Self-guided Salzburg, Austria
On this page are the following sections:
Shopping,
Entertainment
Shopping
In need of some retail therapy? Check out Salzburg’s contemporary shopping mall at Europark or window shop medieval lanes in the Old Town. And then there’s a store that sells only eggs, lots of ’em! But first, I want to point out…
Something Traditional: For an authentic (albeit pricey) gift from Salzburg, like lederhosen or hand-knitted socks and so on, head over to Heimatwerk on Residenzplatz then cross the square to Jahn-Markl (both are detailed in my DIY Salzburg tour).
Sporer Wines & Spirits, (Mon-Fri 9:30-19:00, Sat 8:30-17:00, tel. 0662/845-431, Getreidegasse 39, www.sporer.at). This long-established business goes hand-in-glove with the above theme of “traditional” Salzburg. Franz Sporer founded this petite yet atmospheric wine-and-spirits shop and tavern here at Getreidegasse 39 way back in 1903, but the building itself, the narrowest in the lane, was first mentioned 500 years earlier in 1407. 
Now a fourth-generation family run business, Sporer specializes in an intoxicating selection of Austrian wines and schnapps and brandy, but for Salzburgers Sporer has long been considered a Geheimtip, or “secret” tip, on account of its home-distilled liqueur (e.g. cherry, walnut, peppermint, apricot, cinnamon) and punch (orange, Christmas) that are arguably just as medicinal, or capable of combating ill health, as alcoholic. Many of the “house” blends are stored in 100-year-old wooden casks propped against the whole length of the stone wall opposite the service counter. Customers readily return with their bottle in hand to refill at a reduced price. The most popular Sporer blend is its orange punch (50% abv, 12.50€ half liter), first concocted by (grandfather) Otto in 1927 using an agreeable mix of oranges, lemons, liqueurs, rum and a few secret ingredients. When I say the latter orange punch is popular, I’m hardly exaggerating, many Salzburgers keep a bottle of it in their pantry or medicine cabinet. And a friend of mine in town politely told me not to let this Geheimtip out of the bag. But she’s just gonna have to forgive my desire to fill you in. So stop by Sporer’s small but pleasant non-smoking shop and tavern when you have time and taste test a few local secrets while mingling with a few locals. (Picture courtesy of ©Sporer.) Note: A bottle of punch is a thoughtful gift idea. Staff speak English and will be pleased to help you choose your tonic. To give you an idea, a shot of either punch (orange, Christmas) costs about 1.60€, and up to 1.90€ for a liqueur (depending on the type), but it’s cheaper to buy it by the glass (2.60-3.50€ and share with your partner). Drivers, if you parked in the Altstadt Garage, have the Sporer cashier validate your ticket so you only pay 3€/4hr or 5€/8hr to park.
Getreidegasse, or Grain Lane, is Salzburg’s historic shopping street, an adoring pedestrian thoroughfare chock-full of tourists scampering beneath an eclectic array of gilded wrought-iron signs hanging over retail stores. Because many people were illiterate in medieval times, signs like these were commonplace, symbolizing the trade performed at each place of business; for example, a loaf of bread meant a bakery, or a shoe suggested a cobbler (footwear specialist), or a big golden M indicated hot fries and burgers. Getreidegasse gets really congested around the rich-yellow facade at No. 9, Mozart’s birthplace (Geburtshaus). At its western end, Getreidegasse opens into the Old Market Square then Judengasse before flowing into Mozartplatz where you’ll find the TI, among other sites.
Easter-Egg Shop, (open year round, 365 days, Mon-Sat 9:00-19:00, Sun 9:00-18:00, from 4.30€/egg, all major CCs accepted). Yes, those are decorated eggs you saw in the window. Back up, walk by again, but you’ll see the same thing: Easter eggs (and most all are hand painted by artists who reside near Vienna). Trays stacked upon trays of the colorful hard-shelled objects fill the shop. And not just chicken eggs, there are quail eggs and turkey eggs and ostrich eggs, too. The owner told me she has upwards of 100,000 eggs, but not just for Easter, also Christmas and Halloween! You’ve gotta see this place for yourself. Really! Note: The Easter eggs are typically displayed on the left side of the store and the Christmas eggs on the right. Pick up an egg carton and browse around. To get there, the shop is located at Judengasse 9. If you’re standing in front of and facing Mozart’s birthplace at Getreidegasse 9, go left and continue straight. After the Old Market Square (Alter Markt) the lane becomes Judengasse and the egg shop is ahead on the left. Or, when facing the Mozartplatz TI, jog left then right around the corner and down into Judengasse; the shop will soon appear on the right.
Judengasse: You’ll discover antique and specialty shops on this Jewish Lane as well as the quaint lanes running off it. While here, pop into the above-listed Easter-egg shop—use its directions to find this part of the Old Town.
Europark, (Mon-Thur 9:00-19:30, Fri 9:00-21:00, Sat 9:00-18:00, www.europark.at). This Olympic-sized shopping mall is the pride of retail Austria and a cash cow for Salzburg. If you’re ever wondering where all the locals are, come here. Europark is home to more than 100 businesses, including Ikea, Benetton, Puma, Hilfiger, Esprit, Levi’s Store, H&M fashion, and an enormous Inter Spar supermarket. GPS: N47 48.922 E13 00.534. To get there, Europark is located 3 km northwest of the Old Town. By bus, ride #1 or #20 to Europark (bus 1 departs from the city at Hauptbahnhof, Mirabellplatz, Hanuschplatz every 10 min, direction Europark/Red Bull Arena, 25-min ride). Drivers, from the A1 autobahn, exit at “Kleßheim.” Parking won’t be a problem since there are literally thousands of spaces available, many of which are in one of Europe’s largest combined underground garages.
Outlet Center, (Mon-Fri 9:30-19:00, Sat 9:00-18:00, www.designer-outlet-salzburg.at). Although this new designer outlet center (opened Sept 2009) is a novel concept for Salzburg with local enthusiasm fairly high, I found that even with discounts ranging 30-70% the merchandise still to be expensive (with much of the apparel seemingly priced in the hundreds of euros). One thing for sure, I’m no clever shopper; perhaps you will find a bargain. There are some 100 retail outlets in the shopping center featuring name brands such as Calvin Klein, Diesel, Oakley, Escada, Villeroy & Boch, Hugo Boss, Columbia, and Crocs. To get there, the indoor Outlet Center is situated by Salzburg airport 5 km west of the Old Town. By bus from the city, hop on #8 direction Outlet Center and ride it to the end, 20-min (bus departs Mozartsteg and Hanuschplatz every 10 min Mon-Sat until about 19:30, no service on Sun).
Collectors of old coins, notes, stones and minerals, stop by Hans Grünewald’s petite collectibles shop (hours may vary but generally Tue-Fri 8:00-12:00 & 14:00-17:00, Sat 8:00-12:00, tel. 0662/87449). Hans is an older gentleman, a good-natured guy, born in 1932, and he desperately needs your business. His eclectic shop is found in the vacant Bristol Passage running adjacent to the 5-star Hotel Bristol and Mirabell Gardens. The owner of the passage has purposely raised the rent to force evictions to redevelop the site, thus all the shops have closed, with the exception of one: good ol’ Hans, who is still clinging to the rights of his old contract. Hans doesn’t speak much English but you should be able to work out a deal. Besides the coins and rock minerals on display, Hans usually has a stack of old banknotes (hidden somewhere amongst the piles of sundry items) for sale from the former Austro-Hungarian Empire and Germany’s period of hyper-inflation, as well as a few curios from World War II. Hopefully Hans is still in business when you arrive. If you click here then my Salzburg video (part 1) you’ll see Hans and me at the very end toiling with an arm-strengthening exercise device, something he used to do with extreme intensity and vigor back in the day when he was a fierce lightweight boxer.
PURCHASE the full do-it-yourself Salzburg, Lake District & The Sound of Music destination guide, pdf file download or traditional-style guidebook (pictured below). See this guidebook on Amazon.com
Click thumbnail for larger image (but note the actual size of the guidebook is 5.06" x 7.81", not what's shown).
Brett Harriman (Photoshoped) is seen here on Getreidegasse holding the Salzburg, Lake District & The Sound of Music guidebook. (2012 guide out soon) (Background photo courtesy of ©Salzburg Tourism.) See this guidebook on Amazon.com
Mozart Balls
Salzburg is a city of chocolate balls. Boxes upon boxes, in all shapes and sizes, filled with little sweets wrapped in shiny foil. 
People travel to Salzburg from all over Europe for a taste of an authentic Mozartkugel, or Mozart ball, made of chocolate, nougat, marzipan, pistachio, and more chocolate. Yum. There are actually three different companies that produce Mozart balls. The original balls, however, come from Café Fürst, established in 1884 by Paul Fürst. Paul created his first ball in 1890 and he soon began winning international awards. It wasn’t long before other confectioners copied his idea. Even though Paul’s balls were first, they’re the ones you won’t regularly see around town. The Fürst family believes in quality, not quantity, as a statement by Paul Fürst explains: “I am of the basic opinion that the Mozartkugel is a sweet, and not a Mozart souvenir to be sold at unsuitably sunlit street stands.” Paul’s Mozart balls are still made from the original recipe and are recognizable by their blue-and-silver foil wrapping. Try one, about .90¢.
(See Comments at the bottom of the page and feel free to add one of your own!)
Entertainment
One thing about Salzburg is the welcomed absence of in-your-face neon signs promoting the latest bar, pachinko parlor or kitschy café. Maintaining age-old tradition, this type of advertising is strictly verboten in Salzburg. With a little patience you’ll discover a wealth of nightlife behind inconspicuous, 19th-century facades—especially along the banks of the Salzach River.
Those of you who enjoy drinking a beer with history on your side, take note of the following two establishments: Müllner Bräu and Stiegl Keller.
Müllner Bräu, dating from 1621, is Austria’s largest tavern and beer garden, (daily 15:00-23:00, weekends from 14:30, www.augustinerbier.at). A venerable complex of beer halls adjoined by a leafy 1,500-seat beer garden, Müllner Bräu is not surprisingly situated in the district of “Mülln,” named after the umpteen mills that once populated the landscape. In 1605, Augustinian Hermits settled the area, becoming a frothy monastic district of prayer and beer making. Since the 19th century, dry-mouthed citizens have been pouring into Mülln for the Augustinian specialty: beer. At the on-site brewery, the monks still insist that their beer is stored in wooden kegs, giving it an all-natural taste intoxicatingly popular with beer buffs. Inside Müllner Bräu, a row of food counters dish up Austrian fare and old-world beer halls feature coffee-colored wood paneling, stained-glass windows, and Gothic typeface drafted upon smoke-stained walls. Outside, heady locals bask under a forest of chestnut trees (Kastanienbäume) quaffing liter-sized brews (5.60€, 2.80€ half liter). Note: Pay for your beer at the cashier, pick out your clay mug, rinse it in the nearby fountain, head to the Schenke (place where beer is served) and hand your receipt to the Kegmeister along with your empty mug. To complement your brew, choose some grub from the aforesaid food counters inside or you are allowed to bring in your own picnic items (but drinks must be purchased here). When leaving Müllner Bräu, stop by the nearby pedestrian bridge (Müllnersteg) for a phenomenal view of the Old Town. GPS: N47 48.336 E13 01.978. To get there (Müllner Bräu), by bus from Hanuschplatz, ride 7, 20, 21, 24, 27 (also departs from main train station), or 28 a couple of stops to LKH/St.-Johanns-Spital. By foot from the Old Town, walk along the river (northwest), pass the boat dock and parallel the Mönchsberg cliffs. Continue straight and the cliff face will taper to a soaring copper-domed church steeple; next door is your oasis. Drivers, park in their lot (free)—take ticket at gate and have beer cashier validate it.
The Stiegl Keller is another longstanding institution in Salzburg worthy of your time, situated above the Old Town rooftops and below the fortress.
For an alcoholic slice of the Emerald Isle, pub and clubgoers begin your evening in the Old Town on Rudolfskai (one-way road running along left riverbank) at either Guinness-inspired tavern: Shamrock (daily 12:00 till 02:00, Thur-Sat till 04:00, www.shamrocksalzburg.com) is a fundamental component of Salzburg nightlife with live music every evening and clouds of cigarette smoke. Or for less commotion and cigarette smoke, try O’Malley’s next door (daily, 20:00 till late). Both pubs neighbor each other behind old stone facades and serve a pint of Guinness for 4.50€. To me Irish mates, sláinte! Note: Depending on where you’re coming from, the easiest way to reach either pub is via Shamrock’s back door at Judengasse 1, just off Alter Markt, or Old Market Square.
Continue the fun at Pepe Cocktail Bar (Steingasse 3, behind Hotel Stein, Tue-Sat 19:00-03:00, tel. 0662/873-662), a small resplendent joint that hooks its guests on an intoxicating menu of Latin American and Caribbean concoctions consisting of margaritas and daiquiris (pineapple, peach, banana, strawberry, mango), gins, whiskeys, vodkas, rums, tequilas, exotic cocktails and piña coladas, Corona beer, select red and white wines, nachos, tostados and chicken wings with salsa. Tuesdays at Pepe’s means Havana party night, sip majitos (4.80€ ea.), dance the conga and smoke Cubans (sold at tobacco vendor around corner at Platzl 3 Mon-Sat 7:00-20:00). Or join the week-long happy hour Tue-Sat 19:00-21:00 when all cocktails are 4.80€. Note: Small seating area back left of bar by toilets.
St. Peter’s Stiftskeller (adjacent to St. Peter’s church and cemetery) hosts a delightful Mozart-Dinner-Concert (duration 2.5 hours, concert and 3-course dinner, drinks not included, adult 51€, student 38€, family [2+2] 139€, “exclusive” package available 79€/person, admission from 19:00, dress smart-casual, CC: VC, MC). Starting at 20:00 most evenings (June-Sept at 20:30) in the Stiftskeller’s historic Baroque hall, the best of Mozart is performed by the “Amadeus Consort Salzburg” in period dress. During intermissions, wait staff stride between candlelit tables delivering a multicourse dinner (typically cream soup, chicken breast with vegetables, and dessert) prepared according to recipes from the 18th century. Tickets to the Mozart dinner concert can be purchased at the TI, or online (www.mozartdinnerconcert.com), or by phone (0662/828-695), or prior to the show at the door (from 18:45) but at this late hour you risk the show being sold out (particularly May/June Sept & Dec). Note: If you’re holding a valid Salzburg Card then you’re entitled to the Mozart Dinner Concert CD absolutely free when booking (confirmed by the full-page ad in your Salzburg Card & Sights brochure). Lastly, drinks are not included in the dinner-show price, thus whatever your bill, a tip (e.g. 10%) would be appreciated by your waiter but it is not expected.
The Sound of Music Dinner Show performed entirely in English is a pleasurable, albeit kitschy, proposition (May-Oct daily at the Sternbräu inn, Getreidegasse 34, doors open 19:00, dinner 19:30, show 20:30, tel. 0662/826-617, reservation@soundofsalzburgshow.com, 3-course dinner plus show and drink 46€, or show plus drink without dinner 32€, with valid Salzburg Card deduct 6€ from either price). I enjoyed watching the Salzburg Sound of Music Singers (two guys and two gals clad in traditional costume) perform the show, a series of entertaining song-and-dance routines set to the best of the movie soundtrack as well as classical and folk hits played by a live pianist, including the screening of a riveting interview with the real Maria von Trapp. With all that said, if you’re pained by SOM overkill, then give this show a miss. If you’re keen for more SOM, however, then by all means join in the toe-tappin’ fun. Heck, you may even get plucked from the audience to sing a chorus with the cast.
Classical concerts sound year round in Salzburg and are a dream in the sumptuous Marble Hall of Mirabell Palace (www.salzburger-schlosskonzerte.at) as well as in the fortress’ lofty Golden Hall (www.mozartfestival.at). For either venue, check online or at the TI for schedule. Note: Regarding concerts at Mirabell Palace, the price is 35€ (reserved seats, row 1-5) and 29€ (open seating from row 6) per adult or 16€ student. If you buy your ticket through an agency there will be a surcharge of around 3€ per ticket. To beat the surcharge, buy direct from the palace ticket office located next to Mozart’s Wohnhaus at Theatergasse 2 (walk through main door then second door on left, Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00, tel. 0662/848-586, also here you receive a 10% discount with a valid Salzburg Card), or you can make your purchase at the Marble Hall starting one hour before the concert begins (but by this time the concert may already be sold out!).
Folks who are inspired by organ concerts (see TI for the various recitals planned around town or) check out the latest schedule at the Franciscan church (Franziskanerkirche with pointy tower and sheer roof soaring between the cathedral and festival halls), where there’s usually an uplifting symphony of flue pipes summoning all angels.
Spend a fascinating afternoon/evening in the grand Baroque Marionette Theater (www.marionetten.at, tel. 0662/872-406). Watch clever puppeteers nimbly manipulate small wooden people to dance and lip-sync and act like super humans not bound by gravity, bouncing and sometimes even levitating on stage. The string puppets and the art of their skillful masters are, to say the least, captivating to behold. 
Their repertoire includes big-time theater productions such as Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” and “Don Giovanni,” Shakespeare’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Rossini’s “Barber of Seville,” Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker,” and Humperdinck’s “Hänsel and Gretel.” (Note: The latter productions run about two hours and are performed to recordings by distinguished orchestras, singers and vocalists in their original language with English subtitles. Performances are scheduled a few times per week in May and most every day June-Sept; the remainder of the year the theater company is on tour entertaining audiences across the globe. Picture of Papageno courtesy of the ©Salzburg Marionette Theater.)
Historically, the Salzburg Marionette Theater was founded by Anton Aicher in 1913 in a gymnasium near the Mirabell Gardens, where it remained for 49 years. At the start of World War II, the marionettes were sent to the front (first Norway then Russia) to entertain troops. The war dreadfully dragged on and the theater company was forced to close late 1944. Immediately after the war, 1945, the puppets were back in business entertaining American soldiers. In 1962, the theater company moved across the river to an auditorium near the cathedral on Kapitalplatz. In 1963, Hollywood contacted the puppeteers and the Lonely Goatherd sequence for the movie “The Sound of Music” was born. Finally, in 1971, the Salzburg marionettes found their present and permanent home (back across the river) at Schwarzstrasse 24, adjacent to the Mirabell Gardens.
The Salzburg Marionette Theater, today run by Gretl Aicher (granddaughter of Anton, that’s three generations of Aichers and 2013 will mark the theater’s centenary), has achieved mountains of success over the decades but in 2007 the Aicher family perhaps landed their biggest industry coup with the purchase of the rights to perform the Broadway musical, “The Sound of Music.” With this pricey acquisition a new stage backdrop had to be created along with a small army of intricately carved puppets. Because the marionettes cannot change their costumes, most members of the Trapp family had to be fashioned thrice. The 21 puppets, for example, representing the captain’s seven children posed a stringy challenge for the 10 puppeteers working the musical. After months of rehearsal, the curtain opened with great fanfare on the European premiere of the “The Sound of Music” at the Salzburg Marionette Theater on May 9, 2008; and I hope it will continue to play here for seasons to come. So you can better plan your chance to see the von Trapp puppets in action, I’ve listed the musical’s 2011 Salzburg schedule (show duration 105 min; show times ¹16:00, ²17:00, *19:30): April *21; May*6, *13, *20, *27, *31; June *3, *7, *10, *14, *17, *21, *24, *28; July *1, *5, *8, *12, *15, *19, *22, *26, *29; August *2, ²4, *5, *9, ²11, *12, *16, ²18, *19, *23, ²25, *26, *30; September *2, *6, *9, *13, *16, *20, *23; December ¹30.
Prices at the Marionette Theater are the same for all (full-length) performances and you have a choice between four seating categories: I (35€, rows 1-9); II (28€, rows 10-14); III (22€, rows 15-20); IV (18€, row 21 and two sets of side seats opposite rows 7-8), youth 12yr and under 14€. All major CCs accepted. Buy tickets online, or at the theater box office (Mon-Sat 9:00-13:00 and two hours before every performance), or over the phone (0662/872-406 same hours as box office). Note: If you’re holding a valid Salzburg Card then purchase your ticket(s) at the theater box office and receive 20% off the price. If you purchase your ticket(s) online, avoid the 2€ postage and “handling fee” by picking up your ticket(s) at the box office. Suggestion: Because the puppets are small creatures, sit as close to the stage as your budget allows, thus anything in category I is fine. Rows 10-13 in category II are also respectable but row 14 is the first one beginning the second section to the back, where the stage and puppets start becoming distant and I had to occasionally squint. If only row 14 is available from category II then consider saving the six euros per seat and opt for row 15 or 16 in category III (then if the theater’s not full, move forward). The same strategy applies to seats 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 in row 21 (category IV, 18€). But the best value are the two (category IV 18€) side seats (called Nische) opposite rows 7 and 8 (but be quick because there are only four of these seats total, two either side of theater). Avoid rows 17-20 unless you’re okay about the likelihood of confusing Hänsel with Gretel. To get there, the theater is located at Schwarzstrasse 24, adjacent to the Mirabell Gardens and one block from the 5-star Hotel Sacher.
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(This page was last updated March 2011.)
COMMENTS
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