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2006 Christmas and New Years Tour (#2) in Salzburg
Explore Christmas and New Years in Salzburg
with your Tour Host, Karin Winkler, a Salzburg native and Personal Chef.

PLEASE NOTE: Tours are limited to SIX participants only to assure each participant the best possible attention of your tour host. Experience luxury VIP treatment at an affordable price and make your reservations now!

$4,495 per person.

Dates of this 12 day Tour:
Saturday, December 23rd, to Tuesday, January 2nd, 2007.
Recommended flight departure: Friday, December 22nd, 2006.

~~~As of today: , this tour still has open places!~~~

Interested in this tour?
Please call (760) 366-4832 or

Join Karin on a unique traditional Christmas and New Years tour in Salzburg, truly one of the most beautiful regions of Austria, Europe and the world - enjoy Mozart music performances and the festive atmosphere. Aromas of roasting chestnuts, fresh baked goods and sausages are in the air, as you stroll the beautifully decorated Altstadt (old city). Salzburg during Christmas season is an unforgettable experience. The Christkindlmärkte (Christmas markets) are in full swing and there's a good chance that snow will decorate the gorgeous old buildings. Best of all, the city is far less crowded than it is during the summer tourist season, and the streets are filled with Salzburgerland natives wearing their traditional Trachten clothing and Loden coats.
Your tour host Karin is a Personal Chef, who lives and works in Joshua Tree (near Palm Springs), California. Karin is specializing in Austrian cuisine and she will take pride in showing you true culinary Salzburg adventures as well as preparing a special traditional Salzburg New Years dinner for you in a private home amidst candles, fruit, handmade ornaments and a traditionally decorated Salzburg Christmas tree. A lovely surprise gift will await you there!

The city of Salzburg - and especially its historic city center ­ is in fact one of the loveliest places in Europe, winning international acclaim in 1997 when it was designated a world heritage site by UNESCO.
The Salzach River, flowing from the Prealps in the south, winds through the city as its historic lifeline and separates it into two halves.
The Old City is picturesquely surrounded by the Mönchsberg, crowned by the Fortress which is visible for miles, and the mighty Capuchin Mountain on the right banks of the river.
The Old City with its variety of building styles is a true architectural delight. A walk through the countless narrow streets features buildings from the Middle Ages, Romanesque, Baroque and Renaissance periods.
The city's most famous squares include Residence Square with its splendid fountain, the neighboring Old Market, University Square, as well as Mozart Square with the memorial of the city's genius loci.
There are many imposing buildings, the most striking of which include the Cathedral, Hohensalzburg Fortress, the Residenz, St. Peter's Monastery with its impressive cemetery, the Franciscan church and Collegiate church as well as the Large and Small Festival Halls and the Summer Riding School in the Festival District.
On the right banks of the Salzach is the Mirabell Palace with the romantic Mirabell Gardens or St. Sebastian's church with its charming cemetery.
Hellbrunn Palace with its trick fountains and the zoo is situated just outside of the city gates.
Salzburg has an abundance of attractive venues and charming facets.

Text courtesy of: Tourismus Salzburg GmbH, Auerspergstraße 6, A-5020 Salzburg

Summary of our Tour:
We have created a very special tour for you - full of cultural, culinary and more fun adventures. In addition to having this tour hosted by Salzburg native and Personal Chef Karin Winkler, who will also cook a special traditional New Years dinner for you, and to open your eyes to the beautiful city of Salzburg, you will also experience the wonderful Salzburg New Years Eve Gala 2006 including a six course dinner menu.
Our itinerary has lots of adventures - visiting the fortress, castles and other historically significant places, dining in beautiful restaurants, visiting churches, museums and the traditional Schrannenmarkt (farmers market), with some time to relax in the lovely and comfortable Four Star Hotel, where you will stay. Our tour furthermore includes 7 sacred music concerts, 6 classical concerts, one Opera at the Marionette Theatre, one Operetta, a visit to the Stille Nacht - Heilige Nacht (Silent Night - Holy Night) museum in the country, one gourmet dinner basket, 7 wonderful dinners in beautiful restaurants, ample time for shopping and enjoying traditional coffee and pastries in beautiful old coffee houses to take full advantage of the incredible surroundings.

ITINERARY

Please click on the smaller images and they will enlarge.

Friday, December 22nd:

• Recommended departure from your airport of choice to airport Salzburg, Austria.
• You will be in the new "old" world Saturday.

Saturday, December 23rd:

• If you fly to our recommended airport Salzburg, we will pick you up and transfer you to your Four Star Hotel in the city.
• If you wish to arrive earlier than Saturday, we will advise you on how to meet up with your tour host at your hotel.
• Freshen up in your room.
• Enjoy a gourmet dinner basket prepared by chef Karin.
• Relax the evening or enjoy an optional trip to the castle Klessheim with a visit to the casino.

Sunday, December 24th, Christmas Eve:

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Transfer to the "old city".
• Escorted visits to the Cajetan church, Erhard church and Nonnberg convent.
• Escorted walk through small romantic streets like the Bierjodlgasse (beer jodl street) to the Stieglkeller, a traditional brewery-restaurant where you will be able to enjoy a traditional Austrian lunch of your choice. Karin recommends to try one of the heartwarming soups.
• Transfer to the fortress Hohensalzburg, where you will witness the Weihnachts- und Christkindlanschießen (Christmas and Christ child shoot forth), which is an old custom showing the happiness about the birth of the Christ child.
• Walk to the charming St.-Georgs-Kapelle (St. George chapel) in the fortress where you listen to the Weihnachtsandacht (sacred Christmas music).
• In the afternoon escorted visit to the famous St. Peter's cemetery and church.
• Visit of Cathedral place with Christkindlmarkt and free time to shop.
• From Kapitelplatz transfer to the hotel. Freshen up.
• Transfer to a restaurant for dinner.
• At about 9:30 PM transfer to the Franciscan church, where you will watch the Christmette (Christ service) and listen to the sacred music.
• Then at 11:00 PM escorted walk over to the famous candle lit St. Peter's cemetery and church where you will listen to the sacred music they will be playing there.
• These events in Salzburg are truly unforgettable!
• Transfer to the hotel.

Monday, December 25th, Christmas Day:

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Transfer to the "old town" to the Franciscan church, where you will listen to the Credo-Messe by W.A. Mozart.
• Transfer to the train station.
• Transfer by train to the country village Oberndorf, where the famous song "Silent Night - Holy Night" was written. Visit of the Silent Night - Holy Night museum.
• Transfer back by train to Salzburg, freshen up at the hotel.
• Dinner at the Mattseer Stiftskeller.
• In the evening classical concert "musica Viva" at the Residenz.
• Transfer to the hotel.

Tuesday, December 26th:

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Transfer to the "old city", to the Cathedral.
• Listen to the Piccolomini-Messe by W.A. Mozart.
• Escorted tour of the famous Getreidegasse and Mozart's birthplace.
• Afternoon is free for shopping, visiting coffee houses, pastry shops, etc.
• Transfer to the restaurant "Wilder Mann" for dinner.

• In the evening you will be able to enjoy the opera "The Magic Flute" from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, performed by the Salzburg Marionette Theatre.
  

  ABOUT THE MARIONETTE THEATRE:
  Attending a performance at the Salzburg Marionette Theatre is an absolute must during a visit to Salzburg.
  The baroque theatre with its auditorium seating 350 visitors is in itself worth seeing. This world-famous jewel is undoubtedly the leading theatre of its kind. The operas, operettas and ballet performed on the small stage by marionettes never fail to enchant audiences.
  Anyone who believes that the Marionette Theatre is only something for children is very wrong because here the great operas found in the repertoires of real opera houses are performed. World-class artists, especially stage-directors and designers, come back again and again to work for the Salzburg Marionettes.
  The Marionette Theatre has now been in existence for more than 90 years and has become world famous not only through its 160 annual performances in Salzburg but also through its countless international tours.

• After the opera transfer to the hotel.

Wednesday, December 27th:

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Transfer to the "old city".
• Transfer the Mönchsberg elevator to one of the most beautiful vantage points of the city.
• Visit of the Museum of Modern art.
• Lunch of your choice.
• Take a wonderful guided one hour tour through the Salzburg Residenz with welcome drink and a Mozart chocolate. The tour is followed by a short concert exclusively played for the visitors of our group.
• Visit of the "Viva! MOZART" exhibition. This major exhibition is one of the main highlights among the wide range of Mozart events that are held in 2006 in Austria. The exhibition focuses on the idea of throwing a birthday party for Mozart. Real and virtual adventure areas are created with the interior's decoration. The visitor can experience an interactive exhibition festival visually, virtually, acoustically and through animated techniques of presentation.
• Dinner at the St. Peter's "Stiftskeller", which is Europe's oldest restaurant, in existence since the year 803.
• After dinner listen to Mozart's piano works, presented by international soloists in the beautiful romanic hall of the St. Peter's monastery.
• Transfer to the hotel.

Thursday, December 28th:

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Transfer to the Mirabell place in the city.
• You will spend the day with Karin's friend and Salzburg Tour Guide Herta Gallée, who is a retired teacher. She speaks English and is a member of the Austrian American Society.
• Herta will show you wonderful surprises of historically important sites and Herta will do her best to explain to you some of Salzburg's rich history.
• Visit of the Schrannenmarkt (farmers market) in front of the Andrä church, where you will be able to enjoy a lunch of your choice. Karin recommends the delicious Bauernkrapfen (farmers doughnuts).
• You will visit the Mirabell palace, Mirabell garden, dwarf garden and baroque museum, University Mozarteum, the Mozart residence, Holy Trinity church, Loreto church (with the possible visit of the "Loreto-Kindl"=little ivory-made Jesus) and the St. Sebastian church.
• Herta will bring you to your hotel, where you will have a short time to freshen up.
• In the following (later afternoon) Karin will transfer with you to Herta's lovely private home in the country. There you will enjoy a festive traditional Austrian New Years dinner prepared by Karin from the freshest ingredients she will be able to get at the Farmers Market. Be delighted by the traditionally decorated Salzburg Christmas tree with candles, fruits and handmade ornaments. A lovely surprise Christmas gift will await you under the tree!
• Transfer to the hotel.

Friday, December 29th:

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Transfer to Cathedral place with escorted visits to Franciscan church (stylistically Salzburg's most interesting church), historic goldsmith's workshop, Georg Trakl memorial and research center, St. Michael church, Heimatwerk (folklore arts and crafts), Residenz fountain, the Cathedral and the Cathedral museum with the Cathedral treasure, art from the Salzburg archdiocese from the middle ages to the 19th century and the archiepiscopal art and curiosity chamber.
• Shopping with lunch of your choice. Karin recommends Bratwürstl (grilled sausages) with rye bread and mulled cider.
• Transfer to the hotel. Freshen up and relax.
• Dinner at the Hotel Sacher Restaurant "Salzachgrill".
• After dinner see the "Csárdásfürstin", an Operetta by E. Kálmán at the Salzburg Landestheater.
• Transfer to the hotel.

Saturday, December 30th:

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Transfer to the "old town" to Collegiate church.
• Escorted visit of the old Rathaus and visit of the Open Air Market where you will be able to enjoy a lunch of your choice. Karin recommends Käsekrainer (cheese-filled sausages) with some spicy mustard and fresh bread from one of the many Würstlstände (sausage-stands).
• Afternoon is free for shopping, visiting coffee houses, pastry shops, etc.
• Transfer to the hotel. Freshen up.
• In the evening transfer to the Mirabell palace to enjoy a dinner at the Mirabell/Sheraton and then a concert of Mozart's finest music in one of the most beautiful music halls in the Mirabell palace.
• Transfer to the hotel.

Sunday, December 31st, New Years Eve:

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Transfer to the "old town" to the Cathedral.
• Listen to the sacred music Missa di San Guiseppe by J. E. Eberlin.
• Some free time for lunch, relaxing at the hotel, etc.
• In the afternoon listen to the "end of year" celebration with works from W.A. Mozart: Ave verum, Te Deum, and others at the St. Peter's church.
• In the evening celebrate New Year's Eve at the Traditional New Years Eve Gala 2006 in the StieglKeller, just below the fortress:
  * 7:00 p.m.: Welcome drink at the Aussichtssterrasse (place from which a fine view over the city can be enjoyed).
  * 7:30 p.m.: enjoy a baronial six course dinner.
  * Music entertainment: from 7:30 on, the salon- & nostalgic orchestra "Thema Romantica" will play dinner music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and dance music by Johann Strauß.
  * Be entertained by an old European custom: Bleigiessen (lead casting). Melted lead will be poured into a bowl of water and everyone looks at their figures and finds meanings for the New Year in the shapes into which the lead hardens.
  * Shortly before midnight toast the New Year with champagne at the Aussichtssterrasse, while enjoying the Salzburg night view.
  * At midnight the New Year will be greeted with the ringing of the bells of the Cathedral and a huge fire work sparkling all over the city of Salzburg.
  * 0.30 a.m.: Dance to the music of Johann Strauß into the New Year!
  * 1.30 a.m.: End of the event.
  A detailed dinner menu will follow soon.
• Transfer to the hotel.

Monday, January 1st, 2007, New Years Day:

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Transfer to the "old town" to the Cathedral.
• Listen to the sacred music Krönungsmesse (Coronation Mass) by W.A. Mozart.
• Some free time for lunch, shopping, visiting art exhibitions, etc.
• In the afternoon listen to the "New Years Concert" by the Camerata Salzburg with Natalie Chee, director. They will play Mozart (Father and Son), Strauß (Father and Son).
• In the evening transfer to the Stiftskeller St. Peter for a Mozart-Dinner and -Concert in the magnificent baroque-hall. The Salzburger Mozart musicians are wearing historic costumes. What a beautiful way to end your vacation.
• Transfer to the hotel.

Tuesday, January 2nd, 2007:

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• If you fly from our recommended airport Salzburg that day, we will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport.
• Recommended departure from airport Salzburg to the airport of your choice. You will arrive in the United States the same day.
• If you choose to leave later than Sunday we can advise you as to prolong your stay to make your extended visit enjoyable.

NOTE:
If you would like to have a similar tour customized for you and a companion, your family, friends, employees, etc. (a minimum of two participants is needed), please contact us and we can organize this tour to your needs.

Cost of this Christmas/New Years Tour (#2) in Salzburg 2006:
$ 4,495 per person.

This price does NOT include:
• Airfare from the United States to Austria and back.
• All personal arrangements and expenses.

This price INCLUDES:
• Personal tour assistance and escort of your tour by your Tour Host Karin Winkler.
• All transfers as scheduled.
• Ten nights in a four star hotel in the city of Salzburg.
• Ten breakfasts at the hotel.
• One gourmet basket dinner.
• One traditional three course New Years dinner in a private home prepared by Personal Chef Karin (wine and soft drinks included).
• Lovely surprise gift.
• Seven restaurant dinners (drinks not included).
• New Years Eve Gala including entertainment and six course dinner (drinks not included, midnight Champagne included).
• Visit of the country village Oberndorf where the song Silent Night - Holy Night was composed.
• All private guided tours and admissions to points of interest as scheduled.
• Admissions to six sacred music concerts.
• Admission and train ride to the Fortress Hohensalzburg including Christmas shoot forth.
• Admissions to six classical concerts.
• Admission to the Operetta "Csárdásfürstin", by E. Kálmán at the Salzburg Landestheater.
• Admission to the Opera "The Magic Flute" by W. A. Mozart at the Salzburg Marionette Theatre.
• All service charges & taxes (gratuities not included).
• All additional services of your tour host as scheduled.

This itinerary is subject of change at any time and/or the sites included, should it be deemed necessary due to local conditions, time restrictions, or other circumstances.

Christmas tradition in Austria

It starts with the "Advent" season. Advent starts four weeks prior to Christmas Eve. On four subsequent Sundays the family joins around the traditional advent wreath (Adventkranz) which holds four candles. The first Sunday of Advent the first candle on the Adventkranz is lit and each following Sunday one more candle is lit to mark the advent of Christmas. Often this time is used for singing Christmas carols, reading stories, drinking tea or hot wine punch, baking cookies, making Christmas ornaments, etc.
An advent calendar (Adventkalender) features 24 little bags or windows that you can open one by one starting at the 1st of December. The bags contain little presents; the windows contain either images or chocolate. When you open the last window or bag Christmas Eve (December 24th) has arrived.
Children are asked to compose a list of wishes addressed to the 'Christkindl', which fetches all lists from the windowsill and leaves a small surprise present. During the Advent season Christkindlmärkte (markets) are open for shopping all over Austria.

December 5th and 6th are the days of "Krampus" and "Nikolaus". Krampus is the survivor of a pagan tradition that preceded Christianity and the word Krampus originates from the Old High German word for claw (Krampen). Traditionally, young men dress up as the Krampus and roam the streets frightening children (and adults) with rusty chains and bells. St. Nicholas (Nikolaus - Santa Claus) is the patron saint of children and he is widely honored throughout the country. He traditionally wears clothes like a bishop with a tall stick and a thick book in which the good and bad deeds of the children are recorded.

Most families in Austria also have a Krippe (nativity scene). Often these are hundreds of years old, treasured heirlooms handed down from one generation to the other. The Krippe may be set up before Christmas Eve, especially if it is an elaborate one.

Traditionally, on the 24th of December (Christmas Eve) - after Christmas Eve dinner is served, the Christkindl is the one that brings the children their presents. The "Christkindl also decorates the tree. The door to the room where the tree is decorated is locked and the window to this room is wide open so that the Christkindl can fly in and decorate the tree and leave the presents under the tree. For that a bowl with cookies is placed into the window so that the Christkindl can nibble on them while working. Austrian children do not see the decorated tree until the "Christkindl will ring a small bell on top of the tree and then departs through the open window again. The children wait anxiously for the bell to ring and then the door opens to the room and they see the beautifully decorated Christmas tree with all it's wax candles burning, sparklers, silver ornaments and candy and the beautifully wrapped gifts for everyone underneath. Each year's tree seems to be the most magical ever.
For every child this is such a wonderful surprise and the excitement is almost unbearable!
All the family gathers around the Tannenbaum and sings Christmas carols, especially "Silent Night, Holy Night", which was written and composed in Austria.

Baked carp or pork sausages with Sauerkraut are served for the traditional Christmas Eve dinner, but many other dishes are available too.

As midnight approaches, the family goes to the traditional Mitternachtsmette, the Midnight High Mass. In many churches, trumpeters climb up the church towers and trumpet forth Christmas music to call the faithful to worship.

Christmas Day, December 25th, is one of quiet celebration and happy reunions with relatives and friends and - as the fasting has officially ended - food is very important.

Here would be a sample of a typical Christmas Day menu:

Christmas Ham cornucopias filled with ham mousse (gefüllte Weihnachtsschinkenrollen), served with poppy seed breads (Mohnweckerln).

Clear broth with soup noodles (Nudelsuppe).

Viennese Style Pork Cutlets (Schweinsschnitzel Wiener Art), which are breaded pork cutlets, fried to golden perfection. They are the ne plus ultra of the Viennese cuisine.

Parsley potatoes, cranberry jelly and lemon wedges (Petersilkartoffeln, Cranberry Geleé und Zitronenspalten).

Red cabbage with chestnuts (Blaukraut mit Kastanien).

Viennese cucumber salad (Wiener Gurkensalat).

Viennese Christmas stollen (Wiener Weihnachtsstollen), which is a buttery cake with fruits, nuts and marzipan.

The rest of the day is happily spent with enjoyment of the presents.

After that, festivities do not really stop till New Year's Eve.

December 26, St. Stephen's Day, is a legal holiday from work and school and is a day set aside for visiting and vacationing.

Many Austrian families keep their Christmas tree until Epiphany, January 6. Epiphany remembers the Three Wise Men from the East who were looking for the newly-born Christ. Boys and girls in oriental costumes, the Sternsinger, move from house to house, singing traditional songs and receiving small gifts and money.

The History of Salzburg

Salzburg has a proud heritage as the capital and residential city of an ecclesiastical principality. Prehistoric findings have revealed that it is situated on ancient settlement soil whose civilization dates from the New Stone Age. The Romans founded a town they called Juvavum as the seat of a major administrative district located along an important military road which crossed the Salzach River. Foundations, mosaics and numerous artifacts were found throughout the old city districts.

After the chaotic mass migrations, a bishop named St. Rupert came to the area at the end of the seventh century and revived a monastic order, founded a convent on Nonnberg and became the founder of today's Salzburg. Under Charlemagne Salzburg became an archbishopric, sovereign over all of the Bavarian dioceses. The first cathedral erected by St. Virgil was one of the largest in the mighty Franconian Empire. The archbishops used their privileged positions as papal legates and primas germaniae to expand the archiepiscopal territory, ending in the 13th century, and had a decisive influence on the history of the Empire. The extension of the Cathedral, revealed by recent excavations, was a sign of their religious and secular power.

Many of the townspeople became quite wealthy as a result of the flourishing trade between Italy and Germany, the town, however, remained under the archbishop's rule. Whereas the archbishops of the Middle Ages were primarily involved in politics, their successors during the 17th and 18th centuries were mainly preoccupied with beautifying their residence. Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau, Markus Sittikus and Paris Lodron gave Salzburg the appearance it has today. Through Paris Lodron's clever diplomacy, the city was able to escape most of the hardships of the Thirty Years' War.

The city was further perfected through buildings designed by Fisher von Erlach. The turmoils of the Napoleonic Wars abruptly ended the long line of prince archbishops and Salzburg was secularized. After being passed back and forth, the city was finally given over to Austria in 1816. This not only resulted in complete political irrelevance but also in the loss of the most valuable objects of art. After emerging from a lengthy Rip van Winkle sleep, Romantic painters discovered the beauty of the city and its environs and made the city known throughout the world through their works. On a political basis Salzburg succeeded in regaining a certain independence in 1850 as a province of the monarchy with its own government and administration. This independence was to continue through the First and Second Republics. The establishment of the Salzburg Festival in 1920 was a decisive step towards the burgeoning of the city.

Above text courtesy of: Tourismus Salzburg GmbH, Auerspergstraße 6, A-5020 Salzburg