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As a short break, the Austrian cities of Vienna and Salzburg make an ideal combination; one magisterial and elegant, the other everyone's idea of the fairytale town, nestling into the mountains as if carved from some romantic fantasy. A scenic train journey connects the two cities in only three hours.
Vienna is one of those places whose graceful reputation precedes acquaintance. The first thing that strikes you is the sense of affluent leisure that permeates the city. You may be in a capital city but relaxation or ' gemutlich' as the Austrians define it is the key word here. Trams offer a novel way to see the principal sights and if you intend a busy day's sightseeing the Vienna card (available from most retail outlets) offers great discounts.
The city's main sights can be found along the Innere Stadt, the heart of the city encircled by the Ringstrasse. Here elegant shops, coffee parlours and the world-famous Staatsoper (State Opera) graciously bid you linger on your way to Stephensdom, the city's cathedral which boasts a fine view over Vienna. Nearby, in Herrengrasse 14 the Café Central is well worth a visit as its stately grandeur attests to its position as Vienna's most celebrated literary café.
The best way to explore this historical area is by foot as the Hofburg Palace and Burgtheter are both within a short distance of one another. On a smaller scale but with an arguably greater impact is Mozart's house where he lived from 1784-1787. Climbing the stairs to the Figarohaus at Domgasse 5 one is propelled back into eighteenth century Vienna at the height of its musical renown, when not only Mozart but Haydn and Beethoven made their homes here. Although unfurnished, as you stroll through the rooms, listening to a Mozart concerto and glance out on the cobbled streets, the composer's spirit seems to linger more tangibly than in either of the more sophisticated museums dedicated to his memory in his native Salzburg.
When one thinks of Salzburg it is Mozart and the Sound of Music that spring to mind, yet this beautiful city offers so much more than mere homage to these. It is a town of infinite charm, the old town full of cobbled streets and beautiful squares, while medieval guild signs throng the busy Getreidegasse at the heart of the shopping district. Salzburg's chief claim to glory though is no museum but its stunning skyscape, best viewed from the terrace at the Café Winkler, reached either on foot or via the Monchsberg lift. Panoramic is an understatement; suffice it to say that one suddenly feels transported to a baroque Gothic fantasy. More prosaically, the Winkler offers apple strudel to die for, so the double pleasure of gorging on both pastry and scenery are easily within reach.
Several walks are possible from this point. The most spectacular takes one around the Monchsberg and up to the Hohensalzburg fortress, perched high above. Built in the 11th century and impeccably preserved this is a classic castle, stolid and authentically gloomy with an unsurpassable outlook over the town. The fit can hike down the hill into the old town whilst those less inclined will find the funicular railway a godsend.
If the strains of Do-Ray-Mi can't be resisted visit the beautiful landscaped Mirabell Gardens, attached to what is possibly the finest registry office in the world. This spot, like the Nonnberg Priory will, courtesy of the film, seem strangely familiar and if your curiosity isn't sufficiently sated Panorama Tours (0662 874029) offer themed trips plus general introductory tours to help maximise a brief stay. As a memorable conclusion to any visit a journey by cable car up the Untersberg is highly recommended. Take the 55 bus from the bridge linking the commercial district to the old town and in 20 minutes you're there.
Salzburg is one of those places to which even the most scenic postcard cannot truly do justice. From the moment you cross into the historic centre and begin to meander its weaving streets, it casts a formidable spell, the pastel perfection of its architecture second only to the splendour of its position.
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