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2005 Christmas Tour in Salzburg
Explore Christmas in Salzburg and Linz from December 23rd to December 31st
with your Tour Host, Karin Winkler, a Salzburg native and Personal Chef.
Please note: Tours are limited to six participants only!
$1,825 per person.
~~~As of today:
,
this tour still has 2 open places!~~~
Interested in this tour?
Please call (760) 366-2414 or
Join Karin on a unique traditional Christmas 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.
Then travel with Karin to the city of Linz in Upper Austria, a cultural jewel!
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 Christmas dinner for you in a private home amidst candles, fruit, handmade ornaments and a traditionally decorated Salzburg Christmas tree. A lovely surprise Christmas gift will await you there!
To assure each participant the best possible attention of your tour host, the tours are limited to six participants only. Please make your reservations now!
The Significance of Salzburg:
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 Christmas dinner for you, and to open your eyes to the beautiful city of Salzburg, you will also stroll through the famous Salzburg Christkindlmärkte.
Our itinerary has lots of adventures - visiting the fortress, castles and other historically significant places, dining in beautiful restaurants, visiting churches, museums, listen to sacred church music and have some time to relax in the lovely and comfortable Gästehaus (hotel) where you will stay. Our tour furthermore includes 3 classical concerts, a visit to the Stille Nacht - Heilige Nacht (Silent Night - Holy Night) museum in the country, ample time for shopping and enjoying traditional coffee and pastries in beautiful old coffee houses to take full advantage of the incredible surroundings.
We will travel by train to the city of Linz and visit significant places in this city full of cultural interests.
Please read and enjoy!
Thursday, December 22nd
- Recommended departure from your airport of choice to airport Salzburg, Austria.
- You will be in the new "old" world Friday.
Friday, December 23rd
- If you fly to our recommended airport Salzburg, we will pick you up and transfer you to your hotel.
- If you wish to arrive earlier than Sunday, we will advise you on how to meet up with your tour host at your hotel.
- Freshen up in your room.
- Enjoy a nice dinner in or near your hotel and then take a walk through the romantic, Christmas decorated, small streets of Salzburg.
Saturday, December 24th, Christmas Eve
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Transfer to the "old town" to Collegiate church.
- Stroll through the famous Getreidegasse and visit Mozart's birthplace.
- Visit of the old Rathaus and visit of the Open Air Market where you can 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).
- 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).
- After visiting the Cathedral place with the Christkindlmarkt you will have time to shop around.
- Transfer to the Mönchsberg, where you can listen to the Weihnachtsblasen (sounds of Christmas).
- Since most restaurants are closed this evening, you can enjoy a beautiful gourmet dinner basket prepared by Karin. Freshening up at the hotel.
- At about 9:30 PM we transfer to the Franciscan church, where you can watch the Christmette (Christ service) and listen to the sacred music.
- Then at 11:00 PM we will walk over to the famous candle lit St. Peter's cemetery and church and listen to the sacred music they will be playing there.
- These events in Salzburg are truly unforgettable!
- Transfer to the hotel.
Sunday, December 25th, Christmas Day
- Transfer to the St. Peter's church, where you will listen to:
Joseph Haydn (1734-1809): Nicolai-Messe.
Johann Ritter von Herbeck (1831-1877): Pueri concinite.
Franz Xaver Gruber (1787-1863): Stille Nacht (Silent Night, Holy Night).
- Transfer to the country village Oberndorf and visit to the Silent Night - Holy Night museum.
- Afterwards Karin will transfer you back to the city of Salzburg, where you can listen to the Weihnachtsgala, outstanding musicians and other top artists from Salzburg will be presenting Mozart's music in the "Gotischer Saal" (gothic room).
- Transfer to the hotel.
Monday, December 26th
- Breakfast at the hotel, free morning to relax or to go shopping or just strolling through the city.
- At 10:30 AM we will walk to the Mirabell place.
- There you will listen to the Advent-Matinée, Salzburg musicians, interpreting Music from Mozart, Paganini and others.
- After the concert we will walk through the Mirabell palace, Mirabell garden, dwarf garden and baroque museum.
- You will visit the 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.
- From there transfer to Hellbrunn. Visit the Hellbrunn palace, water gardens and (if weather permits) the Steintheater (stone-theater, where the first operatic performance on German-speaking soil was staged in 1617) and/or Monatsschlössl.
- There you might want to eat a nice lunch of your choice and then transfer back to the city.
- Transfer to cable railway to the Fortress Hohensalzburg.
- There you will participate in a dinner and concert in the magnificent Prince's Chamber of the Hohensalzburg Fortress with spectacular view of the city. This event will remain an unforgettable experience.
- Transfer to the hotel.
Tuesday, December 27th
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Transfer to the Cathedral place where you will visit the 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.
- Here you will also be able to visit the special exhibition: Engelsbilder (angels paintings).
- Christkindlmarkt with shopping and enjoy a lunch of your choice. Karin recommends Bratwürstl (grilled sausages) with rye bread and mulled cider.
- In the later afternoon you will transfer to a lovely private home in the country, where Karin will prepare a festive traditional Austrian Christmas dinner especially for you. Karin is also (besides being a tour guide) a Personal Chef specializing in new Austrian cuisine, usually working where she lives, in Joshua Tree, which is north of Palm Springs.
You will 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!
- Afterwards Karin will transfer you back to your hotel in the city of Salzburg.
Wednesday, December 28th
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Transfer to the "old city".
- Ride in a horse-drawn carriage (if weather permits) around town.
- You continue your tour of the city with visits of the Residenz State Rooms (former official chambers of the Salzburg prince archbishops), Salzburg Festival halls building, Pferdeschwemme, summer riding school building, toy museum and musical instruments, Blasius church, Trachtenmuseum (traditional costumes museum) and the museum Carolino Augusteum.
- For lunch Karin recommends the famous Bosna (sausages) in the Getreidegasse.
- Transfer to Mülln (part of the city) and visit the Müllner church.
- Visit the Augustiner brewery (a monastery brewery since 1621), where you pick a dinner of your choice. Karin recommends to choose from the elaborate buffet. She loves the hot Leberkäse with cut white radish and fresh bread.
- In the later afternoon transfer to the train station and travel by train about two hours to the city of Linz in Upper Austria. You take the tramway from the train station and go to the center of Linz where you will check into a charming traditional Austrian hotel where you will spend the night.
Thursday, December 29th
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- This is a great day to visit all the highlights of Linz:
The NEW CATHEDRAL
 (Austria's biggest church, built in Neo-gothic style with artistic windows and it's Rudigier's organ).
The St. MARTIN'S CHURCH
(one of Austria's oldest churches, mentioned for the first time in a document of the 8th century Roman finds, situated on the hill "Römerberg" next to the Linz castle).
The MAIN SQUARE
(one of the vastest and most beautiful squares in all the German-speaking area, Old Town Hall, many baroque facades, dominated by the Trinity Column).
The OLD CENTER
 (reminds of medieval days and reflects an important part of the city's history; it inspired W. A. Mozart to his Linz-Symphony).
The LANDHAUS
 (former seat of the landed estates - today seat of the Upper Austrian government - impressive Renaissance building).
The BRUCKNERHAUS
 (modern concert hall, situated in the park along the Danube - named after the composer Anton Bruckner).
The CASTLE
 (sitting on a rock high above the Danube - today it houses the provincial museum, famous for its major exhibitions).
The PÖSTLINGBERG
 (the town's landmark and vantage point, topped by a baroque pilgrimage church - uphill ride with one of the steepest trams in the world - land of fairytales set up in an old fortification).
The BOTANICAL GARDEN
 (it is one of the three European centers for succulents (cacti), displaying more than 1000 specimens - inviting rose garden and alpine flower garden - offers both information and recreation).
- In the later afternoon and evening visit to Lentos, the Museum of Modern Art, where you see the most interesting paintings of the museums collection, like Klimt, Schiele, Kokoschka and other highlights. There is also an exhibition about "pop art" with pieces of Warhol, Rauschenberg, Hockney, Paolozzi, Hamilton, Oldenburg, Christian L. Attersee und Kiki Kogelnik. Also works of the American artist Matt Mullican will be shown.
- Transfer to the hotel, where you might want to have dinner and spend the night.
Friday, December 30th
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Stroll through Linz and enjoy the New Years street market stands and the Farmers Market on the Main Square right in front of the hotel.
- In the later afternoon transfer to the train station and travel by train back to Salzburg, Austria.
Saturday, December 31st
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Transfer from your hotel to the airport.
- You will arrive in the United States the same day full with memories of an unforgettable experience...
This proposed 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.
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
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