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Why go?

Salzburg is an undisputed gem of Central Europe, “the heart of Europe’s heart”, as it was put by an Austrian poet. It offers an inspiring mixture of splendid cityscape, mountain views and historic monuments. Ruled for centuries by independent Catholic prince-archbishops, the city, often referred to as “Rome of the North”, boasts some of the best examples of baroque and Romanesque architecture to be found anywhere in the world. It is also the birthplace of Mozart, whose memory is preserved in several lovingly kept museums and in numerous musical events throughout the year. Salzburg’s cleanliness, prosperity and unhurried pace of life make it an ideal destination for a relaxing and enlightening weekend break in any season.

The flight

Ryanair (www.ryanair.com, tel: 08701 569 569) operate two daily flights to Salzburg, with standard fares starting from just £79 including taxes. Visit www.ryanair.com to see this week's special offers. A 25-minute trip by bus 77, connecting the airport with the Salzburg Railway Station, costs just over £1. A taxi ride will cost £7.

The hotels

(Prices are for a double room with breakfast)

£175 The history of the five-star Hotel Altstadt Radisson can be traced back to the 14th century. Formerly an inn, then a synagogue, it was remodelled into a luxury hotel in 1992, when 42 modern rooms and 20 suites were skilfully built into the ancient carcass incorporating three separate entrances and a cute inner courtyard. Each of the rooms therefore has a different shape and design, yet all of them are equally comfortable - with marble baths, personal safes, cable TV and air-conditioning. An experienced traveller will be impressed by the unfaltering attention to detail: such frequently overlooked little necessities as bath-robes, umbrellas, brushes and shoe-horns are to be found in every room of this exclusive boutique hotel in the very heart of Old Salzburg. Hotel Altstadt Radisson SAS, Judenstrasse 15/Rudolfskai 28 (0043 662 848571, www.austria-trend.at)

£80 Tucked away in a quiet lane in the centre of Salzburg’s business area, the so-called New Town, on the right bank of the Salzach River, Hotel Carlton is just a few steps away from both the Central Railway Station and the magnificent Mirabellplatz, with its gardens, theatres and departure points for many a city tour. Charming, cosy and unpretentious, Carlton has 40 neatly furnished rooms with all modern conveniences and a small gym for fitness enthusiasts, although many would opt for an unhurried ten-minute river walk to the Old Town as an alternative form of exercise. Hotel Carlton, Markus-Sittikus-Strasse 3 (0043 662 882191, hotel.carlton@astron-salzburg.at)

£45 A small three-star hide-away in the northern suburb of Itzling (15 min by bus, or a 25-min walk, from the city centre), Gasthof Auerhahn has the ambience of a traditional Austrian country house. Owned and staffed by the third generation of the hospitable Pongratz family, the guesthouse is locally renowned for its restaurant, specialising in Austrian cuisine (chestnut soup with venison carpaccio is absolutely delicious). All 11 en-suite rooms, decorated with Austrian wood, are spotlessly clean, intimate and atmospheric. Other features include a picturesque beer-garden and an in-house wine cellar, with over 150, mostly Austrian, wines which the guests are encouraged to taste. Gasthof Auerhahn, Banhofstrasse 15 (0043 662 451052, www.salzburginfo.at/auerhahn)

The restaurants

(Prices are for a three-course meal without wine)

£35 The impressive dining hall of Goldener Hirsch Restaurant in the main shopping street of Salzburg has the grand and starchy atmosphere of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is a favourite haunt of upper-class locals and visiting dignitaries, and the list of its frequent diners and “supperers” (Austrians have “dinner”, their main meal of the day, at lunchtime) reads like a provincial “Who Is Who”. Start with Local Smoked Trout or Mushroom-Stuffed Quail washed down with Elsnegg – a surprisingly refreshing and aromatic young (2-3-month-old) Austrian wine; proceed to the famous Wiener Schnitzel with Parsley Potatoes, and consummate your meal with Crepe Goldener Girsch – an exquisite cheese pancake of the restaurant’s own recipe. Advance booking essential. Goldener Hirsch, Getreidegasse 37 (0043 662 8084861, www.goldenergirsch.com)

£20 Housed in a historic building next to the Salzburg Cathedral, “K+K” is a complex of eight quality restaurants (350 seats altogether), including the 12th century Romanesque vaulted cellar where medieval banquets with live entertainment are held every night (£25 per person with wine – booking essential). Ask for a “Goose Menu”: Goose Soup with Dumplings as a starter, Styrian Roasted Goose with Barley as a main course – and, in the unlikely case of still feeling peckish, balance the goose with a dessert of Oven-Cooked Apple Stuffed with Cherries. K+K Restaurants Am Waagplatz, Waagplatz 2 (0043 662 842156, www.kkhotels.com)

£6 Fleischlaberl, a tiny (10 tables) Old Town restaurant, owned and run by an outgoing English-Austrian married couple, offers inexpensive home-cooked food of very good quality. With only half-a-dozen or so items on the menu, it specialises in Goulash (Hungarian beef stew), Spaghetti and several types of Dumplings. All dishes are extremely filling, so if you are not ravenous, go for a smaller portion - normally 1/3 cheaper than a standard-sized one. Fleischlaberl, 11 Kapitelgasse (0662 842138)

The classic sight

Music-lover or not, your visit to “the city of Mozart” (another name for Salzburg) won’t be complete without attending a concert at the stunning baroque Marble Hall of the Mirabell Palace. Try to book a performance by the Salzburg Mozart Soloists – a world-famous Salzburg-based chamber ensemble, whose repertoire ranges from duo to octet reflecting the variety of Mozart’s compositions. Listening to “A Little Night Music”, Mozart’s timeless masterpiece, played by these virtuoso musicians and looking at trompe l’oeils and plump gilded angels decorating the ceiling, one is easily carried back to the times, when child-prodigy Wolfgang performed in that very Marble Hall accompanied by his father Leopold and his sister Nannerl. In the interval, wander along the echoing corridors of the Palace, built in 1606 by the Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau, which now houses the offices of the Mayor of Salzburg, or take a breath of fresh Salzburg air in the baroque Mirabell Gardens. The Salzburg Mozart Soloists appear regularly in the staterooms of the Mirabell Palace. For information and tickets, call 0043 662 848586, or visit www.salzburger-schlosskonzerte.at

The alternative sight

Brauwelt, advertising itself as “Europe’s largest beer exhibition”, occupies the former malting house of Stiegl Brauerai – Austria’s biggest privately owned brewery - in the suburb of Maxglann, a ten-minute drive from the city centre. The interactive “hands-on” exhibition spreading over 3 floors encompasses the history of beer and brewing both in Austria and abroad. The main feature of the display is “Bieramide” – a beer tower, made up of hundreds of empty beer bottles, representing all 350 brands produced by Austria’s 70 breweries. A visit to Brauwelt is not entirely a dry affair. “Braustube”, the museum’s own pub, is normally much more crowded than the museum itself. There you can claim two “free” glasses of freshly brewed Stiegl, one Pretzel (salted bagel) and a “free gift” (most likely a beer glass) – all included in the price of a museum ticket (£6). Brauwelt, Brauhausstrasse 9 (0043 662 8387 1492, www. Stiegl.co.at). Open Wednesday – Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The walk

Start in Domplatz (Cathedral Square) where colourful Advent Market is held each year before Christmas. Visit the grandiose Cathedral, designed by Santino Solari in 1628 and capable of accommodating 10500 worshippers. Having exited the Cathedral, turn right, cross Kapitelplatz and puff your way up narrow cobbled streets to Hohensalzburg, Europe largest fortress and Saltzburg’s main landmark. From the fortress, follow Hogen Weg to nearby Nonnberg, the oldest surviving convent in the German-speaking world. Take a moment to admire the city view before descending to Kaigasse using Nonnbergstiege steps. Turn left to Kapitelgasse, which will take you back to Kapitelplatz.

The big night out

Have a Martini or a grappa in Bellini’s – a friendly Italian bar in Mirabelleplatz. Cross the bridge into the Old Town for a Campari at Segabar (Rudolfskai 26), or for a cocktail next-door at Visavis (Rudolfskai 24) boasting one of Salzburg’s largest bars, with vaulted ceiling and a bar-stand of blue marble. For jazz, alternative music and quiet intimate dancing try The Club (Anton-Neumayr-Platz 4, opens at 9 p.m.). For techno, go to Cave Club Discothek in Leopoldskronstrasse – a 10-minute drive from the centre. If you are not in the condition to drive or don’t feel like leaving the Old Town, pop into Jexx Cafe– a trendy rock-and-pop outlet, built into the rock, where the young and the old happily mix and dance (Gstattengasse 7, open until 3 a.m.). For Salsa and Latino, head for Pepe Gonzalez Bar in the New Town (Steingasse 3), where you can also have a late-night snack of tapas (open until 3 a.m.).

The shops

£100 will buy a stylish, warm and truly Austrian knitted men’s west, with stag-horn buttons. E.Dshulnigg, Griegstrasse 8

£25 is the cost of a beautiful hand-painted teapot made of Austria’s celebrated Gmundner porcelain. Gmundner Keramik, Universitats Platz 10

£7 is the price of a box of Salzburg’s best Mozart Chocolates made by Norbert Furst to the original recipe of his great-grandfather Paul Furst, who created the brand in 1890. Café Konditorei Furst, Alter Markt/Broagasse 13

The guidebook

Lonely Planet: Austria by Mark Honnan (£10.99) has a comprehensive and up-to-date section on Salzburg and Salzburg Province.

What’s on when

Salzburg offers a rich cultural program featuring a total of 4,000 events all year round. Mozart Week ushers in the new musical year in January to be followed by the Easter, Whitsun and Summer Salzburg Festivals and the International Jazz Festival in November. Salzburg Christmas Market is held until the 24th of December in Cathedral and Residentz Squares in the Old Town.

For more information on Salzburg, Salzburg Card and for free brochures, contact Austrian National Tourist Office (13-14 Cork Street, London W1S 3NS, 0207 629 0461, www.austria-tourism.at)

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