singing songs in salzburg

I'll say it now & I'll say it loud....I adore Salzburg. It is exactly what I imagined and I absolutely cannot wait to go back! The entire area is absolutely gorgeous. Who wouldn't love to wake up and stare at the Alps everyday and water on the other side?! We got into Salzburg at noon on Thursday. We walked around for a bit and then headed straight to the Sound of Music Tour. Anyone that knows me well knows that I absolutely am obsessed with The Sound of Music. I was beyond excited to go on this tour and see where the movie was filmed.

squinting in front of Altstadt Salzburg

the fortress is up top there!

Mozart's Birth Home!

We started our Sound of Music tour at Hellbrunn. We saw the white gazebo where Leisl and Rolf danced to "I am Sixteen, Going on Seventeen." We then headed to Schloss Leopoldskron. This gorgeous mansion was the house that served as the backyard of the house in the Sound of Music movie. The scene where the children fall into the water from the row boat was filmed here! We then headed to the Lake & Mountain District of Austria which is right outside of Salzburg. Oh my my my, was this gorgeous! Absolutely stunning and breathe-taking! I love outdoor scenery and this was up there in the ranks with Switzerland. I stood for what seemed like forever just soaking in the views. We also stopped at the town Moon Lake and saw the church where Maria & Baron von Trapp were married in the movie [not in real life]! This town was so quaint and cute and Nick and I got to grab a latte and apple strudel in the square. All in the all the tour is ABSOLUTELY worth it to see the gorgeous scenery and if you like history and Sound of Music you will fall in love with it. Hopefully you get Barbara as your tour guide... the cutest old lady you'e ever seen!

gazebo where Leisl and Rolf danced it up to "I am Sixteen, Going on Seventeen"

Hellbrunn

the back of the house from the Sound of Music where the children fell in the water :)

just a small child meditating

breathe-taking lake + palace in the "Lake & Mountain District" right outside of Salzburg

taking in the gorgeous views of St. Gilgen Lake outside of Salzburg

love all the intense pops of color on the buildings

church where Maria & Baron von Trapp got married in the wedding

inside the gorgeous church

Mirabell Gardens

After we finished walking around [a lot], we checked into the hotel. Then, we headed out to an excellent dinner at Alter Fuchs. This place is so good and has traditional German food, yum! I got the spaetzle of course. Afterwards, Nick & I just walked around for awhile and checked out this festival that was going on near the Dom and Mozartplatz before heading to bed.

pretzels in the shape of instruments, haha

the Dom by night

the Fortress from the Altstadt Salzburg at night

Mozart at night

On Friday, Nick went to work and I headed out to do a bit of a walking tour myself. I followed a type of "Self-Walk" tour. First, I headed back to the Mozartplatz and checked out the statue of Mozart. Afterwards, I went into the Salzburger Dom [where Mozart was baptized]. In true European style it was gorgeous! I then walked around the St. Peter's Cemetery for awhile [where the real von Trapps hid while the Nazi's tried to find them]. Afterwards, I headed up the hill to the Fortress Hohensalzburg. You had such incredible views from the top. I was up there on a day that was not even 100% clear and I could still see the Alps! There is a cable car that runs up for those that do not wish to walk! You absolutely have to check it out! I have posted entirely too many pictures below but I think you get the gist of JUST how obsessed I am and just how beautiful Salzburg & the surrounding area truly is. 

St. Peter's Cemetery

I then perused down back through the cemetery and into the actual St. Peter's Abbey and then to the Franziskaner Church. All the churches are just so wonderful in Europe. I also walked past the oldest restaurant in the world called "St. Peter's Stiftskeller." I saw Mozart's Wohnunghaus and the graves where his wife and husband are buried. I then went back to the Mirabell Gardens and saw the Dwarf Garden. 

supposedly the oldest restaurant in the world ... serving since 802

Mozart's Wohnungsbaus

vibrant colors in Mirabell Gardens

Schloss Mirabell

dwarf garden

Afterwards,  I headed back to the hotel and Nick and his coworker picked me up to drive us across the border. We had intentions of taking the train over to Salzburg; however, due to the refugee situation [see the pictures below of refugees on the border] they have closed down all trains going into Germany from other countries. Nick's coworker had to drive us into Germany and then we had to catch a train from there. Quite the adventure if I say so myself. We got to Munich Friday afternoon to start our Oktoberfest adventure. More details on that to come in a post soon :)