monastery Sankt Peter

Woke up to better weather again today. Perfect for our planned daytrip to the historic city of Salzburg. With our breakfasts loaded into my backpack off we went for the 20 min walk to the train station. On arrival, we first grabbed a coffee and then could not resist the temptation to pick up a couple croissants as well. Our planned breakfast would now become our lunch instead!

It was a pleasant 1 3/4 hr train ride with lots of nice scenery along the way. On arrival in Salzburg we used our GPSmyCity app to start our walking tour. First destination was Mirabell Palace and Gardens. The grounds are beautifully landscaped with colourful flowers, a fountain and there are several mythology themed statues dating back to 1730 and created by an Italian sculptor. These garden are also where the “Do Re Mi” song from the Sound of Music was filmed.

From here we started walking in the direction of the Hohensalzburg Fortress which dominates the skyline over Salzburg. As we neared the river that runs through Salzburg, we could see that there was a long row of market stalls setup along a walking path on the other side. We decided to check that out. Lots of attractive handicrafts being sold.

As we continued on towards the fortress, we discovered Getreidegasse. It is a colourful street with lots of wrought iron signs advertising the numerous shops lining the street. It has been the centre of trade since Roman times and the buildings date mainly from the 15th century. This street also lead us to Alter Markt where there was a big celebration happening with a huge crowd of people eating, drinking, rides for the kids, or just walking around in their lederhosen. Upon asking, we learned that September 24 is Saint Rupert’s Day, a regional holiday in honour of the patron saint and founder of Salzburg.

At the base of the mountain below the fortress we discovered St. Peter’s Abbey and Cemetery. It dates back to 690 and forms part of the oldest functioning monastery in Austria. It is also where a scene from the Sound of Music was filmed. We were able to access a stairway carved into the stone wall alongside the property and get a nice view of the area.

To reach the top of the mountain and visit the fortress there is a funicular railway. We could have walked as well, but there is a package price that includes both a return trip on the funicular as well as entrance to the museums and other points of interest in the fortress. It was a short but exciting little ride up the steep mountainside and to the entrance of the fortress. The fortress covers a fairly large area and there is a lot to see. We took in the many panoramic views of the city below, the surrounding mountains and the plains. And, we walked through a history museum.

It was late afternoon and I’m sure we’d walked at least 15,000 steps already so it was time for a rest and cold beverage before heading back to the train station. We caught a 4:56 pm train that arrived about 15 mins late and took us back to Innsbruck by 7 pm. Just in time for a late dinner and then back to our hotel.Read more