September/October

The end of the summer brings with is a certain air of relief. The excitement of the annual Salzburg Festival has subsided. The days have begun to get shorter, the light is softer and the colours more intense. The mornings and evenings can be crisp, even though daytime temperatures are still pleasantly warm. At the end of August people begin to talk of the traditional Altweibasommer [lit. old ladies' summer (Indian summer)]. Reference is supposedly made to the spiders’ webs (reminiscent of the grey hairs of an old lady) that create a mystical atmosphere when they float about in the autumn light.

Although there are still plenty of short-stay guests in the town, the place is far quieter again. The schools go back at the start of September in Salzburg, and the new seasons are ready to begin in the theatres and concert halls. The magic inherent in this new beginning is in the air, as the locals once again resume their everyday routines of the academic year.

This is the time of the harvest festival celebrations and of the parish fairs still commonly held in the rural areas around Salzburg. Large markets have traditionally been held in the autumn and used to meet, greet, and mingle in both a business as well as romantic sense. Little has changed, as can be seen at the Rupertikirtag around the 24 September. Saint Rupert is the patron saint of Salzburg Province, children have time off school and the whole of Salzburg is on its feet for a visit to the Rupertikirtag fairground in the Old Town of Salzburg. The nostalgic rides have remained the same for decades, and many people gather there in traditional costume: Dirndls and Lederhosen.

Another special seasonal event every September is the traditional Almabkehr: Salzburg’s Almkanal is an extraordinary water supply system diverting water from the Berchtesgadener Königsseeache into the heart of the town of Salzburg. Built in the 12th century, the centrepiece of the preserved construction is the ‘Stiftsarmstollen’ tunnel, running through the Mönchsberg. It is the oldest water supply tunnel in central Europe. It has been providing water to the city for over 860 years. Each year in September, the water is drained for cleaning purposes and guided tours of the tunnel are available for visitors.

October is often a golden month: a stable high-pressure zone at this time of year provides plenty of sunshine and pleasant temperatures. It is the most beautiful time hiking, and the town is steeped in rich autumn colours. Autumn storms whirl the fallen leaves through the lanes and children find great joy in playing with the shiny conkers. Outside Salzburg Congress, the dense canopy of the sycamore trees in the Kurgarten park gradually begins to thin out while taking on all the seasonal reds, browns and yellows. The hustle and bustle in the lanes of the Old Town quietens down: the fountains are clad with wood or glass and the restaurant and pub gardens are winter-proofed. On 26 October (Austria’s National Liberation Day), the first snow may find its way into the town – but this is an eventuality Salzburg is well prepared for, since all the emergency vehicles in the city are serviced for the winter months in mid-October.