Although we had visited the Hohensalzburg fortress on our first day in the city, we had to go back up again to see the city covered with snow. We were very lucky; the funicular opened up for the first day after its annual maintenance shutdown, and we didn't have to walk up. There was enough snow for snowmen, snow angels, and snow ball fights.

On our last couple of trips to Salzburg, we have stayed at the Blaue Gans, right on Getreidegasse in the heart of the Old City. This is a great location for any traveler to Salzburg, but it's really nice for student groups. It's safe, close to all the sights, has very little traffic, and provides a place for students to wander without fear of getting lost.

St. Peter's Churchyard is always beautiful, but in the snow it takes on even more magical aura. I wonder if the city of Salzburg hires folks to walk around in Lederhosen to provide atmosphere, or do people really prefer to wear them? I was shocked to see the price tags on them in the store windows!

Again this year, we decided to take a day trip to Berchtesgadenerland so that the students could visit one of the salt mines and we could take a trip on the Konigssee out to the St. Bartholomae monastery. At the end of the trip each year, we do a survey to determine which acitivities should be changed for the next trips; the Konigssee consistently ranks as one of the favorites of all our travelers.