Salzburg: the Mozart tourism trap and the mountain alternative

Salzburg's old town is small and its Mozart sites are modest; a half day covers it, and the costumed concert sellers on Getreidegasse are pushing overpriced shows. Spend the saved time outside: the Untersberg cable car gives an Alpine summit 20 minutes from the center, the Salzkammergut lakes (Hallstatt, St. Wolfgang) are an hour away by bus or train, and the fortress is best reached by walking up rather than the funicular. Hallstatt itself is tiny; go early or late.