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- The Christkindle Market is a joy to behold, it's everything that a Christmas market should be.
There are Christmas trees, icicles, decorations and lights everywhere. Whether it's the stalls selling all manner of glitz, sparkle or traditional Austrian crafts, or endless gluhwein and stolen you'll be hard pushed not to have bulging shopping bags and a happy heart.
The smell however is the best part. It's the smell of memories and childhood, of gingerbread, cinnamon and excitement. - From the outside The Amedia hotel is not beautiful by any means. The architect obviously took the mountains as inspiration and created a jagged, cragged affair set back into the landscape.
The interiors though are seriously cool, think interesting feature furniture, pop art and chic glass bathrooms. You're not far from the centre of town, and tram number four from outside will take you straight there.
Single room standard starting from € 59.00
Standard double room starting from € 69.00 - Apart from Christmas markets, Salzburg is predominantly famous for two things. Mozart and The Sound of Music and you cannot fail to get caught up in both.
If you're a die-hard Sound of Music fan then you can book yourself on one of the numerous tours of the city. Alternately, just keep an eye out for some of the most famous landmarks from the film, visit the beautiful Mirabell Gardens and play around with the statues like the Von Trapp children did. - St Peter's Restaurant is all your festive wishes come true. Before you go for dinner lose yourself in the Christmassy wonderland that is the courtyard outside, have a mug of something hot and alcoholic (you'll need it, it's very cold outside), listen to some carol singers and prepare yourself for the magic.
The restaurant itself is a veritable rabbit warren of dining rooms. They are all decorated differently, - If you can stay away from the sausage and chocolates long enough to deserve lunch, then the Restaurant M32 right at the top of the museum of modern art is well worth a visit.
The menu offers traditional big-hearted Austrian fare that has been given a contemporary twist, lots of meat, lots of dumplings, just the job to keep out the cold.
The dining room is the real treat here though, there are fuchsia pink chairs, neon signs offering you drugs and liquor and the most spectacular panoramic views of the city you'll ever wish to see. - Anything hot, alcoholic and as often as possible. If numerous mugs of gluwien or hot punch isn't your idea of a good time then give yourself a break between market stalls then head to one of the numerous little coffee shops hidden round the city.
And if you want to find out if Austrians really do wear lederhosen, yodel and drink large tankards of foamy beer then get yourself over to Weissbierbrauerei, because they really, really do. It's a brilliant place, it's loud, smoky, smells of beer and meat and if you fancy a salad forget it!