No matter what adjectives you use, Salzburg is one of the prettiest cities you're likely to encounter in your European travels--especially if you spend most of your time in the Altstadt on the left bank of the Salzach River, which probably has more masterpieces of Baroque architecture per hectare than any other city on Earth. The town, which has a population of 145,000, lies beneath the cliffs of the Mцnchsberg, a rocky hill that is topped by the massive fortress of the Hohensalzburg. The Altstadt is tucked into the space between the cliffs and the left bank of the river; on the other side of the river, the city becomes increasingly modern as it sprawls from the Mirabell Castle and its gardens to the shops and offices near the railroad station.