The Sound of Music Tour in Salzburg

A lot of people say that you shouldn't go to Salzburg for the sole purpose of joining one of the many Sound of Music tours, which are viewed by some as quite tacky. However, these tours are normally half a day long only and they do take you to several really interesting places. So while I did take one of these tours, I also made sure to see and experience the other great sights of the city (as I have written in my previous post).

I got a Salzburg Card which included, among other things, a ticket for The Sound of Music tour offered by Sightseeing Tours. While on our tour, our guide discussed the different sights we would see and how they relate to the movie, and he occasionally played music from the film and got people to sing along. I have to say, it can be corny if you don't get into it, but if you do, it really is a lot of fun! We got to see some pretty beautiful landscapes while on the bus.

One of the first few places we saw Leopoldskron Palace. While our tour guide told us that the front exterior of this palace was used as the Trapp family home and the terrace where the family drank pink lemonade with Baroness Schraeder, apparently this is not the case. Only shots showing the lake (where Maria and the children fell off a boat) were filmed here.

This gazebo, which was originally in Leopoldskron Palace but has since been moved to the grounds of Hellbrunn Palace, is featured in two scenes: Liesl and Rolf singing "Sixteen going on Seventeen" and Maria and Captain Von Trapp singing "Something Good". It has been closed off and visitors can no longer go in. Apparently, a lot of people have attempted to go jumping around inside the gazebo (similar to what Liesl does with Rolf's assistance) resulting in more than a few accidents.

Just outside Hellbrunn and near the gazebo is a tree-lined road. In the movie, Maria skips along this road as she sings “I have confidence” on her way to the Von Trapp House for the first time.

The tour took us to Lake Wolfgang in St. Gilgen. This beautiful landscape can be seen in the opening sequence of the film.

Not far away was a place where participants of the tour were given an option to try a toboggan ride. This isn't included in the tour price so you have to pay for it separately but personally, it was worth it, especially since it was my first time on a toboggan. Interestingly enough, you can control its speed as it goes down. It really was a lot of fun. (I got someone on the tour to take my photo as I was taken up the slope and also as I went down.)

This other tree-lined road may also be familiar to fans of the film. Captain Von Trapp drives through this road with Baroness Schraeder on his way home and he sees several kids playing loudly and noisily in the trees. He initially dismisses them as local urchins before he realizes that they may actually be his own children.

The Mondsee Cathedral is where the wedding of Maria and Captain Von Trapp was shot.

Mondsee is a quaint village with a lot of charming, beautifully painted buildings in the center. I wouldn't have minded spending more time here.

I mentioned in my previous post that some scenes, specifically the ones where Maria and the children sing "Do-Re-Mi", were shot in the Mirabell Gardens. Maria and the children actually sing this song while going around the pegasus fountain.

The climax scene where the family hide in the convent as the Nazis go looking for them is set in Petersfriedhof (St. Peter's cemetery). However, as I read up on it, I realized that while the location of that scene is meant to be Petersfriedhof, that scene was actually shot in Hollywood. That's why the cemetery looks different from the scene in the movie! :)

All in all, The Sound of Music tour is actually pretty good. You see a lot of places in a short period of time and it can definitely be quite enjoyable for those who love the film. If you still remember the words, try to get with the program and sing along to the songs while on the bus. It really makes the whole experience a lot more fun. :)