Advent in Salzburg

Salzburg on a winter walk in Advent

How beautiful Salzburg is in Advent can not only be seen on the Christmas markets of the city experience. Salzburg at Christmas is so lavishly decorated that a simple stroll through the old town or a visit to the restaurant is enough to get you into the Christmas mood. We were in for several days this time Salzburg in winterTo see the city at this time of the year, we have discovered many corners where lights, Christmas music that can be heard from any window, or aromatic delights of bakeries or kitchen windows in the city center make such a city stroll a very special experience. One Shopping stroll through the Christmas Salzburg is a lot of fun. What we have discovered on our city tour, we introduce you here:

 

Linzer Gasse in Salzburg during Advent

The fact that Salzburg's old town does not only extend to the Getreidegasse and the Domplatz can be seen on a walk through the Linzer Gasse on the opposite bank of the Salzach. The pedestrian zone reveals itself to the visitor in Christmas lights, which gives this street a very special magic. Of course, this is particularly nice in the evenings, when the lights illuminate the night. Then, the showcases of the historic craft shops in the Dreifaltigkeitsgasse are also particularly effective, such as the handcrafted bags of the tannery or the belt maker, whose business has been here since the 15. Century stands.

 

 

What does "Silent Night, Holy Night" have to do with Salzburg Steingasse?

On a wall in the inconspicuous Steingasse, a side street of the Linzer Gasse, this sign is on the wall. According to our companion Inez, the statement is not true, but Joseph Mohr, the author of the lyrics of the most famous Christmas carols in the world has not been baptized here, but in the cathedral on the other side of the Salzach. According to their statement, the children were baptized shortly after birth to ensure their entry into heaven in the high infant mortality of the time. Joseph Mohr's baptism is recorded in the baptismal register of the cathedral, and it is unlikely that the mother would walk through half the city with the newborn. What is certain, however, is that he lived a few years in this alley, which at the time of his childhood had a rather disreputable character, in the midst of a neighborhood made up mainly of thieves, crooks and whores. Mohr's career as an assistant pastor is therefore all the more surprising.

Even today, the Steingasse, which lies hidden behind the banks of the Salzach and at the foot of the Kapuzinerberg and branches off from the splendidly decorated Linzer Gasse, makes a rather modest impression.

 

On a hot cup of chocolate in the Café Habakuk in Linzer Gasse

It's already quite cold in Salzburg during Advent, so the Santa Clauses in the shop window of Café Habakuk in Linzer Gasse lure us into this coffee house, which the people of Salzburg especially appreciate. It's not as crowded as Café Tomaselli in the old town on the other bank of the Salzach. Here you sit comfortably at your coffee table as if you were in one Viennese coffee house, reads his newspaper, has a couple of Mozartkugeln and a hot cup of coffee or chocolate brought to him, and warms up again from the cold weather that is affecting outside the doors of the coffee house.

 

Snow-covered mountains over the Salzach in Salzburg in Advent

Salzburg's location on the northern edge of the Alps ensures that wintry conditions prevail here early on. The first snow will remain in the higher regions of the surrounding mountains, while in the city even milder temperatures will quickly melt the snow. So we can enjoy the view of the snow mountains in the sunshine while we stroll through the city at tolerable temperatures. A perfect combination for a pre-Christmas city stroll through Salzburg.

 

Fiakers wait for customers in Salzburg in Advent

In front of the residence in the old town of Salzburg, fiakers wait for customers who want to see the streets of the city on a carriage ride. The horse and carts wait patiently at this point. They are protected against the cold with blankets. So they wait to pull their passengers through the cobblestone streets of the city center. We ask one of the coachmen which season he likes best and he says: “Spring and autumn are the most beautiful. Summer is too hot and winter too cold. ”Understandable, isn't it?

 

 

 

Brioches from St. Peter's Abbey Bakery

The further we move from the Christmas market at the cathedral in the direction of Hohensalzberg, the more intense the scent of yeast pastries becomes. Inez, our companion, asks mischievously: “Do you smell that?” Then she leads us to St. Peter's Abbey Bakery, where we can watch in the bakery how brioches are made. In the anteroom of the bakery there is a wooden mill that is still used to grind flour. As it was over a hundred years ago, the energy comes from a water wheel that drives the water in the Berchtesgadener Ache. This flows into the Salzach just a few meters from here. The yeast pastries are as good as they smell, because there is a long line of customers waiting for their bread or yeast particles at the checkout.

 

Sausage, bread and lavender at the weekly market in Salzburg in Advent

We continue our walk through Salzburg and go through the cemetery of St. Peter. This is located directly at the foot of the Hohensalzberg. The early Christians of the region even dug their graves into the mountainside. We continue in the direction of the Franciscan Church and the Festspielhaus. From there our way leads to the weekly market, which takes place all year round. Here except some baked goods like Gingerbread or fruit bread, mainly specialties from the region. Chamois ham or wild boar salami are just a few of them. At the flower stalls there are proteas from South Africa, the first tulips, flower arrangements and Advent wreaths. The scent of lavender wafts towards us even in spite of the cold. A mishmash of goods that's not exclusively Christmas-themed like the city's Christmas markets, but just as alluring.

 

 

 

Mozartkugeln, dessert and pies from the pastry treasure

We continue our way towards Getreidegasse through an alley that brings us into the inner courtyard of a house from the 14th century. Under the arcades is the Schatz pastry shop, where Salzburg residents like to get their cakes, pies and delicacies. Now at Christmas time the windows are decorated, but we don't have time for a cup of coffee.

 

 

It's a shame, because we loved the Mozart balls, pies and cakes and the Christmas decorations in the shop windows. Well, maybe on your next visit to Salzburg?

Christmas hustle and bustle in Getreidegasse

Visitors cavort in the Getreidegasse. Therefore, we give ourselves the hustle and bustle and after a photo of the Christmas lights and the crowds run away. But not without first listening to the song of a street musician who set up his pickguard in front of Mozart's birthplace. His bell bag is regularly filled by passers-by, who like his game as much as we do.

 

 

Instead, we cross the Salzach on the Makartsteg and enjoy the Christmas decorations at the Hotel Bristol and the lighting at the Salzburg State Theater in the twilight, before we head back into the Hotel Gablerbräu, where we stay very centrally *.

 

 

The perfect end to our Advent in Salzburg: the Winter Festival on the Salzach

We will continue our stroll at Christmas in Salzburg later with a visit to the Winter Festival, which is held every year from the end of November to the beginning of January in the Volksgarten an der Salzach. A tent city is being built there, in which circus artists from all over the world perform circus numbers. We are lucky enough to see David Dimitri. He entertains his audience in a hilarious way in a one-man show. He is a ringmaster, rope acrobat, musician, cannonball and "animal tamer" at the same time. He creates a magical atmosphere in his big top in which he puts on his show. We are particularly impressed by his tightrope act at the end of the performance, which marks the end of this day in Salzburg.

 

 

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Not enough of Advent in  Salzburg? Then have a look at this link in Anita's Gailtal on Tour blog. There are some more impressions from Advent in Salzburg.

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Travel Arrangements:

Parking at the airport

Here you can reserve your parking space at the airport.

Arrival by plane, train and bus

Compare and book flights here*. Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and other airlines fly to Salzburg. It is possible to travel to Salzburg by train. Long-distance buses also go to Salzburg.

Rental car:

Cheap car hire - book here! *

Accommodation in Salzburg

Hotels in Salzburg * Book online via booking.com.

Our travel tips for Salzburg

These travel tips we tested ourselves. Maybe there is something for you?

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Do you already know:

• Comfortable winter boots
• Packing list winter vacation

Source: Research at Christmas in Salzburg at the invitation of Salzburg Tourism. Our opinion remains our own.

Text: © Copyright Monika Fuchs, TravelWorldOnline
Photos: © Copyright Monika Fuchs, TravelWorldOnline
Video: © Copyright Petar Fuchs, TravelWorldOnline