On to Salzburg! –and more Christmas Markets! –Day 7

Today was a traveling day. We took the train from Vienna to Salzburg, leaving at about 1:30 and arriving at about 4:00. Public transport in Europe is such a nice option.

As we got closer to Salzburg, it got foggy out, then the fog turned to frost on the ground and it was a white magical wonderland out the window. We left sun in Vienna.

We walked from the Bahnhof to our hotel, and got excited for this new adventure. Salzburg is a smaller city than Vienna. It feels a little cozier to me. I am loving it already.

After checking in to the Grand Sheraton, we set out to see the city by night. What do you know–there are MORE CHRISTMAS MARKETS HERE. They are around every corner! We walked through this small one on our way into the heart of town. I haven’t gotten tired of the markets.

This map lists most of the Christmas Markets here. We came to see the city–these markets are a bonus! It’s such a fun and festive time to be here!

The reflections in the river at night are magical.

On the other side of the bridge (south on the map) are beautifully decorated pedestrian shopping areas.

The Star Christmas Market:

This market was decorated with stars and silver angel wings.

Here is the Salzburg Christkind Market:

There was an area with Austrian Nativities on display. Here are a few:

We enjoyed the Christmas music at the ice skating rink and watching the children skate.

The story of the Mozart statue

In the centre of the Mozartplatz is the Mozart statue by Ludwig Schwanthaler. The statue was to be erected in 1841 on the 50th anniversary of W. A. Mozart’s death. However, the unveiling of the monument was delayed by a year because a Roman mosaic had been found in the ground, which took time to recover. On 4 September 1842, the statue was ceremoniously unveiled in the presence of Mozart’s sons. The Bavarian King Ludwig I was an important sponsor of the Mozart statue and donated the marble pedestal. A copy of the Roman mosaic can still be found at the foot of the statue.