The Hills Are Alive in Austria
We’ve officially arrived in country #2 of our world trip: Austria!
I’m writing from our cozy Airbnb on the outskirts of Salzburg, overlooking a cow pasture with the Alps rising in the distance. The windows are open, a fresh breeze is drifting in - it’s all very idyllic once you get past the smell of cow manure.
Salzburg is a small but picturesque city in western Austria, near the German border. Its name means “Salt Fortress,” a nod to the salt deposits that brought wealth to the region centuries ago. Today, it’s probably best known for being the birthplace of Mozart and the setting of The Sound of Music. You can’t miss the influence of either - Mozart’s face appears on everything from chocolates to shop windows, while Sound of Music tours echo through the streets. As someone who grew up surrounded by classical music and played my fair share of Mozart on flute and piano, visiting Salzburg felt a little like a pilgrimage.
But even beyond Mozart and the Von Trapps, Salzburg shines with its own charm. The skyline is punctuated by church spires, domes, and the hilltop fortress of Hohensalzburg, and its medieval and baroque architecture makes it feel straight out of a fairytale. The city sits at the foothills of the Alps, so it’s also the perfect base for us to explore the surrounding mountains, alpine lakes, and villages.
Exploring Salzburg
We spent our first full day in Austria exploring Salzburg on foot. After some consideration and quick breakeven analysis, we decided to get the Salzburg Card, which covers a bunch of the city’s main attractions for a flat fee. To make the most of it, we set out to cover as much ground as we could in 24 hours.
We started at Mirabell Palace and Gardens, where the fountains, sculptures, and flowerbeds were in full bloom. It’s also where Maria and the kids sang “Do-Re-Mi” in The Sound of Music, so naturally we frolicked in the footsteps of Julie Andrews. From there, we crossed the river to Getreidegasse, Salzburg’s most famous shopping street. Although I couldn’t actually buy anything (again, no suitcase space), we enjoyed window-shopping and admiring the wrought-iron store signs hanging above the doorways. Down one of the little passageways, we stopped at a famous food stand, Balkan Grill, for a quick bite. Their specialty is the Bosna - basically a spiced hot dog with a thin sausage tucked into a toasted roll with onions, parsley, and curry powder. It really hit the spot after a full morning of walking.
Mozart was born right on Getreidegasse in 1756, and visiting his birthplace was the highlight of my day. The apartment is now a museum filled with family portraits, instruments he played as a child, and even locks of his hair. He died at the young age of 35, yet composed more than 600 works from chamber music to symphonies to operas - absolutely mind-blowing levels of genius and work ethic. I also learned more about his sister, Nannerl, who was a highly talented musician in her own right but never had the same opportunities due to the social norms of her time. It really makes you wonder how much the world has lost simply because someone was a woman in history.
In the afternoon, we took a boat ride along the Salzach River, visited the medieval fortress of Hohensalzburg, and watched the sunset from the Museum der Moderne, which has amazing panoramic views over the city. For dinner, we made a reservation at Bärenwirt, a local restaurant famous for its fried chicken. This was a must-eat spot for Hanqing, who is a fried chicken aficionado. We got there a bit early, so we ducked into the nearby Augustiner Bräu Mülln, a historic beer hall founded by monks in the 17th century. We sat down and ordered two beers, and much to our surprise, the waitress came back with two massive one-liter steins. With only 15 minutes before dinner, we somehow managed to finish them off. Let’s call it a warm-up for Oktoberfest in Munich next week.
The Austrian Alps
The rest of the week we spent exploring the lakes, mountains, and villages of the Austrian Alps. We’ve seen so many stunning places on this trip, but Austria might top my list so far. I’ve always been a sucker for clear alpine lakes, maybe because most of the waterways I grew up around were usually brownish and murky. Here, though, the lakes shimmer in deep emerald and sapphire shades like straight out of a painting.
Our first stop was Königssee, just across the border in Germany. It was definitely one of the more touristy lakes we visited, but for good reason. The water was impossibly clear and glassy, framed by dramatic cliffs and peaks. We took a boat tour across the lake, and in the middle, our boatman switched off the engine and played his flugelhorn to demonstrate the lake’s echo off the steep rock faces. Once we got to the other side, we hiked to Obersee, a smaller, quieter lake with water so still it perfectly mirrored the sky and surrounding peaks. We passed by alpine pastures dotted with cows, their bells echoing softly in the background. On the way back, we stopped by an alpine hut where we snacked on some delicious cheese made from the milk from the cows.
Next up was St. Gilgen, a charming little town on the northern shore of Wolfgangsee. The lake sparkled in the sun, surrounded by green hills and gentle mountains. We rented a small electric boat and cruised lazily across the water, just soaking in the views. After that, we made our way to Hallstatt and Zell am See, two classic alpine villages set on pristine lakes with swans gliding by and dramatic peaks rising behind them. We finished our lake-hopping at Gosausee, a quiet lake at the base of the Dachstein Glacier, where we watched the sun slip behind the mountains while the water reflected the last golden glow.
The next day, we drove the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, one of Austria’s most breathtaking mountain drives. We wound past alpine meadows, lakes, and waterfalls before reaching Austria’s tallest mountain, the Grossglockner, towering above the icy Pasterze Glacier. Early in the drive, we noticed a couple of tractors heading down the mountain. Then more came. And more. Eventually, I looked it up and realized we had stumbled onto the Vintage Tractor World Championship - who knew that was a thing! We passed tractors of every shape, size, and color, their drivers smiling and waving as they chugged along. Despite the extra traffic, it was a fun, unexpected surprise that made the drive feel all the more memorable.
Beyond lakes and mountains, we also explored two of the Alps’ more unique wonders: ice caves and salt mines. At Eisriesenwelt, the world’s largest ice cave, we took a cable car partway up the mountain and hiked to the entrance. Inside, the temperature dropped sharply, and we marveled at frozen stalactites, ice columns, and shimmering blue walls lit by our guide’s lantern. Later, at the Berchtesgaden salt mine, we rode a mine train several kilometers into the mountain, slid down wooden chutes used by miners, and learned about the history and process of salt mining in the region. Both felt a little like stepping into Disney World (they could honestly be Frozen and Snow White attractions), but real and educational. We came away with a whole new appreciation for both the natural and human-made wonders of the Alps.
More alpine adventures to come in a few weeks when we make our way to the Dolomites in Italy. But for now, we’re off to Munich!
Talk soon,
Tanya
