Amy Abroad: Austria leaves a great impression

One of my favorite parts of studying in Prague is the city’s extremely convenient location right in the heart of central Europe. Although Prague itself is a city full of adventure and history, I have also been taking advantage of how close it is to other beautiful countries. Recently I set out to explore the quaint, quiet town of Salzburg, Austria, where I witnessed some of the most incredible sights I have ever seen.

Salzburg, made famous by “The Sound of Music” (1965), sits at the foothills of the breathtaking Northern Salzburg Alps. A “love-locked” pedestrian bridge spreads over the Salzach river, which divides the town. Colorful buildings, bike paths and chestnut trees flank either side. Hohensalzburg Castle sits perched upon the Festunsberg hill, casting its grand shadow over the entire town, making a lasting impression on anyone who visits.

We checked into our hostel, Yoho!, and grabbed some burgers at BurgerMeister, a restaurant in the city’s center. After our lunch we crossed the river and explored the other side of town. We passed by Mozart’s home and museum, and headed toward the Salzburg Museum. The museum had a very long elevator that went all the way to the top of Festunsberg hill, where we enjoyed a gorgeous view overlooking all of Salzburg.

We continued to climb the Festunsberg hill, admiring the glistening white snow on the trees and houses we passed by. Eventually we climbed up far enough and got to explore Hohensalzburg Castle. The sky had reached dusk by the time we reached the top of the castle. We watched the city lights flicker on in the darkness as the church bells echoed in the distance. We spent a significant time looking out over the city as nighttime approached and the sky darkened.

Read the full column on SouthCoastToday.com, published on March 7, 2018, as part of travel column ‘Amy Abroad’ written during a study abroad term in Prague, Czechia.