Real Guides: Salzburg, Austria by Dr. Nina Van Volkinburg
The Austrian fashion educator shares her fairytale hometown.
Recently I was lucky enough to have been invited to a longtime friend’s wedding. His now wife is originally from Austria, so the wedding was held in Salzburg at the end of the summer. In a past trip to Austria, I visited Vienna (as most do) so I was intrigued to visit a lesser traveled (but no less beautiful) part of the country. Little did I know the Salzburg area is incredible during the summer months. From the annual classical music festival to the pristine lakes, there are many reasons to visit. Whilst most people think of Austria as a place to visit for the Christmas markets and skiing, I am now fully sold on alpine summers.
Below I am sharing a mix of what I discovered during my days exploring the city and surround area. I am also sharing tips from our Austrian host (and bride), Nina Van Volkinburg. Side note on Nina - she is an expert (quite literally a DOCTOR) in all things fashion. She also recently joined Substack, so give her work a follow!
To eat & drink
Cafe Bazaar - The best breakfast in town.
Cafe Tomaselli - Perfect afternoon coffee and cake. Mozart used to visit. [Note from the coffee obsessed editor: If you aren’t already aware, the Viennese have a famed coffee house culture. Since 2011 the "Viennese Coffee House Culture" is listed as "Intangible Cultural Heritage" in the Austrian inventory of the "National Agency for the Intangible Cultural Heritage", a part of UNESCO. This tradition extends all the way to Salzburg, where one is encouraged to sit and sip.]1
The Austrian writer Stefan Zweig described the Viennese coffee house as an institution of a special kind, "actually a sort of democratic club, open to everyone for the price of a cheap cup of coffee, where every guest can sit for hours with this little offering, to talk, write, play cards, receive post, and above all consume an unlimited number of newspapers and journals."
Restaurant Triangel- Excellent schnitzel and people watching.
Hotel Sacher - Best. Cake. Ever. The original location in Vienna created the now world famous Austrian sacher-torte.
St. Peterskeller - The oldest restaurant in Europe.
Eulenspiegel - Here you will find traditional Austrian favorites.
Steinterrase - Great drinks and views.
Augustiner Bräu Mülln - A local brewery dating back to 1612. Also contains a killer foodhall.
Restaurant Stiegl-Keller - A multilevel venue with a beer garden and beautiful views.
Arkadengarten Sternbräu - An easy beer garden with lush greenery and traditional food in the middle of town.
To stay
Hotel Goldener Hirsch - Dating back to 1407, this is considered the oldest luxury hotel in the world.
Hotel Sacher - The Salzburg location of the famous Viennese establishment that invented the sacher-torte as mentioned above.
Honourable mentions: Hotel Elefant, Hotel Imlauer, Hotel Stein.
To do
Explore the old town - Walk along the Salzach, weaving through all the tiny streets. Make sure to stop off at Mirabellgarten, adjacent to the Schloss Mirabell.
Salzburg Festival - This is the world’s top classical music festival which happens in the city each summer. You can explore a range of events, from operas to concerts. It is best to grab tickets as soon as they become available. Their history:
“The Salzburg Festival was founded more than 100 years ago by Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Max Reinhardt and Richard Strauss, and is a magnet today more than ever. We are often asked what the secret of this Festival is and what makes it so special and magical. There are three main factors that make the Festival such a success:
First of all, the Salzburg Festival offers a broader artistic program than any other festival: Salzburg features opera, drama and concerts. And in the selection of works and interpretations, it also offers the broadest spectrum from Mozart, the genius loci, to modern works, from classical interpretations to avant-garde experimentation, from Hofmannsthal’s Jedermann to Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. And only the best and most famous artists from all over the world are invited to Salzburg.”2
Salzburg Christkindlmarkt - The annual Christmas market sits in the middle of the UNESCO World Heritage old town area. The origins of the famous Salzburg Christmas market go all the way back to the late 15th century. It is regarded as one of the best Christmas markets on the planet. If you need any further proof that this is the place to visit in December, you will find that even in the peak of summer there are SEVERAL permanent Christmas stores in the old town. [Note from the editor: we were browsing ornaments in August. This city takes Christmas very seriously.]
Go beyond the city - Make sure to leave the city and see the countryside. If you have the time, stay near one of the many beautiful lakes for a few nights at a ‘health resort’. Renting a car is ideal, however if you only have one day you can hire a driver and easily explore a few towns and lakes.
Hallstatt is the most visited town and worth seeing briefly. It is very touristy but nonetheless gorgeous.
Wolfgangsee is also worth a visit, with its famous ties to Saint Wolfgang.
Vorderer Gosausee is a lake you should visit if you want to feel truly immersed in nature. It is not too busy even on a beautiful summer day. There is a single restaurant that is very accomodating, serving typical Austrian cuisine. Visit for lunch then take a dip. The water is pristine and warm by the end of summer. It is surrounded by the snowcapped Dachstein Mountains. There is something special about swimming in a warm lake whilst gazing up at a snowy mountain range. Don’t miss it.
Schloss Hellbrunn - If you want to leave the city but don’t want to go too far this historic castle has extensive gardens to give you a nature fix. The Schloss itself serves as a museum, so you’ll also have a nice dose of culture. For Sound of Music fans you’ll also find the famed gazebo situated in the gardens of Hellbrunn.
To shop
If you’re shopping in Salzburg it is for traditional tracht. The main brands are Gössl, Susanne Spat and Hannah Trachten.
Meindl - Worth a visit if looking for traditional countryside attire.
HUMANA - A series of vintage stores scattered around the city.
A closing (fashion related) note before our footnotes in honour of Nina of Fashion Footnotes (see what I did there?!)… Back in 2014, Chanel hosted its Metier D’Art show at Salzburg’s Schloss Leopoldskron (followed by a dinner at St Peterskeller. Check out the short film here.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viennese_coffee_house_culture
Source: https://www.salzburgerfestspiele.at/en/about-us
All photographs by Alessandra De Costanzo.