Schloss Leopoldskron, Salzburg

Salzburg is a dream to get to.

A quick hop over from London on an early flight and you can spend the entire day frolicking in Austria, singing your favourites from The Sound of Music!

We arrived to a fresh batch of snow, misty sunshine and the slightest chill in the air.

Mum’s cape (similar) // Black poloneck

Black jeans // Black boots

Black tote

Bangles // Earrings // Pearls (custom Silver May)

We pulled up at Schloss Leopoldskron shortly after breakfast, and set about exploring the grounds while our suite was prepared.

We strolled, skipped and danced through the gardens that played host to Maria and The Von Trapps in everyone’s favourite classic musical.

Long sleeved dress // Cream coat (similar)

Over the knee boots // Cream scarf

Chanel bag

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Built by Count Leopold in 1736 as a family estate, just outside busy Salzburg and resting on the shores of a beautiful lake.

Since then it passed to his nephew Count Laktanz, who used it to store his impressive art collection. He also went on to become one of the first sponsors of Leopold Mozart and his son, Wolfgang Amadeus.

Later it went to the owner of a local shooting gallery, who gutted it and sold off all of the art and valuable interiors.

King Ludwig I of Bavaria owned it for a time, followed by a banker and some waiters who wanted to turn it into a hotel.

By 1918 it was in a very sorry state indeed. It was then that Max Reinhardt, Europe’s most famous theatre director and co-founder of the Salzburg Festival, bought the house and poured his time and expertise into restoring it to its former glory.

Peeking through the fresh, thick blanket of snow you get glimpses of how special his eye for detail really was.

Even if you only visit Salzburg for a short time, it’s worth visiting for a walk in the gardens.

It really is the most magical place.

Though the house is pretty spectacular too!

Let’s step inside…

Keen to see where we’d be staying, we raced right up to our room.

The Julie Andrew’s Suite.

A beautiful two room, wood floored space, overlooking the lake and drenched in winter sun.

This side of the hotel is wonderfully old fashioned.

If you’re the sort of person who could resist flinging open the windows to sing out to the lake, à la Andrews, then I just don’t know if we can be friends.

Windows open, arms outstretched, leaning out into the cool air and singing until you think you might burst!

Don’t worry, the locals are used to it.

All Austrians appreciate a good yodel after all.

Now, if you think we snuggled down with a book or our phones and chilled out in the room, well you’re very much mistaken.

We rushed off to explore our own private castle.

Complete with grand marble staircase (restored by Reinhard).

The Schloss is considered to house some of the finest rococo stucco in the world, so it pays to look up!

While I loved the decor (who couldn’t?!) I must admit I was all together blown away by the light.

Cascading in through huge windows, illuminating the chandeliers and bringing the frescos to life.

This is the breakfast room, complete with two vast fireplaces, lined with Dutch tiles.

As you continue through the house, you stumble across more and more of Max Reinhardt’s sets.

He would use the house for his theatre productions and the audience would follow the actors through into different rooms.

The library is particularly impressive.

Modelled after the St. Gallen’s monastery library in Switzerland, it’s as opulent and magical as libraries come.

Quite the place to sit and work.

It leads onto the Chinese Room.

Another of Reinhardt’s creations, lined in hand painted wallpaper and topped with a fondant pink fancy sky.

Then, through more corridors and hidden away there’s always more to discover.

Like The Venetian Room.

Paneled in mirrors and bursting with crystal chandeliers.

And of course the chapel, where Archbishop Leopold’s heart lays buried.

Naturally there’s more to see but I’d rather leave it for you to discover.

And I hope you will, because this place is quite simply magical.

A must visit for anyone, even if these gates onto the lake don’t fill you with nostalgia and make you want to pull the curtains down…

There’s art at every turn, incredible architecture and more history than you can shake a stick at.

Though I must warn you, it’s worth paying attention to the warning signs dotted around.

Because they’re absolutely right!

Book a room online here, and be sure to splurge on a suite. It’s a little more expensive (not much) but it means you stay in the real house, rather than the renovated stable block.

More Austrian adventures coming soon…