Visit Salzburg And Off The Beaten Path

Salzburg is famous for being the birthplace of Mozart and the scene of the all-time hit movie, the Sound of Music.  As a caveat, the Sound of Music is a legendary film only in the English speaking world.  When we traveled in Austria, none of the Austrians we met have ever seen the movie!  Our personal thoughts are that if you work in the tourism industry of Salzburg, it behooves you to watch the film.  You will connect with your English speaking tourists and attract more business that way.

You probably have heard of the Mirabell Gardens where Maria and the Sound Of Music children sing and dance the summer away.  You also can not miss the Salzburg Castle sitting on top of the hill. Nor can you ignore the mangiifcent but crowded old town area which attracts tons of tourists.  

We are here to open your eyes to some of the lesser known things to do.

1. Off the beaten path are the less touristy spots of Salzburg such as the northern sections near the train station we stayed at.  There you will find quieter eateries and restaurants.  You will also see immigrant enclaves, stores, and restaurants.  

2. Take a tour or better yet, hire a taxi/ride hailing driver to take to Hitler's Eagles Nest. The official name is the Kleinsteinhaus, which means Klenstein House named after the mountain peak it sits on.

3. Go to the Leopold Palace and walk the enchanting route across from the lake on the back.  The route has a sidewalk with benches that we sat at and you can do pebble skipping.  It is a bike path as well.  The route has the lake on your left and a picturesque forest on your right if you are heading east.  Head north and you will find one of the most unique bathrooms in the world.  You have take three buses from Salzburg to make it to the top.  That is why it is best to find a private driver or taxi to take you to the last parking lot.  From there, you pay for a ticket on the final bus which is effectively the entry fee. 

4. Go sledding down the Alps.  There are two locations located near Berchestgaten which is 20 miles south of Salzburg.  You slide down metal slides on a bobsled like device with a speed clock telling your speed in kilometers per hour.  At the end of the slide, you click on and get pulled up the mountain while on your bobsled back to the beginning.

5. Go hiking in the Alps.  There are several trails outside the city. Otherwise, explore the country side as your stroll through beautiful forest mountain terrain with a river.  Science says that is the most common image of an ideal location most humans across the world thinks of.

6. Visit the Lakes District of Austria.  With 76 lakes, there are larger beautiful lakes such as Hallstatt as we discussed in a previous post or a crystal turquoise lake of Mondsee. We rented a private motor boat for a very reasonable rate at Mondsee.  We had the huge lake to ourselves. There are smaller lakes with hardly any civilization that makes for a perfect Secluded Glen.

How to Get There:
Salzburg can be reached by plane from any major European Capital. Two alternatives is to take trains to Salzburg from Munich or Vienna.  We chose to take a private car there so we could make a stop at Hallstatt Lake.   

We hope you enjoy our discussion on the path less traveled in Salzburg. This small city or large town hosts idyllic locales for you to find your own Secluded Glen.