Following our two night stay at Genussdorf Gmachl Hotel and Spa, Nik and stayed one night in Salzburg city center for a return visit and to do a little exploring before wrapping up our time in Austria. Par for the season, it was gray and overcast with a downpour eventually coming later in the night.
Sightseeing in Salzburg
Nik and I had previously visited Salzburg in December 2022 for a one-night stay, when we mostly explored the Christmas markets. That included the city’s largest market, located on Domplatz and Residenzplatz, below the hill where Hohensalzburg Fortress sits.
Hohensalzburg Fortress
On this trip I wanted to take the funicular up to the fortress and explore the grounds since we hadn’t done so before. And Nik and I love a good funicular ride! We set out walking to the fortress from our hotel and had really great views along the way. The houses along the river remind of the colored houses in Innsbruck.
Its origins date back to the 11th century, when the prince-archbishops of Salzburg, already powerful political figures, had it built to protect their interests. The fortress took on its current appearance around 1500.
The only time the fortress actually came under siege was during the German Peasants’ War in 1525, when a group of miners, farmers and townspeople tried to oust one of the prince-archbishops but failed to take the fortress.
In the 19th century, it served as a barracks, storage depot and dungeon before being abandoned as a military outpost in 1861. The fortress underwent renovations beginning in the late 19th century and became a major tourist attraction after the funicular railway opened in 1892.
During the early 20th century, the fortress was used as a prison, holding Italian prisoners of war during World War I and Nazi activists before Germany’s annexation of Austria in March 1938. And to this day, Fortress Hohensalzburg has never been taken by military means and stands as one of the best-preserved castles in Europe.
Once on the fortress grounds, there’s plenty of open space to walk around and explore. (There’s also a museum, but we opted to skip it.) One side of the fortress offers magnificent views of Salzburg, while the other looks out over the countryside toward snow-capped mountains in the distance.
There’s also a church that looks like it was built right into the fortress walls.
As we made our way around to the backside of the fortress, we got fantastic views of the fortification walls, which really put into perspective just how big the entire fortress is.
Before making the trip back down on the funicular, we stopped at the main restaurant for a drink. Every table also offered great views of the city and mountains.
Exploring The City
Once we were done at the fortress, Nik and I walked around old town for a bit before checking out a new-to-us beer hall. We stumbled upon numerous Stolperstein, drank at a cocktail bar that had bottles of Koval liquor in their window and really just enjoyed the charm of Salzburg.
Stolperstein in Salzburg
Whenever Nik or I come across a Stolperstein, also known as a “stumble stone,” I like to look up the name and see what I can learn about the person who lived there, whether they were murdered by the Nazis or survived the Holocaust. The stones typically commemorate people at the last place where they freely chose to live, work or study.
This website dedicated to the Stolperstein in Salzburg is the best resource I’ve come across for any one city. I wish more cities had databases like this.
We came across so many Stolpersteine during our one day in Salzburg, different ones from our previous visit, that their stories could probably fill an entire post of their own. But for now, here are just a few of their stories:
Top left: L. Ornstein Clothing Store – The Ornstein family owned the shop at 24 Getreidegasse, a well-known local establishment. They had to witness firsthand as a Nazi competitor Aryanized their shop. (The Nazi term for the seizure of property from Jews and its transfer to non-Jews.) Most of the family managed to escape and survive through various means. In June 1948, the city of Salzburg returned the looted property, but the family had no interest in living there again and sold their former home in the 1950s.
Josef Geer, Engelbert Maier, Johann Rehrl, Leopold Nobis, Rudolf Gruber, Auguste Volkmann, Anna Penk and Maria Schiemer were all deported to Schloss Hartheim, also known as Hartheim Castle, where the Nazis murdered them. Hartheim became notorious as one of the centers for the Nazi program known as Aktion T4, which targeted German citizens the Nazis deemed mentally or physically unfit and murdered them with poison gas.
Some of the other people commemorated above were murdered because they were Jewish, Jehovah’s Witnesses or forced laborers. May their memory be a blessing.
Eating and Sleeping
Our food journey actually started at our hotel, the Sheraton Grand Salzburg, where we had access to the Marriott Bonvoy Lounge. Looking at the timestamps on my pictures, we arrived at the lounge around 12:45 p.m., which was perfect timing for lunch. Each buffet station had plenty of fresh, well-stocked options. If you know me well enough, you know I love a good roasted chicken drumstick, so I grabbed a couple while Nik enjoyed a bowl of tomato soup.
Nik booked us a city view room using Marriott points, and upon check-in, the hotel upgraded us to a junior suite. We also found a welcome note and some chocolate truffles waiting for us. The room was great – spacious, bright and it felt very modern and updated. Though not pictured, the room also had a walk-in shower.
Sporer Liqueur & Punch Manufacturer
A very pleasant surprise was Sporer Liqueur & Punch Manufacturer, a bar and shop specializing in liqueurs and spirits. We were simply walking by when we spotted bottles of Koval gin and whiskey in the window! (Koval Distillery is based in Chicago, IL, and it’s who our dog was named after.) Sporer has been in business since 1903 and the fourth generation of the Sporer family now runs the shop.
The space was tight, and the woman working behind the bar wasn’t much for small talk, but we did learn that the bar owner is friends with the owners of Koval. Apparently, that’s how Koval’s spirits made their way to Salzburg. I ordered a piping-hot punch, while Nik went with a classic cocktail.
Augustiner Bräu Mülln
Following a quick stop for a beer at Sternbräu, a newly renovated restaurant with an extensive history, Nik and I walked to Salzburg’s Mülln neighborhood to check out Augustiner Bräu, Austria’s largest tavern and brewery. It’s also one of the oldest, with beer brewed there since 1621.
The Augustiner space is huge and probably rivals Munich’s Hofbräuhaus in size and seating. Several quaint and historic halls fill the space, with tables throughout. There’s also an outdoor garden and terrace, though again, we were there in February, so sitting outside wasn’t exactly appealing.
Augustiner draws the beer from wooden barrels and serves it in stone steins. You grab a stein from a shelf, rinse it yourself, then head to the counter to pay and get your beer. Cold and fresh.
Just outside the drinking halls, various food stands sell regional and traditional dishes in the “Schmankerlgang,” or delicatessen arcade. The setup resembles a traditional marketplace, with plenty of options to choose from. Nik and I shared some delicious wings and potato wedges and though not pictured we had a sausage as well.
One thing to note: everything at Augustiner is cash only, including both beer and food. A .5L of beer cost 3.75€.
From there, we started walking back to our hotel, but then the rain started pouring. We dipped into Flip Cocktail Bar, a very eclectic spot that served its purpose for a quick drink before we called an Uber to take us the rest of the way.
See You Again Soon, Salzburg
This second trip to Salzburg sealed my love for the city. It felt less crowded than our first visit at Christmas time, and we discovered so many new spots. Of course, the city’s history is not something to overlook or forget. If you come across a Stolperstein in your travels, whether in Salzburg or elsewhere, stop and take a moment to reflect.
