The Sound of Music Tour in Salzburg

One of the main reasons we visited Salzburg was to join the famous Sound of Music Tour.

As big fans of the movie (My Mom kept playing this movie when I was a child), we booked the Original Sound of Music Tour by Panorama Tours, which takes visitors to several filming locations around Salzburg and the nearby countryside.

The tour can also be purchased directly in Salzburg. There is a Panorama Tours booth located in front of Mirabell Garden, which also serves as the meeting point for the tour. The tour usually runs twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

We chose the morning tour so that we would still have the afternoon free to explore Salzburg’s Old Town.

Another option for visitors is the Hop-On Hop-Off bus, which also stops at several Sound of Music filming locations around the city. However, we chose the Panorama tour because it also includes a visit to Mondsee, a charming town outside Salzburg where Maria and Captain von Trapp’s wedding scene was filmed. The Hop-On Hop-Off bus only covers locations within Salzburg itself.

From our hotel, we took the trolleybus to the meeting point in front of Mirabell Garden, where the tour began.

Here are some of the places included in the tour:

Leopoldskron Palace

Leopoldskron Palace is a beautiful late Baroque palace located in the Leopoldskron-Moos district in southern Salzburg. The palace sits beside a picturesque lake called Leopoldskroner Weiher, surrounded by a peaceful park.

Today the palace hosts the Salzburg Global Seminar, and part of the property operates as a boutique hotel called Hotel Schloss Leopoldskron.

In The Sound of Music, the palace served as the exterior setting for the von Trapp family home. Several outdoor scenes were filmed here, including the famous moment when Maria and the children fall out of the boat into the lake.

Interestingly, the interior scenes of the von Trapp house were not filmed here. Some exterior shots of the villa were filmed at Schloss Frohnburg, while interior scenes were filmed on studio sets inspired by rooms in Leopoldskron Palace.

Hellbrunn Palace and the Famous Gazebo

Another stop on the tour was Hellbrunn Palace, where visitors can see the famous Sound of Music gazebo.

This is the gazebo where Liesl sings “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” with Rolf, and also where Captain von Trapp kisses Maria in the film.

During filming, the gazebo was originally placed at Leopoldskron Palace, but it was later moved to Hellbrunn Palace Gardens so that visitors could easily see it.

Hellbrunn itself is a beautiful palace complex with gardens, fountains, and parkland, but during our short stop we mainly focused on visiting the gazebo.

Nonnberg Abbey

During the tour we also passed by Nonnberg Abbey, the convent where the real-life Maria von Trapp was a novice nun.

In the film, the abbey appears in several scenes, including the moment when Maria leaves the convent to become the governess for the von Trapp children.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to stop for photos here as the tour only drove past the abbey.

Salzburg Lake District

On the way to Mondsee, we passed through the Salzburg Lake District (Salzkammergut).

Although this region was not used as a filming location for The Sound of Music, it is known for its stunning alpine lakes and beautiful countryside.

Our tour guide kindly stopped the bus so we could get out for a quick photo stop and enjoy the breathtaking scenery.

Mondsee

Our final stop was the charming town of Mondsee, located in Upper Austria on the shores of Lake Mondsee.

Mondsee is home to Mondsee Abbey, whose church was used as the location for Maria and Captain von Trapp’s wedding scene in the movie.

We went inside the church to take a look and then had about 45 minutes of free time to stroll around the town.

Mondsee is incredibly picturesque, especially with its colorful buildings and relaxed lakeside atmosphere.

Before leaving, we managed to try a delicious apple strudel at a cute pink café in the town square.

Back to Mirabell Garden

The tour ended where it started — at Mirabell Garden.

Since Sari had not visited the garden the day before, we took the opportunity to walk around and take some photos.

Mirabell Garden is one of the most recognizable locations from The Sound of Music. It is where Maria and the von Trapp children sing “Do-Re-Mi” while dancing through the gardens.

If you visit, you will easily recognize the Pegasus fountain, the gnome garden, and the steps where the children perform their famous musical routine.

Tips for Taking the Sound of Music Tour

If you are planning to visit these locations, here are a few helpful tips:

Book the morning tour
This leaves the afternoon free to explore Salzburg’s Old Town.

Sit on the right side of the bus
You will get better views of the countryside and lakes during the drive.

Bring a camera
The scenery in the Salzburg Lake District is absolutely stunning.

Watch the movie before visiting
It makes recognizing the filming locations much more fun.

Final Thoughts

Even if you are not a huge fan of The Sound of Music, the tour is still a wonderful way to see the beautiful countryside around Salzburg.

From elegant palaces to charming lakeside villages, the scenery alone makes the experience worthwhile.

But for fans of the movie, walking through the same places where Maria and the von Trapp family once sang and danced makes the tour even more special.