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7 Most Instagrammable Spots in Salzburg, Austria
Mozart's birthplace and the setting for The Sound of Music, Salzburg packs a hilltop fortress, baroque gardens and a UNESCO-listed old town into a compact, walkable centre.
Sep 23, 2026 · BigTravel.in
Salzburg’s old town, wedged between the Salzach River and the Mönchsberg hill, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996 for its dense concentration of baroque architecture, built largely under a line of prince-archbishops who ruled the city as an independent state until 1803. It is also the real-world backdrop for The Sound of Music, filmed here in 1964, which still shapes a good part of how the city gets photographed today. Here are seven spots, each with a direct map link.
1. Hohensalzburg Fortress
One of Europe’s largest fully preserved medieval castles, dating to 1077, the fortress sits directly above the old town and is reached by a funicular, with wide views over the city’s domes and spires from its ramparts.
2. Mirabell Gardens
Laid out from 1690, the Mirabellgarten’s formal flowerbeds frame Hohensalzburg Fortress in the distance and its Dwarf Garden and Pegasus fountain were both used in The Sound of Music’s “Do-Re-Mi” sequence.
3. Getreidegasse
A narrow medieval shopping street lined with wrought-iron guild signs rather than shopfront lettering, including Mozart’s birthplace at number 9.
4. Kapitelplatz
Home to Stephan Balkenhol’s Sphaera sculpture, a giant golden orb with a small bronze figure standing on top, framed against the cathedral behind it.
5. Salzburg Cathedral and Residenzplatz
The cathedral’s baroque facade and dome sit beside Residenzplatz, where a large horse fountain has stood since the 17th century.
6. Mönchsberg viewpoint
A lift near Toscaninihof climbs to the Mönchsberg ridge, giving a panoramic view over the old town’s rooftops toward the surrounding Alps.
7. Hellbrunn Palace gardens
Built in the 17th century, Hellbrunn is known for its trick fountains, and its grounds now also hold the gazebo used in The Sound of Music’s “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” scene, moved here from its original filming location at Schloss Leopoldskron in 1991.
Traveller tips
- The Salzburg Card covers the fortress funicular, the Mönchsberg lift and most museum entries, and is worth it for a one or two day visit.
- Getreidegasse is most photogenic, and least crowded, early in the morning before shops open.
- The Mönchsberg lift departs from near Toscaninihof, a short walk from Mozartplatz.
- Hellbrunn’s trick fountains operate on guided tours only and can leave visitors briefly soaked; dress accordingly.
Where this is
Salzburg, Austria