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Unlocking the love lock destination-Salzburg

“Is this a city or a fairy land?” well, this is not a quote from the story Alice in wonderland, rather my first thought bubble after witnessing the picturesque sight of Salzburg. It was the beginning of autumn, me and my family visited Salzburg, the Austrian city on the border of Germany. The season of fall made Salzburg look magnificently beautiful with the bronze hue and the magnanimous Alps as the backdrop. The city is divided by the Salzach River, with medieval and baroque buildings of the pedestrian Altstadt (Old City) on its left bank, facing the 19th-century Neustadt (New City) on its right.

Residenplatz (Alstadt)


From Innsbruck to Salzburg

We kicked off our journey for Salzburg from Innsbruck, another beautiful city of Austria after enjoying a typical European breakfast at Hotel Alpekonig Tirol located at the outskirt. A long drive of 109 kilometres, but the remarkably paved roads, landscapes and panoramic view of vineyards through my window and skilled driving of Captain Eugene made the distance to be covered with the blink of an eye. Although it was a bright sunny day but that was not enough for the tropical climate residents like us and the freezing cold easily reached our veins. 

Walking Tour 

On reaching Salzburg, our local guide, a pretty middle-aged lady, took us on a leisure walking tour of the entire city. That is where we fell in love with the place because of its tourist friendly atmosphere. We were explained the rich history of Austria and Salzburg briefing about the Baroque architecture starting from the Romanesque and Gothic Churches, the monasteries and the early carcass houses. The Alstadt district of Salzburg is recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.

Salzburg Museum


Cathedral and Churches

We kept on walking by the pretty cobble-stone streets of Salzburg and it gripped me more and more. There was music all over, starting from the sound of horses clacking past carolers as church bells rang in the distance. We got closer to the Salzburg Cathedral or Dom, the first church built in Italian style in German soil, and a charming scene caught our sight. Kids dressed uniformly with green choir robes around their neck, singing carols were leaving the main entrance of the cathedral in a disciplined manner. Entire atmosphere was filled with spirituality and the ringing of the church bell added a magical touch to it.

We then visited other prominent spots of the old city, namely, Residenzplatz, a gallery of 16th-19th century European paintings, collegiate church, holy trinity church, Franciscan church and a large Baroque fountain in the center of the old city. Salzburg is rightly called “the city of churches”. I was often left behind by our group as the alluring beauty of the place engulfed me and I tried to capture every nook and corner through my lens.


Horse Ride on the streets of Salzburg


Salzburg Cathedral

Birthplace of Mozart

We were led to the Getreidegasse (Grain Lane) where we could see Mozarts Geburtshaus, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who is considered among the greatest classical composers of all time. It is now preserved as a museum. As a lover and admirer of music, I was overwhelmed and felt lucky to visit the roots of such a great personality. 


Birthplace of Mozart

The Sound of Music

Next was Mirabellgarten where “The sound of music”, famous American musical drama film was shot. It is a dream destination for weddings with an elegant view of the entire town and the majestic Mirabell palace standing behind with pride. It was a treat to the eyes to see such charming flower beds, statues of Roman gods, Hedge Theater, Pegasus fountain, and garden of baroque marble dwarfs. 

A building in Alstadt, Salzburg


Love-Lock Bridge

Our last stop was indeed the “love lock bridge” on river Salzach. The name explains it all, isn't it? Don't worry, neither did I know that “love locks” is the latest craze when it comes to couples declaring their eternal love. A sea of padlocks with carved initials was all over the most modern pedestrian bridge of Salzburg, the Makartsteg. I was taken aback by this way of public display of affection. We then bid adieu to our guide and chased our own interests and attractions of the city. 

Grain Lane

Getreidegasse is a busy narrow shopping street of Salzburg and a major tourist attraction due to some oldest traditional manufacturers, master bakers, glass craftsmanship and many more that dates back to the 12th century and play their unique role in rejuvenating the entire street.

Geitredegasse (Grain Lane)

Fish Paradise

Before diving into the shopping spree, we relished some delicious food of Salzburg. Hailing from Assam, a fish loving state, in no time we discovered a pretty and cozy fish cafe called “Nordsee” with a huge display of sea food, most of which were unfamiliar to us, of course. I was busy clicking pictures and it was my sister who ordered Fish Burgers and Roasted Salmon Fillet. We devoured the heavenly dishes.

Fish Burger


Nordsee Cafe

Glass Craftsmanship

We hopped from one shop to another looking for souvenirs and decors to carry back home, trying perfumes, bags and what not. On exploring the Grain lane, we came across an extraordinary shop resembling a kaleidoscope with a vast collection of handmade glass artifacts. Fascinated by the craftsmanship, I had a conversation with the owner, a gentle old man, and came to know that he sparked this skillful craft in the glass specialist school at Kramsach and gained work experience at Vienna. Although little costly, my sister could not help herself from buying a bunch of delicately molded glass roses to take with her back home.

Nonnberg Convent

Enthralling beauty of Salzburg

The inimitable combination of scenic Alpine landscapes and architectural richness made Salzburg as one of the world’s most beautiful cities. With the sun setting at the horizon, it was time to leave this enchanting and historic city with a glowing face and a smiling heart. Salzburg gave a trunk full of splendid memories wrapped tightly in our hearts which will be cherished through our entire life.


Statue of Mozart














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