Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens were a few of Maria’s favourite things in The Sound of Music. The town of Salzburg in Austria is the place where the glorious musical was filmed and it is as wonderful in real life as it is on the screen. So whether you are a fan of The Sound of Music or not so much, your sure to find some favourite things.

Here is a list of mine…

The hills: It’s true, the hills are alive with the sound of music. There are so many fantastic view points of Salzburg. It really doesn’t have a unflattering angle.

Fraulein Maria’s Bike Tour: This was the best tour I’ve ever done! So many great things to mention. It was raining when we started the tour and we were going to be riding around on bikes; not always ideal. But our guide definitely brightened the mood with his enthusiasm! I must admit, I was sceptical of him at first. How could this guy have a love of all things sound of music? But I was wrong to judge as he showed us by his knowledge and by willingnes to skip, sing and even wear lederhosen. What a legend! He showed us all the spots from the movie and then he whipped out the big guns…

Out came the speakers when it was time to ride through the countryside. So we blasted The Sound of Music Soundtrack as we rode through the same hills that Maria sang about. And of course, the sun came out. We raced just like the Von Trapp children and ended up at the famous gazebo where a certain sixteen year old kissed a certain seventeen year old. Then to finish we practiced our ‘doe ray me’s’ on the stairs in the Mirabell Gardens.

Farmers Markets: I can’t lie, I’m a big fan of Farmers Markets so it should come as no surprise that it would be one of my favourite things. The Farmers Market outside the Mirabell Church runs on a Thursday which conveniently happened to be the day I arrived. So many delicious treats that it’s dangerous. I stocked up on cheese, meats, breads ( I’m slowly becoming a bread addict), olives, dips, asparagus (because it’s everywhere) and apple strudel. It kept me going for the next two days, which brings me to my next point…

Plastic bag picnics: I love a good plastic bag picnic. I was able to gather together my supplies from the markets and sit at the park to munch through what could have probably feed a small village.

People watching: What better entertainment while eating then the people watching that can be done at Mirabell gardens. Quality stuff I tell you. You have people frolicking, posing, twirling and getting that perfect insta shot.

The church bells: Trust the Austrians to always remind you what time it is with their church bells. No excuses for being late! There are quite a few churches in Salzburg too. So when the hour comes you can look forward to a chorus of bells always competeing to see who can have the last chime.

The buildings, bridges and sculptures: From the lock bridge and Mozart’s house to the golden ball with ‘Obama’ standing on top, Salzburg is full of interesting things to look at.

Water from a lions mouth: I just think its pretty cool that you can be walking along thinking ‘I could really use a beverage right about now’ and then… bam! There’s a lion with water streaming out of his mouth ready to quench your thirst.

Old things… Bakeries, churches, people: Salzburg’s oldest bakery functions with the help of a water mill. I’d say that’s fairly legit. It has delicious bread too (like I said, I’m an addict). The oldest church is simply breathtaking. And then there are some lovely old people. You’ll find a picture of an older couple below who had made a solid effort to climb a step incline to get to a monument. Respect.

Afternoon tea: Slightly pretentious, but oh so fancy, describes my afternoon tea at the Sacher cafe.  They are famous for their original Sachertorte which has a whole story to go along with it. To be completely honest it was pretty over priced and slightly over rated. But shhh, I want people to think I’m classy.

Traditional dress: People actually do wear lederhosen and traditional dress in every day life! So you can walk down the street and feel like your on set of the Sound of Music. So good!

There you have it, my faves. I’ll finish by asking; How do you hold a moon beam in your hand?
Steps: 628,236

Next Destination: Krakow