We took the 0955 train from the main station using the Bavarian ticket. We were really hoping that by visiting on a Thursday this year that it would be less crowded than last year on a Saturday. Our hunch was correct and we hoped the same held true once we arrived in Salzburg.
Once in Salzburg, we walked quickly towards Old Town and we were delighted to see snow on the ground.
Passing by Mirabell Gardens with views of the fortress. Do Rei Me!
There is a small local market outside of the gardens and we stopped by and looked around for a bit before making our way to the main Salzburg market. Once in Old Town, we found a stahl that was selling gluhwein for the Lions Club and they had disposable cups. We got our first gluhwein and entered the market that was so crazy busy last year that we were nervous to go back.
Some of the smaller stahls outside the main market
Welcome to the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt!
We were quickly delighted by how less busy it was than last year. We could actually walk around. Last year, we spent just minutes here because of the crowds. I was so happy that we could actually enjoy it this year.
Gluhwein in hand and ready to hit the market!
The market stahls are all centered around the Salzburg Cathedral
I loved the garland that dangled above the stahls, especially since it was covered with snow!
We were blessed with blue skies!
Salzburg Christkindlmarkt
The market had a lot of great options for items to buy. From what I saw, the prices were a lot cheaper here than in Munich.
One of the many stahls selling Christmas goodies
We wandered all of the market. It actually winds through the streets and is bigger than I was expecting. We even stumbled upon a beautiful view of the fortress.
The Hohensalzburg Fortress
We were wanting a snack for lunch and we decided on this massive pretzel that was complete with bacon and cheese. It was seriously one of the best things I have ever had. The lady that sold it to me spoke zero English but we were able to communicate about her heating it up for me and it was amazing. We did not find these again at any of the other markets we visited. We also tried orange punch and prosecco punch at this market. It was okay.
Enjoying my prosecco punch at the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt
A fun day in Salzburg
After enjoying the market, we decided to hail a cab and drive to Hellbrunn Palace to visit the market. We visited this one last year during the evening and we thought it would be fun to see the castle grounds during the day. Our cab driver was a hoot. She had just moved to Austria from Bosnia a year ago and she talked about a hundred miles an hour. She told us how much she loved Oktoberfest in Munich. She was really sweet.
Hellbrunn Palace Advent Market. It was beautiful to see during the day. The windows on the yellow building area a giant advent calendar.
A very happy husband enjoying his gluhwein
This market was less crowded than last year as well. I am sure it was because it was day time versus night.
All of the evergreen trees were covered in snow. The snow combined with the big red ornaments made it very festive.
Hellbrunn Palace Advent Market
Ken knew that one of the reasons we were back at Hellbrunn was to see the Sound of Music gazebo in the daylight. I forgot which direction it was on the grounds, but Ken knew the way and when I saw the sign, I was so excited!
Ken was asking me if I knew what was around the corner!!! Eek!
There she is!
For those of you that do not know, on rainy days, snowy days, or just flat out boring days, Theodore and I would lay in bed and watch the Sound of Music. Most days the girls would join us too, but Theo was always up to watch it with me. It was definitely his favorite. Being able to see the gazebo again was just a sweet thing to do in honor of my Sweet Theo.
So excited!!!
The best part was while Ken was taking my picture, a couple walked by and insisted that they take a picture of the both of us. Ken was less than thrilled but listened when the wife told him to make his wife happy, ha!
I sang a few songs for Ken but he did not seem too impressed.
We wandered back into the market and continued to check out all of the grounds around the palace. I found myself an ornament to bring home with me.
The market really is beautiful
The most important part of the market, the gluhwein stand
Enjoying my gluhwein
Big fluffy trees
Advent Market options
We ran into Krampus
Krampus and Ken, two peas in a pod
We found the trick fountain area that this palace is well known for. Obviously, with it being freezing they were turned off, but it was still beautiful.
Hellbrunn Palace fountains
I am sure these fountains are a hoot when they have water flowing.
We wandered back towards the SOM gazebo and decided to go walk around the rest of the grounds since we were finished checking out the market.
Bundled up to walk around the grounds in the snow.
The grounds were so quiet. It was just us and a few runners out. The snow made it look so beautiful.
Isn't it beautiful? I imagine this is a great spot to sit and enjoy during the Summer.
We walked all the way to the zoo and looped back around. If the zoo had not been closing, we totally would have visited.
We looped back to the front of the palace to get a taxi. We saw the same lady that brought us to the palace so we had her take us back into the city so we could go to the Augustiner. This is Ken's favorite brewery and pretty high on my list as well and I did not take one single picture, only a video of the inside. We enjoyed our beers and ate some sweet peppers stuffed with cream cheese, which have come to be one of my favorite treats.
Views from our cab ride. The red onion dome is the abbey where the real Maria lived and worked as a nun in the Sound of Music.
Augustiner Brau, Salzburg, Austria
We sat by a couple from Rosenheim, Germany and talked to them for quite some time. It was interesting talking to them about places in Germany. We sat there for a few hours and then decided to take an earlier train than we had anticipated so we hustled to the train station.
We had a short train ride back to Munich and still had a little time to grab some dinner at the market. I had been trying to get Ken to take a few more pictures of us together all day and on the walk from the train station, Ken decided to oblige and take a picture with me.
Not the picture I was hoping for.
We got back to the stahls by our hotel and I ordered some kase spaetzle for dinner, which was one of the most delicious things to have. We found the Wurst stahl that sells the footlongs and Ken walked up to order one with four left. The people in front of us bought all four, leaving Ken without one. This exact same thing happened last year and I was pretty certain Ken was going to cry. All he wanted was a footlong.
I told him I was certain we could find one and we walked on to the Rindermarkt. Sure enough, the giant Christmas Pyramid was selling footlongs!
He finally got his footlong at the Christkindlmarkt! Happiness, pure happiness!
The Christmas Pyramid came in clutch this year!
We found a gluhwein stand and enjoyed our market dinner and talked about day before calling it a night and going back to our hotel. We were definitely full after our delicious Christkindlmarkt dinner, which is the best kind.
Up next, a full day in Munich!
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