Salzburg – a Winter Fairytale!

The old baroque inner city, with its narrow lanes, is beyond compare in its winter splendor. The most well known son of the city is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. About 350 of his most beautiful compositions were created in Salzburg. This world cultural heritage city is also where Joseph Mohr, the textwriter of the Christmas Carol "Silent Night! Holy Night!", which rings out all over the world on Christmas Eve, was born. He was born in the Steingasse – an important medieval trade route from the north to the south and which even today has not lost its medieval charm. A memorial plaque at Steingasse 31 reminds one of this.

The Salzburg Christmas Markets are some of the most atmospheric in the world. All kinds of artistic handicrafts such as Christmas tree decorations, crib figures, toys and gingerbreads are sold in front of and around the imposing facades of the Cathedral. Joseph Mohr's Christening font is to be found inside the cathedral. One can enjoy quiet moments away from this colourful bustle by visiting one of the Christmas crib exhibitions in many of the churches or listening to the ringing in of Advent by all the church bells in Salzburg and the Advent music from the  Glockenspiel's tower.

The Christmas markets on the Mirabellplatz, in the Sterngarten, on the Festung Hohensalzburg and in Hellbrunn have their own unique charm. The elegantly decorated old city shops, with their numerous wares, hold up their reputation as "the most beautiful shopping streets in Austria" at this time.

The number of cultural events and other winter highlights are typical for Salzburg. One of the most famous is the Salzburg Advent singing in the large festival hall. The festive concerts in Schloss Mirabell, the churches and in the Hohensalzburg Fortress, as well as the performances in the Landestheater and in the Marionettentheater bring visitors from far and near.

More under http://www.salzburg.info