There is a tourist information at Salzburg's train station where you can book accommodation. The woman was not very helpful and I found the same at the other tourist office in city centre. One tourist information officer actually closed her counter to cut some shopping coupons for herself even though she saw many people coming in! Considering that many people come to Salzburg for Christmas, I was appalled by the service at the tourist offices. They were not forward with information and were unable to recommend me things to do for Christmas in Salzburg, and worse, rude! Luckily, the people on the street was not like that. In fact, I met very friendly and helpful bus drivers and had conversation with a couple of strangers.

Despite being there all by myself, I found Salzburg to be romantic, with the Salzach river and the cycle path parallel to it for joggers, roller bladers or just strollers. It was snowing and everywhere was white. I felt that Paris does not deserve the title of a romantic city but Salzburg does! Salzburg is so beautiful for me that I'm contemplating quitting school in Germany and move here.

Here, you can find the house where Mozart was born in (Mozarts Geburtshaus); the house which he lived in - Mozarts Wohnhaus - is across the river.

You can do The Sound of Music tour i.e. the Baroque Hellbrunn Palace 4 km south of Salzburg's old town. It was built in the 17th-century by bishop Marcus Sitticus. The grounds contain ingenious trick fountains and water-powered figures.

I'm not sure if it was because it is the birthplace of Mozart and that the Sound of Music was filmed here but I heard music all the time. I am never good with composing tunes but I was humming a new tune every minute.

Salzburg is touted to have one of the best Christmas markets. There are many stalls that sell Christmas decoration and the famous Gluehwein (wine cooked with cinnamon and other herbs) which encourages you to stay outdoors because the drink keeps you warm!

There is an ice-skating rink and even an outdoor chess in the middle of the town.

Salzburg was largely built by three bishop-princes in the late-16th and early-17th century, that's why it has Italian flavour with skyline punctuated by countless medieval spires, domes, belfries and turrets. The old town, on the south bank of the river, has Baroque churches, museums, plazas, courtyards and fountains, filled with lots of charms and tourists too. I heard a lot of English speakers and it was comforting somehow.

The Franziskanerkirch is my favourite and it was here that I attended Christmas eve mass.

There are more churches such as St Blasius' and the 9th-century built St Peter's Abbey where you can tour the catacombs at the back.

But the real highlight of this side of the river is the Hohensalzburg Castle which was built in 11th-century, standing on a rock outcrop about 120m above the city.

I took a tour of the castle which had torture chambers, state rooms, a tower and two museums where opera is sometimes performed here.