Dinner and Mozart at the Fortress

We spent Monday walking around the old town with a walking tour from our guide book. Only problem is all the interconnecting plazas are a mess of trucks, fork lifts and cranes as Salzburg sets up for St. Rupert's Day which will last from Wednesday to Sunday. The tourist info office gal says its Salzburg's answer to Octoberfest. The tourists are just moving in and around the trucks. Does not make for great pictures though.

We did manage to buy tickets for an evening concert up in the fortress so we were very pleased about that.

The tickets include a return trip on the funicular, dinner at the Panorama restaurant up there and the concert.

The funicular is about a one minute ride in either direction. 

I love the old winding narrow streets. I always wonder how people get all their groceries up to the kitchen from their car.

Mozart statue and platz in the old town.

Donuts and pastries shaped like pretzels in a number of different flavours: cheese, hazelnut, fruit and chocolate, vanilla cream. I had a chocolate donut one while Wendy had a pastry chocolate hazelnut one. Nummy! 

Wendy already looking like she can't possibly eat the whole thing (which she could not!). I, of course, had no problem finishing mine off.

Beer tent being set up for St. Ruperts day. He is the patron saint of Salzburg. 

Up the funicular - we followed directional signs.  We were amongst the first into the dining room so were seated by the window with a view of town below. 

The service was first class and the food nicely presented and good. The Mozart dessert was interesting:  lower item in photo is a cheese ball filled with melted chocolate (bit of an odd combo to me); upper item is a white chocolate mousse with mango sauce. Not sure Mozart would have recognized either, but they are variations on a theme!!

Then off to the 'konzert' - up a flight of stairs on exterior of the building followed by multiple more flights inside. We were quite breathless when we finally arrived at the 'salon'. 

This room was formerly a ballroom of this palace. It was known as the Golden Salon - an interesting studded ceiling with family crests painted along the beams.  The whole room is supported by massive marble columns, walls are wood panelled with some interesting doors on the sides. 

We were entertained by a string quartet playing several Mozart pieces as well as a Dvorak Waltz and some Strauss dances.  One piece included a keyboard but disappointingly it was a grand piano, not a more appropriate type of harpsichord or piano forte. However, the cellist was a treat to watch!

We finished the evening with a walk home through the now-quiet streets of Salzburg. Seems that just like Victoria - they roll up the sidewalks early here on week nights!!