A ten-minute train ride from Innsbruck, Hall is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful medieval cities in all of Tirol. And rightly so! Quiet, narrow cobblestone lanes weave around historic buildings painted in colorful pastels and enclosing you in what feels like an archaic maze. You wander the streets finding cute shops tucked around every corner, while the alps in the distance peak through each opening of light between neighboring buildings. The place is magical, for sure. 

If you're staying in Innsbruck and decided to visit Hall, you made a good choice! Old Town is relatively small and can be explored quickly, but it's definitely worth checking out. From Innsbruck, you can take the train to Hall for about 7 Euro roundtrip. However, if you buy the Innsbruck card, you can take a bus for free. Make sure to ask where to pick up the bus when you buy your card. There are a few different stops so one may be easier for you than another. If you arrive by train, head straight out of the station and turn right once on the main road. Old Town is only about a 10 minute walk and will be on your left-hand side. You'll spot Restaurant Augustiner Brau Keller on the main street- take the next left up a cobblestone street and it will lead you right into Old Town. 

Once you get up the narrow little hill, it opens up into Pfarrplatz, the main square. St. Nikolaus Church is the main attraction here and it's magnificent. This is the center of Old Town and really a great spot to take a step back and take it all in. Rathaus Cafe sits across from the church right in the square and is a great place to stop, have a cappuccino and people watch. If you're past caffeinated beverages at this point in your day, go straight for the Aperol Spritz. Like I mentioned before, Hall is a very small place to explore, so take your time enjoying your surroundings and don't put pressure on yourself to rush. Here are a few suggestions for the rest of your day once you're ready to start exploring:

Pfarrkirche St. Nikolaus

Located right in Pfarrplatz, you can't miss Pfarrkirche St. Nikolaus. Even from outside the square, the steeple surpasses its neighboring structures and demands your attention. Inside isn't much different. Originally constructed in the 13th century, the church underwent a restoration when affected by an earthquake in the 17th century. Although the restoration was done in Baroque style, the church uniquely houses a collection of skulls and bones from minor saints. Known as Waldaufkapelle, the skulls sit upon cushions and wear headdresses. It's interesting, to say the least.

Munze Hall

Back in the day, Hall was more of a city with a booming economy than the quiet village it is today. Salt production was continuing to grow with the population and the royal mint was moved to Hall in the 15th century. Today, you can visit the mint museum and tower, locally known as the Munze Hall. I suggest buying the combined mint museum and tower ticket, which is 11.50 Euros. If you have an Innsbruck card, the entrance is free! The museum offers detailed information on the embossing process and houses a replica of the machinery used in earlier times. Audio guides are provided and there is even a film played in the museum, covering the history of the Taler (the coin produced and distributed). Don't forget to head up the spiral staircase of the tower at the end of your tour to overlook the village and get some great photos! It's really cool seeing the town from a different perspective! If you'd prefer to skip over the museum, you can always just buy a ticket to the tower for 5.50 Euros. And if the tower doesn't interest you, but you're all about the museum, entrance cost is 8.50 Euros.

St Magdalen's chapel

Dating back to the 1300s, St. Magdalen's Chapel displays a Romanesque style and was originally used as a cemetery chapel. Today, it is dedicated to fallen soldiers. You can find the chapel alongside St. Nikolaus Church and access it through the entranceway from Pfarrplatz or a nondescript covered stairway from the narrow cobbled lane leading up to the main square. The chapel is a quiet spot for admiring frescoes and stained glass or simply a place for reflection.

Jesuitenkirche

The Jesuitenkirche was founded in 1571 and was originally constructed for the Order of the Jesuits. It has since undergone a few renovations, with it's most recent leaving the church an example of the Baroque style. The crisp white walls contrast the gold accents beautifully, making the lavish trim really pop. Also elaborately decorated is the high altar, which contains an altarpiece from 1609. Although the inside is beautiful, don't forget to check out the courtyard- equally gorgeous!

Bergbau museum mining museum

Considering that Hall has a history rich in mining, you can only expect there would be a whole museum dedicated to this. The Bergbau Mining Museum sits right in Old Town and is super informative in the mining process and procedures. It also contains the tools that would have been used hundreds of years ago. In addition to giving visitors a well rounded understanding of what a life of mining entailed, a replica of the Halltal Valley Salt Mine allows visitors to jump bavck in time and experience it for themselves. 

It’s no secret that any "Old Town" in a medieval European city is most likely going to be swamped with tourists. Cobblestone streets, historic buildings, intertwining alleys leading to quaint shops and cafes with outdoor seating- it's the perfect area for out of towners looking for an authentic experience. Innsbruck is no different. A beautiful place that although the times have changed, a corner of town still remains left behind in earlier days. People come from all over and swarm in the Marktplatz, gawking at their surroundings while nearby cafes fill up with tourists looking to people watch and sit amongst history and culture. Although this romantic notion is one of my own favorites, it can get exhausting at times and stepping away from the crowds seems almost necessary. Whether youre looking to escape the crowds, explore a new area of town orrr just wanting to find incredible eats, check out these 4 under the radar places listed below. Close enough to walk from Old Town, but far enough that English menus aren't displayed on the tables, these places are gems definitely worth a visit!

Immerland

Known for their waffles, Immerland is the place to go for an awesome breakfast that won't break the bank! Delicious food, cute cafe, incredible service and cheap prices- what could be better? Nothing. Seriously, the answer is nothing. Take Maria Theresa Street up from Old Town to the Triumphal Arch. The road then turns into Leopoldstrasse. Follow this until just shy of Wiltener Platzl and you'll find Immerland on your left hand side. With under 10 tables inside, and just a few outside, the place gives off a cozy teahouse feel. Mismatched tables and chairs add to the funky style while pillows and cushions thrown atop random seats emphasize a relaxed and comfortable vibe. Homemade cakes are displayed on the countertop, while teacups of varying shapes and sizes stare back at you from above the espresso machine behind the counter. The walls are decorated with maps and wooden pallet-like shelves housing old teakettles and bottles, tying into the teahouse feel.

If the mention of waffles got your attention, scan over the checklist on your table for toppings and start marking away! I couldn't resist a waffle with fresh fruit and belgian chocolate. And of course they topped it with a wonderful amount of powdered sugar too. Benjamin was feeling sweet anddd savory, so he opted for a waffle and a dish of eggs and bacon. I definitely recommend this if you're a savory breakfast person- he didn't stop talking about the bacon for two days. The restaurant prides itself on using fresh, local ingredients and you can defineitely taste the difference! In addition to waffles and egg dishes, Immerland also has a variety of bread and spreads- including avocado coco-cream- WHAAAAAT?! Still mad I didnt try this. 

But yeah, the food and ambiance is pretty freaking stellar! And what makes it even better, (..I know- it's already too good) but the staff is incredible too! When we initially walked in and realized there weren't any English menus on the table, we were a bit hesitant. Even though we immediately loved this and knew we found a great spot, we really try to avoid being the toursits that expect or need special attention. Luckily, this wasn't the case at all. Our server was quick to bring over English copies of the menu checklist for us and didn't even seem bothered at all. (Phew!) Not sure if they were freshly printed for us, but considering how welcoming and sweet she was, I wouldn't be surprised. She went out of her way to talk to us, telling us about their use of quality ingredients and just really made our experience all the more enjoyable.

Pizza Crocodiles

It doesn't matter where I am in the world, pizza always somehow becomes a "must have" meal for me. Innsbruck was no different. Pizza Crocodiles is located right off of Maria Theresa Street, tucked down a side alley just before you see The Breakfast Club. Upon entering, a giant pizza oven sits behind a glass case, separating customers and pizza genius, and giving the feel of a real New York pizzeria. Empty pizza boxes are stacked high atop the glass shelf waiting to be stuffed with fresh, piping hot pies and taken home to be devoured. With an indoor-outdoor concept, a wall opens up, allowing a few tables from outside to flow into a small, casual eat-in area. We sat alongside a table of locals playing dungeons and dragons while feasting on their pizza and sipping on beer, which I couldn't help but love. The restuarant has no wifi, no English menus and is pretty much the real deal.

Being the intelligent people we are, we decoded the word "fungi" and ordered our mushroom pie. No idea what else was on it, but there were other words in the description. (Looked and tasted mostly like mushroom though). Either way, it was delicious! Nice crisp, thin crust, but still chewy in the right places! They even cut it in half and served us each a plate with half a pizza on it. A lot of Europeans eat their pizza with a fork and knife so of course, we stuck out each cutting our half pie into triangle slices, folding each piece over and shoveling it into our mouths with our hands. Hey, I'm from Jersey- I can't help it. Our pizza disappeared within minutes, washed down with delicious beverages, an Aperol spritz for me and a Zipfer beer for Ben. 

Kater Noster Cafe & Bar

Whether you're looking for a pick me up, coffee orrr stiff drink, Kater Noster Cafe & Bar is the place to go! This place has an awesome ambiance and it's a great spot to recharge. If you work remotely, don't forget to bring your computer. I had originally planned on doing a little bit of writing and ended up loving the space so much I stayed for three cappuccinos. The front windows open up like a wall, letting natural light in and brightening up the mid-century decor and adding fresh air into the cafe. Seating consists of a mix of shelf-like benches and stools, comfy armchairs and unique loftlike jungle gym type spots with pillows thrown about. With its minimalistic style, but fun setup, this place is just really cool.

The bar itself is full service and is as nice to look at as it is to drink at. The back wall, covered with a backsplash of white subway tiles contrast beautifully against the assortment of liquor bottles and garnish jars. They serve food as well, which I'm bummed we didn't get to try. I'm assuming its got to be dynamite though. There only seemed to be one person working while we were there, but that wasn't a problem at all. Server, barista, bartender, she did it all. And super friendly too! 

Olive

This is the place to go for a vegetarian dinner. Although Ben and I aren't strictly vegetarian, we love healthy, veggie-packed meals. And after eating typical Austrian food for a week, we were very ready for something that didn't weigh us down. It's located right across the street from Immerland, down Maria Theresa Street. We actually noticed it when we came out for breakfast and knew we had to give it a try.

We got in without a reservation, but it was a Monday, so if you plan to head over during a weekend evening, maybe call ahead. The place is small and cozy, making our dinner feel more intimate, which I thought was nice. We started with two soups, one sweet potato, and the other cauliflower and they were honestly the highlight of the dining experience. Absolutely DELICIOUS. So many flavors going on and the homemade pumpkin seed bread/tortilla/cracker thing (It's a good thing I'm not a food critic..) that came alongside the soup was pretty killer too. For our mains, we shared a vegetarian burger and something similar to a veggie quesadilla. Instead of a tortilla though, it was more of a crisp cracker shell. The burger was nothing like I had expected and was actually layered vegetables that had been roasted and placed in between a bun with a thick slab of feta. So obviously it was drool-worthy. The quesadilla type dish was really good as well. Sauteed vegetables and a mild melted cheese that complimented the vegetables without overtaking the dish. I loved the nice crunch that the cracker-like shell provided.

As you can probably guess from my excellent food descriptions, nothing was in English. Our server was helpful and thankfully translated as much as she could for us, but we still had no idea what to really expect.  We were just grateful that she gave us the time and made us feel super welcome. Although we sat in the dining room, the first room has a bar top, which I love taking advantage of when I'm traveling alone. 

Although the food and ambiance were amazing in each of these places, the part that probably blew me away the most was the incredible customer service. As English speakers with zero knowledge of German, we really didn't expect everyone to be as overly friendly and helpful as they were. I actually couldn't believe how accepting everyone was. Not only did they all take the time to explain the menu, but they each went out of their way to ask us where we're from or start a small conversation. 

Salzburg: the land of Mozart and struedels. We spent 3 days total in Salzburg, which I feel gave us a good amount of time to really enjoy the city. Ideally, we may have added another day though. If you're like us, you fall in love with European cities very quickly and always wish you had more time. Regardless, if you only have 24 hours, squeezing in Salzburg is totally worth it! There's so much to see and the city really is gorgeous. Visiting the castle and Salzburg Cathedral are not included in this itinerary although they are both extraordinary and worth a visit if you have time. Feel free to swap out any sites and make this itinerary your own. There is no way you can fit everything into 24 hours, but this list puts together a bunch of sites and things to do in an efficient order, maximizing your time and giving you a full and well rounded experience. Although I love museum hopping,I think sometimes it can become a bit exhausting. And let's be honest, you never remember all the things you saw or read about, so although the following itinerary may seem like it's not including the most popular sites, it will leave you with a more memorable experience. From visiting Mozart's birthplace and lunching on a mountaintop to cheersing with locals in a centeries old biergarten, this list gives you the real Salzburg! Enjoy!

If you don’t have time to read the article, here’s the short list:

TO DO / SEE:

• Salzburg Card

• Mozart's Birthplace

• Untersburg

• Schloss Hellbrunn

• Salzburger Marionettentheater

WHERE TO EAT / DRINK:

• Café Bazar

• Augustinerbrau

• Hotel Sacher bar

Morning

Aim to leave the house by 9AM to shoot over to Café Bazar for breakfast. This place has an awesome location along the river so sitting outside is definitely ideal. The patio seems to fill up quickly and stay pretty packed so if you’re leaving later than 9AM, keep this in mind. Like a lot of places in Austria, pastries aren’t always listed on the menu. Make sure to take a look at the glass case inside as to not miss any goodies. 

Once you finish breakfast, head across the river to the ticket office at Getreidegasse 5. Here, you’re going to buy yourself a Salzburg Card. The Salzburg card costs 28 Euro for 24 hours and will cover museum and local attraction entrance fees, bus and tram transportation, and even discounts for concerts and local shows. If you're planning on staying in Salzburg longer, they also offer the Salzburg card for 48 and 72 hours as well. Take a look at their site here to see what you may want to attend and how many days is right for your stay. 

After picking up your Salzburg card, head a couple doors down to Getreidegasse 9, Mozart's Birthplace. It's nice getting here early while it's still relatively empty. Spend some time wandering around the house and learning about Mozart's family and upbringing. His childhood violin is located here, which is really cool.. the lock of hair however.. is a little weird. The place is fun to explore though and filled with loads of interesting information. 

Grab some sandwiches over at BackWerk, which is nearby or another takeaway lunch spot and head over to the Rathaus bus stop, just down the street a bit. Look out for Bus 25 and take it all the way down to the last stop, Untersburg. Don't forget that your Salzburg card covers bus fare, so just jump on and grab a seat. You don't have to show the driver your card. Just make sure to have it in an easy to access spot in case you're asked to show it. 

Afternoon

Once you arrive at Untersburg, walk up to the cable car building and head up to the mountain! Again, your Salzburg card covers the cost, so just use the card as your ticket to get on. Without the Salzburg card, the cable car roundtrip cost comes to 24 Euro. So with the Mozart Birthhouse, the bus fare andddd the cable car cost, the Salzburg card has already paid for itself. The ride up the mountain is about 8 minutes and it's absolutely gorgeous! Try to get a spot facing out the front or back of the car if you can. If not, just try for a window view and have your camera ready. 

You'll arrive at the top and be immediately blown away by the view. You can even see Salzburg castle in the distance, which is awesome. Take some time to go off and explore. There are several trails you can take, some quoted at just over an hour, others ranging from 3-5. Two peaks are within a short walk that you can easily summit. The one is literally right behind the restaurant and accessible by steps. The other is a bit further and not as easily obtained. When you're ready, find a good spot and enjoy your takeaway lunch with a view! The restaurant on-site serves traditional, homemade Austrian meals if you'd prefer to order something instead. They also have beer and hot chocolate. Those are two that I'm sure of :) Paragliding is also available on the mountain if you're interested. Of course, if you're visiting in colder months, check out the snowboarding and skiing options.

Head back down the mountain whenever you're ready and jump on the same Bus 25. Since it's the last stop, you don't have to worry about which direction the bus is heading. Just simply walk down to where it dropped you off and wait for it to return to the same spot. Instead of taking the bus back into town, get off at Schloss Hellbrunn. This was a summer residence of an Archbishop in the 17th Century. A lot of people know it as a filming location from the Sound of Music film though. Or am I the only Sound of Music nerd out there? But anyway, the place is pretty cool in its own right. The gardens are free to roam and locals seem to have picnics or ride bikes through the property. For those of you that were excited when I mentioned Sound of Music, Sixteen Going on Seventeen was filmed in a gazebo constructed here. Although the gardens are free to roam, your Salzburg card covers the cost of the trick fountain tour, which is not open to the public. The tour is awesome and unlike any other tour I've ever been on. Turns out the Archbishop had trick fountains designed and situated throughout the grounds for his own amusement. He would have them turned on periodically, surprising guests and probably infuriating the lot of them. That's pretty much how the tour goes as well. So best tuck your camera away and keep an eye out for potential water surges. It's good fun and no one gets too wet though.

Evening

Since you're heading back to town in the same direction, again grab the same Bus 25. Change to Bus 4 towards Liefering at Mirabellplatz. Take Bus 4 to Landes-krankenhaus and use the GPS on GoogleMaps to guide you the last few blocks to Augustinerbrau for dinner. The biergarten is incredible, so make sure to score a spot outside. Everything is self service here. There are loads of different stalls selling food, both inside and outside, and the beer is poured outside under the stairs. It's definitely a two trips kind of place: one for beer and another to wander around looking at the different food options and deciding what to eat. Don't forget to "warm" your beer stein before handing it over to be filled. (You're just rinsing it out). The envirnoment here is truly authentic and it's just a really fun time. People seem to camp out for hours enjoying the company of friends and strangers alike! Feel free to hang out soaking in the Austrian culture (and beer) or, if you're ready to move on, head out. 

If it's before 7:30PM, head to the Salzburger Marionettentheater for a puppet show, a must while you're in Salzburg! I suggest buying tickets ahead of time and keeping an eye on the time while at Augustinerbrau if you plan on definitely going. Otherwise, show up early and hope they have some open seats. From Augustinerbrau, turn right out onto the main road, Mullner Hauptstrasse. Follow it until you can cut down to the trail alongside the river and then cross the bridge. Head straight to the first street, Schwarzstrasse and hang a right. Walk for about 5 minutes until you reach Salzburger Marionettentheater. 

Before heading home after your show, swing by the Hotel Sacher bar for a sacher torte and a nightcap. The hotel is basically across the street from the theatre, and the sacher torte is famous throughout Austria. 

Well now you have officially completed a fully packed day in Salzburg! Again, feel free to swap out things that don't fit your ideal day. And don't forget, your Salzburg card is good for 24 hours, starting when you first used it- so if you did end up getting a later start or wanted to catch an early bus the next morning, make sure to swipe your card for those savings!