This Snapshot guide, excerpted from my guidebook Rick Steves’ Vienna, Salzburg & Tirol, introduces you to the lively, strollable, music-crazy city of Salzburg—home to Mozart and The Sound of Music. This cozy corner of Austria offers alpine scenery, Baroque churches, cobbled quaintness, and Wiener schnitzel. The town of Hallstatt, a three-hour trip away, has a medieval town center, placid swan-filled lake, fun salt mine, and plentiful hiking opportunities. And because one sight just across the border from Salzburg is so scenic and interesting, we’ll also duck into Germany’s historic alpine retreat—Berchtesgaden. Just thinking about the attractions in this book makes me want to yodel.
To help you have the best trip possible, I’ve included the following topics in this book:
• Planning Your Time, with advice on how to make the most of your limited time
• Orientation, including tourist information (abbreviated as TI), tips on public transportation, local tour options, and helpful hints
• Sights with ratings:
▲▲▲ —Don’t miss
▲▲ —Try hard to see
▲ —Worthwhile if you can make it
No rating—Worth knowing about
• Sleeping and Eating, with good-value recommendations in every price range
• Connections, with tips on trains, buses, and driving
Practicalities, near the end of this book, has information on money, phoning, hotel reservations, transportation, and more, plus German survival phrases.
To travel smartly, read this little book in its entirety before you go. It’s my hope that this guide will make your trip more meaningful and rewarding. Traveling like a temporary local, you’ll get the absolute most out of every mile, minute, and dollar.
Gute Reise!