48 HOURS IN SALZBURG.

Jetsetting with Jamie is one of my favourite things to do and so as an early birthday treat for him, I booked us flights to Austria. 

It’s the one place I’ve heard nothing but magical things about and having just shy of 48 hours at our first stop we had zero time to waste. 

Austria in all its beauty has so many glorious places to visit, but we were set on Salzburg - craving a taste for the city life we couldn't wait to get stuck in to two days of being absolute tourists.

 

A PLACE TO STAY 

First things first - when visiting a new city we all need somewhere to rest our weary heads. Hotel Goldgasse, situated slap bang in the middle of the city is right on the money. It’s a luxury boutique hotel, but without the crazy price tag you’d expect. The stunning interior boasts a beautiful mixture of traditional and contemporary design; with rose gold details at every turn. (And yes, you’re right, that is a rose gold, egg chair you’re seeing).

LOCAL CUISINE

I’d been given a list of delicacies I simply had to try from friends and family - and so we made it our mission to eat as much food as possible whilst we were there.

The thing about Salzburg is there aren’t really restaurant recommendations to hand out - everywhere is pretty similar and no-where is overtly fancy. There’s a cosy, cafe feel to every restaurant, that all offer the same standard of incredibly tasty meals. So whatever you stumble upon is likely to be a goldmine; there are a few dishes you simply must try though…

 

Knoedel Goulash - by far my favourite; a hearty, beef stew with the largest dumpling known to man thrown on top. Bathing in all its simplicity it's certainly a basic beauty, but ohmygoodness was it delicious.

Wiener Schnitzel (veal) - may seem bland on title, but boy oh boy are you in for a treat. Served with a side of cranberries, a cucumber slaw and parsley potatoes the flavours are unreal.

Bratwurst - not my cup of tea, but Jamie tucked in fiercely. Served on a bed of sauerkraut it’s promised to be quite the taste sensation.

Apfel Strudel - I mean, google it and see, you'll know exactly why you need it in your belly.

I know I said restaurants aren’t really recommended, but it I could give you one it would be Hotel Goldgasse - the food is unbelievably good and the interior makes you feel like you’re sat up high in the mountains with a log-cabin design. Not only will you experience the taste of Austrian food, but you'll get a real feel for what the country is all about.

SIGHTSEEING

The city is renowned for both Mozart and the Sound of Music - however Jamie and I weren’t too fussed about paying out to spend our only full day in the city on guided tours. We got a little savvy and googled the destinations for all the locations on the tour and worked out that we could actually walk it all alone within the day, winner!

 

And so, with our tour guide hats firmly on our heads, we embarked on a day of exploring. 

You’d be surprised to learn that most of the ‘hotspots’ on the guided tours are just randomly popped around the city, from ornate statues to grand buildings, you don’t need to pay to visit these places, nor does it take very long to get from one to another. Simply meandering the streets you’ll find yourself stumbling upon them.

However, Mirabell Palace and Gardens is not one to be missed - we spent hours wandering around the grounds, taking in the beauty.

 

One thing we did invest our money in was a trip to the top of the tower that sits on one of the mountains. With a train track leading as high as the eye could see, we were whizzed up there in a matter of seconds and the views really were spectacular. The €15 not only pays for your fee to the top, but also gains you entry to all the museums that are built within the castle walls - you could quite easily lose a few beautiful hours here.

I think the most charming thing about Salzburg is that actually? There’s not much more than this to recommend. It’s a city small enough to see in just a day or two if that's all you have and every street, every corner is it’s very own museum. Whether you jump on a horse and cart, enlist yourselves on a guided tour or simply do it yourself, you’ll discover such beauty that you’ll never want to leave.

Keep your eyes peeled for part two of our Austria trip, where we escape to the mountains.

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