Salzburg, Austria

Salzburg, Austria

Below you will find information about the top sights "outside" the Old Town of Salzburg and information regarding Sound of Music Tours. Please also visit our pages with an Introduction to Salzburg and Sights "in" the Old Town of Salzburg.

Top Sights in Salzburg

Mozart's Wohnhaus (Life House)

Mozart's family moved here when he was 17, and he lived here for 7 years. The home was badly damaged in WWII but has been rebuilt. This is the most informative Mozart site in Salzburg with a 30 minute video about his life that plays non-stop in English. On view are many of his scores and instruments.

Schloss Mirabell (Mirabell Palace and Gardens)

This palace was built in 1604 by Wolf Dietrich as a home for his mistress. In 1818 there was a great fire in Salzburg, and as a result much of the palace needed to be rebuilt. Don't miss the "angel staircase" with sculpted cherubs that lead up to the Marmorsaal, a marble and gold covered hall used today for concerts and weddings.

The mayor of Salzburg now resides in the palace. The gardens of the palace are the best in Salzburg, with statues, reflecting pools, large urns filled with flowers and an open air theater for music events during the summer. Once again you'll recognize several fountains and vistas from scenes in The Sound of Music.

The Hills are Alive...

Salzburg was used as the backdrop for the 1965 movie, The Sound of Music. Today there are a variety of tour companies that offer tours of the sights which have etched themselves on the minds of the film's fans. Some tour companies include a full tour of the city as well as the movie sights.

For our clients, we recommend a tour company that uses vans instead of large buses. You'll get a more up close and personal experience with up to seven other guests. But remember that as with all things Hollywood, the true story of the Von Trapp family was stretched for entertainment purposes. Most Austrians don't really understand the American fascination with the film.

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