Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed
The story is set in Salzburg, Austria, and it was primarily filmed there too, which is rarer than audiences might assume for a Hollywood musical of the era. Production also used the surrounding Austrian regions, including the Salzkammergut lakes, and crossed into Bavaria in Germany for the opening hilltop scene. Studio interiors were completed in Los Angeles. So the setting and the filming locations align closely, with a German meadow and Californian soundstages filling the gaps.
The Studio Side
Interior scenes were shot at 20th Century Fox Studios in Century City, Los Angeles. Filming began there in March 1964 before the company moved to Austria in April. The studio recreated sets including the Nonnberg Abbey interiors, a larger-than-real glass gazebo, and the cemetery hiding place, since permission to film in some real locations was not granted. The studio site is not open to the public.
Tours That Visit These Locations
Guided tours from Salzburg cover the film sites efficiently, especially the out-of-town locations such as Mondsee and the lakes, which are awkward to reach by public transport. Options range from large group coach excursions to private trips, some pairing the film route with cooking classes, hiking trails, or salt mine visits.
Tour Plus Salt Mines Day Trip
Salzburg Super Saver: Original Sound of Music and Salt Mines Day Trip
A super saver combination bundling the original tour with a salt mines day trip, ideal for travelers wanting two major Salzburg region experiences in one booking.
★ 4.5 out of 5 · 361 reviewsSalzburg
Private Version Of Original Tour
Original Sound of Music Private Tour Salzburg
The private version of the popular original tour, rated 4.7 from 333 reviews, the strongest review count among the private options listed here.
★ 4.7 out of 5 · 333 reviewsSalzburg
Original Tour With Lunch Stop
Original Sound of Music Tour Salzburg With Schnitzel and Noodle
The original coach formula with a schnitzel and noodle lunch built in, rated 4.7 from 178 reviews, one of the most booked versions.
★ 4.7 out of 5 · 178 reviewsSalzburg
The Hills Are Alive Tour
The Hills Are Alive
Named after the opening song, this tour focuses on the landscape made famous by that first aerial sequence. No ratings are published yet.
★ 4.9 out of 5 · 69 reviewsSalzburg
Exclusive Private Tour
'The Sound of Music' Private Tour
A private exclusive variant rated 4.8 from 33 reviews, offering the standard route with flexible pacing for families or small groups.
★ 4.8 out of 5 · 33 reviewsSalzburg
Private City Tour, 2 Hours
Private 2 Hour Sound of Music City Tour in Salzburg
A compact two hour private city tour focused on the Salzburg sites, a good pick for visitors short on time or already planning a lakes trip separately.
★ 4.6 out of 5 · 25 reviewsSalzburg
Full-Day Private Film Locations Trip
Private Tour The hills are alive: a tour to locations of the Sound of music film
A pricey private option at 1022.12 USD with a 4 rating from 21 reviews, best suited to groups wanting the full location route on their own schedule.
★ 4.0 out of 5 · 21 reviewsSalzburg
Tour Plus Edelweiss Cooking Class
Original Sound of Music Tour & Edelweiss Cooking Class Salzburg
Pairs the location tour with an Edelweiss cooking class, appealing to travelers who want food alongside film history. No ratings yet, so expectations should be set accordingly.
★ 4.7 out of 5 · 18 reviewsSalzburg
Private Tour With Hiking Trail
Sound of Music Private Tour including do-re-mi hiking trail
Adds the do-re-mi hiking trail to a private tour, a rare option that gets visitors walking in the hills rather than viewing from a bus window.
★ 4.6 out of 5 · 8 reviewsSalzburg
Frequently Asked Questions
Was The Sound of Music filmed in the real von Trapp house?
No single real house played the von Trapp villa. The production used two palaces: Schloss Frohnburg for the front entrance and gates, and Schloss Leopoldskron for the rear, lake terrace, and boat scenes. Interiors were built at 20th Century Fox studios in Los Angeles.
Where was the opening hills scene filmed?
Maria's hilltop twirl in The Hills Are Alive was filmed at Mehlweg Meadow near Marktschellenberg in Bavaria, Germany, close to the Untersberg. The meadow area is accessible for hiking, though nearby land is private property.
Can you go inside Nonnberg Abbey?
Visitors can access the courtyard and chapel of the historic convent. The film's abbey interiors were recreated in a studio because filming inside the active convent was not permitted during production.
Where was the wedding scene filmed?
Maria and Georg's wedding took place at Mondsee Cathedral, formally St. Michael's Basilica, in the town of Mondsee about an hour from Salzburg. The church is open daily with free entry and was one of the first locations filmed.
Is the gazebo at Hellbrunn the original one from the film?
The gazebo on site at Hellbrunn Palace was relocated or replicated. The version used for close-up interiors was built larger on a Hollywood soundstage than the real structure. Entry to the palace gardens, including the trick fountains, requires a ticket.
How long did filming in Salzburg take?
Location shooting in Salzburg was planned for six weeks but extended to eleven because of rain. Filming began at Fox studios in Los Angeles in March 1964 and moved to Austria in April of that year.
Salzburg rewards film fans more than most cities because so many locations are free, public, and walkable, from Mirabell Gardens to Residenzplatz to Nonnberg Abbey. The farther flung sites, Mondsee Cathedral and the Bavarian meadow, are where a booked tour earns its price. Pairing a morning of independent city walking with an afternoon coach excursion tends to cover nearly everything the camera saw.
