The Sound of Salzburg
“The hills are alive…” Do you know how this sentence ends? Be honest…did you just sing it? I know I do every time! It is a well-known line from the iconic 1965 film, “The Sound of Music.” Chances are you have seen this film at least once, or you’re familiar with some of its popular songs like “Maria,” “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” and “Edelweiss.” The first time I saw this movie, I was in my grandma’s back room with my cousins during a family get-together. The TV was small, and we had the classic two-tape VHS set to watch. Since I was eight at the time, I did not fully appreciate the story, but I remember liking the music and the children’s antics. Over the years, I have watched the film many more times and have seen it performed as a high school musical.
I recently had the opportunity to go on “The Original Sound of Music Tour” in Salzburg, Austria. Earlier this month, my sister-in-law and I traveled around Austria exploring the beautiful sights and historical landmarks, while enjoying delicious schnitzel and kaiserschmarrn (fluffy, sweet pancakes torn into pieces and served with applesauce). The reason for our travels? A wedding! A couple of years ago, I wrote an article titled “A Tourist in My Own State.” In this article, I shared my travels and adventures with my Austrian friends, Clara and Jens, during their visit to Minnesota. These friends had gotten engaged just before flying to Minnesota, so it was special to celebrate that milestone with them. Fast forward to June 2026, and these two have officially tied the knot! I was honored to be a bridesmaid in their wedding and enjoyed celebrating with their family and friends. The wedding day was full of sunshine, love, joy, and lots of dancing!
With that context, let’s go back to Salzburg and “The Original Sound of Music” tour. My sister-in-law and I chose the 4-hour tour option, allowing us time to explore the city on our own in the afternoon. Unfortunately, our tour day was rainy…the whole time. It was a good thing we were able to ride a bus to the different locations and dry off. Our bus was full of other tourists from a variety of countries, so the energy was fantastic. I especially enjoyed the music playing throughout the tour, encouraging us all to sing along!
Our guide was Australian, but he has been living in Austria for 20 years. He shared interesting facts about the actual von Trapp family and their history, as well as fun facts from the movie. Our first stop was at Lake Leopoldskron to see the back of Schloss Leopoldskron. This building was used as the back of the von Trapp house in the film, where the notable boating scene was filmed, and later, when the children were playing a game with the Baroness. We learned there were two houses used for filming, one for the front and driveway shots and one for the back scenes. Any interior scenes of the house were shot on a soundstage in Hollywood.
We drove by Schloss Frohnburg, where Maria sang part of the song “Confidence,” and Stift Nonnberg, the filming location of the Abbey. Our next stop was at Hellbrunn Gardens, where the famous glass gazebo currently resides. While this is not the actual location used in the movie, it is the original gazebo, which is pretty incredible. Our guide informed us that a replica of the gazebo was built and used to film the song “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” in a Hollywood studio to provide a better filming experience for the actors. After, we drove thirty minutes out of Salzburg to Mondsee. The drive was beautiful with lakes and mountains all around us. Our main focus in Mondsee was Basilika St. Michael, the filming location of the wedding between Maria and the Captain. Built in the 15th century, the Gothic structure of this church is intricate and captivating, drawing over 200,000 visitors each year.
The final stop of the tour was the Mirabell Gardens. This location was where they filmed the majority of the song, “Do-Re-Mi.” We were able to walk around the Pegasus Fountain, hop up the stairs, dance by the gnome statues, run through the hedge tunnel, and march across the garden entrance. My sister-in-law and I took turns reenacting the scenes from the movie and compiled our own video featuring these different filming locations. We had a magical morning experiencing “The Sound of Music” with other fans and embracing this tourist activity. My Austrian friends informed me they, like many other Austrians, have never actually seen the film before and it’s only important to visitors. While not famous in Austria, this movie brings thousands of tourists to Salzburg annually!
On the tour, our guide mentioned Maria von Trapp’s memoir, “The Story of the Trapp Family Singers,” and how she sold the film rights to a German producer for the 1956 film, “Die Trapp-Familie (The Trapp Family).” Curious about the actual Maria, and not the movie Maria, I have requested this book and hope to read it soon! Other books in our system about the von Trapp family include: “Memories Before and After The Sound of Music: An Autobiography” by Agathe von Trapp, “The Sound of Music Story” by Tom Santopietro, “Maria” by Maria von Trapp, and “Maria: A Novel of Maria von Trapp” by Michelle Moran. I may just have to read them all after experiencing Salzburg and Austria’s beauty.
If you ever have the opportunity to visit Salzburg, I highly recommend taking a “The Sound of Music” tour to experience the film and the story of the von Trapp family firsthand. While I may have bid a “so long, farewell…” to Austria for now, something tells me the hills will call me back again.
Krista Kugler is the Children’s Services Librarian at the Fergus Falls Public Library