Trailing the Sound of Music

The opening scene was etched in my mind. Where Julie Andrews skipped and dance on the hills that sprung alive with her singing. The movie kept me riveted throughout, except for the part where Captain Von Trapp and Maria played footise at the ball. The romance was definitely lost on a young me.

Sure, the songs were amazing, but what captivated me were the gardens where the kids sang Do-re-mi, the beautiful hills and lake in the opening scene of the movie and the stately mansion of the Captain’s family. So naturally, I couldn’t pass up the chance to take on the Sound of Music Tour when I was in Salzburg. Heck, in fact, I especially made sure I made it to Salzburg when planning a central Europe trip.

There is a handful of Sound of Music Tours available, but I picked the Gray Line’s Salzburg Sound of Music Sightseeing Tour because the coach looked comfortable. Most tours visit similar places, only the coaches are different. So I allowed that as my deciding factor. You can book the tour (at around 37 Euros) at your hotel concierge, and the tour will send a pickup to your hotel to fetch you to the starting point of the 4-hour tour- The Mirabell Gardens.

A baroque style historical building, lying in its centre is a geometrically-arranged garden filled with mythology-themed statues dating back from the 1600s, most notably the Pegasus the winged horse.

The garden’s centrepiece is a fountain, which fans would remember was where the Von Trapp kids gather and sing Do-re-mi. The beautifully manicured gardens with its fresh blooming flowers is the perfect start to the tour, and it gets you in the mood for a Sound of Music immersion experience.

 

The second location brings us to the iconic gazebo at the Hellbrunn Palace. This was one of my favorite scenes in the movie, where Rolf and Liesl sang and danced to “Sixteen Going on Seventeen”. The gazebo was presented to the city of Salzburg as a gift after the end of filming in 1964. In 1991, after restoration, it was housed at the Hellbrunn Palace Park for the public to view.

Unfortunately, all my hopes of re-enacting parts of the movie in the Gazebo went down the drain when I realised that it was locked. Apparently, one too many fans have been trying their sixteen-going-on seventeen routine, but alas, not as many were as agile. Many visitors injured themselves, forcing its closure.

 

The path leading to the Hellbrunn Palace may look normal, but any true blue fan of the movie can instantly tell that it’s the trail that Maria took when she first got off the bus at the entrance to the Von Trapp residence, singing in gusto to Confidence in Me. It may seem strange that an average dusty road can send me into palpitations, but I was just ecstatic to have walked the grounds that the great Julie Andrews once stepped on.

 

The third movie setting was the Palace of Leopoldskron. The tour didn’t bring us to the Palace interiors because there isn’t a need to. In fact, the coach stopped a distance of a lake away.

The historical 18^th century palace and its grounds and lake were featured in many parts of the movie. The lake was where the boating scene took place, while the palace’s terrace was in the scene where the Baroness chilled out and had her pink lemonade whilst plotting to send the kids to boarding school. The tour allows you time to apart from replaying the movie, to also absorb the splendour of the picturesque site.

The next stop is the most breathtaking part of the tour- the Wolfgangsee.  This lake is set against a picturesque backdrop of the famous Schafberg Mountain, and beside the sleepy St. Gilgen village. This stunning landscape was featured in the opening scene of the movie. The very same sequence that got me fascinated right from the beginning of the movie. The tour took longer a longer than usual break here. Possibly because everyone in the tour group was trigger happy. But I would suggest taking a handful of pictures, and spending the rest of the time soaking in the wondrous scene ahead of you; the vibrant clear blue sky that meets with mountain peaks that flow down lush forests that spread out to a cluster of quaint village houses.  It’s pointless to have 20 pictures of the same thing but you can’t remember a darn thing about the lake when you get back.

The last stop on the tour is the Church of Mondsee, or the Mondsee Abbey. This is also known as the Sound of Music Wedding Church. This historical church lies in a former part of Bavaria, known as Mondseeland. The charming but dignified church was once an imperial abbey. It’s the location of the movie wedding between Maria and the Baron. Both exterior and interior of the church were used in the filming.

The most memorable part is when Maria walked down the long aisle to meet Captain Von Trapp at the altar. Its deceptive humble exterior is a vast contrast to the intricately designed interior. The abbey’s high ceilings are heavy on gothic style.

After you’re done gawking at the church, you’re given some time to roam around the town area, and have tea before heading back to Salzburg city center.

Tip: the tour will sell an up-charge for the Sound of Salzburg show, a dinner and musical featuring the songs from the movie. I’d say forget about it. You’ve already sampled and reminiscence best of the movie. Moreover, the coach would have been replaying the movie’s songs, so you really don’t need to overkill your Sound of Music experience with this Song and dinner show.

The tour left out certain movie locations, because they are located in the city center, like the Mozartsteg  Bridge, featured in the sequence where Maria brought the kids out for a day of fun.

I must have seen the movie over 20 times and the half day movie experience was like a dream fulfilled. That’s definitely one item off my bucket list.