Original Sound of Music bus tour in Salzburg: See the film locations and sights of the famous movie!

You can choose from the Original Sound of Music guided tour or the HOP ON HOP OFF tour with Sound of Music audio channel. We show you the most important film locations and sights and all background stories of the movie.

Origin of the Sound of Music tour

After the great success of the film, more and more fans came to Salzburg interested in the original filming locations. Therefore, in 1967 Salzburg Sightseeing Tours became the first tour operator offering a Sound of Music bus tour in Salzburg. For nearly 50 years the Sound of Music tour is the most requested tour in Salzburg!

The Original Sound of Music Tour since 1967

Following the footsteps of Maria von Trapp you can see all Sound of Music sights in and around Salzburg. The Original Sound of Music tour takes you to the most important filming locations – the guided bus tour also shows you the historic city of Salzburg and the enchanting landscape of the Salzkammergut. Our experienced guide accompanies you throughout the tour giving you all the information you need. Find out with us whether the hills of Salzburg truly are alive with the Sound of Music as you listen to the original movie Soundtrack along the way. Book your ticket here.

City tour with Sound of Music audio channel

If you like to put together your own route, choose the HOP ON HOP OFF city tour. You learn about the movie on the Sound of Music audio channel in English or Spanish. You can decide how long you want to stay at the various filming locations. Tickets are available from 19 Euros. Book your ticket here.

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The Sound of Music filming locations:

Along the Sound of Music tour you see all the sights and Sound of Music locations in and around Salzburg:

1. Mirabell Gardens: Shown in many scenes, where Maria and the children were seen dancing around the statue of Pegasus, the winged horse and throughout the gardens singing ‘Do-Re-Mi’. (HOP ON HOP OFF City Tour, YELLOW & SKY Line).
2. The Gazebo (Hellbrunn Palace): Where Rolf and Liesl sang ‘Sixteen Going on Seventeen’ and Maria and the Baron sang ‘Something Good’. The Gazebo gives you a chance to recreate one of the movies famous scenes! (HOP ON HOP OFF City Tour, YELLOW Line)
3. Palace of Leopoldskron: This historical 18th century palace and its grounds provided many locations for the movie including the lake where the boating scene took place. The terrace was also where Uncle Max drank ‘Pink Lemonade’ with the Baroness Schröder plus many other scenes. (HOP ON HOP OFF City Tour, YELLOW Line)
4. Nonnberg Abbey: This historical abbey founded in the year 714 was used both in the movie and the true story. In the movie the Abbey was seen many times, when the children came to the gate to ask Maria to return to their home and from where the family tried to escape at the end of the movie. In real life Maria and the Baron married here in 1927. (HOP ON HOP OFF City Tour, YELLOW Line)
5. Lakes Fuschl and Wolfgang: This picturesque area was featured in the opening sequence of the movie. The village of St Gilgen (Mozart’s mother was born here) on the northwest side of the Lake Wolfgang is situated directly across from the famous Schafberg mountain – also seen in the movie! (HOP ON HOP OFF Lakes & Mountains Tour, GREEN & RED Line)
6. Church of Mondsee: The Sound of Music Wedding Church. This historical church of Mondsee was the location of the movie wedding between Maria and the Baron. Inside this wonderful church Maria walked down the aisle to meet the Baron at the altar. (HOP ON HOP OFF Lakes & Mountains Tour, GREEN Line)

Background story to the Sound of Music movie

The film Sound of Music is based on a true story: Maria Augusta Kutschera was a novice candidate in the Salzburg Benedictine monastery Nonnberg. She was sent by her abbess as a governess to the widowed Baron Georg Ritter von Trapp. Her task was to teach the second youngest daughter Maria, who was unable to attend school due to illness. The baron and the novice fell in love with each other during this time and later got married.

Shortly thereafter, in the early 1930s, they founded a family choir and performed numerous times in Austria. After Austria’s annexation to National Socialist Germany in 1938, the Von Trapp family left their homeland and emigrated to the United States, where they undertook numerous concert tours under the name of “Trapp Family Singers”. In 1952 Maria von Trapp wrote her memoirs in the book “From the monastery to world success”.

Sound of Music Musical

In November 1959, the story was performed as a stage musical (written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein) on Broadway in New York for the very first time. It was performed over 1,400 times for almost four years without interruption with much acclaimed success.

World famous film adaptation

The film of the musical became one of the most successful films of all time. It was shot in 1964 at original Sound of Music locations in and around Salzburg, directed by Robert Wise with the main actors Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. At the Academy Awards (Oscars), the musical was nominated ten times and won five awards (best movie, best director, best sound, best script and best musical adaptation).

Our bus company (Albus) was involved in the making of the movie back in 1964. Our busses were used by the film crew and our limousines carried the stars. As you will see in the movie Julie Andrews, who played Maria von Trapp, took our bus to drive to the von Trapp Mansion!