Austria has easily and quickly become one of our favorite countries. While it is close to home, it is also enchanting, green and full of adventure. A 1.5 hour drive south-east from Munich will land you in Salzburg, where the hills are alive, and there is plenty to do! Check out our guide here for things not to be missed!
We spent one night in Salzburg in the heart of the city at
Gästehaus im Priesterseminar, which formerly was a seminary for Catholic priests. We scored a good deal through Booking.com and it included breakfast, so it was a supaa. The room was comfortable, accommodating, and just what we needed. Now off to explore!!
You might think I'm working backwards on this post, but we got to Salzburg in the late afternoon so why not start off this post with writing about dinner?!? Plus, what pregnant woman isn't thinking of food all the time? Jordan's thoughts exactly...
We made a reservation at Barenwirt to sit on the nice patio, and the food did not disappoint. Might I add, this was a winner winner chicken dinner with the fried chicken (and liver, which I wasn't brave enough to try). Jordan had the wild boar sausage, and it was HUGE. Both were delicious, and we had a side of potato salad. I really liked their potato salad because it isn't American style with mayonnaise, rather it's made with mustard and vinegar, and is sweet and tangy. We polished off dinner with a berry strudel. mmmm yum!
We took a nice stroll along the river on our way home, enjoying the evening and ready for adventure tomorrow!
On our day in Salzburg we really enjoyed the Fräulein Maria Bicycle Tour (don't worry there was an OBGYN on the tour with us just in case this pregnant lady had any complications too!).
This bike tour takes you to many locations from The Sound of Music, all the while everyone is singing songs from the movie and having a great time. Even if you aren't a big fan of the movie, you will still love the tour. The beautiful city and countryside dazzle you, the facts amaze you, and the excitement of the diehard fans rub off on you! How do you solve a problem like Maria...
We started off the tour up by the Nonnberg mountian abbey. This Abbey was the real setting for the early beginnings of Maria and Captain Von Trapps love story, and the place where Von Trapp to her as his wife.
When Maria arrived in Salzburg she asked a policeman which was the toughest convent in the city, Nonnberg was it. The Abbey was built in 714 by the patron saint of Salzburg and it is the oldest Benedictine convent in the world. When Maria arrived little did she know that soon she would be sent off to work for the Captain Von Trapp and his seven children. From one side of the Abbey there is a beautiful view of the castle, and from the other you can see the Alps stretching into a never ending distance.
Next stop: Mirabell Gardens, where the beautiful flowers have long soaked up the sounds of Salzburg's famous music university, the Mozarteum. The gardens are seen many times in the Sound of Music. The children and Maria come dancing through, jump up and down the steps like the notes of a musical scale, skip around the unicorn pond, and scamper through the hedge arcade. Are you singing do-rei-me in your head yet?
Who did it better, Jordan or Maria?
Pretty flowers for mama and baby
The nice thing about biking everywhere is that you cover more distance and see more things. We went to Frohnburg Palace (it is now a student residence for the music university) which is best accessed by bike or car, it would be far way by foot! In the movie Maria comes here at the end of her time as a nun, and stands in front of the large rod iron gates of the Palace. The von Trapps also reunite in the courtyard after the newly wed's honeymoon and the Captain tears down the Nazi flag that has been hung in his absence.
There were some spectacular views on the other side...again, Maria or Jordan?
As we continued biking, there were such beautiful views! I had to stop for a photo-op.
This all time favorite Sound of Music site was originally built next to the Palace Leopoldskron, but didn't stay there long. As soon as word got out about the location of the sight tourists flooded in from all over, breaking into the private grounds to see the scene. The gazebo has found its new home in the Hellbrunn gardens. You better believe we sang "I am sixteen going on seventeen" while the picture was being taken! I have to keep working on the lyrics of Maria's lovesong...
We went to Leopoldskron Palace and Lake, which is one of the jewels of Salzburg. The children and Maria even take a surprising dip in the lake, which turned out to be the last of their summer adventures because the Captain was now home! It is a beautiful Baroque Palace and is now a beautiful hotel.
Hi everyone!
Side note, here is my mom and I in the same location after baby Bode's arrival, he wanted to see the sights too, so we made a second visit!
Behind the oldest church in the city is an enchanting little cemetery filled with history and prestige. It is cut right into the mountian and has catacombs dating back to 215AD. It is where Salzburg's brightest, richest and most highly-ranked are buried. It was used as inspiration for the cemetery set build in The Sound of Music.
We stopped in to Stiftsbäckerei St. Peters for a little brioche snack on our tour, freshly made and still hot!
Took a pitstop for lunch at Salzburger Bosnagrill where we enjoyed traditional Balkan Bosna sausage sandwiches with a chili and spices.
In the afternoon we took a cooking course at Edelweiss Cooking School where we learned to make apple strudel and Salzburger Nockerl. They say to men if you can make a good thin crusted apple strudel,you will be a good husband...let's just say it turned out great!
Vuala! Delicious! Especially with some vanilla ice cream...
A Salzburger Nockerl is a sweet souffle made of egg and sugar that is shaped like the Austrian mountains.
We completed our time in Salzburg with a Mozart Chocolate. Now-a-days in Salzburg everyone is making Mozart Chocoaltes (did I mention Salzburg is where Mozart was born?!?) but the original comes from Cafe Konditorei Furst. They are made with marzipan and pistachio nuts... we got a few, and had to ration them daily since they are so good! That completes Salzburg, and my prince charming was a gentle man and carried my bag for me onto the next location!
