by Kate Barba

Salzburg

“Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start!”  I love The Sound of Music, and though they don’t remember, it was Gwyn and Drew’s favorite movie when they were very young.  Naturally, the chance to see Salzburg’s beauty for myself was too great a temptation!  Many come here to see where Mozart spent his early years, but for me, the iconic scenery where Julie Andrews and company once sang, skipped, biked, and danced was the real attraction.

When I heard about Frulein Maria’s Bicycle Tour, I knew that activity would be one of my favorite things!  Once on our cruisers complete with bell and character name, the first half was a tour of the city showcasing film locations and the beautiful altstadt (old town).  A challenging but short uphill led us to the Nonnberg Abbey where Maria was a nun-in-training before she was a tutor and governess for the Von Trapp family.  The second half was the best because we were cycling through the countryside with a mini speaker playing songs from the film for a sing a long!  Yes, of course I did.  We stopped at the houses used for exterior shots (front and back), the gazebo where Liesl and Rolf sang “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and ended back at the Mirabell Gardens for “Do Re Mi”(above)!  I had so much fun (and my family played along) recreating scenes!  Yes, it’s touristy, yes it’s silly, yes, it’s over the top, yes you should do it.

Of course we also explored the old city’s churches, fountains, shops, and gardens all connected by narrow cobblestone streets, enticing alleys, and fascinating passageways.  Many bridges cross the Salzach River and an impressive fortress guards the city on top of the Monchsberg, the natural barrier mountain.  While walking we enjoyed many Wiener sausages, pretzels, and the occasional local beer or wine.  We spent a lovely evening watching the sun set from the Honen-Salzburg Fortress before enjoying a classical music concert by a talented string quartet and pianist.  A fall festival (don’t call it Oktoberfest) was gearing up toward the end of our time and we enjoyed another local parade before heading to Vienna. 

Vienna

Once the center of the Austrian Empire and home of the Hapsburgs, Vienna is opulent.  The food is rich, the cathedral is unbelievably decorated inside and out, the museums are huge and beautifully designed, and even the cakes are fancy.  We only had a short time there, but we spent a morning preparing for our upcoming Greek and Egyptian adventures with a treasure hunt through the artifacts collected by the Empire over the centuries.  We then climbed the south spire of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, winding up the tight spiral staircase for a wide view of the city.  Back on the ground we enjoyed a gelato in the square before heading home to pack.  Next time we will catch the palace and explore more of the countryside, especially the wine region and country estates.

Do It Anyway

As you can see from these pictures the weather was cloudy and rainy for us almost the whole time we were in Austria.  We learned that though the forecast said rain for a week, that wasn’t necessarily heavy rain, or all day.  So we still took the walk, went on the bike tour, and explored the old town.  Yes, we were caught in a downpour or two, but we also saw the sun break through and light up the river at sunset.  We could have stayed inside and stayed dry, but we would have missed Mom clicking her heels like her idol Julie.  Take a raincoat…but do it anyway.

Thanks for reading to the end!  Next up: Athens, Greece! Don’t forget to check out our past stories and subscribe for future articles as well.  Find us on Facebook and Instagram for bonus content!  As always, if you are planning a trip to any location we visit we are happy to provide more details and opinions, so feel free to contact us.