Our accommodation is a gorgeous 3 bedroom guesthouse just outside the Salzburg heart, we feel like we’re in the countryside. We took a walk around the garden before our hearty Austrian breakfast (boiled egg, bread, assortment of meats and yoghurt) and purchased the useful Salzburg Card that will give us museum and bus entries for the next 2 days.

A bus into town delivered us to our first stop, Mozart’s house of birth, where he spent his early years. This excellent museum provided a glimpse into not only the young artist’s life, but life in 18th century Salzburg broadly.

Then it was Rick Steves audioguide time, diving into his Salzburg old town walking tour. We’ve missed Rick’s voice and tragic dad humour. The walk got us acquainted with the old town and took us to some of the key sites including the Salzburg Cathedral and the multiple plazas that make up the old town. It felt extremely Italian, and that was clearly the intent.

By lunchtime Marthese and I were positively energised by the city, so took the steep walk up to the epic fortress overlooking it. While the museums inside were a bit sloppy, they certainly captured the imagination with displays of weaponry, blacksmiths and random examples of everyday life in an outstanding setting. But the highlight of the fortress was easily the lookout. While designed for use in wartime, the fortress lookout now provides a breathtaking 360 degree view of the city of Salzburg and the surrounding mountains and valleys. Honestly one of the most gorgeous sights of the trip so far. I have no idea how each city keeps topping the next.

Our last stop was across the river, in the house where Mozart spent his teenage and adult years before moving to Vienna. More cool relics and instruments from Mozart’s life on display, and an excellent audio tour with lots of great music to keep you interested and engaged. Much better than the dry audio tours we’ve experienced up until this point.

We picked up some salads and sandwiches for a quiet dinner after this exhausting day in the 28 degree heat, but we’re very much looking forward to tomorrow’s adventures which may or may not include singing along to a certain musical about sentient hills.