Vienna is known as the City of Music, but Salzburg could certainly come in second place! This tiny town hovering on the edge of the Alps is where Mozart was born and where the beautiful Christmas song “Silent Night” was penned by Joseph Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber. And let us not forget about the Von Trapp family who put Salzburg on the map after their story was made into the beloved musical, “The Sound of Music”.
There is lots to see and do while in (and around) Salzburg, so let me start you off with some of my favorite sites to visit!
1. Mirabell Gardens
This beautiful garden setting is where Maria and the Von Trapp children serenaded us in the fun loving song “Do-Re-Mi”. Take some time to wander through this gorgeous garden and maybe sing the tune yourself!
This gorgeous garden is right outside the Schloss Mirabell (or the Mirabell Palace) which is now used for events and picturesque weddings! Touring the garden is FREE.
2. Sound of Music Locations
Wedding Church in Mondsee, Austria 
The grove of trees where the Von Trapp children played 
The fountain where Maria finds her confidence 
A palace used for the exterior shots of the Von Trapp’s home
I realize that The Sound of Music might not be everyone’s favorite movie, but if you’re already planning to head to Salzburg make a point to take a tour that points out the beautiful locations that were used in the film. We decided to take a bus tour with Panorama Tours and had a wonderful time learning about the actual Von Trapp family along with the filming locations. I highly recommend this tour! You will have fun and see some beautiful sights outside the city of Salzburg.
3. Mozart’s Birthplace and early childhood home
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in the small village of Salzburg and lived here until his parents decided to move the family to Vienna to study music more seriously.
If you are a music fan, make sure to visit both his birthplace (Geburtshaus in the center of Old Town) and this museum across the river (Wohnhaus).
If you’re making a pit stop in Vienna on your trip, make sure to explore more Mozart history there too! He lived a fascinating life!
4. Hellbrunn Palace:
Schloss Hellbrunn 
The famous gazebo
This beautiful palace is located a little outside of Salzburg, but it is worth a stop! It is known for its trick fountains (yes you read that right, but I’m not going to spoil the fun and explain it) along with being the home to the Sound of Music gazebo.
5. Berchtesgarden National Park
Ok I have to confess, technically this stop is not in Austria at all. It’s just over the border in Germany, BUT because you will be so close to it while visiting Salzburg, I have to at least mention it to you!
This is a stunning national park located in southern Germany and is neatly tucked inside the Alps. To get there, we took another Panorama tour up to the top of a mountain where Hitler’s Eagle Nest was housed.
The bus ride is pretty awe inspiring and the incline is especially steep, so watch out! However, it is 100% worth it once you get to the top! My advice is to let the experts do the driving up this mountain….take the bus tour and save yourself the headache.
Where we stayed:
JUFA Hotel Salzburg City: A nice budget hotel located near the university. They had a great little restaurant inside the hotel too! The only downside was that it was a little far from the city center by foot.
Where we ate:
Afro Cafe: We decided to try something a little funky! They had lots of great vegetarian/vegan/gluten free options here. Great food for all!