My adventure in Salzburg was filled with wiener schnitzel, a short love affair, and yes, of The Sound of Music. I knew I was going to love Salzburg, Austria, before I even arrived. The pictures alone were enough to draw me in, but little did I know that I wouldn’t want to leave.
My First Day In Salzburg
I tend to like to explore with no plan on my first day in a new city. Get to know the streets, find a landmark where if I get lost, I can find it and use it to get home and find interesting things that I might want to explore later. Well, I’ll just say there was a lot to take in.
That first day I would come across beautiful churches, great food markets, and the sounds of opera in the air. The streets were packed, and this was the first time in my travels that I had come across such a crowded city. I would later find out they were so packed because there was an opera festival going on.
As I swerved through the crowded streets of opera lovers and tourists like me, I found a graveyard. This had to be one of the most beautiful graveyards I have ever seen. It wasn’t dark and drab but colorful and almost cheerful. As I walked through, I stumbled upon the catacombs that were located in the graveyard. Well, as they say, when in the catacombs. So I took a little detour from the streets and explored.
My Adventure In The Salzburg Catacombs
Walking into the catacombs was like leaving a graveyard in the Wizard of Oz and returning to black and white Kansas. It was pretty dark and damp, and if it wasn’t for the two Austrian children, I got stuck behind…quiet. There wasn’t much to see: no skulls or anything like that. But, I still really love these kinds of places.
Having to climb uneven steps, ducking through doorways, and seeing old alters, there’s a fun creepiness to these types of places. Who knows, maybe those loud children were ghosts of the catacombs. They weren’t. They were just two energetic children who had parents that let them run and do whatever they wanted. Not the kid’s fault. That’s all I’m saying on that.
As I made my way up to the top, there was a fabulous view overlooking the cemetery and little arched windows that you sneak a peak in if no one was coming up or down. It was definitely worth the couple euros it cost to get in. But climbing up and down those stairs and a long day of walking, I was ready to head home and get some rest.
The Sound Of Music
I already did a post on my Sound of Music Tour, so I won’t go into great detail on my little daytime adventure, but I really did love it. I got to see the gazebo where Sixteen Going On Seventeen was, where Maria and the Captain got married. It was just an all-around good time. I love seeing where movies and tv shows were filmed. I actually, at one point, thought about starting a TV and Movie tour when I lived in NYC. So, this was a highlight. And if you haven’t read about my tour, check it out. It’s a fun post.
Renni
After my Sound of Music Tour, I found a little Mexican restaurant to stop at. I know. I’m in Austria, and I’m at a Mexican restaurant. But, this is where I would meet a nice Austrian waiter named Renni. The flirty little waiter would steal my heart for the next few days. And jokingly proposed to me before I got the bill.
Renni was a little brown-eyed, brown-haired, born and bred 29 years old from Salzburg. He was sweet and amusing. He had no fear in saying what he wanted to say. I mean, he got my number by the end of my time there, so his no-fear attitude was also extremely charming.
I would end up walking around for three hours after I left to meet him after work. They weren’t open late, so it wasn’t a huge deal. We had discovered we lived near each other, so I would walk with him to pick up his little chihuahua and walk them back to his place. It was…sweet. We said our goodbyes outside his apartment, and I headed home.
A German Ate My Salad
Renni and I planned on having a date the next evening, but he had to work. So I had the day free to continue my adventure in Salzburg. I took my camera out and enjoyed my day taking photos. Exploring the streets and going into the churches. I’m not a particularly religious person, but many of these old churches are really works of art. Every country I go to, I always end up going in one or two.
Before I met Renni, I wanted to grab dinner, and a friend suggested a great place, Pauli Stubm. If you are ever in Salzburg, this place is a must. I ended up eating there three times. While I was there, I got sat across another single diner, and we started chatting. He was a German man in town for a job interview. We had a great conversation about Salzburg, travel, and politics. It was interesting having a conversation with someone that didn’t see eye to eye with me on politics but was civilized about it. Something I am not used to as an American.
I ordered Schlutzkrapfen, which is basically ravioli with Austrian cheese, spinach, and onions. My dish came with a salad, but I was full and didn’t touch it. When the server came to take away my dishes, the German man apparently felt comfortable enough to ask if he could eat my uneaten salad. Which hey, I’m all about not wasting food, so I said, “Go for it.” As he finished my salad, so did our conversation. We parted ways, most likely never to meet again.
My Date With Renni
My adventure in Salzburg continued with a dream I have always had. Riding on the back of a Vespa in Europe. In my dream, it was some guy name Giovanni on the coast of Italy. But, I must admit. Driving through the streets of Salzburg on the back of a motor scooter was just as satisfying.
Renni took me to one of the few gay spaces in Salzburg, where we talked about how he’s never seen The Sound of Music, our past, and he opened up about his grandmother and her struggle with dementia. We stayed up talking till late in the night. It was a perfect evening, with a wonderful man.
The thing about Renni is he doesn’t play this game of trying to be cool. He is who he is. He’s not afraid to compliment you or share things that might scare you off. That’s something you don’t see very often. And I found myself feeling comfortable with him. I’m not always that open, especially on a date. But, it was nice just to relax and not to play the stupid game.
Hohensalzburg Fortress
My adventure in Salzburg was coming to an end. And there was one last thing I had to do, and that was to visit the fortress that overlooks Salzburg. Hohensalzburg Fortress was built in 1077 to protect the archbishops and offers amazing views of the city. This is also one of the most well-preserved fortresses in central Europe.
Exploring the fortress, you really are taken back to a different time. Walking along the cobblestone paths, you really appreciate that this was built so long ago, and yet it’s still standing. That’s something I love about Europe in general. While the U.S. has a history in its buildings, it doesn’t have this kind of history.
I visited the museum inside the fortress where you saw old toys from the time, the armor the soldiers wore, and how the people lived at the time. I was never into history as a high schooler, but as I travel, I find myself more and more interested in what has happened in this big world of ours.
An Extra Day For Renni
After my time at the fortress, I met up with Renni. We hung out at his place, where he made me some food, and we had to accept that it was time to part ways. Until we discussed me staying an extra day. We weren’t quite ready to say goodbye. So, I put off my plans to leave and stayed.
We spent our day together just lying around watching RuPaul together and talking. He gave me a unicorn keychain as I told him I was collecting keychains from each city I was visiting. He had to work that night, so we grabbed some Thai food before he had to go. While he was at work, I watched a screening of an Opera in one of the squares.
I knew this had to end when it started, just like my adventure in Salzburg had to. But I was feeling a little sad to let it go. After he got off work, we hopped on his Vespa and went to his place. Having another great conversation on his patio. We fell asleep watching TV. When we woke up, he walked me to the train, and we said goodbye.
Renni will always now have a place in my heart. He made me feel special and important. I never go into travel expecting anything. And I really didn’t expect to meet someone. But, I have no regrets and enjoyed time with him. And, maybe sometime down the road, our paths will cross again. Until then, we have one great weekend in Salzburg to look back on.
My Adventure In Salzburg Ends
As I got on the train and my adventure in Salzburg came to an end, my heart was full. I got to explore a beautiful city, eat great food and met a wonderful man. The best part about travel is you never know what is going to happen. I’ve been to cities I was bored in, and I’ve been to cities where I never wanted to leave. Salzburg was one of those places I didn’t want to leave. But, until next time. Thanks, Salzburg.
[…] My first trip to Salzburg, Austria, was terrific. There’s no denying how stunning this part of the country is. But, one thing I was surprised by was how much I LOVED the food in Austria. So, I compiled a list of some of my favorite foods and restaurants to try. Hopefully, this will help you find where and what to eat in Salzburg when planning your trip in the future. […]