Salzburg is definitely a place we'd like to visit again, when we have some money. The scenery with mountains, a river running through it, and castles/cathedrals sprinkled along the horizon, is worthy of another visit alone. The real entertainment (and where the money is needed) lies in the winter and summer sporting events that are offered here. From snow skiing to skydiving and pretty much all winter and summer extreme sports; this Austrian beauty offers a lot to those who are interested in a rush.

Because we didn't partake in any of these, we saw another side of the city. A simple stroll down the major streets will lead you to any number of bridges over the main river that runs through the city. From here, you can see up and down the river and the beautiful river front that Salzburg offers.

At night, many different building and moutain cliffs are lit up at night and the view from a bridge is phenomenal. A huge, fairly famous, fortress sits on top of one of the highest mountains protecting the city. The city is divided up into the New and the Old parts. The main attractions and tourist gatherings exist in the Old part. The old and historic part of the city has many pretty buildings that quite colorful and intricately designed on the outside.

The weather was fairly rainy and chilly but that didn't stop us from going out. With a huge meal (and fairly cheap) we went to an authentic Austrian restaurant called Wildermann Gästhaus where we got a pot full of patatoes, 4 different kinds of meat, a huge (the size of a normal fist) turkey flavored dumpling, covered in a soupy mesh of sourkraut and gravy type sauce. Although an Austrian (who we were sharing a table with - they seat you with any open spot available) warned us of the bad weather the next day if we didn't finish our meal, we ate as much as our bodies could handle and left the gravy mix. It was probably going to rain anyways. We saved room, though, for some wonderful apple strüdel with vanilla syrup and whipped cream. It was glorious.

We stayed at the YoHo International Youth Hostel and it was a great decision. With great beds, great food and a fairly reasonably priced bar downstairs, we loved the two nights we stayed there. They had daily showings of The Sound of Music and promoted the highly emphasized tour which takes you around the filming spots. The tour costs about 30 euros a person, too much for our blood.

Another small, yet significant highlight of the city was visiting the Augustiner Beer Origin - in a monestary. Although it feels a little sinful walking down the church hallways and stairs, but as you get closer, you hear the rumble of people and beer stines clanking together get louder and louder. Turn around the corner and there are 4 or 5 large rooms filled with people enjoying their Monk-made brew. Seeing that first liter of beer in front of you can seem rather overwhelming, but with the smooth taste and non-bitter aftertaste, you're eager to order up another one. Make sure you order before 10:30 at night because they close at 11 (23:00).