For our free day, most of us decided to take a trip to Salzburg, Austria. Since we were already traveling through Germany, it felt like an easy and exciting opportunity to visit another country. A lot of us also wanted to see the famous “Sound of Music” scenery and experience Salzburg’s natural beauty. Planning the day took some coordination, since we had to figure out who was going, what time we would leave, and how we would spend our time once we got there.
We left early this morning around 8:00 AM and arrived in Salzburg around 11:00 AM after a train ride that took about three hours. The ride itself was one of my favorite parts of the day because we were finally able to slow down. After a week of constant movement, it was nice to sit on the train, look out the window, and watch the Alps and countryside pass by.
Once we arrived, we first visited Mirabell Palace. The gardens and fountains were really beautiful, and it was a nice way to start exploring the city. From there, we crossed a bridge filled with love locks and walked through the main streets. I also bought a print from a local artist, and it was cool to see him actually making watercolor prints right in front of us. I got one for myself and one for my mom.
After that, we stopped at a café called Lemonade Plus, where I got a matcha served in a soda can, which was really unique. From there, the group split up. Some people went hiking to see more of the Alps, while a few of us stayed in the city to explore.
We walked through Salzburg’s shops and streets, and I also had a grilled hot dog from a small stand, which was really good. Later, we took an incline up the mountain, which cost about 15 euros and gave us incredible views of the Alps. At the top, we had dessert together, including apple cake, chocolate cake, and tiramisu. It was a really simple moment, just sitting together, eating, and taking in the view.
After coming back down, we explored a bit more, crossed the river again, and did some last-minute shopping before heading back to the train station around 5:00 PM. The ride back to Augsburg felt more relaxed, and once we arrived, some of us met up with the German students one last time to hang out and say really say goodbye.
Looking back, the day felt different from the rest of the trip because there was no set schedule. It gave me a chance to appreciate the people I traveled with, the places we had seen, and how much we had experienced in such a short time.