Salzburg aka Sound Of Music Tour

The entire reason I wanted to go to Salzburg was for the Sound of Music Tour. I got into Salzburg at like 3 am and was exhausted. I was so tired that the place I was staying let me crash on their couch in the lobby until I could get into my room.
It was raining again, but I had songs to sings!!
One of the first things I found was this photo below, and I had to google what in the world was the meaning behind it.

Golden Square in the Streets of Salzburg

I googled "golden squares in the streets of salzburg" and after scrolling down a little I found an article about a man that is putting these plaques up all over Europe in honor of the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. This man lived in the building that was right to the side of me. I was extremely moved once I read this, and started trying to keep an eye out for anymore. 

The first part of my day was a city tour. We started out in a plaza in front of Mirabella Palace and headed to the Palace into the gardens! This is where the "do re me" song in the Sound of Music was done! (I did warn you that this post is purely about the Sound of Music). 

The Fountain they dance on

The steps of the "do re me" song

Mirabella Gardens 

Mirabella Palace

Next for the Walk through the city, to see some of the sights! I saw Mozart's house and birthplace. The Fort/Castle up on the hill as well as the monastery and several other sites.  

Mozart's House

Mozart's Birthplace

The Fort/Castle

Where the bishop's horses were washed! 

Then we got on the bus to see the rest of the sites from the Sound of Music! 

First stop was the lake and back of the house from the movie! There was actually 3 houses used in the making of the movie. This was only the back porch scenes of the movie. 

Next was the road that Maria walked down during her "I have Confidence" song!

Then we found the gazebo used in the "I am 16 going on 17" song! 

To end of this trip we went to Mondsee to the Basilika St. Michael where they used the inside of the cathedral for the wedding scene in the movie! 

I absolutely loved this tour. I would do it again and again. 

Especially since the entire ride, the tour guide played songs from the movie and gave us little tidbits from it. 

Venice

Venice is a beautiful city, however it is super expensive!
Be ready to either walk, water taxi or the water shuttle. The water shuttle was the most congested thing and after the Vatican City, I couldn't deal with anymore people so I chose the water taxi.
I made it to Piazza San Marco after having issues getting my luggage to the holding area, the line was huge.

The line to get into the Doge's Palace was even longer than the line for the luggage. I decided to take a few photos outside of it then sit in one of the cafe's outside and enjoy myself. It had just rained so the Piazza was flooded.

Piazza San Marco

Piazza San Marco

The Water in Piazza San Marco

Piazza San Marco

Eating Apple Pie in San Marco Square

Next I took the hop on/hop off water bus to the island of Murano. This is where some of the most beautiful glass-blowing is. It was amazing and its beautiful the work that they do. It only cost 2 euro to watch the master do his work and I highly reccomend it. 

The master at work

I took the water bus back to next stop on the route and then took a gondola ride. I mean did you even go to Venice if you didn't do a gondola ride? It cost me 80 euros for literally 10 minutes. But it was totally worth it. 

Gondola ride

Godola ride

Some views from the gondola ride

some views of the gondola ride

Finally after the Gondola ride, I walked to find the Rialto Bridge. One side was under construction but I still got to see it, walk across it and take some photos of it. 

Rialto Bridge

Vatican City

I did not really like the Vatican City. There were way way too many people there. The Sistene Chapel was so crowded, I could barely breathe. It was absolutely beautiful inside, and I wish that I could have spent some time there without so many people. There are so many statues and photos that you could spend days in there just looking at everything.

The entrance 

Pictures inside the Vatican

One of the ceilings 

One of the ceilings

The hall of maps 

The hall of maps 

Inside the cathedral

Inside of the Cathedral

Outside of the Vatican

Outside of the Vatican 

Rome

Rome
My absolutely favorite city. I thought Paris would be my city, but its completly Rome that has my heart. We got there later in the evening on day 16 of my trip. and we went straight to the Trevi Fountain. I loved it there. I just wish it wasn't as crowded as it was. I threw my coin in and made my wish :)

Trevi Fountain 

Trevi Fountain

Next was the Pantheon. I cried, the inside was absolutely beautiful. I finally go the same feeling that I did at the Cliffs of Moher. The wonderment and amazement, that i was sitting in a place that had stood the test of time for 2000 years. 

Pantheon

Pantheon

We walked around for a bit and found the Spanish Steps (that were under construction) and one of the Egyptian Obelisks. There are 8 of them, that were brought back when Rome conquered Egypt. One of them is the largest standing and oldest Obelisk in the world. 

Spanish Steps 

Egyptian Obelisk

Egyptian Obelisk

On day 17, I got to see the Colosseum and the Forum. We were supposed to see the Forum first, but due to the pouring down rain, we cancelled it. However we did get to go on the arena floor of the Colosseum. It is crazy to think of all the years this has stood and the things that it has seen. 

Colosseum

This is the stones that held the ropes of the ceiling

Originial stone road

Colosseum

The "basement" of the Colosseum where the fighters and animals would be

On the Arena Floor

Since we didn't get to go to the Forum, I decided ot go there on my own. I got a little lost (I read the map wrong) but I ended up getting to walk around Rome some more and it was amazing. We did make it to the Forum and climbed up a hill. Not the Palestine Hill, but another and honestly I think we had some amazing views. We didn't go down into the Forum, because we decided that the views from where we had climbed were much better. 

This place is where all the important decisions were made. It would be the place that the US democracy would get its ideas from. 

Forum

Forum

Forum

Forum

Then we went walking some more and found what we were told is the Wedding cake monument. It looks much much older than it actually is. We walked some more and found the cat sanctuary. It is where Julius Cesear was killed and they turned it into an area for the cats! I was so happy that I found it since my two kitties are rescue kitties :) 

One of the best things about Rome is that you can walk a few city blocks and find something that is 2000 years old. It could have been anyone's house but it is so amazing to stumble across. 

Wedding Cake monument 

Cat Sanctuary where Julius Cesear was killed

old ruins in the city

The last thing I did was a pasta making class with the group. I wish that I wouldn't have done it. I could have seen so many things in Rome instead. 

Needless to say Rome was one of my favorite places in the world and I can't wait to go back!