Salzburg “The Sound of Music” Tour Experience
“The hills are alive with the sound of music . . .”
Salzburg is where the movie The Sound of Music was filmed. It may have been released in 1965, almost a decade before I was born but I must admit that I have seen this film several times. It stars the adorable Maria (Julie Andrews), with the Von Trapp family; the father played by Christopher Plummer.
When I decided to travel to Austria and naturally Salzburg I made sure to pre-book The Sound of Music tour. I simply had to watch this classic film all over again. Luckily, the hotel where I was staying was just 5-minute walk to the designated meeting place to join the activity. I couldn’t help the feeling of over excitement and nostalgia looking at the big bus with familiar photos on it. The group became more alive when we started to sing along to the lines of the famous songs as the film was shown on the TV screen onboard the bus. It was such a fantastic experience being surrounded by like-minded people enjoying the same activity as we hopped-on and off at the apparent exact filming locations, reliving the favorite scenes and admiring the beauty of Salzburg.
Salzburg, which literally means salt fortress, is the fourth largest city in Austria and is one of the best-preserved city centres north of the Alps. The city is overlooked by the walls of Fortress Hohensalzburg, built in the eleventh century to protect the prince and his people from an attack. Fortunately, it never experienced a real siege. It is the birthplace of the world-famous eighteenth-century composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
To me, Salzburg is one of the loveliest places that I want to hopefully visit again. I had an amazing day walking through the old town window shopping at the lovely shops in centuries-old buildings. It was at the stunning Hohensalzburg Castle where I took most of my photos with the backdrop of panoramic surroundings. This castle also serves as a majestic backdrop when you look at it from the Mirabell Palace Gardens. The massive Mirabell Palace Gardens, which were laid out in 1687, are themselves utterly breathtaking.
The tour also includes a trip to Mondsee where the church at St. Michael Parish Church or the Mondsee Abbey was used in the filming, although it is not the actual church where the real-life wedding took place.
The Sound of Music is just one of the tours that I would highly recommend especially to those who either love the movie or have at least seen the film, as it covers most of the city’s major attractions. It also takes you to remote scenic places outside the city.
Indeed, Austria is a truly interesting country not only because of its history but of its wide options and beautiful sites to visit. With its convenient transport system, solo travellers for sure would have a wonderful time roaming around.
Travelling to most first-world countries like Austria is quite expensive; therefore it needs proper planning and consideration. As to food and drinks, I would normally buy from grocery stores or from takeaway food counters rather than dining in a restaurant, which is obviously costly. But indulging once in a while will not hurt, especially if you have enough in your budget. After all, travelling is not only about sightseeing but also experiencing and having a taste of the local cuisine like having a slice of apple strudel with coffee or tea in an authentic Viennese café.
Photos taken in Salzburg and Mondsee:
