If you had to dream up the perfect city, Salzburg might well be it, with its stately baroque centre, pop-up medieval fortress and insanely beautiful Alpine backdrop. Legends? You bet. This is where Mozart was born and rose to fame as a violin-playing prodigy, and where the prince-archbishops gave flight to lavish fantasies in palaces galore. Its cinematic looks haven’t escaped the attention of Hollywood movie producers, either: The Sound of Music was filmed here and you’re not likely to forget it.
Such a cultural legacy still enthralls today. Sitting astride the fast-flowing Salzach River, the city is small enough to walk, yet has concert halls, museums and forward-thinking galleries to rival those in world capitals. Beyond the tourists and twee, you’ll find backstreets harbouring third-wave coffee houses and deliciously intimate bars for cocktails, craft beer and biodynamic wines. Not to mention an outdoors so great that you suddenly realise what put the twinkle in Mozart’s eye and the spring in Maria’s step.
For further Salzburg inspiration, see our guides to the area’s best hotels, restaurants, nightlife and things to do.