Mirabell Palace and Gardens, Salzburg (must see)

Mirabell Palace (Schloss Mirabell) in Salzburg is a renowned cultural heritage monument and part of Salzburg's UNESCO World Heritage Site. Originally built around 1606 by Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau, the palace was intended as a residence for him and his mistress and was constructed based on Italian and French designs.

The palace underwent significant transformations after Raitenau's deposition in 1612. His successor renamed it Mirabell, which means "amazing" or "wonderful" in Italian. From 1721 to 1727, it was extensively rebuilt in a Baroque style. Further changes gave the building its Neoclassical appearance.

Upon entry, you will be stunned by its 'staircase of thunder' – an elaborate, curved, shiny affair that leads up to the Marble Hall, full of angel sculptures and excessive stucco work.

The Marble Hall inside the palace is notable for hosting "Salzburg Palace Concerts" and weddings, including the 1944 marriage of Gretl Braun, sister of Eva Braun (Hitler's mistress), attended by notable Nazi figures. Aside from enjoying a reputation as one of the most sought-after wedding halls in the world (bookable up to two years in advance), the Marble Hall hosts frequent nightly Mozart concerts and the master himself used to “tickle the ivories” there.

Off to the side, you'll find a striking chapel with a vaulted ceiling and baroque statues of Saint Augustine and others.

The palace's gardens feature a mixture of mythology-themed statues from 1730 and four groups of sculpture (Aeneas, Hercules, Paris, and Pluto) created in 1690. The stunning scenery is further accentuated by geometrically structured garden beds, with multi-colored flowers blasting your eyeballs from every perspective.

In the middle of it all is the Pegasus Fountain which makes a memorable "The Sound of Music" shooting location for the “Do Re Mi” song. Nearest to the horse, stairs lead to the creepy Dwarf Park, where a herd of misshapen, sizable dwarfs sculptured in marble are all lined up in military formation. Visitors can also explore the vine tunnel and hedge maze, echoing scenes from the film. As a dramatic finale, you can follow the steps that the Von Trapp kids from the movie hopped up like musical notes and enjoy a spectacular view of the High Salzburg Fortress (Hohensalzburg) framed by the garden.