First sights of Salzburg

This morning I paired up with my mate Thierry, and together we embarked upon a chilly but pleasant exploration of downtown Salzburg. Our ultimate aim was to reach the hilltop Hohensalzburg fortress; but we had no hurry, so we managed to take in a fair few of Salzburg's attractions along the way. Salzburg is a gorgeous town, perfectly preserved over more than 500 years, and ridiculously compact and convenient to wander around in. The weather was freezing (quite literally — town signboards read -2°C) — but at least it was reasonably sunny. And anyway: it was my first-ever exposure to a frost- and snow-covered cityscape, and I for one was revelling in its beauty.

Nice church interior in Salzburg.

Salzach river, which cuts gently through the middle of the town, and which is currently somewhat frozen at the edges.

Outdoor ice rink in the centre of Salzburg: still a big novelty for me, these things!

Mozart watches over Salzburg.

Salzburg’s historic central cemetery, where generations of local families are buried together in the room-sized tombs (to this day), and where the snow-covered graves look charming at this time of year.