Where to stay

Located on both sides of the Salzach River, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Altstadt (Old Town) is where many of Salzburg's historic attractions are located. Book a hotel among the beautiful Baroque buildings in this area to walk to Mozart's birthplace on the busy shopping street of Getreidegasse. See the font where the composer was baptized at Salzburg Cathedral. Choose a room in Morzg, a few miles south of the city center, to visit Hellbrunn Palace, the 17th-century Italianate villa the prince-archbishops built as their summer retreat. Stroll through the Renaissance gardens to discover the mechanical toy theater that entertained the guests of Archbishop Markus Sittikus. To roam the ramparts of the 900-year-old clifftop Hohensalzburg Fortress, consider accommodations in Nonntal.

Salzburg is full of traditional coffee houses and pastry shops, along with upscale restaurants and funky cafés. Book a hotel in the Altstadt, where fine dining establishments with Michelin stars compete with atmospheric beer halls and one of Europe's oldest restaurants at St. Peter's Abbey. Those looking for less expensive places to eat should choose a room in Elisabeth-Vorstadt north of the Neu Stadt (New Town). This area was developed in the late 19th century and was traditionally a working-class area. Within walking distance of the historic attractions of the Altstadt, Elisabeth-Vorstadt has a good selection of restaurants serving hearty Austrian food for the more budget-conscious. Enjoy a drink as you listen to jazz music at Jazzit in the former headquarters of the Communist Party. Alternatively, consider accommodations in Maxglan just west of the Altstadt to take a tour of The Stiegl Brewery and enjoy a meal at its on-site restaurant.

An estimated 300,000 fans come to Salzburg every year to follow in the footsteps of the Von Trapp family portrayed in the 1965 movie, The Sound of Music, starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. Book accommodations in the Altstadt to visit many of the locations where scenes were filmed, including the Felsenreitschule concert hall built into the side of the Mönchsberg quarry. See the Mirabell Palace where Maria and the Von Trapp children sang Do Re Mi as they danced around the fountains in the park. Rooms in Leopoldskron-Moos are closer to the 18th-century Leopoldskron Palace, one of the main settings for the movie. This is also where Max Reinhardt, founder of the Salzburg Festival, put on theater shows in the gardens in the early 20th century. The lake district, about a 1-hour drive east, is included on many guided Sound of Music tours. For a more peaceful place to stay, consider hotels near Mondsee to visit the Baroque basilica where Maria and the captain were married.