Salzburg, Austria

Salzburg is just around two hours from Munich, so after a day or two in the Bavarian capital, we figured a day trip was in order. As many probably know, Salzburg is Mozart’s birthplace — and it’s also where The Sound of Music was filmed.

Iris is a huge fan of musical plays and movies, so visiting felt like a no-brainer. She spent the day chasing down iconic scenes from the movie, camera in hand. I, on the other hand, had one mission: track down a proper Austrian schnitzel and a cold pint of beer.

The city isn’t as sprawling as some major European capitals, so we figured we’d cover most of it in a day. We didn’t, though — a brutal heatwave had other plans. Walking around under that kind of sun turns even short distances into a slog, and by midday we were more focused on finding shade than sightseeing.

Heat aside, the trip delivered exactly what we came for. Short, sweet, and satisfying — we headed back to Munich stuffed and thoroughly worn out.