The whole time I was in Salzburg, the sky was overcast. It wasn’t until the day I was leaving the sun finally came out.
So, instead of heading straight back to Munich as I had originally planned, I stowed my luggage at the Salzburg train station and went on a day trip to the village of Hallstatt.
Continue reading “Hallstatt, Austria”Feeling buzzed after the amazing lunch at the Esszimmer, I took a stroll beside the Salzach river towards the old town, picking up fallen chestnuts along the way.
My third day in Salzburg. After days of hearty Bavarian/Salzburger food, I decided that it’s time to check out haute cuisine of the region.
The restaurant I picked was the Michelin one star Esszimmer, by chef Andreas Kaiblinger. It was a stellar experience start to finish!
Continue reading “Lunch at Esszimmer*, Salzburg”Hellbrunn Palace was built between 1613 and 1619 by Prince-Archbishop Markus Sittikus. It is named after the clear(hell) spring(brunn)” from the namesake mountain that supplied it.
The palace is famous for its Mannerist Trick Fountains.
Continue reading “Hellbrunn Palace”On my second day in Salzburg, I bought a Salzburg Card and began sightseeing.
The first place I visited was the Mirabell Palace and Gardens.
The rain came at last!
It drizzled all the way from Obermmergau to Munich, then to Salzburg.
Continue reading “Salzburg, Austria”Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna State Opera) is one of the top opera houses in the world. It was built between 1861-1869 in Neo-Renaissance style. The design received heavy criticism at the time, leading to the tragic death of one of its architects.
I just watched Helen Miren’s drama “Woman in Gold”. It is based on a true story of Maria Altmann, a Jewish woman taking the Austrian government to court in order to recover several Gustav Klimt’s paintings that her family owned, specifically this one. Interesting enough, I find the film’s depiction of the Viennese’ attitude to outsiders, nonchalant and unhelpful, somewhat accurate to what we had experienced when we were there.
That said, I love Vienna for its history, art and music. And if I do find myself back to this former capital city of the Hapsburg Empire, I would not miss a meal at Steirereck, a Michelin two-star restaurant in Stadtpark, No. 9 of the world’s best restaurants. Continue reading “Steirereck in Vienna”
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