Walking tour of Old Town

Cross the river on Staatsbrucke into Old Town and turn left along Rudolfskai. Take the first right and right again onto Getreidegasse (the main shopping street in the Old Town). On the right is the Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus) and at #9 is the house (Geburthaus) where Mozart was born and lived until age 17. Take the first left and left again toward Kollegienkirche (the University Church) on the right. Check out the interior, especially the High Altar by Johann Bernhard Fischer, then left onto S. Haffner-gasse which winds around to the left. The Franziskanerkirche (Franciscan CHurch) is on your right. Check out the baroque altarpiece by Fischer. At the first major intersection, take a right to head for the large square (Residenzplatz). The Residenz (the most opulent building in the city) is on your right. The Glockenspiel is directly ahead atop the Neuhaus Palace (it plays classical music, usually be Mozart at 7 AM, 11 AM, and 6 PM). Turn right around the Dom (St Rupert and St Virgil Cathedral). Check out the interior as well as the St Peter’s Cemetery. Beyond the Dom is Kapitelplatz (a bustling market square with an attractive fountain). Continue around the Dom , then left, passing the Stift St Peter (see Church and Statue) on your right.

Then walk up the hill to Festunggasse to take the funicular up to the Fortress (Hohensalzburg). Visit the Fortress, perhaps look for the Nonnberg Convent (just below south side of fortress, where Maria became a nun and then hid from the Nazis)then walk back down the hill, continuing thru kapitelplatz and Residenzplatz again and on to Mozartplatz, with its imposing statue of Mozart. Then continue toward the river and take the footpath (Mozartsteg) to the New Town.

Take a left along the river to the next footpath, then right into Marktplatz where you will find the Mozart Wohnhaus, where he lived later. Straight beyond the square, take a left onto Dreifaltigkeisgasse which continues into Rainerstrasse. Continue to the entrance to Mirabell Gardens, on the left. Head first for Rosenhugel (Rosebush Hill) which was the location in the Sound of Music for the children leaning to sing (there is also a great view of the city from the top of the hill). Stroll through the gardens, especially noting the Zwerglgarten (Dwarfs’ Garden). Visit the Mirabell Palace, if possible, and try to get tickets for the Marionette Theater for this evening.

Note: The gazebo in Sound of Music (setting for “16 going on 17”, and the waltz and kiss between Maria and the Baron) is found at Schloss Hellbrunn, 4 miles south of the city on Route 159!