Above: Strauss Show in the House of Strauss in Vienna. Picture courtesy House of Strauss
From the anniversary of a musical genius to commemorating iconic movies and staging internationally acclaimed street festivals, Austria has so much to offer visitors in 2025. Here’s our essential guide.
Straussing it up in Vienna: 200th Birthday of Waltz King Johann Strauss. January to December
All throughout 2025, Vienna celebrates the 200th anniversary of its golden son, Waltz King Johann Strauss, with a premier event every week.
Spanning the entire year from New Year’s Day to New Year’s Eve, his complete works will inspire joy and let Vienna shine culturally.
The Strauss festival year is based on several pillars: a variety of new events as a tribute to Vienna, the artistic range of Strauss and sustainable value creation in art, business and tourism.
Johann Strauss. Picture courtesy Oesterreich-Werbung by Sebastian Burziwal
The celebrations kicked off with a special rendition of the famous Blue Danube Waltz at Town Hall Square at the stroke of midnight of New Year’s Day.
The eclectic mix of special events throughout the year is bound to appeal to a wide range of audiences: concerts, operettas, exhibitions, a circus operetta, an escape room experience, dance performances, a series of lectures at the University of Vienna, a multi-media installation at Stadtpark (home of the famous golden Strauss statue), themed Danube cruises, traditional Viennese balls and much more.
Some events are free of charge, such as a singalong at Stadtpark, an open-air event at the Danube Island Festival and several outdoor concerts throughout the year,
Visitors to Vienna who want to immerse themselves even more should also head to two recently opened Strauss museums: The House of Strauss and the Johann Strauss Museum.
https://www.johannstrauss2025.at/en/
Picture courtesy Tourismus Salzburg GmbH by Patrick Langwallner
The hills are still alive in Salzburg and SalzburgerLand: 60th Anniversary of the blockbuster movie The Sound of Music. February to December
Since its premiere in New York City on March 2, 1965, The Sound of Music has captivated more than a billion viewers worldwide. And it hasn’t stopped yet!
Millions of fans have made the journey to where the story of the singing Trapp Family began – in Salzburg and the surrounding province of SalzburgerLand.
To celebrate this remarkable legacy, the 60th anniversary is being marked with exhibitions, musical performances, tours through the city and province and much more. The festivities will reach their peak with a special anniversary week in October with a symposium and gala event.
Visitors can experience Salzburg with a narrated audio tour on the free SmartGuide app, with the voice of Nicholas Hammond, who played Friedrich in the movie, sharing some behind-the-scenes moments.
Souvenir hunters cannot go past The Sound of Music Anniversary Dirndl, a limited-edition dirndl available at Salzburg Heimatwerk this summer.
Gourmets might like to try the Sound of Salzburg menu at Gaumenfreund Restaurant, including a reimagined dish of schnitzel with noodles, crisp apple strudel and a glass of Uncle Max’s pink lemonade.
https://www.salzburg.info/en/salzburg/the-sound-of-music
Picture courtesy Bregenz Festival by Anja Koehler
Opera on a floating stage: Bregenz Festival in Bregenz. July 16 – August 17.
Bregenz is the capital of Vorarlberg, the most western province of Austria, and is located on the shores of Lake Constance.
The Bregenz Festival attracts crowds with the help of opera and concert performances by the Vienna Symphonic Orchestra and the largest floating stage in the world.
Lake Constance and the surrounding countryside are a central part of all productions, where audiences can experience monumental open-air opera productions with a remarkable intensity.
In 2025, Der Freischütz by Carl Maria von Weber will be performed on the spectacular floating stage.
https://bregenzerfestspiele.com/en
Picture courtesy Graz Tourismus by Harry Schiffer
La Strada Festival for street and puppet theatre: Graz. July 25 – August 2.
The international festival for street art, puppet theatre, contemporary circus and community art, La Strada Graz is known for its skilful connection of people with art and performance.
For many years it has opened up blank spaces in an artistic way, discovered future parts of the city and turned urban spaces into the city’s great stages.
The cross-disciplinary festival embraces the rich diversity of artistic forms and formats. The festival highlight is the latest masterpiece by Cirque Le Roux, performed at Opera Graz. Cirque Le Roux is celebrated as the inventor and master of ‘Cinema Circus’.
https://www.lastrada.at/program
Castle Ambas. Picture courtesy Gaio
Festival of Early Music: Innsbruck. July 24 – August 31
The Innsbruck Festival of Early Music is one of the most renowned festivals of Baroque music in Europe. A diverse program with world-class ensembles and stars has been on offer since 1976.
At this year’s 48th edition, visitors can experience both familiar and new formats. Events ranging from opera performances to open-air events and workshop concerts are dedicated entirely to early music.
Free events include an outdoor concert in front of the famous Golden Roof in the city centre and musical excursions to the alpine meadows surrounding Innsbruck.
