So Long, Farewell: Is The Original Sound Of Music Tour Worth It?
So Long, Farewell: Is The Original Sound Of Music Tour Worth It?
On my first visit to Salzburg in 2006, I saw a lot of advertisements for something called the Original Sound of Music Tour. I hadn’t seen the movie, so it really meant nothing to me. Please don’t judge.
15 years later, I was back in Salzburg – and still hadn’t seen the movie. It felt right to check into a hotel that played the movie every night.
So That’s Where I Know These Songs From
Some things are so pervasive in popular culture that you are exposed to it without even being aware. Turns out, I had heard some of the songs from the musical and the movie.
Like the ‘Do, a deer, a female deer….Re…a drop of golden sun…”
or
“So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night…”
and of course, more recently, Ariana Grande’s take on
“Raindrops on roses, and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens….”
Sure…those are a few of my favorite things too.
I Actually Liked The Movie
It’s not a surprise. I have a not-so-secret love for musicals and I exercise to the soundtrack from ‘Les Miserables’ and ‘Mammia Mia’.
I watched ‘The Sound Of Music’ for the first time that first night in Salzburg and understood why it’s so beloved the world over. It was a good thing because I heard the Original Sound Of Music Tour would be a sing-a-long type of tour.
A Brief History Of The Sound Of Music Bus
When Hollywood came to Salzburg in 1964 to film scenes for the movie, Kleinbusse am Mirabellplatz provided 6 buses to transport the crew of 250 around Salzburg. After the film premiered in 1965, and became the biggest grossing musical of all time, the of Salzburg naturally saw a rise in visitors.
Kleinbusse already knew all the locations so they began offering guided excursions as Panorama Tours. To date, they are the official and only guided Sound of Music location tour.
Our driver that morning has been with the company for over 30 years. We were in good hands, he says, as he takes his hands and eyes off the wheels and turns to greet us. It’s a light-hearted rehearsed stunt and sets the tone for the day.
Two Halves To Make One House
Recommendation #1: If you’re looking for a nice dinner and music evening, this is a good option.
Our first stop is Leopoldskron Palace, where most of the lake scenes in the movie were filmed. It’s an operating hotel that exudes old world charm and elegance.
Nicole, our guide, is a never ending bank of interesting facts about the filming.
Filming Fact #1: With the Untersberg mountain in the distance (where they filmed the opening musical sequence and the closing escaping over the mountain scene), we learned that Julie Andrews almost didn’t sign on to the movie. Andrews felt her caretaker character was too similar to that of Mary Poppins, a role she had just finished filming.
Andrews had to be convinced by the producers that it would be different and the rest is history. For most, Julie Andrews is the ‘Sound of Music’. Her portrayal of Maria Von Trapp is one of the reasons that the film is so beloved worldwide. Our bus was a hodgepodge of visitors from all over the globe.
Across the Leopoldskroner Weiher lake, we get a stunning view of the majestic Palace.
Hollywood Location Magic
Recommendation #2: This is one of Salzburg’s most iconic music hall. Worth it for the architecture and history.
Filming Fact #2: Scenes at Von Trapp residence were filmed in 3 different locations. The back terrace of the house was filmed here at Leopoldskron Palace with the lake as the backdrop. The interiors were filmed on set in Hollywood, and the front gates were filmed at Schloss Frohnburg.
Continuing on, we pass through Hellbrunner Allee – the green country lane where Maria is seen getting off the bus to the Von Trapp residence.
The Nonnberg Abbey where Maria lives does not overlook Salzburg. Clever editing was used with the city shot from a completely different location to the Abbey.
16 Going On 17
I liked that the tour wasn’t rushed and we had plenty of time at each location. Next was Schloss Hellbrun, where a number of the singing scenes were filmed. We visit the famous Gazebo where Liesl sings her famous ‘16 Going On 17‘ tune.
This isn’t the original location of the gazebo, but it was moved here when the people who bought the property with the gazebo started getting too many unwanted visitors.
Filming Fact #3: The interior gazebo scene was actually filmed in a fake gazebo set. This was clear because the gazebo is smaller than the space that was required for all the cameras and lights to film Liesl and her shy suitor’s dancing duet. The set was actually just half a gazebo.
Mountains and Mondsee
We settle back onto the warm bus for a 45 minute ride to Mondsee, to the church where the wedding was filmed. Tunes come on and a sing-a-long is not far behind. It seemed like everyone on the bus knew all the words, except me. The energy was contagious and I tried my best though.
We get to Mondsee by way of St. Gilgen with a beautiful lookout stop over Wolfgangsee lake. The snowscape is beautiful and I’m really enjoying the crisp winter air.
At the church, we have about an hour to explore the town. The church is bright and ornate and you can see why it was chosen for the wedding scene. Visiting in the daytime, it looks completely different from that darker scene, but it’s the same place.
So Long, Farewell
The town of Mondsee is cute and I head into one of the shops to buy some pressed edelweiss flowers. Apparently, these durable flowers grow at high altitude in pretty rough conditions and it’s illegal to pick them in Austria. Lucky for us, there’s a local woman here who’s figured out how to grow it on her own at lower altitude.
We continue the sing-a-long back into town finishing with, of course, “So Long, Farewell.”
Is The Sound Of Music Bus Tour Worth It?
If you’re a fan of The Sound Of Music, the Panorama original bus tour is a great way to see the many locations from the movies in on a half-day trip. Personally, I’d make the most of the day by going on the excursion that also combines a visit to the famous salt mine in Berchtesgaden.
For me, a good bus tour should have two things: an engaging guide and plenty of stops to break up the ride. The Original Sound of Music bus tour delivers on both accounts and it was nice to see Salzburg in a different light.
Local Tip: Our driver also recommended the checking out the Marionette Theater. They do a full Sound of Music musical performance with their famous marionette puppets.
Lastly, if you didn’t know already, Salzburg is the birthplace of Mozart. I highly recommend attending a classical Mozart concert at the famous Mirabell Palace and checking out Red Bull’s Hangar 7, one of my favorite meal experience in Austria.
Updated on September 2, 2025
