On Wednesday we put together a photo montage of some of our favorite things about Salzburg’s Christmas markets, so today we offer “some more of our favorite things” about Vienna’s Christmas markets.

(Cue: music!)

Brown paper packages (and puppets and ornaments) tied up with string…

Photo courtesy of tttaaaooo

**Tip: Be sure to pick up a Mozart-themed tree ornament, of which there are many.

Cream colored (Ok, so he’s brown.) ponies and crisp apple streudels…

Photo of the Christmas mini-horse by PaulaFunnell

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes…(but we’ll settle for boys in parkas)-

Ice skating at Town Hall; photo by Premshree Pillai

Snowflakes (stenciled into fancy decorations) that stay on my nose and eyelashes…

Photo of holiday lamps courtesy of Edi Weissmann

Silver white winters that melt into spring…

Photo by mosint

Ooooh.

Photo of Vienna’s Townhall by ahisgett

Ahhh.

Photo taken in front of Schonbrunn Palace, by tomanthony

Fancy!

These are some more of our favorite things!

(Repeat all verses.)

The post Vienna Christmas Markets: More of our favorite things appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Note-worthy souvenirs

Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, is home to numerous music festivals, classical concerts, and innumerable musical performances.

The Slazburger Festspiele (Salzburg Festival), from late July to the end of August, is the year’s biggest musical celebration. Events take place daily in locations around the city and music ranges from the delicate and regal sounds of the pianoforte to the more pedestrian picks of the electric guitar. And, drum roll… all the programs have, err, programs! Take a few home so you’ll never forget the sounds of Salzburg.

You can also grab copies of concert schedules, guides, flyers, and pamphlets inside the Schloss Mirabell palace as well as in the Domplatz (Cathedral Square).

Cheapo tip: Don’t forget to take note of the unique street musicians in Salzburg. Most artists sell their own CDs for less than €10.

While you’re at it…

Rock some Amadeus! Take home a few Mozartkugal chocolate balls. First concocted in 1890 by Paul Fürst, the kugal is a ball of green pistachio marzipan covered in a layer of nougat, then dunked in dark chocolate. Das ist sehr lecker! Fürst has four confectionaries located around Salzburg. Ten pieces cost $12 USD.

Photo above by LinksmanJD; A kiosk advertises musical concerts in Salzburg.

The post Salzburg cheap souvenir: Music programs appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

While tours through travel agencies could cost you anywhere from €10-20 or more, there are a slew of easy-to-navigate walking tours available for free on-line.

Free Mozart walking tour-

Our favorite walking tour comes courtesy of the Vienna Tourism Board. Retracing the Footsteps of a Genius: A Mozart Walk, is available for free as a downloadable PDF file.

The tour kicks off at The House of the Teutonic Order, where Wolfgang got his start after leaving Salzburg for the big city. The trek continues with visits to mainstays like Mozart’s deathplace at 8 Rauhensteingrasse, a building which now houses a department store, and the memorial to Mozart in Burggarten. Make sure you snap some photos of the noble sculpture of Amadeus here, especially if you visit during warmer months when the floral landscape is in full treble-clef bloom!

The Vienna Tourism Board’s tour ends with an optional second tour (also available in the PDF format) of Schonbrunn and its surroundings.

South of the Ring Vienna tour-

And, if you still can’t get enough of Mozart’s Vienna, try Frommer’s “South of the Ring” tour. This walk, while not all about Amadeus himself, does pass some of his old haunts and eventually leads you to Freihaus and the Theater an der Wien, where Mozart’s “Magic Flute” first premiered.

Also see: Our recommended budget hotels in Vienna.

The post Vienna: Free Mozart walking tour appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.