Think Salzburg ñ think Austria and a couple of thoughts inevitably spring to mind.

Home to Mozart, one of the worldís greatest musical talents and also the home of the making of the now famous movie The Sound of Music; Salzburg is a destination for those who like to walk, explore, listen or simply just watch.

Set along the banks of the Salzach river, itís an historic city with some of Europeís most impressive buildings. Large private houses sit proudly at the riverís edge watched over by the medieval Hohensalzburg Fortress. The city is clearly divided by the river into a new and an older part but is easy to walk around and its cobbled streets are lined with copious amounts of tourist shops and restaurants. This is after all one of the most visited cities in the world and even in low season, the number of tourists present will surprise many. From this point of view alone, it s better therefore to plan your visit in early Spring or late Autumn not just to avoid the inevitable queues to the more popular sites but also to enjoy the city at its prettiest.

Early spring tends to be late April/Early May dependent on the snow and weather conditions of the previous winter. The magnificent Mirabelle Gardens, in the grounds of the Mirabelle Palace, are open free of charge and become a riot of colour as tulips, magnolias and cherry blossom burst forth before your eyes.

As the home of Mozart and in 2006, celebrating his 250th birthday, the city has honored him in grand style. A massive exhibition has been mounted entitled Viva Mozart in the main museum in the aptly named Mozart Platz. The imposing statue of Mozart at its centre ensures visitors remember the importance the city places on this great composer. The exhibition itself costs a mere Ä8 (11 USD) entry (less if you buy the Mozart group ticket which entitles you to visit his place of birth and other exhibits pertaining to the Mozart celebrations). A few hours spent inside this main exhibition gives you a chance to see the genius that lay within this composer as well as a lighter side where lessons in the waltz are offered free of charge by a dance master (appropriately kitted out in traditional dress of the time).

The Residenz, which used to the former home of Salzburgís Prince Archbishops, offers a journey through three centuries of dÈcor and a wander through the 15 state apartments will quickly have you appreciating the Renaissance, Baroque and Classicism represented within the building. Austria, well known for its crystal, has arguably the finest collection of antique crystal chandeliers in the world. Whether in historic buildings such as The Residenz or in the local hotels, the size, weight and magnitude of these chandeliers has to be seen to be believed. One can only imagine what it must take to clean them!!!

Lazy legs can take a tour through the city by one of the may horse drawn carriages, alternatively the more energetic can walk easily between the sites however some may find the steep climb to the Hohensalzburg Fortress a little taxing and may prefer to enjoy the brief but extremely steep cable car ride to the top. Once there, guided tours through the building, the apartments and right to the highest viewing point, are carefully controlled by numbers and time. An effective and safe way to ensure everyone gets to see everything. Audio guides, here as well as at all the other major attractions are in the form of large mobile telephones that operate in your home language and are triggered by sensors as you enter a new area or if you prefer by manual activation. Itís clever and it works and ensures the long-suffering guide doesnít have to answer the same questions repeatedly. A couple of restaurants within the grounds of the fortress offer stunning views over the city, the Alps and the surrounding countryside. In spring, the Alps generally still have a covering a snow giving wonderful photo opportunities for those keep to get into the happy snaps.

Salzburg is a city of churches. At every corner you will find yet another church. Some are supremely ornate whilst others offer a peacefulness through their simplicity. All are fascinating for those with or without a religious leaning.

One of the best kept secrets that few tourists seem to discover is the walk through the Kapuzinerberg forest to the Franziski Schlossl at its summit. There are access paths to this from the city and past the Kapuziner Kloster and church. Locals make regular use of the several pathways through the forest. Some pathways are considerably steeper than others but the cool beer that awaits you at top, after the 3 km walk, is generally worth it all! In springtime the flowers peek through the undergrowth whilst the vivid green of the new leaves on the trees is in sharp contrast against the clear blue sky. As with any walk in Europe, the weather can change quickly and itís advisable to ensure that you always have a waterproof jacket for the unexpected brief shower.

Further Information:

Salzburg has a highly efficient info centre in Mozart Platz. Here you can obtain all the info required for hours of opening and special deals available for purchasing the Salzburg card. This card is also available at many of the hotels, mainline station and leading attraction and is valid for periods of 24, 48 and 72 hours and gives access to all the major attractions in addition to public transport through the city at considerably reduced prices. Family entrance rates also apply to major attractions and its worth checking whether it is more viable to have individual Salzburg cards or pay the family rates on entrance. There are a multitude of concerts and performances being given during Mozartís celebratory year, most of which have an entry fee and some are combined with dinner and are held in the state rooms of the Residenz or palaces. It is however possible to find some that are held free of charge either in the open air or in the churches.

Where to eat:

There are numerous places to quell your hunger; however, itís important to remember that on Sundays and public holidays many of these will be closed including the coffee shops. A little research around the area in which you are staying upon arrival is wise if you do not intend or are unable to eat in the place where you stay. We found an excellent place called Shrimps Bar, which was open every evening and offered excellent food at reasonable prices with superb service and the staff spoke four languages!

As one would expect with the name its offerings are predominantly shrimp; however, those seeking Thai, Indian, Italian or traditional Austrian and German food wonít be short of choice!

Where to stay:

Being a tourist destination there are many hotels at varying prices however they tend to get extremely heavily booked in season and during public holidays. However last minute deals are usually available on one of the many travel websites. We used www.lastminute.com and found a great deal at the very comfortable family run 5 star property, Hotel Bristol. Superbly located adjacent to the Mirabelle gardens and a stoneís throw from most of the major attractions, it proved to be a winner. Our deal also included an enormous breakfast. Rooms are very comfortable with large well-appointed bathrooms. Staff were friendly, spoke several languages and even managed to find us a room for early check in. At Ä167 (213 USD) per room per night for two people, including breakfast and taxes during a public holiday weekend, we rated it a great deal.

Getting around:

From the airport and the main train station there is regular transport into the city. The energetic can easily walk from the main station if they wish or take one of the many public buses, travel on which is included on the Salzburg card.