You cant pronounce the rolling R’rrrs and that’s okay.
You’re fresh off the boat and chances are you’re not so confident in your spoken German just yet. Even if you are, the experience of engaging with a local in full-blown dialect while occasionally looking over your shoulder for the friend who should have been your exit strategy 10mins ago can leave you feeling slightly crowd-avert. That said, the advantage of finding a watering-hole where you can confidently expand your social circle at your own pace can really take the edge off the new-speaker mindset. Below, and in no specific order, you can find 3 spots in Salzburg where you’ll have no trouble finding other native English speakers.
Salzburg is a relatively small city, but it can be intimidating for solo travelers or incoming students alike. Whether its the starting point of a night-out, or strategic pit-stop on your way through to the next location, the Irish bars are the English speaker’s safe haven – Guinness fan or not.
Celtic Spirit
The Celtic Spirit has a great selection of drinks and also offers some small food items. The staff are knowledgeable, and are mostly native English speakers, so take the opportunity to get to know them – chances are they’re studying too. You’ll feel cozy in the the seating area and as the night progresses the music will be turned-up, so be prepared for some English “golden oldies”.
The great thing about Celtic Spirit is that it’s nestled between a selection of other student hot-spots such as “Schnaitl” (where Mittwoch is always Schnittwoch – drink discounts for students), as well as Alchemist Belge, who also hosts a nicely sized international crowd, all happening 50m off the Linzergasse. It’s one of Salzburg’s latest opening bars, so there will be plenty of time to try a Baby Guinness.
O’Malleys
It’ll take all of 10 mins at O’Malleys untill you’re mouthing along to “Lemon Tree” while happily scanning the room for someone else who also doesn’t quite know the lyrics. Thursday nights is Karaoke night at O’Malleys. There is plenty of inside seating area, but just like Celtics, O’Malleys can get quite cozy.
If you start feeling claustrophobic just take a break outside and enjoy the view directly North-East over the river, where you can gaze upon the Kapuzinerberg. Situated near the Old Town in Rudolfskai, you’re on the side of the river where all it takes is a brisk 5minute stroll to be located in the clubbing section of the Old Town. You can head straight over to clubs such as City Beats, Half Moon, and Soda Club to finish off the night.
**The Neighborhood Cafe**
A spot that is perfect for afternoon when you need to get Uni work done but just don’t have the willpower to be productive at home. Take your laptop over to the Neighborhood cafe and start working as you order yourself a coffee – while you’re at it try one of the vegan cakes. Located in the Lehen district, this cafe has many native speaking patrons.
Conclusion
Salzburg is a safe place with so much to offer students. One cant even make a “wrong turn”, regardless of which district you are in. Your key to the city is making friends with a local from Salzburg – once you’ve established a trustworthy connection make sure you start exploring the sites and read about the history, and find the time to start learning about Austrian culture, values, and improve your overall “street-smart”. In time you will come to understand and seamlessly navigate the enticingly-international magical-multicultural social melting pot that Salzburg is. Happy Travels.
Picture credit: Foto von Dominik Kollau auf Unsplash
