"Mozart, the great Mozart, the Sound of Music, the Alps, the....," I was cut-off mid sentence when a flippant reply thanked me for my time and asked me in a polite yet firm way to leave. "If only this passport officer knew how there's so much more to the land of my dreams...my very first childhood love Salzburg," I smirked to myself while checking into a neat hotel on the banks of the Salzach river. After all these years of unflinching devotion (wanted to visit this place right after watching Sound of Music for the first time as a child), I was finally in Salzburg and the city was more beautiful than I had imagined it to be.
Picturesque, pristine and poignant were my first thoughts about Salzburg. In between adjusting the sweater and inhaling an icy gust of wind which was circling my thoughts - I tried making sense of the place outside of its celluloid existence. It is quite difficult to find a city like Salzburg anywhere else - where ancient cobbled streets discreetly merge with tar roads as a silent truce with the contemporary, where horse carriages happily keep pace with their modern avatar - buses, an old town that coyly looks on as tourists opt for luxurious designer stores.
The city has many layers to it. At first it looks beautiful and simple. Yet there seemed many ways in which Salzburg expressed itself - not all at once but slowly and carefully - almost like an onion where one has to peel a layer at a time.
My three-day trip had many highlights of which discovering the Altstadt (old town) by accident, was the most delectable of all. Walking straight from our hotel and prancing across the cutesy love lock bridge, we asked our way to old town. One look at the right and I suddenly discovered a board to the famous Mozart Cafe which I had already read about. So, instead of going straight up, we decided to turn right and there I was - into a time warp - a bustling town in the centre of what had so far seemed like a solemn and picturesque old world charm. I felt very much like a curious kid from the Harry Potter movies, suddenly getting sucked into Diagon Alley. Yes, that's how I felt, like walking around Diagon Alley where the old town gushed to greet me all at once, with its cobbled narrow paths lined by designer stores, beautiful Baroque buildings and sculptures, intricately designed gates, ancient hotels, proud chocolaterias, immaculate cafeterias and happy banter. This is where Mozart was born, his house is one of the many attractions in this beautiful old world of Salzburg - it's best kept treasure according to me.
Even if you don't do anything, you end up spending a good chunk of your time just looking around. Whether you want to walk into a famous fashion label selling perfumes and clothes or simply decide to stroll down the cobbled paths, you will find action everywhere. Nothing is quiet here, yet they don't scream from rooftops either. A non-descript, quiet shop with an informative display window tells us in a decadently dignified way how there have been many imitations of the famed Mozart Kugel but its owner, Paul Furst, had created this mini gem for the first time way back in 1890.
I believe the Kugels are one of the finest chocolates I have ever had. It is unique, round and packed with a beautiful surprise you'll know once you are almost done with it.
Then there is Cafe Tomaselli, a cute little cafe tucked neatly into a corner of old town. The cafe is famous for its pastries, coffee and history. Yes, it dates back to over 300 years and was a favourite of the blue-eyed boy of Salzburg - Mr. Mozart. Sitting here and digging into the absolutely divine Apple Strudl and cream, I felt quite good about myself, imagining how the rich and elegant used to meet and greet here once upon a time over stimulating cups of coffee, cream, compositions and conversations.
You don't even have to feel sad about not meeting Mozart in person - his floating counterpart right
next to Cafe Tomaselli will try to make up for it. With one hand resting against a piano, the silver-coated Mozart greets tourists while levitating mid-air with a relaxed smile and sometimes even has conversations with them. How does he do it? Well, we didn't get an answer for that one.
After having enough (not quite) of this charming world, we walked to the other side of Salzburg, the side known for Sound of Music. The Mirabell Palace Gardens still looks the same as it used to in the movies, just quieter and less colourful I guess, for it has been a good 50 years since Maria and the children danced around the horse fountain. The Sound of Music tour is nothing short of pure nostalgia but endless photo ops near the 'I am sixteen going on seventeen' gazebo at Schloss Hellbrunn or the lake by the Leopoldskron Palace would do little to whet your appetite as you are not allowed to walk through the actual locations for security reasons, but only catch a glimpse.
Yet, there were many hidden treasures that we discovered on this tour. To start with, there was Salzerkammergut, or the lake district of Salzburg. Now almost every Sound of Music fan remembers the opening sequence of the film, before the credit rolls, of the Alps and then a breathtaking aerial view of tiny cottages dotting green valleys? That's the region I am talking about. It is absolutely brilliant, beautiful and a must-visit. Those who are fond of nature, lakes and mountains must take a day trip to Hallstadt - another beautiful getaway in the Salzerkammergut region. Next up was the enchanting medieval town of Mondsee, with a beautiful church where Maria's wedding sequence was shot. The town is so picturesque that it reminded me of being in Switzerland. Again cobbled streets, cute cafes, colourful buildings, wooden chalets, pumpkin and dwarf soldiers guarding every doorway (a Celtic ritual for Halloween), this town of Mondsee will surely take your breath away.
It is also a Unesco heritage site and studies have thrown light on some of its ancient structures, houses built on stilts along lakes, dating back to the Neolithic age! So there is surely more than meets the eye here and Mondsee is much older than I thought it to be.
Those who have never watched Sound of Music can also most definitely visit Salzburg for so many reasons; whether it is for the love of music - yes, music wafts in the air almost all the time here, from narrow bylanes to lovelock bridges to embellished gardens, love of chocolates - in all forms, shapes, sizes, colours etc., for the love of anything that's old world - be it palaces, gardens, hotels, cobbled streets or centuries-old cafes and horse carriages. These all are part of the cake but the icing if you ask? Well, the icy gust with its wet whispers that will surely warm your heart the moment you step into this magical city!
Picturesque, pristine and poignant were my first thoughts about Salzburg. In between adjusting the sweater and inhaling an icy gust of wind which was circling my thoughts - I tried making sense of the place outside of its celluloid existence. It is quite difficult to find a city like Salzburg anywhere else - where ancient cobbled streets discreetly merge with tar roads as a silent truce with the contemporary, where horse carriages happily keep pace with their modern avatar - buses, an old town that coyly looks on as tourists opt for luxurious designer stores.
The city has many layers to it. At first it looks beautiful and simple. Yet there seemed many ways in which Salzburg expressed itself - not all at once but slowly and carefully - almost like an onion where one has to peel a layer at a time.
My three-day trip had many highlights of which discovering the Altstadt (old town) by accident, was the most delectable of all. Walking straight from our hotel and prancing across the cutesy love lock bridge, we asked our way to old town. One look at the right and I suddenly discovered a board to the famous Mozart Cafe which I had already read about. So, instead of going straight up, we decided to turn right and there I was - into a time warp - a bustling town in the centre of what had so far seemed like a solemn and picturesque old world charm. I felt very much like a curious kid from the Harry Potter movies, suddenly getting sucked into Diagon Alley. Yes, that's how I felt, like walking around Diagon Alley where the old town gushed to greet me all at once, with its cobbled narrow paths lined by designer stores, beautiful Baroque buildings and sculptures, intricately designed gates, ancient hotels, proud chocolaterias, immaculate cafeterias and happy banter. This is where Mozart was born, his house is one of the many attractions in this beautiful old world of Salzburg - it's best kept treasure according to me.
Even if you don't do anything, you end up spending a good chunk of your time just looking around. Whether you want to walk into a famous fashion label selling perfumes and clothes or simply decide to stroll down the cobbled paths, you will find action everywhere. Nothing is quiet here, yet they don't scream from rooftops either. A non-descript, quiet shop with an informative display window tells us in a decadently dignified way how there have been many imitations of the famed Mozart Kugel but its owner, Paul Furst, had created this mini gem for the first time way back in 1890.
I believe the Kugels are one of the finest chocolates I have ever had. It is unique, round and packed with a beautiful surprise you'll know once you are almost done with it.
Then there is Cafe Tomaselli, a cute little cafe tucked neatly into a corner of old town. The cafe is famous for its pastries, coffee and history. Yes, it dates back to over 300 years and was a favourite of the blue-eyed boy of Salzburg - Mr. Mozart. Sitting here and digging into the absolutely divine Apple Strudl and cream, I felt quite good about myself, imagining how the rich and elegant used to meet and greet here once upon a time over stimulating cups of coffee, cream, compositions and conversations.
You don't even have to feel sad about not meeting Mozart in person - his floating counterpart right
next to Cafe Tomaselli will try to make up for it. With one hand resting against a piano, the silver-coated Mozart greets tourists while levitating mid-air with a relaxed smile and sometimes even has conversations with them. How does he do it? Well, we didn't get an answer for that one.
After having enough (not quite) of this charming world, we walked to the other side of Salzburg, the side known for Sound of Music. The Mirabell Palace Gardens still looks the same as it used to in the movies, just quieter and less colourful I guess, for it has been a good 50 years since Maria and the children danced around the horse fountain. The Sound of Music tour is nothing short of pure nostalgia but endless photo ops near the 'I am sixteen going on seventeen' gazebo at Schloss Hellbrunn or the lake by the Leopoldskron Palace would do little to whet your appetite as you are not allowed to walk through the actual locations for security reasons, but only catch a glimpse.
Yet, there were many hidden treasures that we discovered on this tour. To start with, there was Salzerkammergut, or the lake district of Salzburg. Now almost every Sound of Music fan remembers the opening sequence of the film, before the credit rolls, of the Alps and then a breathtaking aerial view of tiny cottages dotting green valleys? That's the region I am talking about. It is absolutely brilliant, beautiful and a must-visit. Those who are fond of nature, lakes and mountains must take a day trip to Hallstadt - another beautiful getaway in the Salzerkammergut region. Next up was the enchanting medieval town of Mondsee, with a beautiful church where Maria's wedding sequence was shot. The town is so picturesque that it reminded me of being in Switzerland. Again cobbled streets, cute cafes, colourful buildings, wooden chalets, pumpkin and dwarf soldiers guarding every doorway (a Celtic ritual for Halloween), this town of Mondsee will surely take your breath away.
It is also a Unesco heritage site and studies have thrown light on some of its ancient structures, houses built on stilts along lakes, dating back to the Neolithic age! So there is surely more than meets the eye here and Mondsee is much older than I thought it to be.
Those who have never watched Sound of Music can also most definitely visit Salzburg for so many reasons; whether it is for the love of music - yes, music wafts in the air almost all the time here, from narrow bylanes to lovelock bridges to embellished gardens, love of chocolates - in all forms, shapes, sizes, colours etc., for the love of anything that's old world - be it palaces, gardens, hotels, cobbled streets or centuries-old cafes and horse carriages. These all are part of the cake but the icing if you ask? Well, the icy gust with its wet whispers that will surely warm your heart the moment you step into this magical city!
