If the first thing you learn about Salzburg is that it was the home of Mozart, then the second thing you will learn is that this is where the story behind the Sound of Music began. The Sound of Music is an American classic, so it was a priority for us to see at least a few of the filming locations on our very own Salzburg Sound of Music Discovery Tour. We also wanted find out what happened to the actual Von Trapp family. Below I have listed out the spots that I enjoyed searching for and finding, but it is not a comprehensive list of all the filming locations. You can however, take a bus or bike tour, which I heard were lovely.
Villa Von Trapp
We stayed three nights in Salzburg and decided to do so at the Villa Von Trapp, which was the home of the Von Trapp family before they escaped the country. The hotel has historic photos and memorabilia, making it it exciting to see every bit that we could. Outside each room, there is a photograph and description that details what or who’s room it belonged to. We were on the top floor in the central room, which was the original family’s living room. This is where the family gathered and decided to leave the country. Our room had a balcony, which we enjoyed coffee out on when it was warm enough.
At a Glance:
- Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars – would do it again in a heartbeat!
- Intensity: Cute outfit with walking shoes
- Location: Salzburg, Austria
- Cost: Free for most things
- Timing: 1.5 – 3 hours
Highlights:
- Relive the magical moments from the Sound of Music movie, while relearning the true history of the Von Trapp family.
Staying at the Villa hit home the liberties the Hollywood rendition took on the original story. It was true that Maria lived at a convent for two years before her assignment with the Von Trapp family and that they started a family choir, then ultimately escaped right before the borders closed. However, the film embellishes these details and many others in between. Starting with the home they lived in, which was very lovely, but not the mansion depicted in the movie. Also, the names and genders of the children did not align with the real Von Trapp family – most noticeably, the oldest was a boy and not Liesl. They also took a train out of Austria to Italy, and did not “climb every mountain” to Switzerland… which it turns out is very far away from Salzburg.
Regardless of the Hollywood retelling, we loved staying in the Villa Von Trapp. It was neat to see what is was like for this family leading up to the second world war. Our room was spacious with the only balcony. However, our room did have a shared bathroom down the hall. We didn’t need to be concerned about the shared bathroom because they were spotless and we never saw another person use them. To this day, we are unclear how many rooms didn’t have bathrooms. The Villa is a little outside Salzburg, so it is a drive to the downtown area or very easy to bus in (2.70 euro each way). It took us about five minutes to walk to the bus stop, which is just past the train station where the Von Trapp family escaped to Italy from Nazi rule.
Do Re Mi Fountains and Stairs
My favorite movie location on our Salzburg Sound of Music Discovery Tour is at the Schloss Mirabell Gardens. This is where Julie Andrews and the kids walk around a fountain and jump up the stairs, while singing “Do Re Mi” in their matching outfits. The fountains and stairs are on the garden-side of the main building and the view is fantastic. From the top of the stairs, you can see the Pegasus fountain, gardens, and the impressive Salzburg Fortress in the background. Read this post about having dinner and going to a concert at the Fortress. I can see why they chose to film here – that view is magic!
I believe there are very brief shots with the front entrance to the Mirabell Garden with the statues and electric fountain as well as some hedges and gnome statues, which the children bop on the head. We did not search these out as the Pegasus fountain and stairs were my favorite iconic shots. I highly recommend walking around the fountain and jumping on the stairs. Feel the moment and laugh… I promise it will encourage other people to do the same.
St. Peter’s Cemetery and Toscaninihof Platz
If you are on the Salzburg Rick Steves Town Walk, you will visit both St. Peter’s Cemetery and Toscanini Platz. In movie, the Von Trapp family hides behind the tombstones here when escaping. Although fun to see the connection to the movie, the cemetery is beautiful in its own right. Wedged between churches and side of the hill, the plots are well taken care of and full of flowers. There are also elaborate tombstones that have gold detail and intricate floral designs. Not sure if it was because of the shade from the fortress, but it did drop at least 10 degrees when entering the cemetery.
Toscaninihof Platz is just around the corner from St. Peter’s cemetery. There are stairs that you can climb to the top of Mönchsberg Hill. This square is where Rolf gives Liesl a telegram after rehearsal. A music hall in real life, the Von Trapp family performed concerts here as a way to generate income, when the family’s finances got tight. It was good that we stopped by here because this is where we parked later for the Fortress Dinner and Concert.
Sixteen Going on Seventeen Pavilion
If you’re wondering where the Pavilion where Liesl sings “Sixteen going on Seventeen”, the city of Salzburg moved it a few times and it now rests in the gardens of Schloss Helbrunn. Schloss Helbrunn is a few miles south of Salzburg and has expansive English Gardens. The pavilion is close to Parkingplatz B, tucked under some trees near one of the yellow walls. Perhaps the location of pavilion represents how the Austrians felt about the Sound of Music – respectfully tucked away. The pavilion remains locked, but still fun to twirl around. Apparently, the pavilion was only used for outside shots, as it was far too small to film inside.
We enjoyed having a picnic breakfast in the Schloss Helbrunn gardens, but didn’t stay for the trick fountains or go inside the main building. As our last stop in Salzburg, it was my final chance to grab souvenirs and our last stop on the Salzburg Sound of Music Discovery tour.
Overall thoughts: Salzburg Sound of Music Discovery
Even if the Hollywood production had taken liberties with the original story, I loved stumbling upon the different filming areas and learning about the Von Trapp family. Since we stayed at the Villa Von Trapp, I didn’t feel obligated to search out every single location, but I heard the tours are a great way to do so. Or I also found this website that seems comprehensive. One spot I wish we went to is where they filmed the family’s home, because it looked gorgeous. This palace seems closed to the public, but a few from afar would have been neat.
Have you ever gone to search movie locations? Let me know in the comments if finding the filming locations to any movies was particularly satisfying. Perhaps the next time I do so will be in Scotland to find the places shown in the show Outlander…. hmmm!
Happy Travels,
Hanna
