Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Salzburg, Austria: The perfect break


Why go?

Perhaps it is all those Christmas repeats of The Sound of Music, but Salzburg seems strangely familiar, even to a novice. The wooded slopes of the Mönchsberg – the mountain that forms a backdrop to the city – rise to meet snow-capped peaks, while far below Baroque churches and palaces follow the bend of the Salzach River.

Graceful fountains gild cobbled squares and locals of a certain age wear lederhosen and the frilly peasant dresses known as dirndl.

But before Rodgers and Hammerstein came Mozart, and no visit would be complete without a nod towards his legacy. Chamber groups perform his music every night, and his homes are open to the public. But it is not all Wolfgang and Maria — the city has other museums and some fine art galleries. And if you tire of the cultural attractions, there are always the coffee houses and beer gardens.

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