One of Europe’s most beautiful cities, Salzburg also has plenty to offer in the way of dining, music and unusual entertainment. The birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart takes its musical legacy seriously, and an excellent way to celebrate it is with a Mozart Dinner Concert. Held in the Baroque Hall of St. Peter Monastery in Salzburg’s oldest quarter, the dinner of traditional recipes is served by candlelight. Menu highlights include dark St. Peter’s bread, roasted breast of chicken glazed with red wine and stuffed with herbs, fresh vegetables from the monastery garden and a chilled dessert of honey parfait with fruit sauces. The magnificent setting with its grand frescoes, stucco and gilded edges is dreamy enough, but the addition of musicians in period costumes completes the Mozart fantasy. The program, performed in three parts between courses, includes arias from The Magic Flute, Don Giovanni and The Marriage of Figaro. Musicians are graduates of the renowned University Mozarteum Salzburg.

Salzburg translates to salt castle, and the city’s ancient ties to salt commerce can be explored at the fascinating Salz Welten just outside of town. The underground mining complex and its vast network of tunnels where salt was extracted make an excellent daytime diversion. Along with a video-enhanced trail that tells the story of Salzburg’s salty past, visitors are transported by a subterranean barge across a wide cave lake, and have the option to make their way to lower levels via a smooth wooden slide. Not far from the mines, the world’s largest glacial cave, the Eisriesenwelt, is open for tours during warmer months. First entered in 1879, the cave lies within the Tennen mountain range, and is accessible by a steep, twisting alpine path or by funicular. Within, a lighted ice pathway leading to magical chambers including Odin’s Chamber, Alexander von Mork Cathedral and Thrym Hall make the journey worth the effort.