Salzburg: very compact, quaint town. The Christmas market at the fortress overlooking the town is a nice place to grab a chilly outdoor lunch after touring the fortress—I was there one afternoon just as snow started to fall, so it was all very magical while eating a gilded nuremberger sausage on a bun with mustard.

Salzburg can feel a bit stuffy, as it’s a classical music performance Mecca. The famed hotel Sacher has a location right on the river, so if you want to try the OG Sacher torte, the coffee shop has a whole bunch of incredible desserts in the great Austrian cake/pastry tradition. And the konditorei (sweets shops) around town with all of the Mozartkugel variations are fun to try: it’s a local specialty chocolate made with pistachio/marzipan. The mass market version pales in comparison to some of the handcrafted ones, esp those from Furst, which also has a cafe.

Salzburg has a krampus parade, and still has some of the more weird/slightly pagan/alpine Christmas traditions, so look for the performances scheduled during the Christmas markets.

My #1 Salzburg tip: find the odd little Bosna sausage stand hidden in a shopping passageway for a grilled sausage sandwich with spicy seasoning. It’s like 3 euros, with no seating. I think Balkan Grill Walter is the actual name.

#2 tip is to seek out the Sitftsbackeri St Peter: a water powered flour mill and bakery in the middle of the o,d part of town, operated by the ancient monastery/religious house, with a wood fired oven. LINK. #3 is, provided that you’re in Salzburg on a Thursday, to see the Schrannemarkt, the weekly food/crafts market. It is separate from the Christmas markets but it is overflowing with delicious things year round.

Damn, now I want a buttered pretzel and a beer.