Many scenes of The Sound of Music movie were shot in the heart of Salzburg’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Most of them are just a few minutes’ walk apart – around the Cathedral, along the Salzach river and up on the Mönchsberg.
The filming locations in the Old Town
Maria sings “I Have Confidence” on Residence Square (Residenzplatz) and splashes the water of the Baroque Residence Fountain – the same square where the movie later shows the Nazi banners of 1938. In the playful sequence set to “My Favorite Things”, Maria and the children cross the Mozart footbridge (Mozartsteg) and pass the horse pond (Pferdeschwemme), which appears again during “Do-Re-Mi”. The middle part of “Do-Re-Mi” was filmed high above the city on a terrace of the Mönchsberg: the old building there no longer exists – since the early 2000s the Museum der Moderne and the restaurant M32 stand in its place, with the same view over the Old Town. The Salzburg Festival concert with “Edelweiss” and “So Long, Farewell” was filmed in the Summer Riding School (Felsenreitschule), a Baroque riding arena carved into the rock of the Mönchsberg and still a Festival venue today. And the cemetery where the family hides was built in Hollywood – inspired by St. Peter’s cemetery, one of the oldest and most beautiful cemeteries in Salzburg.
How we visit the Old Town on our tours
On our 4.5h tours we explore the filming locations around the Cathedral in the first part of the tour and spend about 30–40 minutes in the Old Town. Traffic in the Old Town is restricted, especially in the afternoon, and the area around the Festival halls is currently a large construction site, so we cannot always drive past every location. Wherever we can’t stop, your guide will show you where to find the scenes and tell you the stories behind them – so you can easily return on your own. Our tours do not go inside the Summer Riding School; it can only be visited on the Festival’s own guided tours.
Extra tips for your own visit
- Festival halls tour: The Salzburg Festival offers public guided tours of about 50 minutes (adults €7; one free entry with the Salzburg Card). Because of the renovation, tours currently take place mainly in the Großes Festspielhaus – the Summer Riding School can be seen only to a very limited extent, if at all. Please check dates and languages on the Salzburg Festival website.
- St. Peter’s Abbey and cemetery: the cemetery is free to visit, and the catacombs carved into the rock above it are worth a short look. More on the website of St. Peter’s Abbey.
- Dinner at St. Peter: the St. Peter Stiftskulinarium is one of the oldest restaurants in Europe, first mentioned in 803. In its Baroque Hall, the Mozart Dinner Concert combines a dinner based on historic recipes with live music by Mozart.
- M32 on the Mönchsberg: take the Mönchsberg lift (Gstättengasse 13) up to the terrace where part of “Do-Re-Mi” was filmed – with one of the best views over the Old Town. The restaurant M32 is excellent; please reserve in advance. Our tours do not go up the Mönchsberg, so this is a perfect addition for your own time.
Visit with Bob’s Special Tours
Our guides have been showing guests the filming locations of The Sound of Music movie since 1976 – with the stories behind the scenes, the real history of the von Trapp family and Salzburg’s culture beyond the movie. Our tours that pass through the Old Town:
- Public 4.5h tour to the filming locations
- Private 4.5h tour to the filming locations
- Private tour from Passau or Linz (for Danube cruise guests)
- 2.5h walking tour to the filming locations
- Full-day tour to the filming locations and Hallstatt
- Public full-day special tour to the filming locations
- Private full-day special tour to the filming locations
- Private 4-hour e-bike tour to the filming locations
- Private 6-hour e-bike tour to the filming locations
All filming locations at a glance: The Sound of Music movie filming locations in and around Salzburg.
Frequently asked questions
Which scenes of The Sound of Music movie were filmed in Salzburg’s Old Town?
“I Have Confidence” on Residence Square, parts of “My Favorite Things” and “Do-Re-Mi” at the Mozart footbridge, the horse pond and on the Mönchsberg, and the Festival concert in the Summer Riding School.
Can I go inside the Summer Riding School?
Only on the Salzburg Festival’s own guided tours. Due to the current renovation, access is very limited. Our tours do not go inside.
Is the cemetery hiding scene real?
The scene was filmed in a studio in Hollywood, inspired by St. Peter’s cemetery in Salzburg.