Wohnhaus
(Mozart's Residence)
Of the two Mozart museums in town, both of which are popular and pricey,
this house at Makartplatz 8 where the Mozart family lived from 1773 to 1787
has more to offer. Wolfgang Mozart lived here for seven years from 1773,
writing many symphonies, divertimenti, serenades, piano and violin and bassoon
concerti, arias, masses and other sacred music. He composed the 'Re Pastore'
and began 'La Finta Giardiniera' and 'Idomeneo' within these walls. The
building has been restored to its original appearance after extensive bomb
damage in 1944. As you'd expect, the house also contains musical instruments,
sheet music and other memorabilia of the musical genius. Downstairs is the
Mozart Ton-und Filmmuseum, which will mainly interest research students
or mega-Mozart fans.
Old
Town
A tour of the baroque old town is a fine way to acquaint yourself with the
city. Declared a UNESCO World heritage site in 1996, the area is teeming
with plazas, courtyards, fountains, churches and open-air markets. Domplatz,
the adjoining Kapitelplatz, and Residenzplatz are usually bustling with
street musicians, market hubbub and the sound of horses' hooves. Domplatz's
huge Dom, was the first Italian baroque-style building constructed north
of the Alps - check out the font where baby Mozart was baptised. Not far
from here is Stiftskirch St Peter, dating from 847. This abbey takes the
cake for baroque ostentation and its interior is a feast for the eyes (or
a nightmare, depending on your aesthetic point of view). For a quick mortality
check, walk behind the church to see the catacombs, tunnelled into the rocks,
which served as a sanctuary for the abbey's monks in the 8th century. At
the Residenz you can witness the baroque luxury in which the archbishops
lived while they preached about chastity and humility to their flock. Busy
Getreidegasse is the main commercial street of old Salzburg, where many
shops have distinctive wrought iron signs and where you'll find some interesting
passageways and courtyards to meander through.
Schloss
Mirabell
This palace in Mirabellgarten was built in 1606 by the Prince-Archbishop
Wolf Dietrich for his mistress Salome Alt, who supposedly bore him 15 children.
For her troubles he named it Altenau palace but after Wolf's forced abdication
in 1612, his successor, Markus Sittikus von Hohenems, renamed it Mirabell.
Baroque architect Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt remodelled the palace in
1727 but it was Robert Wise who fully realized its potential when he featured
its attractive gardens resplendent with statuary, flowers and fountains
in the 1964 film The Sound of Music. Since there are no interior tours of
the palace the gardens are the main reason for a visit and a great place
to relax and snap harmonious photos. The palace now houses municipal offices
but you can still take a peek at the lavish interior with its grand marble
staircase, the same one that acted as a stage for the ensemble number for
the Von Trapp kiddies', 'So Long, Farewell'. On a higher-brow note, Mozart
once played instruments in the sumptuous banquet hall and today it's still
used as a venue for concerts, especially during the Salzburg Festival and
Mozart Week.
Bad
Dürrnberg Salt Mine
The Celts settled the town of Hallein and gave the town its name (the Celtic
word hall means salt). It is thought that inhabitants in the area were mining
salt as long as 4500 years ago and, during its days as an ecclesiastical
principality, the sale of salt from the mine filled Salzburg's coffers.
Also included is a brief raft trip across a salt lake and the usual round
of film and exhibits at the conclusion of the tour. The mines are open year-round
although opening hours are reduced during winter. To get to the mine, take
a cable car, a local bus or walk from Hallein train station. Hallein is
about 30 minutes south of Salzburg by bus or train.
Eisriesenwelt
Höhle
Set at an elevation of 1640m, the Eisriesenwelt Caves are the largest accessible
ice caves in the world. They comprise more than 40km of explored passageways
and 30,000 cubic m of ice. Entry to the caves is regulated and a 75-minute
tour takes in several immense caverns containing elaborate ice formations
and frozen waterfalls. The caves were first entered in 1879, but it was
one Alexander von Mork who pioneered the most extensive exploration: when
he signed off, his ashes were placed in an urn in the 'cathedral' cave.
Be sure to wear warm clothes because the passageways are as close as you'll
ever come to feeling you've been trapped in your Westinghouse icebox. The
caves are open between May and early October and are located near Werfen.
You can get there by train (50 minutes) from Salzburg or via Hwy 10. Allow
3-4 hours for the whole visit, which includes getting to the caves from
Werfen.
Schloss
Hellbrunn
The pleasure palace is a popular attraction and while you can tour the interior
of the baroque palace the biggest draw is the Wasserspiele section in the
grounds. Water was the central theme in the palace's design and the Wasserspiele
contains many trick fountains and water-powered figures hidden in bushes
and trees and jutting out from unexpected hiding places, a legacy of the
bishop's strange fascination with soaking unsuspecting visitors. Expect
the tour guides to continue the bishop's perverse tradition and prepare
to get wet. Tours run from April to October but there is no charge to stroll
around the gardens, which are open year-round till dusk. Schloss Hellbrunn
is 4km (2.5m) south of Salzburg's old town and Bus 55 from the train station
runs there every half-hour.
Wolfgangsee
Lake
Wolfgangsee Lake is perhaps the easiest of the lakes to visit in the Salzkammergut
lakeland district, and lies directly to the east of the city. Wolfgangsee
plays host to hordes of summer and weekend visitors from the city, has many
water sports on offer, and is home to the resorts of St.Wolfgang and St
Gilgen. A historic path, the pilgrim's way, connects St Gilgen and St Wolfgang
via the lake's western shore and takes a half-day to walk. The major sight
at St Wolfgang is the incredible pilgrimage church, built in the 14th and
15th centuries, which is virtually a gallery of religious art. Apart from
St Gilgen's very scenic setting there's not too much to see in the town.
Rising 1522m (4990ft) behind St Gilgen is the Zwölferhorn mountain.
A cable car will whisk you to the top for great views and walks. However
if you're looking for something to send your heart racing you could take
a go-kart ride on a metal course that hurtles 1.3km (0.8m) straight down
the mountain, while you try to control the speed with the joystick. You'll
get to see great views as you are pulled up the mountain to the start -
look out for the 'Sommerrodelbahn' sign on the road along the lake. St Gilgen
is 29km (17.98m) from Salzburg and about 50 minutes via bus. From here local
bus connections to St Wolfgang are available. There are also ferry services
between the two resorts from early May to late October.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Salzburg Travel Tips
When
to visit
The weather usually turns glorious around Easter to mark the start of the
summer season and holds until about mid-October, often later. May and early
June, September, and October are the most pleasant months for travel; there
is less demand for restaurant tables, and hotel prices tend to be lower.
A foreign invasion takes place between Christmas and New Year's Day, at
which time many Viennese are already on the slopes of western Austria, as
well as and over the long Easter weekend. Crowds swarm during July and August,
when the main festivals are held.
Dining
Time flies when you enjoy the company of friends while having a delicious
meal and a pint of beer. Mozartkugeln and Salzburger Nockerln are probably
the most famous culinary delights from Salzburg. There are also many historic
inns that offer a “Bierbraten” (beer roast), a special rolled
up veal cutlet, blueberry dumplings or a sweet bake. You must also try the
tasty Salzburg beer.
Tipping
Although virtually all hotels and restaurants include service charges in
their rates, tipping is still customary, but at a level lower than in the
United States. Tip the hotel doorman EUR1 per bag, and the porter who brings
your bags to the room another EUR1 per bag. In very small country inns,
such tips are not expected but are appreciated. In family-run establishments,
tips are generally not given to immediate family members, only to employees.
Tip the hotel concierge only for special services or in response to special
requests. Room service gets EUR1-EUR2 for snacks or ice, EUR2 for full meals.
Maids normally get no tip unless your stay is a week or more or service
has been special. In restaurants, round up the bill by 50 cents to EUR4
or about 5%. You can tip a little more if you've received exceptional service.
Big tips are not usual in Austrian restaurants, since 10% has already been
included in the prices. Hat-check attendants get EUR1-EUR2, depending on
the locale. Washroom attendants get about 50 cents. Wandering musicians
and the piano player get EUR1, EUR3 if they've filled a number of requests.
Round up taxi fares to the next 50 cents or EUR1; a minimum 50-cent tip
is customary. If the driver offers (or you ask for) special assistance,
such as carrying your bags beyond the curb, an added tip of 50 cents-EUR1
is in order.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
TOUR COST :
HOTEL
Rate (Per person on Twin sharing basis)
Mercure Salzburg City (3*) EUR 214
Renaissance Salzburg ( 4*) EUR 245
Crowne Plaza Salzburg ( 5*) EUR 335
PRICE
INCLUDES:
1) 03 Nights accommodation at the Hotel of your choice.
2) Daily Breakfast.
3) Grand City Tour of Salzburg.
4) All applicable taxes.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Have a great trip! This itinerary and supplementary information has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it may be subject to change, and DOES NOT form part of a contract between the client and AirCruise.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
