The third edition in Our Top 10 Cities sees us staying close to home, and our Number 8 Top City goes to the breathtakingly beautiful Salzburg, Austria.

Coming from the Austrian Alps Ingo was eager to show me the wonderful city of Salzburg, and after my first visit it was easy to understand why the Austrians are so proud of the this beautiful place they get to call home.

The birthplace of Mozart and the setting for many musicals such as “The Sound of Music”, Salzburg combines beautiful architecture with an impressive fortress, a collection of baroque towers and churches nestling between modern five-star hotels, and some of the best shopping and dining venues in Europe to create one of the most amazing cities you will ever encounter!

While a cosmopolitan city, Salzburg has that relaxed atmosphere that the Austrian’s are famous for, so you automatically feel at home as you wonder around the city taking in the sights and delicious smells of the pavement cafes, street vendors and of course, the famous bakeries.

The hotels in Salzburg combine traditional Austrian style architecture with every modern convenience one could possibly wish for, creating a mix of ‘kitsch and class’ that works exceptionally well together. Known for excellent service, a la carte dining, and a range of musical encounters, Salzburg stands out from many other European cities, and as you take horse-drawn carriage ride through the cobbled streets, you begin to understand how such beauty could inspire the symphonies of maestro’s.

For me Salzburg was all about Sachertorte, a deliciously decadent chocolate cake made from a recipe dating back to 1832, magnificent city views from the Festung Hohensalzburg, fine dining in one of the many restaurants lining the Salzach River, and shopping along the Getreidegasse! That, combined with just a touch of Mozart and a sprinkling of Julie Andrews, makes Salzburg simply Wunderbar!