I AM TRAVELLING TO SULZBURG FOR A WEEKEND BREAK ON 02/11/01 STAYING AT THE 5 * CROWNE PLAZA, WITH DINNER BOOKED AT THE HOTELS RAINERSTUBE RESTAURANT, HAS ANYONE STAYED AT HOTEL AND CAN GIVE APPRAISAL. <BR>ANY RECOMENDATIONS ON BARS/RESTAURANTS , MUST DO SIGHTSEEING. <BR> <BR>REGARDS <BR>LEE WILLIAMS <BR>ESSEX <BR>ENGLAND

LEE!!!!!! <BR> <BR>Calm down and quit shouting (maybe your CAPS key is stuck). <BR> <BR>Deaf

Weather permitting, visit the fortress. Great view of the city. Don't remember the name but there is a nice restaurant across the square from Mozarts birthhome.

I personally don't like Crowne Plaza for its poor location & VERY BLAH surrounding. The interior is nice but you'll end up taking a taxi back & forth to the oldtown. <BR> Stick to local hotels inside the oldtown, you'll have a much better austrian experience. I always recommend 2 moderately priced hotels Hotel Elefant or Blaue Gans. My favorite restaurant is Alt Salzburg (service & food quality). Bars: Sternbrau on Getreidegasse(near Blaue Gans) and the bar behind Mozart's birthhouse (enter from the big square behind Mozart's birthhouse).

I think for the same money you would pay for the Crowne Plaza, you could stay at the Goldener Hirsch right on Getriedegasse, accross from Mozart's birth place. This hotel has more of the Austrian ambience that I think the Crowne Plaza would have.

If you go on a horse and cart ride, make sure you dont get the miserable git driving that we did. You can't hear what he's saying, he made no attempt to explain anything in english and then hung around expecting a tip.

Salzburg is beautiful and you are sure to have a great time. <BR> <BR>The fortress is very interesting, make sure you see the museums and have a good look around. We walked up there - it only took about 15 minutes but was very steep! <BR> <BR>There are some great day trips from Salzburg. We went to the Kings Lake which was absolutely stunning. But there are lots of other trips into the beautiful countryside. <BR> <BR>Apparently the monks brewery up on the hill is a good time, we didn't go up there but had good reports. <BR> <BR>Have a great trip.

We were in Salzburg last year and this. <BR>My conclusions after my third visit (life time) are these: the fortress on the hill is interesting if you are into history; Schloss Heilbrunn is interesting, particularly the squirting fountains; the Salzburg Marionetten Theater is fascinating; the Sound of Music tour I took was a rip off; and you can hear more good musicians on the streets than just about anywhere else. <BR> <BR>On the latter aspect of Salzburg, I followed my ears to 3 young men playing Rossini overtures on a bass balalaika, accordian, and mandolin. They were flying through La Gazza Ladra like it was programmed into their genes. <BR>They were good and standing there propped against an arch listening to their incredible virtuosity was one of the most memorable highlights of my visit.

Yes the Sound of Music Tour is somewhat of a rip off but take it anyway. <BR> <BR>This month's edition of the Wine Spectator magazine(25th Anniversary cover) has three page article on <BR>Salzberg. <BR> <BR>Have Fun!

Restaurant Recommendation: <BR> <BR>Peterskeller's -- supposedly the oldest restaurant in Europe. We had a delightful meal there -- the best goulash I've ever had. Monks also used to make wine there and they serve the wine in quite a funny looking contraption (think Dr. Kevorkian!) <BR> <BR>Can't give you an exact address but it is well known enough that your hotel could give you directions. (Trivia: Peterskeller means "Peter's Cellar" and that's what the restaurant is -- a cellar!)