Annual Salzburg Festival

The annual music, opera and theater festival is one of Europe’s most prestigious cultural events. It takes place every summer for several weeks beginning mid-July and performances are scheduled all across town. Venues run from the sumptuous Festival Hall and al fresco Domplatz (the square in front of the cathedral) to the beautifully decorated Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter (the oldest existing monastery in the German-speaking area). The festival draws the biggest names in opera, music and theater and tickets to the most coveted productions are often booked months in advance.