Discover The Sound of Music in Salzburg
Everyone´s heard of it. The classic movie of Maria, a young nun, who’s sent away to take care of the young von Trapp children and ends up creating a family choir, charming their father, and stealing their hearts.
The Sound of Music, starring Julie Andrews, remains one of the best-loved and widely known Hollywood musicals ever to have been made. But did you know Maria and the von Trapps were real?
Discover how to experience The Sound of Music where it all took place — Salzburg, Austria!
St. Gilgen and Wolfgangsee
As the movie starts, you´ll be familiar with aerial shots of a gigantic lake and alpine cliffs. Welcome to St. Gilgen. There’s no place better to start your Sound of Music tour than this picturesque village.
Visit the beautiful lake, Wolfgangsee, take the vintage railway to explore views from the mountain, Shafberg, and definitely throw your hands in the air, twirl around, and declare, “the hills are alive with the sound of musiiiiic!”
Mirabell Gardens
These beautiful gardens were designed to showcase the city’s iconic Hohensalzburg hilltop fortress in the horizon, and are an absolute must-visit for fans of the film.
Head behind Mirabell Castle to the Pegasus Fountain, and run through the pathways and archways singing ´Do Re Mi´, just like Maria and the children. Make sure to try and hit the high note too, upon leaving through the gates!
Don´t miss the Marble Hall during your visit to Mirabell Gardens. Though it’s not linked to the Sound of Music, it’s where a young Mozart often practised and played. Symphonic Salzburg was, after all, his birthplace and childhood home!
Schloss Leopoldskron
Schloss Leopoldskron is a magnificent late-Baroque style palace, commissioned in the 16th Century by the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg, Leopold Anton Eleutherius von Firmian.
The impressive palace has included a wide portfolio of famous visitors, such as HRH Prince of Wales, Bill Gates and Arnold Schwarzenegger. But the most well-known of all its guests, are the real von Trapp family, as Schloss Leopoldskron played the leading role of the family home!
Although most of the filming at Schloss Leopoldskon took place outside, to get a real look at the home of the choir, visit Villa Trap.
Villa Trapp
Though not shown in the film, Villa Trapp, was the actual home of Captain Georg von Trapp and his children.
Here, Maria Kutschera, a young nun from the Nonnberg Abbey, was truly sent to be the governess of the motherless children, and here, she really did form the famous family choir, fall in love with Baron Georg von Trapp, and live as the second mother to the children.
The park outside of the home played a significant role for the von Trapp family too, as it´s said that while the children were here rehearsing, the famous soprano, Lotte Lehmann heard them and convinced them to enter the singing competition at the Salzburg Festival.
Felsenreitschuele
Felsenreitschuele is a famous concert venue in Salzburg, and home to the city´s folk festival, the Salzburg Festival.
Both the venue and the event feature in the movie, as it ́s where the von Trapp family perform their final song, just before they escape into Switzerland.
Remember, upon ending your visit, you must try your very own rendition of ´So Long, Farewell´.
Now you know how to experience the Sound of Music, discover how to spend a weekend in Salzburg.