Salzburg, the city of Mozart, was a handy stopover for us rather than a destination for cycling. Or music. Or confectionery. (Mozartkugeln, ‘Mozart balls’, are the place’s famously kitsch celebration in spherical chocolate of the composer.)
I’ve been through the city a few times before, so didn’t feel the need to linger in the old town again.
Nevertheless, we did have a ball, thanks to riding a short section of the Mozart Cycle Route in the morning. It took us south of the city, past Hellbrunn Palace, and along classical Austrian landscapes of wide flat meadows crossed by smooth tarmac cycle paths, fringed by alpy mountains.
Mozart? Hmm. In scenery like this you’re more expecting Julie Andrews to descend singing favourites from Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals. Climb every mountain, ford every stream? Ms Andrews was clearly a keen MTBer.
Anyway, we returned north back to the city along the river, on a decent but not especially scenic waterside gravel path, in sunny weather with just a whisper of a friendly breeze. Soave sia il vento*.
(* ‘May the winds be calm’: a poignant farewell song in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, just before Guglielmo and Ferrando ride off into the distance on their bogus cycle-tour of Albania.)
