Austria & Germany: Salzburg - Part 2

After about six hours of solid sleep at the Marriott Aloft, the sun was up and we were ready for adventure. The buffet breakfast at the Aloft was 12 Euros each, and worth it. The staff were great, and I'd recommend this hotel for a Munich layover, [119 Eros.]
The train trip from Munich to Salzburg was about 1.5 hours, very easy, and we arrived before lunch. We set up an account on the DB Navigator app, and the ticket purchase was smooth. There is actually a great rate for seniors, once you indicate your advanced age. The price was reduced from 26 Euros to 17 Euros each, and the app indicated train # and platform #.
Arriving at the Salzburg train station, the distance to the Old Town is walkable, but we wanted to save our legs/feet for exploring. There were several bus choices, and once again, friendly English speaking folks helped us buy our tickets at the machines at the bus area. We used coins, i believe the fare was 1.80 Euros each. Tickets needed to be validated on the bus, and the ride is 10-15 minutes. For the Old Town, get off the bus at the first stop once you cross the river.
We stayed at the Hotel Am Dom, a RS recommendation , where I had been once before.The small pedestrian streets are somewhat a maze, and if you get to Mozart Plaza, you've gone too far. Using Google maps walking instructions, we finally made the correct turn and found the centrally located, very convenient hotel, which is a minute walk off the Plaza.
Outdoor lunch areas were easy to fund, and my husband had his first German beer of the trip. The weather was sunny but brisk, about mid-60's, as predicted.
Once refreshed, we went up to the Fortress, which offer a great view and orientation to the city. On the way to the Fortress, we found the cemetery [Sound of Music fame,] and the bakery by the water mill [yum!] Salzburg orientation is made easier by having the sheer cliff and Fortress on one side of the Old Town, and the river on the other. Our plan was then to walk the mountain to the Augustine beer garden, but no one could tell us how to access the path. I've done this before, I know it's not hard, but we couldn't figure it out. It's actually a delightful 40 minute top-of-the mountain walk, but hubby was impatient, so we came down the incline, and walked through the city to the beer garden. The beer garden has several options for food, with separate indoor vendors. Prices are extremely reasonable. Then, of course there's the draft beer! You have the choice of taking your refreshments to the indoor or outdoor seating areas. As we sat outdoors, we watched each waiter carry up to 14 mugs of beer [ 1.5 L a mug] - quite a feat!
We walked back along the river, which gives a great view of the Old Town and the Fortress, and passed very nice playgrounds for the young folks. Bikes are everywhere!
We napped, and finished the day at an Irish bar, of all places, that was quite collegial, as we explored the Old Town towards the left of Mozart square [ if facing the Fortress.]
Salzburg has lots of cute shops and street vendors on the plazas, but the shops close around 5:00pm, and are closed on Sundays, so plan accordingly. The sites are open Sundays.
First day was a success!