I have been dying to go to Salzburg forever. I have always wanted to do the Sound of Music tour and twirl on the hills. I figured Salzburg would be an ideal stop on my bucket list trip to Prague since it’s so close, and it almost didn’t seem real that it was actually happening when I was planning it. I know most people visit Vienna when in Austria; and I’m sure it is also a beautiful city, but I can not recommend Salzburg enough. It’s absolutely gorgeous and everyone was super friendly. It was my friend Ryan’s favorite stop on our trip for good reason, it’s stunning.
Top 5 – Salzburg
The Sound of Music tour was my number one reason for visiting Salzburg. I have always loved musicals and The Sound of Music is a classic, so the opportunity to take a tour and see where the movie was filmed was a must. We booked the Original Sound of Music tour with Panorama Tours. They are the tour company who actually drove the cast to and from while filming, so about as authentic as you can get. We learned so much about the movie; the most interesting fact being that the people in Austria don’t care about the Sound of Music. In fact, the movie played for only 3 days at the local theater when it was released and no one came, so they actually stopped showing it. The main assumption is that they didn’t like that it showed their Nazi past. Not surprisingly, the rest of the world disagreed with Austria, and the Sound of Music has gone on to become one of the highest grossing films of all time.
On the tour, you get to visit many spots from the movie and see some of the gorgeous scenery that makes the movie so special; including the famous gazebo, Mirabell Gardens, the lake where the boat scene was filmed, the church where Maria and the Captain’s wedding was filmed and, of course, the rolling hills. Although we didn’t get to climb up on the hills and twirl, we still managed to get some twirling in and had a ball. If you’re even the tiniest bit a Sound of Music fan, you should absolutely go on this tour. It was far and away one of the best tours that I’ve ever done.
You may be thinking, I just read about this, but this is actually something different than the Sound of Music tour. This is a Sound of Music museum of sorts, located along the main street in Salzburg. It is a great way to learn about the history of the real Von Trapp family, with lots of items that belonged to the Von Trapps, pictures and actual video interviews from the family. It’s the perfect pairing to the Sound of Music tour and a great indoor activity if needed to escape any inclement weather. It only costs €8 to get in and is definitely worth it if you are a fan of the movie.
3 – Mirabell Gardens
Mirabell Gardens was literally down the street from our hotel, so it was our first stop in Salzburg. We didn’t go inside the palace, but the gardens were amazing, beautifully manicured and colorful. We wandered our way through and had a few photo shoots…gotta take advantage of that portrait mode when the opportunity presents itself. It wasn’t until later in the day that we realized it was the gardens in the scene for Do Re Me and was a part of the Sound of Music tour. And bonus…it’s free to visit!
I’m not a classical music person, but when in Salzburg, you have to do two things, the Sound of Music and Mozart. Mozart was born in Salzburg in 1756. You can tour his family’s apartment and see lots of Mozart memorabilia along the way. I had no idea how short Mozart’s life was, as he died at 35, but he sure did leave behind a legacy. It’s a great way to get a little education in on a vacation, and honestly made me interested in something I really had no interest in before. #personalgrowth
5 – Walk to Hohensalzburg Fortress
You can take the easy way to the fortress, and ride the funicular. Or you can walk up the steep, windy streets, stopping in the shops along the way to rest and take in the breathtaking views as you get closer to the top. We decided to not go inside the fortress as there wasn’t anything we were dying to see. We also figured the views couldn’t possibly have gotten much better than on the walk up.
Our reward after walking up, was stopping for a drink at the Stieglkeller Beer Garden, which is close to the top, on our descent back down. It was prob my favorite beer garden on our trip (and that’s saying something!) because the views were just outstanding. On the way up or down, you can also stop at Nonnberg Abbey, the site of the actual Maria and Captain Von Trapp’s wedding in real life. It was built in the year 714, which is insane, and continues to be the oldest nunnery in the German speaking world. It was pretty amazing to be standing in something built over 1000 years ago. Also, it’s crazy to me that the nuns walk up and down that super steep hill daily.
Honorable Mention
Views
Salzburg is stunning. Mountain views and beautiful, old buildings everywhere you look. Take time to just wander the streets and stop for a coffee or a cocktail and just take in the views because there really aren’t many places like Salzburg. One good place to get a gorg view is from the Sky Bar rooftop. Stop for happy hour and watch the sunset.
Air
This may be a weird thing to include in my Top 5, but I’ve never felt like my breathing was better than in Salzburg. The air was so fresh and clean. I have to assume Vegas takes Oxygen from here to blast into their casinos to keep people awake and gambling all night, because I was never more refreshed and rejuvenated. Your lungs will thank you.
I really loved Austria. It’s a gorgeous country with spectacular, natural beauty, rich history and lots to see and do. I hope to come back one day and explore more of the country and maybe even ski in the Alps. Until then, so long, farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, goodbye, Austria.
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