The adsorption of 1,2,3-triazole on silver and gold colloidal nanoparticles is studied by means of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Further information about the adsorption mechanism on silver is obtained by recording the normal Raman spectra of the Ag(I)/1,2,3-triazole coordination compound. SERS data are interpreted with the help of density functional theoretical calculations of models of the ligand bound to silver or gold surface adatoms. 1,2,3-Triazole interacts with both silver and gold substrates in its anionic form through the lone pairs of the N-1 and N-3 atoms with a tilted orientation with respect to the metal surface.