For the majority of tourists, Salzburg is known for two things: Mozart and The Sound of Music.
Unfortunately for the German-speakers, The Sound of Music never really caught on because the German-version came out 15 years after the original.
Thus, the former is the reason why Salzburg is a tourist destination for German-speakers.
And the latter is the reason that brought me there.
Either way, be glad if you make it! I loved this charming city and wished that I had had another day there!
Mozart
Both Mozart’s birthplace and place of residence are in Salzburg.
I toured his birthplace, which is now showcasing several paintings, some of his instruments and general knick-knacks, and even locks of his hair!!
Not only that, but he’s all over the place!
Especially candy shops, where there is a specific candy dedicated to said musician, entitled the Mozartkugel, or if you can’t handle that German name, the Mozart ball.
These bad boys are sold all over town, but this one pastry shop, Fürst, makes the original and best.
It’s a pistachio-flavored marzipan enrobed in a smooth chocolatey-nougat (note: European nougat is not like that in a Snicker’s bar…more like Nutella but of a lighter texture) further encircled with dark chocolate.
It’s all hand done to perfection.
The imitation ones, from the couple that I did try, did not live up to the Fürst standard, which still uses the original recipe and technique from the beginning.
I was thinking, these other people on the interwebs are just being snobs. I bet the others are nearly the same.
WRONG!
Truly.
Especially when it comes to that pistachio-marzipan innermost layer.
Do yourself a favor, and get one (or ten, as I may have done) from Fürst.
Is it sad to say that Fürst’s Mozartkugel was my favorite aspect of Mozart in Salzburg?
In that case…
The Sound of Music
This was obviously the highlight of a trip to Salzburg for a Sound of Music fan like myself.
I decided to spend the big bucks and go for a tour instead of trying to see all of the places by myself – which could have been done, but then I wouldn’t have learned all of the interesting facts from the movie!
Most disappointing two facts:
1. The real life story isn’t even a fraction as romantic as the movie. Maria didn’t even love Captain Von Trapp until years after they were married.
2. Christopher Plummer isn’t really singing. They cast him, then realized that he wasn’t that great, so he had a voice-double.
We started in the Mirabell Gardens, home to most of the “Do, Re, Mi” song. You see the horse fountain that the kids marched around, the steps they hopped on, and the gnome-statue that they all pat on the head.
We then ventured to the outskirts of the city to the Leopoldskron Palace, also known as the location of the back-of-the-house scenes, like when the kids and Maria fall into the lake.
Fun fact…Maria actually fell out of the boat! And on the wrong side. But it all worked out! More authentic that way, I think!
(Another) fun fact: they shot each scene in the garden twice. Once so you see the lake. Another time where you see the house (you never see this house/palace once in the film)
Next, we were off to the Hellbrunn Palace, which is the front of the house and has the spot where Maria sings “I have confidence.” It’s also now the site of the gazebo.
What I thought was really neat was that they were setting up for the Christmas markets the day of my tour. Turns out that the house/palace turns into a “living Advent calendar” because it has exactly 24 windows on its front, so each day, a new window is opened.
On with our drive, we passed the Abbey and saw its famous red, onion-shaped dome. This is the convent where the real Maria stayed and where she and Captain Von Trapp eventually got married.
After a long, but very scenic drive through the countryside (apart from the cursed fog!) we made a quick pitstop for pictures in St. Gilgen looking out over the Wolfgangsee. If you remember early in the movie with all of the different scenes of mountains, lakes, and small towns, you probably remember this one. The dome of it’s church sticks out for me, at least (you can see it waaaay in there, poking into the lake’s border)!
Thankfully, the fog cooperated with us this time and cleared up so that we could have unbeatable views. Can you imagine a more picture-perfect spot? With the mountains, the lake, the cute village…
Then, we made it through more of the lake district and to Mondsee, which is the location of the church where Maria and the Captain get married in the movie. It’s bigger/taller than the Abbey, but structurally identical inside (although now pink…), so they were allowed to get those shots from above during the wedding here.
Afterwards, we stopped for some apple strudel which was totally to die for before heading back to Salzburg.
In addition to the guided tour, I did try to see my fair share of sights around Salzburg from the movie as well as the city’s general charm.
I stopped by the horse bath (“Do, Re, Mi”), I went across the Mozart Bridge (“Do, Re, Mi” again), and I went up to the Hohensalzburg Fortress (in many of the scenes, but especially in – SURPRISE – “Do, Re, Mi”).
Additionally, the cathedral (Salzburger Dom) is featured in the movie, and I took a peak inside.
It was GORGEOUS!
It’s a really bright cathedral to begin with, but accompanied with an adult choral group (that was amazing, by the way), this place lit up!
The architecture in Salzburg is thoroughly Baroque in style, with the cathedral and all of the streets in the Old Town reflecting this. Actually, when I think of Austria’s architecture in general, I associate it with being Baroque. Maybe that’s just me!
Last fun fact, which I thought was completely humorous…so Gretl (who by the way is a totally fictitious character made for the movie…they replaced the oldest son with a youngest daughter) would get cake when she behaved/said her lines…well, by the end of filming, she had gained quite a bit of weight, so that end scene with her on the Captain’s shoulders is a different little girl!
Said cake was the Sacher Torte, served at the Sacher Hotel. Although there are imitators on this treat as well, you know that it’s authentic with that chocolate coin/seal on top. The combination though, of the chocolate cake (I don’t even like chocolate cake usually!), apricot jam, and chocolate ganache was to die for! But, dare I say it, a little dry (probably mainly because I didn’t like the unsweetened whipped cream that came alongside it!!)
Into Uncertainty 