“The hills are alive with the sound of music
With songs they have sung for a thousand years.
The hills fill my heart with the sound of music
My heart wants to sing every song it hears.”
-The Sound of Music, 1965
It is not possible to travel anywhere in Austria without envisioning Julie Andrews walking through rolling hills and singing this signature song from the classic movie, The Sound of Music. How can you travel to Austria, and specifically Vienna, and not be affected by music? The truth is quite simple…you can’t. No matter how old you are, or the extent to which you try to embrace or avoid it, music is a part of Austrian culture that is simply unavoidable. How many times do you visit a city that is celebrating the 250 th Anniversary of Mozart’s birth? Vienna is unique because of events like the Opera we attended—where people were dressed up as Mozart and the entire audience was engaged in every note played, where it was entirely normal to feel as though you belonged in the 18 th century.
Aside from Vienna’s rich musical culture, Vienna is the quintessential portrayal of history and modernism, tradition and uniqueness. It was the city to travel to—perfect for sightseeing, noteworthy for the picturesque architecture and landscapes. While we did not have nearly enough time in Vienna, we definitely had time to explore the main tourist attractions and see landmarks like St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Hopefully we even learned a thing or two about Austrian Trade while we were there! Never before have I personally been to a place where I felt so welcome, where it felt like it could snow at the end of May, or where the Italian food was comparable to that in Italy itself. Never before has there been a place to release a more homely feeling, yet lay thousands of miles away from our actual homes. This place is Vienna, Austria—one of the best cities on earth!
