The Sound of Music Tour

 We were up early Saturday morning to find our group and board the bus for the Sound of Music tour.  We visited many of the filming locations around Salzburg, then drove to the village where the Captain and Maria's wedding was filmed.  We were also told stories about filming incidents and some of the actors.  No clue if they were accurate accounts or just stories to keep our interest!

Waiting by the party bus

Almdudler, the "national drink of Austria"

It was a very warm day and the tour provided cold drinks on the bus.  Most were adult type beverages that we don't drink but one of our group suggested the soda Almdudler.  He said it tasted similar to our ginger ale.  We didn't think so but it was cold and refreshing so we drank it.  Almdudler is a sweetened carbonated beverage made from herbal extracts.  It's popularity in Austria is second only to Coca Cola.  The drink was originally created and marketed as an alternative to alcoholic beverages.  According to the company's website, the name was derived from the common phrase auf der Alm dudin, which means yodeling in the alpine pasture. So there you go, more Austrian trivia you never wanted to know!

Our vivacious tour host

Singing Sound of Music show tunes

Our host cracked us up.  She was energetic and funny and had a great singing voice.  In addition to providing information about the locations and movie, she walked (more like danced) up and down the aisle encouraging us to sing along with her.  She really made the day fun.

The rear of Leopoldskron Palace

Leopoldskron Palace was Captain von Trapp's house and used to film the scenes on the veranda.  Also the scene where Maria and the children tip the canoe and fall into the lake.  It is now a fancy, expensive hotel.

Mountain the family crossed into Switzerland

Across the same lake at the rear of Leopoldskron is this scenic mountain that represented the family's escape into Switzerland.  It is no where near Switzerland; crossing this mountain would take you to a road on the outskirts of Salzburg.

Fishing poles at Leopoldskron Lake

The fishing poles have nothing to do with The Sound of Music or the tour.  We just liked the contraption and the old men sitting on their chairs waiting for a bite.

Hellbrunner Allee

Hellbrunner Allee

The tree-shaded lane is just as beautiful in real life!  The lane is 400 years old, is about 2.5 kilometers long and runs through a protected greenbelt.  An impressive 621 trees flank the avenue and it is closed to traffic.  It was difficult getting a picture without a walker, jogger or bicycle in view.

Hellbrunner Palace and grounds are now a beautiful park across the road from the shaded lane.  The park covers 60 hectares (approximately 112 American football fields).

Hellbrunner Palace

The Von Trapp gazebo, used for Sixteen Going on Seventeen, was originally on the Leopoldskron grounds but constant trespassing resulted in it being moved and reconstructed in the ornamental gardens of Hellbrunner.  It is on display only, no one is admitted inside.  Too many people tried to recreate the romantic scene from the movie and were injured while leaping across the benches.

Plaque near the gazebo

Another movie tidbit:  a second gazebo, slightly larger, was constructed at 20th Century Fox in Hollywood to film the interior shots.

Nonnberg Abbey

Convent interior scenes were recreated in the studio but Nonnberg Abbey exterior really is Maria's abbey.  You can visit the courtyard and peek into the chapel, which looks nothing like what you see in the movie.  And it doesn't really look out over the picturesque old town Salzburg, but the southern suburbs.  The shot of Maria leaving the abbey was filmed way across town in front of the Modern Museum of Art.

The song Do-Re-Mi begins at the picnic and climaxes in Mirabell Gardens in the city, where you will see the fountains, statues and the flight of  steps where the children hop.

Pegasus Fountain

I am standing on the steps taking this photo of part of the gardens

Mirabell Fountain

Maria's wedding in Nonnberg Abbey was filmed in the baroque, twin-towered St Michael's church in the village of Mondsee.  The 40-minute bus ride to Mondsee through the hills was a highlight for me.  I had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for the beauty of our world and how blessed we have been to see so much of it.

View from the bus window

More of beautiful Austrian hills

Mondsee Lake

St Michael's 

Interior of St Michael's

There happened to be a wedding in progress when we arrived so we couldn't explore the church interior.  It was fun to see some of the local customs and costumes.

A closer shot of the bride and groom

The wedding party exiting the church

The groom's ride is a tractor; the bride left in a limo

Taking the groom away

Some of the wedding participants

This train took us from the lake into the village

Mondsee is a delightful lakeside town in the hills.  Population is about 3,300.  The bus parked by Mondsee Lake and the little red train brought us into the village.  We had time to wander through some of the shops and open market booths while we were there.

I know some people think the Sound of Music tour is a hokie thing to do but we loved it!  We saw many parts of the city we probably wouldn't have explored on our own and had the opportunity to see the awesome countryside outside the city.  I would return to Salzburg in a heartbeat and do it again!

Next stop Vienna.