The Hills are Alive in Salzburg

The Sound of Music starts out with Julie Andrews happily singing on the top of a beautiful green hillside in Salzburg. The iconic 1965 film was shot on location in this Austrian city, and since then, the two have become synonymous with each other. Heck, there are even Sound of Music tours that take you to the well-known filming spots. It’s also where the real von Trapp family is from. 

Interestingly enough, the city where this beloved musical originated from is also the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, making Salzburg one of the most musically famous cities in the world. But I would add it’s also one of the most beautiful.

If you’re visiting Munich, Salzburg is actually a really great day trip since it’s about a two-hour train ride to get there. Once I arrived to Salzburg, I walked from the train station to Old Town. Don’t let the area near the train station fool you either; the closer you get to Old Town Salzburg, you’ll begin to notice just how stunning this place is. I also really lucked out since it was a warm, sunny day, which made Salzburg sparkle that much more. 

While I was intrigued by the idea of doing a genuine Sound of Music bike tour, I figured the fact that I crashed my bike while giving a bike tour was a sign I should stick to walking. And the great thing is, Salzburg is very walkable. 

I meandered around Old Town, admiring the gorgeous architecture and got to see St. Peter’s Abbey, which included the cemetery and catacombs. 

My next historic landmark was the Fortress Hohensalzburg. Like many fortresses, it’s high up overlooking the city, so you get gorgeous views. It cost 11 euros to get in, and they have bathrooms and a few restaurants up there as well. One of the restaurants is situated on the side of the fortress overlooking the hills. Talk about a meal with a view! 

Even though I wasn’t going to do a Sound of Music tour, I still wanted to see at least one filming location. This is where I should have done my research beforehand. I typed into Google ‘von Trapp house’. Well, instead of the house where they filmed (fun fact: it was actually two different houses they used for the front and back), Google was taking me to the real von Trapp’s home. I eventually realized this, and while I never made it to either of the movie houses, it did give me the opportunity to walk along the water and enjoy the scenery. There are some beautiful homes out that way too.
 
I then switched gears and went back to Old Town, visiting Mozart’s birthplace and getting lunch at a true “bier garten” (beer garden). 

I then decided on the Sound of Music filming location I was going to see: Schloss Mirabell (Mirabell Palace). This is the palace where they finish the “Do-Re-Mi” musical number, and it’s a very pretty location so I can see why they picked it! I would say if you do want to see just one location from the movie, this is a good one.

I’m so glad I made it to Salzburg. Considering it’s proximity to Munich, I would have been crazy not to go, and it made me excited to hopefully see more of Austria someday.