Hmmm, referring to this as a Salzburg top 6 might be a bit of a misnomer. Only one thing listed is actually in Salzburg, but the others are all in the surrounding area, so it’s close enough.

6. Hellbrunn Palace-The most commercialized of my choices, but still a blast. Our tour guide was wonderful, and how could you not have fun when there were surprises waiting on every corner? We went in determined not to get doused by all the hidden sprinklers, but really, that’s half the experience.

The Palace itself is fun, if small, but the real selling point is the garden.

5. Hohenwerfen Castle- For starters Hohenwerfen Castle is visually stunning- this huge, sprawling tribute to a bygone era. Between the castle tour, the grounds, some amazing scenery (with a great vantage point from atop the mountain) and the falconry, there’s plenty to keep you busy. The first castle we visited was the Hohensalzburg, which I thought blew, but this one managed to retain its old-timey feel while still being a booming business with lots to offer… something that’s tough to do.

4. Golling Waterfall- We never made it to the big waterfall in Krimml (hopefully next time). In ways I’m glad though, because we’d never have gone to Golling. This waterfall is so cool. You drive up to what looks like someone’s house, park and look for a tiny sign that says ‘waterfall this way’. It looks unassuming and about halfway there you start wondering if it’s going to be worth the drive. Then you turn a corner and it’s like you’ve stepped right into the garden of eden… with everything lush & green & blue & perfect. It’s a hidden treasure. The only reason we decided to hit it was because we were staying in the next town over and it was on the way home… best surprise of the trip.

3. Grossglockner Hochalpenstraße- This is just a road… a long, beautiful twisty-turney super cool road. The great thing about it is the fact that there are stops built in along the way… interesting lookout points, fun playgrounds for kiddos, gift shops galore, restaurants, you name it. It’s an entire day of breathtaking views.

2. Eisriesenwelt- The ice caves are soooo cool. First off, they’re dark. You go in with carbide lanterns (every third person carries one) and that’s it. It’s dark, freezing, eerie, and way cool. Then your guide lights up the ice and it glows green or blue and lights the entire cave and you wish you could live there. Our guide was great too, letting us take pictures even though we weren’t suppose to and giving us tons of history on the cave. I knew I’d love it going in (come on, largest ice cave in the world, how could you NOT love it), but I didn’t count on the walk up to the cave being so beautiful. The entire experience was amazing.

1. Kehlsteinhaus- Known as the Eagle’s Nest to Americans. Hard to believe I didn’t think this would be much fun. Not trying to sound new-agey or anything, but I really found it to be a profound experience. First there’s the whole ‘Holy shit, Hitler once rode in this elevator I’m riding in and stood on this balcony I’m standing on’ moment… and that’s seriously the only downer. But you get up there and it’s all… mountains and sunbursts and clouds below and blue sky above, and… and… and you feel… I don’t know… separated from your experiences and all the bullshit of everyday life. It’s also so much quieter up there… you leave all the sights & sounds of real life below you on the bus and, well, literally feel like you’re perched in an eagle’s nest.

We walked out as far away from the house as we could and found the highest point and ignored the whipping winds and the warning of others that it was dangerous to climb the rocks, and scaled that baby. With the wind tugging at you and your vantage point and the clouds being soooooo far below you, let me tell you… it’s a memorable experience (as you can tell by the smile on my face in the final picture).

Finally, one honorable mention… we spent a day at the Königsee. It may not have made the top 6, but it sure was beautiful and well worth a visit:

On this day..

• Why me? - 2007