Travel Tuesday: The Sound of Music

Once upon a time, the husband and I traveled across the Atlantic for a magical two week baby moon adventure. It turns out, I quit telling the story about 2/3 of the way through our trip! We ventured out in London to see all the sights and take the Harry Potter Studio Tour. Then we took the train to Paris to see all the museums, churches and palaces. Next our our agenda was a quick plane ride over the Swiss Alps to Austria. We landed in Vienna and immediately hopped on a train to Salzburg also known as the city where Sound of Music was filmed. It’s also known for the salt mines which is where Salzburg got its name! {Fun fact of the day!}

Salzburg was quite possibly my favorite stop on our entire trip which is why I’m even more surprised that I haven’t shared it. Let’s take a look at the adventure!

Day 1: Planes, trains and automobiles!

• We flew into Vienna after 4 days in London and 4 days in Paris, immediately jumped on a bus then to a train that took us on a 3 hour journey to Salzburg.
• We arrived in the evening, checked into our Bed and breakfast and hit the streets for some delicious Austrian food. {Check out my food post here!}

Day 2: Sound of Music Tour

• We were up bright and early to go on a Sound of Music Tour! Besides Harry Potter, this is what I was looking forward to the most on this trip! You know what made it even better? This year was the 50th anniversary of the movie! Awesome, I know.
• We took a chartered bus from a location just a few blocks away from our B&B.
• Our tour guide was a fantastic, energetic gentleman who told us fun facts and sang SOM songs throughout the tour.
• First stop, the “Von Trapp house” and lake where they fall in! Only the outside of the home and a small portion of the lake was used in the movie.

• As we drove to our next destination, I was able to snap some stunning scenery. Not too bad from a moving bus!

• Next stop was the gazebo where the song “Sixteen going on Seventeen” was filmed. Fun fact: You can no longer go into the gazebo because too many people were injured trying to reenact the scene.

• Along the way to our next stop, we saw Nonnburg Abbey, the convent where Maria lived and the fortress behind it. {We even went to visit the fortress the next day.}

• The third stop was a gorgeous photo opp spot! Did I mention the day was absolutely perfect for this tour?

• Our fourth stop on the tour was a little town called Monsee where the wedding scenes were filmed at St. Michael’s Church.
• It was an adorable, quaint town with beautiful buildings, delicious apple strudel and perfect souvenirs. We got an Austrian bread basket which is still on my kitchen table!

• The final stop was at the Mirabell Gardens where Maria and the Captain dance and more importantly where they filmed Do Re Mi!

Day 3: The Fortress & The City

• The next morning, we were up and at ’em fairly early. We enjoyed a lovely breakfast at our B&B before heading out for our next adventure.
• We went through the city and up the giant hill to the Fortress Hohensalzburg! Fun Fact: The castle was built in 1077 and since it was built, it has remained unconquered by enemy troops.

View of the city from half way up the hill

• The day we went up, we were able to see a small parade celebrating the feast day of one of the saints of Salzburg.

• You had to pay a fee to get inside the fortress, but once you were inside, there were several different walking tours you could take to hear more about the castle and view the museums inside.

• On one tour we were able to see the torture chambers! Thanks JP for demonstrating 🙂

• We also got to go to the highest point of the fortress and see over the city. It was stunning!

• On another tour, we got to walk through the museums. One showed rooms of the castle decorated and furnished as they were in the 1400-1500’s.

• The other museum was as WWI and WWII museum. Needless to say, the Austrians aren’t too proud of their role in WWII, so almost everything was about how great they were in WWI.

• After spending several hours at the fortress we ventured back down into the city for lunch, shopping and exploring!

• I found my favorite chocolate and candies that I get when I’m in Norway or when Charlotte comes to visit! I was so excited.
• We also went in and did a walk through of Salzburger Dom or Salzburg Cathedral. It is dedicated to St. Rupert and St. Virgilius, the two patron saints of Salzburg.

• You know who was born in Salzburg that the town is very proud of? I’m sure it was your first guess…Mozart! His old family residence is open for tours {which we didn’t partake…so expensive!}, he has statues and paintings all over town, and he even has a bridge named after him!

• We finished off the day watching Arsenal play at a sports pub, eating a delicious dinner and walking the streets of Old Salzburg one last time.

What are you favorite cities in Europe?
Have you ever been to Salzburg or even Austria?

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