From Germany, I made my way across to the beautiful city of Salzburg, Austria. Birthplace of Mozart and of the Sound of Music, and nestled amongst the mountains, this city was small but vibrant. Here, I visited the home of Mozart, appreciated the many beautiful churches and public buildings, watched Sound of Music approximately 2.5 times (no shame), did the magnificent walk to the fortress which sits up on a hill overlooking the city (the views!) with a new friend, went for a small hike up to a monastery, and the most wonderful night was spent at the opening of the Christmas markets; think mulled wine, sweet pretzels and lots of men wearing traditional Austrian get up.
Vienna was my next stop. The weather was dull and rainy, and it began to snow on the last two days I was there, but that just meant that spending the day cradling coffees in cosy Viennese cafes was completely justifiable. I visited the Leopold art museum and the Natural History Museum (so much fun, I felt like a child again!), wandered the city, went to the opera one night and saw Mozart's The Magic Flute (a childhood favourite, so wonderful), appreciated the multitude of magnificent buildings, and discovered the deliciousness of kaiserschmerren and apple strudel at the adorably festive Christmas markets. Many of my nights there were spent relaxing and chatting to fellow travellers with a glass of wine in hand.
Taken on my iPhone, here's a few pictures I took of the beauty that Austria has to offer.
