sound of music cycling tour

Sound of Salzburg

Have you just arrived? Or are you planning to come to one of the most beautiful cities in the world and want to see as much of it as you can? Did you grow up watching Julie Andrews and the von Trapp Family and are dying to see where those beloved scenes were filmed? Then this tour is for you! We, Salzburg’s only bicycle tour, charge less than the bus tours, but offer you so much more. We take you to places other tours will only show you from the road. We take you to locations buses can’t even reach. You don’t need to be a The Sound of Music fan, or even to have seen the film to love our tour!

TOURS FOR EVERYONE IN ANY WEATHER

Film locations.

Fräulein Maria’s Bicycle Tours starts in April and ends in October.

We highly recommend to book in advance to secure a place on the tour. We can´t guarantee a spot without booking altough we try to keep spots left for show ups.

Through June, July and August we also run late afternoon tours. A reservation is necessary for this tour.

Are our times not good for you, or would you rather be alone with your family? – Private tours can also be arranged for anytime April – October.

If you are unable to make a tour that you have reserved a place on, we would more than appreciate you contacting us to cancel the reservation. A guide may be turning up and waiting just for you.

• from the age of 18 up
• 13-17 years
• under 12 years

Our normal prices are already so crazily low for a tour of Salzburg, but there are still a few discounts available.

• For +10 groups we have special discounts and provide special times.

• Price for private tours depend on participant numbers.

We prefer payment being made in cash on the day to the guide.

Please arrive at least 10 min before departure time.

Note: „Daily“ is every day, including Sunday and Holidays.

Our tours last around 3,5 hours.

Meeting Point

We are easy to find and centrally located. Our meeting point is located at Mirabellplatz 4 – 50m left of the entrance to the Mirabell palace. We are right opposite the big Saint Andrews Church/Andräkirche. Just look out for our famous Fräulein Maria’s Bicycle Sign and a whole lot of bicycles.

How are you getting to us?

By Bus: All lines between the station and the old city center stop at Mirabellplatz (Bus stop Mirabellplatz).

By car: You can park your car in the garage directly under Mirabellplatz.

By foot: An easy distance from the old city or the train station – right next to the entrance to the palace Mirabell, opposite the St. Andrews Church/Andräkirche.

By plane: you can land your aircraft in the Mirabell garden, but watch out for the flowers, the attendants are very protective of them! 😉

We would be happy to put together a suitable offer for you.

My name is Rupert Riedl. I was born and grew up in Salzburg. As is true of most of my fellow Austrians I had never heard about the Trapp Family, until I was lucky enough to work in a youth hostel where I caught the spirit from Fräulein Maria.

While working at the hostel I booked and recommended a lot of bus tours for people with the tour companies in Salzburg, but I saw that some people weren’t totally satisfied with this impersonal and commercial way of seeing the city. In time for the next summer, full of ideas and ambition and after cycling every single road and bike path to find the best route for you, I left my job at the Youth Hostel and my Scottish wife and I started Fräulein Maria’s Bicycle Tours. We had found a way to bring our guests close enough to touch all the sights… even in Salzburg´s old town where cars, let alone buses aren’t allowed. We started with just ten bikes, but we soon had to buy more!

Since starting in 1999 we have had the chance to show thousands of tourists our beautiful city and sing along with them in the footsteps of Fräulein Maria.

Our guides aren’t bike racers or stubborn history freaks, but they love the movie and being outdoors, they know the city and most importantly they love sharing their passion with you. We have a mix of native English speakers and original Salzburgers in our team, and this combination might be one part of our success.

We use Cruiser bikes with 7 gears and very comfortable seats. Your arms will be well stretched out and your back upright! The most difficult thing about the tour is forcing yourself to get off the bike at the end of the day and back on your feet =)

We know how boring long bus drives are for kids so we love having families come along! We have a wide range of different sizes of children’s bikes. For boys and girls who can’t yet ride on their own or don’t feel confident we have child seats, trailers, tag along trailers and a tandem. We have helmets for the kids, and for adults on request. So bring your kids… and drag your husbands… we love them all. We have even had some dogs coming along with us too! If you don’t feel confident riding alone we also have an adult tandem bike available to double the fun!

We have them in ladies and men’s styles. Each bike is kitted out with the name of one of the characters from the film, a basket that can carry up to 5 kilos (11 pounds) and the best feature of all – a huge Fräulein Maria Ding Dong Bell making you unstoppable…

Dipl. Sptl. Rupert Riedl

• Siezenheimerstraße 157 5020 Salzburg Austria
• [email protected]
• +43 650 3426297

The wheels are alive with the sound of music

All through Salzburg and the surrounding areas you’ll find sites from the Sound of Music. Don’t see them on a bus – do it from the back of a bike!

Written by Michael Turtle

Michael Turtle is the founder of Time Travel Turtle. A journalist for more than 20 years, he's been travelling the world since 2011.

Michael Turtle is the founder of Time Travel Turtle and has been travelling full time for a decade.

Updated: July 11, 2023

Sound of Music cycling tour, Salzburg, Austria

Where to start? Well, let’s start at the beginning. It’s a very good place to start.

Sitting alone at an outside table in one the Salzburg’s largest beer gardens, a group of local drinkers come up and ask if they can join me. Of course.

As we chat, I mention that I’m doing a Sound of Music tour the following morning.

Oh, one of them says, rolling his eyes ever so slightly, “nobody in Austria has seen that movie. Well, maybe about half the people. But it’s not very popular here.”

He tells me a story – probably apocryphal – that during the Reagan Administration, the Austrian President was visiting the US and they played ‘Edelweiss’ for him, assuming it was an important national song.

Of course, as we know, it was written purely for the musical and has no historical link to Austria.

For Salzburg, The Sound of Music has two strong links – even if many of the residents don’t know much about it. Firstly, it was here that Maria and the Von Trapps actually lived and went through many of the events told in the movie. And, secondly, much of the movie was filmed in and around the city.

I suppose a should add a third link between the movie and Salzburg. It’s what inspires hordes of tourists to visit the city every year.

Sure, there is plenty here to entice and entertain without needing a movie to promote it. But let’s be realistic – it is a deciding factor for a lot of foreigners.

For this reason, there are plenty of offerings for tours in Salzburg based on The Sound of Music. The most common one is a bus tour, which drives around, spotting the sites out the window, and stopping at a couple for some fresh air. But children are meant to play, not march, right?

The bus tour does gets good reviews ( and you can see more about it here ) but that’s not really my style. So I decide to try a tour by bicycle.

We gather together in the morning. There are about 16, going on 17, of us. All, expect for me, are from the USA.

I’ve always found (on the rare occasions when I have put my mind to this question) that Australians and British have the same passion for The Sound of Music as Americans. Yet my friends from the US do see it slightly differently.

It’s a little magical, a little exotic, a slice of the stereotypical European charm they imagine exists far away in space but not time. For the rest of us, it’s simply a bit of camp good fun.

But a bicycle tour through the sites of Salzburg gives all of us a chance to release some camp good fun.

At the fountain in the square in front of the Salzburg Cathedral, people take turns splashing the water out, like Maria does as she proclaims that she has confidence. It’s so exciting to be out in the world, to be free.

At the Horse’s Bath, where Maria and the children sing some of ‘My Favourite Things’, some people do a little song and dance.

Locals walking past seem amused – perhaps by the idea of schnitzel with noodles, which seems to only exist as a rhyme for crisp apple strudels, which is actually common here.

We go through various spot in the city used for the movie – doorways, arches, squares, a graveyard. I must admit, though, these are not necessarily my favourite things.

I have seen them all already on a brief stroll through the historic part of Salzburg and there are crowds of tourists everywhere. Where this tour really helps us find our dream, is when we start to climb every mountain (actually, just one, thank goodness).

It’s up on this hill above the city that we reach Nonnberg Abbey.

In its own right, it’s a beautiful abbey. Away from the traffic, it’s quiet and peaceful.

I go inside and there’s a choir singing (but nothing from the movie, before you ask). Before I walk through the door, I whisper my favourite line under my breath, “What is it you can’t face, Maria?”

The line was probably done in a studio. But this abbey was used for the external scenes of Maria’s abbey.

There are no rolling green hills anywhere nearby for Maria to be beckoned from – a bit of Hollywood magic, that is – but I can imagine her coming through these gates. The best thing is that not all of the Sound of Music bus tours come here because there’s no accessible road.

In fact, as we go downhill from the abbey, it’s all uphill for the tour. Because now we enter the countryside around Salzburg.

The guide turns on the speakers and songs from the movie play around us as we cycle through fields with the wind in our hair. My heart wants to sing every song it hears and my heart wants to beat like the wings of the birds that rise from the lake to the trees!

Speaking of lakes, that’s our next stop. We gaze over a lake to Leopold Palace, which reflects in the smooth water.

This was used for the filming of the exterior of the Von Trapp house when the lake was in shot. The tour group sings a little bit more here, naturally. I, however, don’t. I can’t. I’ve got a sore finger.

And then there’s a lovely ride on a track, to the Frohnburg Palace, used for other exterior shots of the Von Trapp house. I look up at the trees as we cycle past – I’m sure I could imagine children playing in curtains in the branches.

At the end of the path we find the famous gazebo, also known as the Sound of Music Pavillion.

These days it’s all locked up – no way to dance and sing inside, singing along to ‘Sixteen Going on Seventeen’ as Rolf and Leisl did. In fact, that’s why it’s locked up because a few too many people had accidents while reenacting the scene.

Sad. It looks like an empty stage waiting for fate to turn the light on.

Perhaps it’s a good symbol for the day. I have a lot of fun and the weather has been kind.

It’s nice to see a bit of Salzburg and particularly pleasant to have a ride around away from the traffic. But nothing can quite capture the joy of The Sound of Music, even a tour like this.

Each of these sites seem a little sad without the characters in them and the music filling the space around them. But, then again, that’s what our imagination is for.

And, with that, I hate to leave this pretty sight. I flit, I float, I fleetly flee, I fly. So long, farewell.

THE BEST ACCOMMODATION IN SALZBURG

I would recommend staying in the historic centre – and there are wonderful options on either side of the river.

You’ll find very comfortable and modern dorm rooms at the cool Wolfgang’s managed by a&o .

For great value right in the Old Town, check out Institut St Sebastian , which is in a historic building.

With an interesting design and very comfortable rooms, I would recommend Small Luxury Hotel Goldgasse .

And if you’re looking for something special, Hotel Schloss Mönchstein is pure luxury with a stunning mountain location.

Time Travel Turtle was supported by the Austrian National Tourist Office  in partnership with Captivate but the opinions, over-written descriptions and bad jokes are his own.

More stories about Austria

• Visiting Schonbrunn Palace from Vienna
• Why is Vienna's World Heritage status at risk?
• The best things to do in Salzburg
• A Sound of Music tour in Salzburg
• What to do in Innsbruck
• Exploring the beautiful Wachau Valley
• The best things to do in Graz
• St Anton am Arlberg in summer
• What to see in Bregenz
• Why Krumbach's bus stops are so special
• The best things to do in Lech in summer

5 thoughts on “The wheels are alive with the sound of music”

I am going to learn to ride a bike just to do this tour!

Ha ha – it seems like a good enough reason to learn! Although it’s actually quite easy, so don’t worry too much if you’re still learning by the time you get to Salzburg! 🙂

I have always loved the Sound of Music.. In fact I grew up with Julie Andrews. 🙂 I think that it was an awesome idea to bring it all back again.. The memories sure are wonderful.. Thanks for sharing your memories in the making and thanks for bringing back mine as well.. You are truley a work of art and your words are very inspiring.. Peace to you friend.. 🙂

I didn’t know that The Sound of Music had bus tours. It sounds like it would be a lot of fun to have a music based tour. Is this something that is offered everywhere they do The Sound of Music stuff?

It is a great idea to do this tour by bike 🙂 I also wrote a post about Sound of Music tours in Salzburg!

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What’s Included

What’s not included, dates & pricing, please note.

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Extra Options

Extra nights in salzburg (4 star hotel), skill level — moderate–difficult, airport info, local travel, day of rest, important to know, tour operator, have you been on this tour, related tours, around lake constance - 12 day.

Around Lake Constance

Lake constance - highlights & hinterland, four countries rails to trails e-bike tour, four countries of lake constance.

This Sound of Music Bike Tour is the Best Way to Experience Salzburg, Austria

The hills are alive with the Sound of Music!

Hop on your bike (that's named after a character from the movie) & explore the enchanting town of Salzburg, Austria where most of the filming of the beloved Sound of Music took place with "Fraulein Maria's Bicycle Tour"!

After a beautiful drive through Germany, our adventure in Salzburg started off with a cold and rainy morning-- but the tour must go on! After arriving at the meeting location, Fraulein Maria's Bicycle Tours kindly provided us with a rain poncho and we were on our way!

A short ride around the block, our very first stop was right in front of the Mirabell Gardens, where Maria and the Von Trapp kids scale the edge of the fountain and sprint through the vine covered pathway, all while belting out "Do-Re-Mi," (and maybe we did too.)

But the tour really gained its magic when we continued on, the rain calmed down, the weather was perfect, and our guide broke out his speaker and started playing the soundtrack from the movie. Just imagine a group of tourists all chorusing the songs like we were stars in the movie (it felt like we were!)

I won't spoil all of the locations for you because I truly hope you make your way to Salzburg to experience this tour...BUT they have a little flip book on your bike handlebars that showcase a photo of the scene from the movie at each location you stop at--and believe me, you hit literally all of them!

Another really neat aspect about this specific tour is that it is currently the only bicycle Sound of Music tour in all of Salzburg! In our opinion, it's much better than riding on a bus because not only do you get some exercise but you get to step off the bikes and explore much more frequently! And more than that-- you can reach locations that buses can't!

Need we say more? Go on this tour! Whether you are a Sound of Music lover or not...this tour captures the essence, history and beauty of Salzburg and you will thank yourself for going!

P.S. I'm sure all the tour guides are exceptional but we're convinced Tom is the best! If he still works here, we highly recommend him!

Click here to learn more or to book your tour!

#austria #soundofmusic #music #biketour #tours #travelblog

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Salzburg Sound of Music Bicycle Tour

Updated June 12th, 2019

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“How do you feel about biking?”, I asked my mom before our Austrian trip. Other than knowing that we were going to Austria, the whole trip was going to be a surprise. I was feeling her out on a couple of ideas I had. Her apprehensive response about biking wasn’t very reassuring to my idea of doing a Salzburg Sound of Music Bicycle Tour.

Years ago I remember someone talking about how much fun they had on a Sound of Music tour. I hate to admit it but prior to planning this trip if someone would have asked me where the movie took place I don’t think I would have been able to say Salzburg. Regardless I knew we had to do some sort of tour and I really wanted to avoid the big bus tours so I signed us up for Fräulein Maria’s Bicycle Tours despite my mom’s apprehension.

We had a little time to practice our skills before the tour and immediately after getting on my bicycle, named Gretel, I thought, “What have I gotten us into? I don’t know how to ride a bike!”. The handlebars seemed so wide apart and I was terrified to attempt turning while riding on the bicycle so I kept getting off to walk my bike around corners. That would not be a sustainable solution for long! Soon we unsteadily set off to test our fates as bicyclists and to see the sights of the city related to the film.

Horse Pond – Pferdeschwemme

Maria and the children happily sing through this area in the film.

Residence Square – Residenz Platz and Residence Fountain

I loved how our guide referred to this square as the place where Maria did “splashy splashy” in the fountain as she sang “I have Confidence.” During the film a Nazi flag was hung from Residence palace in the square. Austrians woke up terrified that the Nazis’ were back again. Fortunately it was just for filming, but they still were not too pleased about the whole ordeal. 

St. Peter’s Cemetery

Used as inspiration for the cemetery in the film.

The Nonnberg Abbey

The real Abbey used in the movie. Beautiful lookout point to the rest of the city and the alps in the distance.

Lost in the Beautiful Fields of Austria

No, this isn’t the name of another film location. When leaving the abbey there was a very steep hill that we had to go down. Hills and especially turning corners when going down hill still seemed terrifying to me at this point. My mom and I were the last ones in our group to head out and we took it much slower so we got a bit behind the group.

Even though I couldn’t see anyone I automatically turned left at the first intersection because it continued down the hill. At the next intersection I made a guess and turned right. At this point I had not only lost the group, but also my mom behind me. I asked a passerby if he saw bicycles in the direction I was heading, he did so I continued my journey. Later on I realized the guy probably thought I was asking if a bike could go on the path. The next intersection I came to had even more options so I sat a bit to think what to do. Meanwhile my mother actually made all the exact same wrong turns as I did so she caught up with me! As we were pondering our predicament, guess who came up next!? Our faithful tour guide! She had come to find us and bring us back to the group.

Schloss Leopoldskron – Leopoldskron Palace & Lake

Many scenes were shot here, including when Maria and the children went out on the lake. We learned that the actress that played Gretel didn’t actually know how to swim so when she fell into the lake she genuinely needed to be rescued. During the 2nd take Maria fell off the boat the wrong way and wasn’t able to save her as planned and a cameraman had to jump in to save the day. Ironically I was riding the Gretel bicycle and also needed to be ‘saved’. 

Frohnburg Palace

Several scenes were filmed here as well. As Maria sings “I have Confidence” she does her little heel clicks here.

Our guide brought a speaker and gave different people turns to blast the music from their bicycles as we were riding, so the hills were indeed alive with the Sound of Music!

The gazebo isn’t actually the original gazebo and it isn’t even in the same spot, but a replica was made and put in Hellbrunn Gardens. You can’t go inside the gazebo either because too many eager tourists slipped and hurt themselves when trying to reenact the dance scene. 

Mirabell Gardens

These are beautiful gardens that are free to explore. Maria and the children sang “Do-Re-Mi” as they danced around this fountain…

…into this tunnel

….through these statues

….around this fountain

….and up these stairs to hit the final note and pose!

By the end of the tour my biking skills had significantly improved, I loved Salzburg and couldn’t wait to watch the movie! Check out the movie for yourself and see how my poses line up with those of Maria!

**A few of the pictures were taken at later times when we came back to explore the area more. Except for Mirabell Gardens, which you don’t fully walk or bike through on the tour, there is enough time for pictures at all of the stops. 

Visiting Information

Fräulein Maria’s Bicycle Tours 

Location    

Tour begins and ends at Mirabell Gardens.                                                                                                                                         

Our tour guide (Sharon?) was amazing. She knew the film very well and presented all the information in a humorous and entertaining manner. Our tour group could have been better though, they didn’t seem too interested in the film. I think it would have been a lot more fun with a group who was more into acting out the scenes or at least being enthusiastic about the whole experience. Considering our group had bikers who wanted to go faster and bikers like us that were slow, our guide did an excellent job. I wish I felt a little more confident about biking and could have enjoyed the sights a bit more, but overall I am really glad we did the tour and would recommend the tour for anyone who also wants to be a bit more active and have more of a small group tour experience. It’s eco-friendly too! 

Most adults do not wear a helmet on the tour, but you can ask for one. There are two scheduled bathroom breaks throughout the tour, the first one has a charge. The first stop is really the only chance to buy food or water. There is a pretzel stand with amazing pretzels that we went back to later in our trip….two times!

Fitness level wasn’t a problem for either of us, it seemed like biking skills were more needed then being physically fit.If the biking sounds too intimaditing try the original Sound of Music Tour  by bus. 

Where to Stay in Salzburg

Altstadt Hotel Hofwirt Salzburg  was one of our favorite hotels on our  Austrian Itinerary . It is located in the New town of Salzburg and close to the main shopping and restaurant area.  It is about a 10 minute walk to Mirabel Gardens, the starting point of the bicycle tour.

More about Austria

• A full  Austria Itinerary
• Salzburg:   Untersberg ,  Hellbrunn Palace ,  Salzburg Christmas Museum
• Gmunden  (in the Salzburg Lakes District)
• Seefeld  (in Tyrol)
• Vienna :  Sisi Museum & Schönbrunn Palace
• Savory Foods
• Sweet Treats

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Salzburg by Bike: The Sound of Music Bike Tour

• - So many sights in short amount of time
• - Biking through the countryside
• - The gorgeous flowers in Mirabell Gardens
• - Being outside all day

nugget Loved

• - Riding in a bike trailer
• - Singing “Sound of Music” songs on bikes
• - Re-creating Maria’s “I have confidence” at the Von Trapp family home
• - Ice cream at Mirabell Gardens
• - Racing through the vine-covered tunnels

ITINERARY (1/2 Day)

Fräulein maria’s bicycle tour, mirabell palace and gardens,   mom loved,   nugget loved, nugget’s advice, prepare in advance.

Book a Fräulein Maria’s Bicycle Tour in advance via its website. Carts are available to pull children behind the bikes. We fit both of our children into one cart. Also, pack a picnic lunch to enjoy in Mirabell Gardens after the tour.

Good to know

The bicycle tour is approximately 8 miles (13 km) of biking throughout the city and surrounding area. There is only one big hill and it is possible to walk the bike up the hill. People of all athletic abilities and ages can participate in the tour. Lastly, guides are paid after completion of the tour, so make sure to bring cash.

Recommended day/time

Bicycle tours begin at 9:30 a.m. each day and last approximately 3.5 hours. In June, July and August there is also a 4:30 p.m. tour.

Recommended time of the year

Bicycle tours run from April through October only.

Our children shared a bicycle cart, so we only had to pay for one child. Fräulein Maria’s Bicycle Tours also offers several discounts. It offers a 2 euro discount if you travel with the guidebook “Rick Steves” (show it to the tour guide when you pay), a 10 percent discount if you have a Cycle Cities card and special discounts for tours of 10+ people.

About This Day

Villa Trapp

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The Sound of Music Tour

Explore original shooting locations on the Sound of Music Tour in all kinds of different ways: by bus, on foot or by bicycle. Whatever you choose, it’s bound to be a one-of-a-kind experience.

The life of the von Trapp family is intertwined with that of Salzburg itself. Every year, some 300,000 people visit important landmarks in the life of the von Trapp family and the story told by the movie. The fascinating life of former novice Maria von Trapp and her singing family became a world-wide success when the film was released in 1965, with Julie Andrews starring as Maria. The songs from " The Sound of Music " are famous around the globe.

Original shooting locations from the Sound of Music movie include:

Mirabell Gardens and the Pegasus Fountain (the dance scene with Maria and the children)

Schloss Leopoldskron (in the film, the house where the family lived)

Hellbrunn palace (singing scenes)

Nonnberg Convent (where the young Maria was a novice)

St. Gilgen / Wolfgangsee (opening scene of the movie)

Mondsee Basilica (wedding scene)

"The Sound of Music" tour can be booked online through...

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Bob's Special Tours

Other "sound of music" experiences, this might also interest you:.

Amadeo Hotel & Apartments

4-star hotel near Hellbrunn Palace. Double rooms from 148€/night with breakfast - Book now!

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HOTEL GOLDGASSE

Book now and get your free welcome breakfast (promo code: WBF).

Plan your visit

Here you will find your ideal accommodations, sightseeing tours of Salzburg, special events and tickets, along with all the benefits of the Salzburg Card.

Book guided city tours and excursions in and around Salzburg online:

The many-and-varied cultural events represent the heart & soul of Salzburg. Book your tickets right here:

• Advent/Christmas/New Year's
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• Culture / customs / markets / festivals
• Exhibitions
• Guided tours
• Religious events
• Theatre / shows / dancing / films

The Salzburg Card provides you with free or discounted admission to numerous sightseeing attractions, along with free use of public transportation.

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Sound of music cycling tour.

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• Duration: 7 Nights
• Difficulty: Level 2
• Tour Type: Self Guided
• Availability: Daily from 13th April to 5th October
• Location: Salzburg

Sound of Music

Tour details.

This cycling holiday in Austria will allow you to explore the wonderful lakes around Salzburg known as the Salzkammergut lake district.  This cycle tour has some fantastic contrasting scenery, firstly the tour starts in the rolling countryside using extremely quiet country lanes used only by the farmers and on some dedicated cycle ways. Here the lakes are shallow and the water is brown in colour. After a few days cycling you reach the mountains, the lakes now turn a wonderful blue-green colour in which the mountains reflect in them providing some stunning scenery. This region is known more famously as the Sound of Music country; setting of the Sound of Music. Salzburg is also the home of Mozart. This region is certainly stunning and very peaceful. The crystal clear lakes mirror image the surrounding hills covered by lush pine forests.

Starting Location

Price includes.

• 7 Nights Bed and Breakfast
• 3 star hotels, country inns and pensions
• Welcome meeting
• Information Pack
• Luggage transfers
• GPS Files on request
• Ship trip on Lake Attersee (approx. 1st July – 31st August)
• Train Traunsee – Lake Hallsatt (including bike)
• Smart Phone App for Navigation

Price Excludes

• Transport before and after tour
• Hybrid Rental Bike With Insurance
• E-Bike Rental Bike With Insurance
• Extra nights
• Hotel upgrade 3 / 4 star hotels
• High season Supplement
• Tourist Tax

Accommodation – Subject to Change

Salzburg                      – Hotel Ganslhof, Upgrade Arcotel Castellani

Trumer Seen Lakes     – Hotel Mitterhof, Upgrade Hotel Walkner

Lake Mondsee             – Hotel Meingast, Upgrade Hotel Krone

Lake Traunsee             – Hotel Hockeck, Upgrade Hotel Post Ebensee

Bad Goisern area        – Hotel Goiserhof , Upgrade Hotel Moserwirt

Lake Wolfangsee        – Hotel Aberseehof, Upgrade Hotel Huber

Route Characteristics

You will cycle through rolling countryside on a mixture of cycle paths, forest paths, farm roads and quiet side roads. There are only a couple of sections on roads that have more traffic.

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Hooked on Cycling that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the chosen activity and for emergency evacuation and hospital care.

Day 1 Arrival to Salzburg

Arrive in Salzburg and take the short transfer to your hotel. Tour information, handing over of cycles usually takes place late afternoon. Visit the old city and explore the history behind Mozart, maybe visit is former home. It is well worth spending an extra night in Salzburg to fully appreciate all it has to offer.

Day 2 Salzburg -Trumer lakes/Wallersee 31-38 miles/50-60 km

Cycling along the river Salzach to Oberndorf, birthplace of the Christmas carol ”Silent Night“, Arnsdorf and the Silent Night Museum and then on to Michaelbeuern with its lovely abbey. Later you cycle on to the Trumer Lake country (Obertrumer Lake, Lake Mattsee, Lake Grabensee) and partly at the lake Wallersee. Shorter distances are possible. This is rolling green countryside on superbly quiet country lanes.

Day 3 Trumer Lakes/Lakes Wallersee to Mondsee 30 miles, 50km

Today you cycle across the nature reserve of the small lakes Egelseen to the village Schleedorf with its cheese dairy and on to the idyllic Irrsee. Then it is time to cycle onto Mondsee which was the location of the wedding scene of Sound of Music at the church.

Day 4 Mondsee to Traunsee 30-50 miles, 50-80 km

The day begins with a boat trip to Weyregg (just in high season – then the shorter distance). Through the valley Aurachtal to lake Traunsee with the impressive old town of Gmunden. Gmunden has a lovely castle, Castle Orth, a ceramics factory, Altmünster (bicycle museum) and Traunkirchen which is the Fishermans association.

Day 5 Lake Traunsee – Lake Hallstatt – Bad Goisern and surroundings 12-23 miles, 20-35 km

By train from Traunsee to Obertraun and onto Lake Hallstatt, why not visit the Dachstein ice caves. Now along the lake to Hallstatt with the oldest salt mine. Hallstatt is UNESCO protected due to its famous Salt mine and very pretty alpine village. Approach Hallstatt by boat and you see the wooden houses and boathouses perched on the water’s edge. In time gone by there were no roads in the region and the Lake was the only way to access the old town and also the only way to export the salt. This was a great way to protect the commodity from smugglers as salt was a worthwhile commodity along time ago. Tour end is Bad Goisern or a neighbourhood town.

Day 6 to Wolfgangsee  23 miles,  35 km

Now you cycle via Bad Ischl which is the summer residence of the Austrian emperor with its wonderful park and Sisi’s teahouse along the river Ischler Ache to the lake Wolfgangsee. St. Wolfgang which is famous for its “White Horse Inn”, old church, rack-railroad on the mount Schafberg. You will pass Strobl, Abersee and St. Gilgen the Mozart village on lake Wolfgangsee today. The air shot at the beginning of the Sound of Music film was taken at lake Fuschlsee to lake Wolfgangsee

Day 7 Wolfgangsee to Salzburg 30-44 miles, 50-70 km

On the cycle path to St. Gilgen (Famous for its Mozart Village) where you continue to Lake Fuschlee. You now continue by bike to lake Hintersee and through the gorge Strubklamm to the Wiestal valley (reservoir). Now cycle through the gorge of Glasenbachklamm to the Salzach valley. Why not visit the castle Hellbrunn with its gazebo from the film Sound of Music, it is now a short cycle into Salzburg where you can spend the evening enjoying the famous sites in the city.

Day 8 Departure

Depart after breakfast.

How to get there

Fly to Salzburg or Munich (then by train to Salzburg) By car to Salzburg where parking is available

Fly BA, Ryanair or Flybe to Salzburg

2024 Prices – For a complete tour price breakdown please click the book now button and select your holiday tour date. Prices will then be listed.

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Salzburg: Austria’s ‘Sound of Music’ city hits notes, rain or shine

Austria’s fourth-largest city offers a storybook charm that makes simply walking the cozy streets of the Old Town an attraction in itself. Churches, castles, palaces and baroque architecture are all found in Salzburg’s historic center, a sight only beaten by its alpine setting and location on the Salzach River. 

Salzburg is known throughout the world as a city of music, and for good reason. The city is the birthplace of Mozart, a fact celebrated in museums, gift shops, tours and festivals throughout Salzburg. For me, the draw to Salzburg was in its connection to The Sound of Music, the 1965 film starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, and the family that inspired the Academy Award-winning picture.

Each year, more than 300,000 people choose to visit Salzburg because of its ties to The Sound of Music, and I was no exception. My obsession with the film began when I was a child and continues to this day. 

The film tells the story of Maria, a young Austrian woman studying to become a nun in Salzburg in 1938. She is sent to the villa of a retired naval officer and widower to be governess to his seven children. Maria brings music back into the lives of the children and the captain and helps them cope with the loss of their homeland to the Nazis. Not only is Salzburg home to numerous filming locations, but it also includes landmarks of the actual von Trapp family.

It was day 10 of my 14-day European vacation. The weather so far had been perfect: not too hot, not too cold, with clear skies. On this particular day, I was exploring Salzburg, the city I had been most excited to see. A glance outside my hotel window made me stop in my tracks — rain, and lots of it. 

I had high expectations of my only full day in Salzburg, which was to begin with a 3½-hour Fräulein Maria’s Bicycle Tour. As the rain poured down outside my window, I zipped up my raincoat and headed to the meeting point near Mirabell Palace, to see if the “rain or shine” policy would really hold true.

Fräulein Maria’s Bicycle Tour

I arrived at the official tour meeting place completely soaked, but the rain didn’t seem to faze my tour guides or fellow riders. Ponchos were handed out and I was given a bicycle to call my own for the next three-plus hours. 

I took comfort in the fact that Salzburg has been repeatedly named the “most bicycle-friendly city” in Austria. I’m no stranger to biking, but a new city and endless raindrops streaming down my glasses had me a little nervous. 

The tour took us to more than 20 locations related to the film and the real von Trapp family. 

These are a few of my favorite things

We began the tour by crossing the river into Old Town, via the Mozart Bridge. One of our first stops was Karajan Square and the “Horse Pond.” The pond was originally used as a place to wash the parade horses of the prince-archbishops. In the film, Maria and the children stop to splash in the fountain near the end of “My Favorite Things.” 

From there we rode — I mean pushed — our bikes up an incredibly steep pathway leading to Nonnberg Abbey, which is located above the city at the foot of Festungsberg Mountain. The convent is special in that is has both real-life and film significance. Maria von Kutschera (the real Maria) was a nun there and was later married there. Fans will recognize the site from the “How do you solve a problem like Maria?” scene and the escape scene at the end of the film. After going inside the church, we took a break to take in the breathtaking views of Salzburg and the alps. Even on a rainy day, the views were amazing.

A descent and a short ride led us to Leopoldskron Palace and its pond, which now operates as a hotel. It was the setting for many of the film’s iconic outdoor scenes — like drinking pink lemonade on the terrace and when the captain heard his children sing for the first time.

Raindrops on roses

At this point in the tour I was soaked to the bone, so much so that my new pair of jeans was beginning to bleed blue dye. After we passed the palace, we rode along a path through a residential farming area. It was then when the weather almost got the best of me. As I pedaled along the dirt path and the raindrops raced down my lenses, my mind was running wild with disappointment. “Why am I putting myself through this?” Of course, I was comparing my experience with pictures I’d seen on the tour website, with smiling (and dry) faces, illuminated by sunlight. I selfishly thought: “How will these photos look on my Instagram feed?” 

Luckily, my mind snapped back pretty quickly. In the midst of feeling sorry for myself, I took a true inventory of my surroundings. I was following the path of one of my favorite characters, passing by sites I’d seen on screen hundreds of times. I was lucky to be here, rain or shine.

I wrapped up my internal conflict just in time for our stop at Frohnburg Palace, which was used to portray the front of the Von Trapp Villa. Scenes shot there include Maria’s arrival and when the family attempted to escape the Nazis by pushing their car silently out of the gate. 

At the end of the path, we stopped at one of the most anticipated sites, The Gazebo, also known as The Sound of Music Pavilion. We spent about 20 minutes there, taking turns getting photographs with the iconic structure. I could practically hear “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” as I posed for my photo. 

Before we knew it, we had left the countryside and were back in Old Town. We rode into Residence Square, or Residenzplatz, and parked our bikes so we could take a look around. In the film, Maria crosses the square while singing “I have Confidence.”

After buying a few souvenirs, we were back on our bikes. Our last stop was Mirabell Palace and Gardens, which are seen numerous times in the film. Maria and the children dance through the gardens, skip around the Pegasus Fountain, and jump up and down on the steps like the notes of a musical scale, all while singing “Do-Re-Mi.” 

So long, farewell 

As luck would have it, the rain came to an end just as we parked our bikes back at the meeting point. Despite the rain, the tour was a great way to see the sights of Salzburg without the restrictions of parking a bus. For those wishing to hedge their bets on staying dry, a handful of The Sound of Music -themed bus tours are available throughout the city.

More to see

After returning to my hotel for a dry set of clothes, I explored more of the Old Town, including the Getreidegasse shopping street. There, I stumbled upon Sound of Music World, an exhibition that compares the fictional storyline of the film with the real von Trapp family story. The exhibition is a great stop for tourgoers to explore in small groups during free time.

ASK: Salzburg Tourism salzburg.info Fräulein Maria’s Bicycle Tour mariasbicycletours.com

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The Sound of Music

The original tour.

Let us start with the beginning of this really extraordinary story. In 1963 Twentieth Century Fox sent scouts to  Salzburg  to plan filming the the Von Trapp Family story on location. The filming in  Salzburg  started in 1964. As flights and housing for over 250 crew members, technicians, camera men, stage hands as well as the actors were extremely expensive, the time-frame was limited to six weeks, but due to bad weather conditions, the  filming  took around 11 weeks after all. During this time nobody dreamt that THIS  special movie  would one day become one of the  most famous and successful films  ever. After the premiere in 1965, the first fans from the US started coming to  Salzburg , to visit the  locations where the movie had been shot . As the  Panorama Tours  drivers had been involved in escorting the actors as well as the staff to the  various places , they not only know the exact locations, but also lots of stories behind the making of this movie. At this time our sightseeing tour  ORIGINAL SOUND OF MUSIC TOUR  was born so we could share all this with you! With us you can get all the inside information! Our company,  Salzburg Panorama Tours , is also really proud of the special friendship with the Trapp Family in Vermont and also with  Rodgers & Hammerstein . Our  tour  is the officially presented tour on the official DVD and Blu-ray as well as on many other productions like "On Location" with Charmian Carr which was filmed in 2004, on occasion of the 40th anniversary of the  movie .

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Experience sound of music.

Book your tour now

Check out our tours for fans of "The Sound of Music" in Salzburg: Original Sound of Music Tour, Sound of Music Tour with Schnitzel & Noodles, Sound of Music Private Tours, Sound of Music Special Package, Sound of Music at Schloss Leopoldskron Package and many more.

A Self-Guided “The Sound of Music” Tour of Salzburg, Austria

Salzburg is a beautiful and historical town in Austria close to Munich and right next to the German border. The city rose to fame after the 1965 American musical, The Sound of Music, was filmed around the city. Tourists from around the world enjoy visiting the filming locations from the movie and yes, I am one of them. Here is a self-guided tour of The Sound of Music spots in Salzburg. Because some of the spots are outside of Salzburg’s town centre, the tour may take you two days. Enjoy!

Mirabell Palace Gardens

Start your tour in the New Town of Salzburg at the Mirabell Palace Gardens. 

The Sound of Music Connection: Maria (Julie Andrews) and the Von Trapp children sing “Do Re Mi” throughout the garden. Definitely one of the most famous musical scenes in the movie!

If you enter the Gardens from the south, you will see two Greek statues. Maria and the children mimic their fencing pose.

Continue into the garden and you will see the Pegasus Fountain where Maria and the children dance around the edge.

Next, you will reach a set of stairs that Maria and the children use as a musical scale. From here you’ll have a great view of Mirabell Gardens with Hohensalzburg Fortress in the background.

Make sure to go up the other set of stairs by the Pegasus Fountain, which leads to the Gnome Garden. Maria and the children take turns tapping the head of the gnome wearing glasses.

As you leave Mirabell Gardens, walk through the vine tunnel that Maria and the children skip through.

Mozart Footbridge

Next on the tour, take the pedestrian-only Mozart Footbridge (Mozartsteg) across the river to the Old Town.

The Sound of Music Connection : Maria and the children cross Mozartsteg during the song “My Favorite Things.”

Residenzplatz

Walk through the beautiful Residenzplatz.

The Sound of Music Connection : During the song “I Have Confidence in Me,” Maria splashes in the Horse Fountain.

Kapitelplatz

Walk through Kapitelplatz. From here you’ll have an amazing view of Hohensalzburg Fortress.

The Sound of Music Connection : Maria walks through this square during the song “I Have Confidence in Me.”

Nonnberg Abbey

Make your way to the historic Nonnberg Abbey.

The Sound of Music Connection : Several scenes in the movie were shot around the Abbey, although filming inside was not permitted. The real life Maria Von Trapp lived as a nun at the convent and also married Captain Georg Von Trapp here!

St. Peter’s Cemetery

Head to St. Peter’s Cemetery (Petersfriedhof), one of my favourite spots in Salzburg and one of the most beautiful and unique cemeteries I’ve ever seen.  

T he Sound of Music Connection : St Peter’s Cemetery was used as the inspiration to build a set in Hollywood where the Von Trapp family would hide from the Nazis, although the real family never hid in a cemetery. Franz Wasner, the real life Max Detweiler (the Von Trapp’s advisor and choir conductor), is buried here.

Rock Riding School

Next, walk past Salzburg’s Rock Riding School (Felsenreitschule). The only way to see inside the Festival Hall Theatre is by tour or to see a show.

The Sound of Music Connection : The Von Trapp children rehearse for the Salzburg Music Festival in the Rock Riding School’s Festival Hall Theatre. On the night of the festival, Captain Von Trapp sings “Edelweiss” and the whole family sings “So Long, Farewell” here before they make their escape. Although their performance did not play out like this, the real life Von Trapp family performed here in 1935 and won the Salzburg Music Festival in 1936.

A short walk will bring you to the beautiful Horse Pond (Pferdeschwemme ) where parade horses were washed and groomed in the past. 

The Sound of Music Connection : Maria and the children dance past the Horse Bath during the song “My Favorite Things.”

M ö nchsberg Lift Terrace

Continue along the road and you’ll reach the Mönchsberg Lift (Mönchsberg Aufzug), which is located inside the Modern Art Museum of Salzburg (Museum der Moderne). This is the last filming location in the Salzburg town centre. I suggest ending your first day of the self-guided tour here. Take the lift up to the top floor and you will find a terrace (formerly known as Winkler Terrace) with one of the best views of Salzburg. This view is amazing at sunset!

The Sound of Music Connection : The beautiful city view from the terrace can be seen while Maria and the children sing “Do Re Mi.”

Schloss Leopoldskron

The rest of the filming locations on this tour are outside of the Salzburg town centre so it may take another day to see them, depending on how much time you’ve spent at the previous spots. If you are interested in visiting these sites, you can rent a bike, drive, taxi, or take public transportation.

Schloss Leopoldskron is now a hotel and you can only enter the former palace if you are staying as a guest. However, you can see the back of the palace and its beautiful terrace from across the pond along Konig-Ludwig-Strasse.

The Sound of Music Connection : Several scenes in The Sound of Music were filmed on the terrace. Schloss Leopoldskron was also the original home of The Sound of Music gazebo until it was moved to Schloss Hellbrunn (which you will see later).

Schloss Frohnberg

Continue south to Schloss Frohnberg, which is now part of the Mozarteum Music Academy. Tours of the palace are not available but you can see the front of the palace from the road.

The Sound of Music Connection : Schloss Frohnberg was used as the front of the Von Trapp family home in The Sound of Music .

Schloss Hellbrunn

A bit further south is Schloss Hellbrunn. One of Salzburg’s Prince Archbishop’s built the palace as a place for fun. The palace has no bedrooms, several trick fountains, and vast woodland grounds. I highly recommend paying the entry fee for Schloss Hellbrunn, which includes a tour of the palace and the trick fountains – it’s so much fun! However, you can walk around the palace grounds and see The Sound of Music Gazebo for free.

The Sound of Music Connection : Located on the palace grounds is the famous Gazebo where Liesl and Rolf sing “16 Going on 17,” and Maria and the Captain later sing “Something Good.”

Villa Trapp

On your way back to the Salzburg town centre, cross the Salzach river and stop at Hotel Villa Trapp. In 2008, Villa Trapp was turned into a hotel, which you can tour or stay in.

The True Story of the Von Trapps: In 1926, Maria Kutschera was sent to this family home by the Nonnberg Abbey to tutor Captain Georg Von Trapp’s sick daughter. One year later, Maria and Georg were married when she was 22 and he was 47, and she became stepmom to his 7 children. Maria and Georg had another 2 children of their own (of 3) while living here. To earn some cash during tough times in 1935, the family began to perform as a choir. In 1938, the Nazi’s arrived in Salzburg and the Von Trapp’s made their escape by train to Italy just one day before Hitler closed the Austrian borders. The Villa Trapp was seized and used as a private home for SS Chief Heinrich Himmler during the war before being returned to the Von Trapps, who sold it to a Catholic mission. The Von Trapp family performed in over 2000 shows in 30 countries before settling on an American farm that they turned into a hotel. Georg died in 1947 and Maria lived until 1987 – she even had a small cameo in The Sound of Music ! 

The Sound of Music Connection : This is where the real Von Trapp family lived from 1926-1938.

BONUS: Meadow in Werfen, Austria

Although this filming location is not in Salzburg, I highly recommend visiting this meadow in Werfen, Austria if you can. The meadow is about a 40-minute drive from Salzburg. When you reach Werfen, drive up Schartenbergstrasse and you will see a meadow with a section that is surrounded by a wood fence. This meadow has the most amazing view of the Austrian Alps and Hohenwerfen Castle down below. You will really feel like you are in The Sound of Music at this spot!

The Sound of Music Connection : In a famous scene, Maria and the Von Trapp children have a picnic in this beautiful meadow and then start singing “Do, Re, Mi.” 

I hope you enjoyed this self-guided tour of The Sound of Music filming spots in Salzburg!

To read my blog post, “How to Spend 2 Days in Salzburg,” click here .

To read my blog post,  “What and Where to Eat in Salzburg, Austria,”  click here.

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• Private Tours

Original Sound of Music Tour® - Tour 1A

• Also available as Private tour
• Also included in Other products

Do you have special requirements? Make a request

daily at 9.15 am and 2.00 pm

Panorama Tours Bus Terminal , Mirabellplatz / Hubert-Sattler-Gasse 1, 5020 Salzburg Arrival information

Join us on a wonderful ride through Salzburg on the Original Sound of Music Tour®

Tour the picturesque World Heritage City of  Salzburg  as well as the beautiful  landscapes where the opening scenes of the movie   The Sound of Music  were filmed with our live guide!

The Sound of Music Tour Salzburg includes original shooting locations from "The Sound of Music" movie:

• Mirabell Garden and Pegasus Fountain , where Maria and the children danced in the movie
• Nonnberg Convent , where Maria was a novice
• Schloss Leopoldskron ,  the house, where the Trapp Family lived in the movie which is now a luxury hotel
• Hellbrunn Palace (singing scenes in the movie)
• Gazebo (now placed in Hellbrunn), where the Baron von Trapp kissed Maria for the first time
• Church Mondsee , where Maria and the Baron get married

The Sound of Music in Salzburg

The enormous success of  The Sound of Music  Broadway Musical by  Rodgers & Hammerstein  premiering in 1959 made film director Robert Wise and 250 crew members turn  Salzburg  and its surroundings into the  Sound of Music filming location  in 1964. And it was  Salzburg Panorama Tours  who took the  Sound of Music  film crew to the  various locations  where the  famous movie  was filmed.

Shortly after its release, the film became a tremendous success, receiving five Academy Awards, becoming the highest grossing movie ever and reaching cult status over the years. Both musical and film are based on the "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers" written by  Maria von Trapp  in 1949.

In the tracks of the Trapp family in Salzburg

In Salzburg, visitors can follow in the authentic footsteps of the Trapp family and experience the iconic filming locations of 'The Sound of Music' at the same time. The tour begins at the former home of the Trapp family in the Aigen district, which is now used privately and can only be visited from the outside. Another historically significant place is the Nonnberg Monastery, where Maria lived as a novice before taking care of the Trapp children. Hohensalzburg Fortress and Mirabell Gardens , famous for the movie scenes in which the children sing 'Do-Re-Mi', are also part of the route. In addition, the tour leads through the palace park of Leopoldskron Palace, which served as the back of von Trapp's home in the film, and to Hellbrunn Palace, where the famous pavilion scene was filmed. Our 'Original Sound of Music Tour' allows visitors to explore both the real life locations of the Trapps and the picturesque filming locations of the movie. This carefully curated tour combines cultural heritage and cinematic history by offering insights into the lives of the Trapp family as well as the making of the world-famous film. 

Get to know Salzburg

Follow the traces of the  Trapp family  and take a tour through Salzburg and its surroundings. See the  original film settings  and just imagine being  Julie Andrews , the main character in the film, playing  Maria von Trapp . Learn about the historical and architectural landmarks of Salzburg as well as the Lake District while enjoying the highlights of the movie. Relax and listen to the  Original Sound of Music  soundtrack and of course feel free to sing-along  Edelweiss  and many more... Our live guide will tell you everything you need to know about The Sound of Music, the Trapp Familiy, the film locations and about the shooting.

Please note:

• Please make your own way to meeting point, 15 min. prior departure
• free cancellation up to 24 hours prior to tour departure
• We are not able to offer a pick-up service from the hotel
• Infants up to 4 years are not entitled to their own seat
• Pets are not allowed in the tour

FAQs Original Sound of Music Tour®

Where does sound of music take place.

The true story, that The Sound of Music is based, on took place in the Austrian city of Salzburg. Large parts of the movie were filmed in and around Salzburg, some scenes even in the original locations. Featured in the  Original Sound of Music Tour® are among many others Leopoldskron Palace and the gazebo at Hellbrunn Palace . 

When did the true story of Sound of Music take place?

Maria was asked to teach Georg von Trapp's children in 1926 and their wedding took place in 1927. In 1938, the Trapp family moved to the US to escape the Nazi regime in Germany and Austria. Their move was however far less dramatic than it is portrayed in the film. The 1965 film is an adaptation of the 1959 stage musical and based on Maria von Trapps 1949 memoir "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers".

Where is the Sound of Music house?

There are three locations associated closely with the Trapp family in Salzburg. The original Trapp family home Villa Trapp is located in Aigen to the southeast of Salzburg and not seen in the movie. Two other estates were used to portray the Trapps' home in the movie: Leopoldskron Palace and Frohnburg Palace .

Where is the Sound of Music gazebo?

The gazebo featured in the "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" scene was located in the gardens of Leopoldskron Palace during filming. It was later moved to the gardens at Hellbrunn Palace to make it accessible to interested visitor. The Original Sound of Music Tour® stops at the gazebo to give you the opportunity for unforgettable moments and souvenir photos.

Which church was used in Sound of Music?

While many other scenes were filmed in the city of Salzburg, the romantic wedding scene in the movie The Sound of Music was shot at the church in Mondsee. A stop at this church is part of the Original Sound of Music Tour® by Salzburg Panorama Tours  and gives you the opportunity to explore this beautiful filming location.

When is the Original Sound of Music Tour® operated?

This tour is operated daily with two start times at 9.15 am and 2.00 pm.

Stefan Herzl

Hello, my name is Stefan Herzl and I’m really looking forward to show you my beautiful hometown Salzburg. I am a native Salzburg offering since 1976 various sightseeing tours in Salzburg & surroundings.

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Get the best deal for your stay in Salzburg with this Sound of Music package! Discover the city of Salzburg and its surroudings on the Sound of Music Tour and find out more about the movie, its filming locations and the Trapp family's true story.

Mozart Dinner Concert

Attend this performens and be taken back to Mozart’s time! Enjoy an evening likely to have taken place in 1790 - in the baroquehall - lit by candles, having a dinner based on historical recipes, listening to a concert with musicians in authentic costumes and the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. 

The Sound of Music | Salzburg Marionette Theatre

"A delightful surprise from start to finish" (NY Times)

Sound of Music Tour with Schloss Leopoldskron & Trail - Private Full-Day Tour

Enjoy a perfect full-day Sound of Music experience including Leopoldskron Palace & Hiking Trail

Fräulein Maria’s Sound of Music Bike Tour

When I’m planning a trip I always ask friends and family for recommendations. So when I was planning my time in Salzburg, Austria I asked around with friends who had previously visited. A friend told me Fräulein Maria’s Sound of Music Bike Tour was a must-do, so I immediately booked a tour!

As with most of my posts, some links may be affiliate links. This means at no additional cost to you, I may make a small commission on anything you buy through the links.

The Sound of Music Bike Tour

My friend was correct, this tour is a must-do! From the behind-the-scenes info shared, to the stunning Austrian countryside, to the entertaining and knowledgeable guides, I can not recommend this tour enough. As you bike along listening to the Sound of Music soundtrack, you can almost picture the Von Trapp children hanging from the trees and laughing. Here is some of the fun insider information I learned about the movie during tour and when you take the tour, you can learn more.

•For filming they used the back of one house (the first photo in this post) and the front of another house (see photo below) to make up the Von Trapp family house.

•If the family had truly left via the route they took at the end of the movie, they would have ended up right at Eagle’s Nest, a high-level Nazi building.

•They added a doorbell to the convent so the kids could ring the bell when they were looking for Maria. The convent kept the doorbell after filming, until too many tourists visited and used the doorbell. Then they took it down to regain some peace and quiet.

Know Before You Go

•Although you reserve your spot for the tour ahead of time (via the website ) you don’t actually pay until after you’ve completed the tour. You should also note that cash is the preferred payment method.

•The tour lasts around 3.5 hours and you’ll bike about 8 miles over the course of the tour.

•You’ll cover more ground than a walking tour (because bikes travel faster!), and although you can’t cover as much ground as a bus tour, you are able to go to places that are more difficult to reach via bus.

•You don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to join the tour. My tour had an 8-year-old and a 68-year-old, so the tour really is for everyone.

•Tours run from April to October and for a couple of months in the summer they run twice a day. But it can rain a lot in the summer so be ready for the rain.

Literary Connections

While neither of these books are fiction, both are related to The Sound of Music so they are great reads before or after the bike tour. Julie Andrew’s Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years covers her time filming Sound of Music. The Story of the Trapp Family Singers tells the story of the family who inspired the movie.

Interested in visiting other European destinations? Here’s a look at my recommendations of what to do, see, eat, and read on your next European adventure.

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13 Must-See Sound of Music Tours in Salzburg

Charlotte Moser

July 23, 2023

Salzburg, Austria, holds a special place in the hearts of fans of The Sound of Music. This picturesque city is where the iconic movie was filmed, and it attracts thousands of tourists each year who want to experience the magic firsthand. While most Austrians may not be familiar with the film, visitors can’t help but hum along to the beloved songs and explore the enchanting locations featured in the movie. 

“The hills are alive with the sound of music!” – Maria

From the grand Mirabell Gardens to the charming Nonnberg Abbey, 13 must-see Sound of Music tour locations in Salzburg transports you into the world of Maria and the von Trapp family. Let’s embark on a delightful journey through these iconic spots and relive the joy of this timeless classic.

Here are 13 must-see tour locations that will transport you into the world of Maria and the von Trapp family.

1. Leopoldskron Castle

Visit the majestic Leopoldskron Castle, which served as the von Trapp family home in the movie. Stroll along the shores of Leopoldskron Lake, where the children had a mischievous boating adventure. 

Take in the serene beauty of the surroundings and imagine the von Trapp family’s life within the walls of this historic castle. With its stunning architecture and picturesque lake, Leopoldskron Castle offers a glimpse into the captivating world of The Sound of Music.

2. Mirabell Palace & Gardens

Step into the enchanting world of The Sound of Music at Mirabell Palace & Gardens. This picturesque location is where Maria and the children joyfully danced around the statue of Pegasus, singing their famous “Do-Re-Mi” song. 

“Do-Re-Mi, a female deer. Ray, a drop of golden sun.” – Maria

Explore the beautifully manicured gardens, stroll along the pathways, and relive the iconic scenes that captured the hearts of millions. With its vibrant atmosphere and musical history, Mirabell Palace & Gardens is a must-visit destination for any Sound of Music fan.

3. Horse Bath

Transport yourself to the scene where Maria and the children dance past the Horse Bath while singing “My Favorite Things.” This picturesque location adds a touch of charm to the movie and offers a delightful backdrop for capturing memorable photos. 

Experience the magic of the movie firsthand as you immerse yourself in the surroundings and create your special moments.

4. Winkler Terrace

 Ascend Monk’s Hill and discover the breathtaking Winkler Terrace overlooking the Old Town of Salzburg. This is where Maria and the children brought their infectious energy, mixing up the musical notes of “Do Re Mi” as they introduced the song to Salzburg. 

Stand in awe of the panoramic view, feel the gentle breeze, and let the melodies of the movie resonate in your heart. Winkler Terrace is a serene spot that encapsulates the joy and harmony that The Sound of Music evokes.

5. Hedge Maze & Gnome Park

Enter the whimsical world of the “Do-Re-Mi” song at the Hedge Maze & Gnome Park. Follow in the footsteps of Maria and the children as they skip through the vine tunnel and playfully interact with the charming gnome with glasses. 

This delightful location is perfect for families, allowing children to unleash their imaginations and immerse themselves in the magic of The Sound of Music.

6. Rock Riding School

Step inside the historic Rock Riding School, which played a pivotal role in some of the most memorable scenes from The Sound of Music. Let your imagination run wild as you envision these walls’ lively performances and heartwarming moments. 

The Rock Riding School is where history and film intertwine, creating an atmosphere that will transport you back in time.

7. Hellbrunn Castle and the Glass Pavilion

“I have confidence in sunshine. I have confidence in rain. I have confidence that spring will come again!” – Maria

Embark on a journey to Hellbrunn Castle, an architectural gem from the 17th century. Explore its captivating gardens and discover the mesmerizing glass pavilion that has fascinated visitors for over 30 years. 

Marvel at the beauty of the surroundings and imagine the von Trapp family roaming these grounds as you walk in their footsteps. Hellbrunn Castle and the Glass Pavilion are a testament to the timeless allure of The Sound of Music.

8. Mondsee Wedding Church

Experience the magic of Maria and the Baron’s wedding by visiting the picturesque Mondsee Wedding Church. Step into the same church where their fictional union took place and feel the romance and joy that filled the air. 

Admire exquisite architecture, explore the charming town of Mondsee, and let the spirit of love and celebration resonate within you.

9. Nonnberg Abbey

Delve into the rich history of Nonnberg Abbey, one of Europe’s oldest convents. This sacred place served as Maria’s home as a novice and was the backdrop for the enchanting wedding scene in the film. 

Explore the abbey’s tranquil surroundings, admire its architectural beauty, and feel a sense of serenity as you discover the connection between The Sound of Music and this sacred location.

10. St Gilgen and Lake Wolfgang

Embark on a scenic journey to St Gilgen and Lake Wolfgang, featured at the beginning of The Sound of Music. Bask in the landscape’s natural beauty as you gaze upon the stunning lake and surrounding mountains.

Take a moment to soak in the tranquility and reflect on the movie’s opening scenes that captured this beautiful region’s essence.

11. Werfen Picnic Meadow

Venture to the idyllic Werfen Picnic Meadow, perched above the village of Werfen. This picturesque location is where Maria and the children shared a delightful picnic and began singing the iconic “Do Re, Mi” song. 

Take in the breathtaking views, feel the fresh air on your skin, and let the melodies of the movie fill the atmosphere. The Werfen Picnic Meadow offers a serene and memorable experience for The Sound of Music fans.

12. Frohnburg Palace

Journey to Frohnburg Palace, the magnificent backdrop for the von Trapp family home. Marvel at the elegance and grandeur of this palace, which was featured in five pivotal scenes of the film. 

Let your imagination transport you to the world of the von Trapps as you walk through the halls and gardens, reliving the special moments that have captured the hearts of generations.

13. Peter’s Cemetery and Catacombs

Discover the tranquil beauty of St. Peter’s Cemetery and Catacombs, a historic site featured in The Sound of Music. This serene cemetery, with its rows of picturesque tombstones and peaceful atmosphere, is where Maria and the children hid from the Nazis in the film. 

Wander through the winding pathways, surrounded by lush greenery and ancient tombstones, and feel a sense of tranquility as you connect with the scenes from the movie. 

Explore the catacombs beneath the cemetery, where you can delve into Salzburg’s intriguing history. St. Peter’s Cemetery and Catacombs offer a unique and contemplative experience for The Sound of Music fans and history enthusiasts.

Exploring the Locations of The Sound of Music

Transportation options.

• Bus Tours: Convenient transportation to all filming locations.
• Walking Tours: Explore on foot and enjoy the surrounding areas.
• Bicycle Tours: Fun and affordable way to visit the sites.

Cost and Booking Information

• Tour Prices: Starting at around 45€ for Sound of Music tours.
• Tour Providers: Viator, GetYourGuide, Musement, and more.
• Package Inclusions: Transportation, tour guide, combined tickets, lunch, museum visits, and other attractions.
• Discounts and Seasonal Offers: Check for special deals and reduced prices.

When planning your Sound of Music tour, you can choose between different modes of transportation. Bus tours provide a hassle-free experience while walking tours allow for more flexibility and exploration. Alternatively, bicycle tours offer a unique and enjoyable way to discover the sites.

Tour prices typically start around 45€ and vary depending on the provider and package inclusions. Popular tour companies like Viator, GetYourGuide, and Musement offer similar experiences, including transportation, knowledgeable guides, and various add-ons such as combined tickets, lunch, and museum visits. 

Keep an eye out for discounts and seasonal offers that may be available at certain times of the year.

To book your tour, you can use TourScanner’s search feature to compare prices and options from different providers, ensuring you find the best tour that suits your preferences and budget.

“Climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow, ’til you find your dream.” – Mother Abbess

In conclusion, exploring the locations of The Sound of Music in Salzburg offers a delightful journey into the world of Maria and the von Trapp family. With 13 must-see tour locations, ranging from majestic castles and picturesque gardens to charming churches and historical sites, visitors can relive the magic of this timeless classic. 

Whether you embark on a bus tour for convenience, take a walking tour to immerse yourself in the surroundings, or enjoy a bicycle tour for a fun and affordable experience, there are transportation options to suit every preference. 

With tour prices starting at around 45€ and various providers offering inclusive packages and special offers, booking your Sound of Music tour has never been easier. So, get ready to sing along and create unforgettable memories as you explore the enchanting locations that captured the hearts of millions.

How long is the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg?

The Sound of Music tour in Salzburg typically lasts around 4 hours. It is available daily at 9:15 AM and 2:00 PM, but pre-booking is recommended, especially during Christmas and New Year, to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience without any delays.

Can you do a Sound of Music tour yourself?

Yes, you can do a self-guided Sound of Music tour in Salzburg. This walking tour is approximately 4 kilometers long and can be completed in 2-3 hours. Feel free to take your time, enjoy the journey, and make pit stops at charming cafes.

Is it worth doing the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg?

Yes, it’s worth doing the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg. It offers a breathtaking experience, even if you need to become more familiar with the movie. The Original Sound of Music Tour is a fantastic way to explore Austria’s beautiful region and appreciate the film’s charm.

Can you go inside The Sound of Music House?

You can stay inside The Sound of Music House, known as Meierhof. Experience a comfortable overnight stay in its rooms and enjoy a delicious breakfast buffet in either the Marble Hall or the palace’s ballroom. Additionally, you can visit various filming locations during the 4-hour Original Sound of Music Tour.

Charlotte Moser has a passion for traveling and exploring different cultures, cuisines, and lifestyles. She loves to share her experiences and trips with his readers, who are looking for some inspiration and guidance on how to make the most of their time in Austria.

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'The Sound of Music' was filmed in Salzburg 60 years ago. Locals say, so what?

Tourism in the Austrian city of Salzburg generates about a billion euros annually. Many of those tourists visit locations where some scenes of The...

SALZBURG, Austria — Dhananjay Raval first saw The Sound of Music , as a young child. This summer, he traveled from his hometown of Ahmedabad in western India with his own adult son to fulfill a lifelong dream of visiting the breathtaking sites where the film was shot six decades ago in Salzburg.

"Time is going on, 60 years, but the story and song is forever," he said, standing in front of the gazebo where Liesl and Rolf sing "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" in the musical drama. "This story I show [to] my children and grandchildren so they... know what is the value of family."

This city at the foot of the Alps is gearing up for major celebrations next year, marking six decades since the theatrical release of the story of a rebellious would-be nun who charmed a stern naval captain and his seven children.

A music special will feature new arrangements of the songs performed by stars like Baby Face, Pentatonix and Thalía. Von Trapp family members and other celebrities will mingle at a gala dinner. There will be seminars, flash mobs and Leopoldskron Palace — depicted as the Von Trapp home in the film — plans a "captain's ball." In town, a maker of traditional dirndl dresses will stage an exhibit on the film’s costumes.

Nearly 3 million people from around the world visit each year this city of just 160,000 residents. The Salzburg Festival and sites related to Mozart, who was born here, also rival for attention, with the city pulling in around a billion euros (a similar amount in dollars) per year from tourism, according to local government statistics.

The 60th anniversary of The Sound of Music 's theatrical release next year won't be song and dance for everyone. The special occasion could spell another peak in visitors for a city already grappling with overtourism.

The costs, and benefits, of overtourism

Raval is part of a Sound of Music pilgrimage of sorts that includes walking tours, bike tours and bus tours to visit sites like the Pegasus Fountain at Mirabell Gardens (site of the finale of the "Do-Re-Mi" song), Nonnberg Convent (where Julie Andrews' Maria was once a novice) and St. Gilgen, where Maria frolics through the hills in the opening scene. And palaces like Hellbrun and Leopoldskron evoke a bygone era. Panorama Tours , which once transported the film's stars and crew in 1964, now brings around 140,000 people to the sites each year.

But Sound of Music mania has not rubbed off on locals here. "We were not aware of the movie and of the impact it has to so many families until we actually were exposed to it and questioned by it through our tourists. And now it's become part of our DNA," said Christine Schoenhuber, CEO of Tourismus Salzburg GmbH CEO.

Visitors, she says, come from as far as Australia, South Korea, the Middle East, Mexico and of course the United States to take in the sights.

Salzburgers disconnected from the film

Despite the global appeal, many Salzburg locals haven't seen the film or feel little emotional connection to the story filled with uplifting plotlines and catchy Rodgers and Hammerstein tunes.

“I'm typical of the Salzburg people because I don't know anything about the film until I was an adult," said Peter Husty, chief curator and head of exhibitions at the Salzburg Museum.

For one, the venues are completely mixed up. What was made to seem one location, say the Von Trapp home, was in fact numerous ones.

Most views of the back of the home and the scene where Maria and the children fall out of a rowboat into the lake was filmed at the rococo Leopoldskron Palace . But the entrance was shot a couple miles away at a different palace, Frohnburg, built in the 17th century as the summer residence of Prince-Archbishop Max Gandolph. The actual Villa Trapp is in Aigen, on the outskirts of the city, and doesn't appear in the film. And all the interior scenes were actually shot on sets in Hollywood.

"The story was too romantic. It was tears cutting out of your eyes," Husty said. He notes that the real family managed to escape Austria thanks to their wealth and connections, while many others had no such choice during World War II. "And then all the other people in the film seemed to be Nazis. So a lot of small problems that were disgusting for the Salzburg people," Husty added.

Where are the Von Trapps now?

Husty has also been named chief curator of a new museum that Salzburg plans to open in 2026 dedicated to the film near the reconstructed gazebo where Liesl and Rolf and later Maria and the captain profess their love for each other. The structure is now located in the gardens of Hellbrunn Palace. A larger version was rebuilt in Hollywood for the interior shots.

"I want to tell on one side the success of the film where it is coming from, where is it going," said Peter Husty, who will serve as the new museum's curator. "And on the other side, I want to inform the visitors that the background of the Hollywood film is the story of a real family in Salzburg, and what have they really done and what was their life?”

Because before the film, there was the Broadway musical, the West German movie and the story of a real family first told by Maria von Trapp after she married Georg von Trapp. With so many iterations of the story, disentangling fact from fiction can be challenging. But one thing's for sure: the von Trapps' musical talents helped spare them the worst of the horrors of World War II.

Elisabeth von Trapp, the daughter of Werner von Trapp — depicted as "Kurt" in the film — plans to start next year her own walking tour that will focus on highlights of Salzburg, The Sound of Music and the von Trapp family.

"I think my relatives were very much about being creative and problem-solving... how to resonate together and harmonize. And when you do that not only musically but as a team building their new life — there's so many people that are being displaced around the world — it is a source of inspiration," she said.

Sitting at a café near the Mirabell Gardens after getting certified as a tour guide, she pondered her family's legacy.

"It just is, perchance, that my grandmother's story was chosen to come on Broadway," she said.

Of the initial Von Trapp children's generation, only Johannes, 85, still lives. He's one of three children born to Maria and Georg after their marriage, bringing the family total to 10 children.

Salzburg's cinematic beauty

Salzburg and its surroundings naturally lend themselves to cinematic grandeur, steeped as they are in tradition and alpine beauty.

Leopoldskron was commissioned as a family estate in the 18th century by the Prince Archbishop of Salzburg, Leopold von Firmian, whose heart was buried in the chapel of the palace he "loved so dearly," so reads an inscription there.

The site is so well preserved, that "the view that we have here is basically the same that the archbishop had in 1736 when he built this Schloss," or palace, said Martin Weiss, president and CEO of the Salzburg Global Seminar based at Leopoldskron. "You have a really stunning beauty untouched for hundreds of years."

Across the lake, the Untersberg Mountains are shrouded in fog. Hollywood fiction has the family fleeing the Nazis there. But that itinerary would have landed them in Hitler’s mountain retreat, the infamous Eagle’s Nest. The real Von Trapps knew their geography and initially left Austria for a concert tour. From Italy, they found their way to Vermont, where their Austrian-inspired lodge remains a major tourist attraction in the town of Stowe.

Leopoldskron, from archbishop's passion project to center of creativity

SGS, which Weiss describes as a "platform that brings people together," has called the palace home since 1947. Its previous owner, Jewish theater producer Max Reinhardt inspired The Sound of Music 's "Uncle Max." And the palace also served as the launching pad for the Salzburg Festival, which Reinhardt cofounded with writer Hugo von Hofmannsthal and composer Richard Strauss.

"It was really in this Schloss, in the Red Salon, where the three of them did their brainstorming and came up with this idea after this terrible devastation of World War One. Millions of people killed. Europe really at its knees," recalled Weiss, a Salzburg native and former Austrian ambassador to the U.S. "Their philosophy was, we have to bring people together. What language can we possibly use? Of course, the arts."

The Nazi government confiscated the palace in 1938 as “Jewish property.” Reinhardt was working in Hollywood at the time and never saw Leopoldskron again.

The Sound of Music, marionette version

Another art form also endures in Salzburg — marionettes. Anton Aicher founded the Marionette Theater here in 1913 and invented the "Salzburg cross" to manipulate the figurines, part of a technique that Austria's UNESCO commission has designated as an intangible cultural heritage. Everything is handmade, from the puppets to the costumes and sets.

The theater inspired the film’s “Lonely Goatherd” puppet scene, where Maria and the children put on a show for the captain, the baroness he had initially been due to marry and Uncle Max in the Venetian Ballroom.

Performances now include a Sound of Music -themed show, in both original and shortened versions, in a plush hall where cherubs fill frescoes decorating an ornate stucco ceiling.

"We can see it with all of our shows that from the child from three or four years on up to big, strong men, they are touched by the movement, the story and the ability, what is possible and shown on stage by the marionette," said general manager Susanne Tiefenbacher.

Backstage, around 600 hand-carved wooden puppets fill a room dubbed the "holy chamber." There are characters from productions of The Nutcracker, The Magic Flute, The Carnival of the Animals, Alice in Wonderland, The Tales of Hoffmann and of a new Romeo and Juliet production that will premiere at the theater's puppetry festival in October. Each show requires multiple versions of the same character, which means 30 to 90 puppets and nine to 11 puppeteers each time.

"The wood by itself is a dead piece of material. But through the art work and the empathic work of the puppeteers... with movements so delicate and so fine they move like human human beings, you will forget that it's puppets," said Tiefenbacher.

She pauses to reflect on why The Sound of Music still resonates, more than half a century since the film.

"There is the love, there is the family, collective singing and there is also the drama of the political background," she said. "And the political background, unfortunately, is coming up again. You can feel it worldwide and especially also in Europe that times are changing in a way, and to have to move your family from one place to another, forced by political circumstances."

The broadcast version of this story was produced by Kaity Kline. The digital version was edited by Obed Manuel.

Audio transcript

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Amy Grant on the 2022 bike wreck that 'changed everything' and her return to touring

It was a beautiful summer day in July of 2022 when Amy Grant and a friend went on a bicycle ride through Percy Warner Park. She was in the best shape she'd been in since before she had kids.

The singer and friend Mel Cox stopped to take in an overlook when she confided to her friend that she needed to make change in her life.

"I feel spread so thin," she told Cox that day. "I feel like I'm not giving the most energy to my family."

Cox responded, "If you were hit by a bus today, what would matter to you?"

She responded, "My family."

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Ten minutes after that conversation, Grant's front bicycle wheel dropped hard into a four-inch deep pothole, sending her catapulting over her handlebars and into an unconscious state that would result in a traumatic brain injury and memory loss. Had it not been for her helmet, the outcome could have been worse.

The only reason Grant remembers any of the pre-wreck conversation is because Cox took the time to write down all the details of the day for Grant when she was ready to read it. It was nine pages of text that Grant didn't read until much later.

Another detail Cox shared with Grant (who still has no memory of that day) was what she said in her hospital room shortly after the wreck.

Cox told Grant that she kept saying over and over in the hospital, "I can't believe I still have all my teeth." Grant had landed on her face and was badly bruised. Then she said something unbelievable.

"I needed this."

The accident, as Grant said during our interview at her home earlier this month, "changed everything."

'I had to re-learn the words to my songs.'

Grant had to relearn how to sing. She had to relearn lyrics to songs she's been singing effortlessly for decades.

"The very first thing I did was I had the Christmas shows with Michael W. Smith," she said. "I couldn't remember... I had to re-learn the words for my songs. I had a teleprompter. My balance was messed up. I was scared to death. I tried to sing a song in soundcheck and it triggered tears and I couldn't stop them. I felt so vulnerable."

She didn't get much more recovery time before having to appear on a national stage as she was being inducted as a Kennedy Center honoree — just five months after her accident.

"I couldn't have done it if I'd had to sing," she remembers. "I'd done a handful of shows and each one felt better, but I did feel like I had worked my way on a treadmill up to about a 3.5-mile walk and I was merging onto the interstate."

It was the understanding of Grant and her longtime manager Jennifer Cooke that there would be no singing or speeches at any of the events. Then at the medallion dinner at the state department the night before the ceremony, each honoree got up with notes to speak.

"Jen is looking at me like, 'dear God, you've got to say something," Grant said, laughing.

"They told us no written speeches," Cooke remembered. "I'm like, she has a freaking brain injury and she has to get up and speak. She has nothing prepared."

What happened next would set the trajectory for Grant's continued healing and recovery. She stood in front of the crowd with no notes and no preparation and spoke just like she would have before her accident.

"She couldn't have written something in advance better than what she said," Cooke said. "It was beautiful and powerful and I remember thinking 'It's ultimately going to be OK.' That makes me cry to this day because during those few Christmas shows, it felt a little different and then that happened and I was like, 'OK. She's still there."

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'Wiggle your toes and speak your truth'

Grant credits Cooke and fellow musician Sheryl Crow with some sage advice that helped her get through the nerves of that impromptu speaking engagement. Remember, among her fellow honorees in the room were George Clooney, Gladys Knight and U2.

Cooke said to Grant before her speech, "Wiggle your toes and speak your truth."

Grant, who can't remember what she said that night, said years ago when she was preparing to speak at her mother's funeral, she told Crow she was afraid she would get choked up while speaking. Crow's response was this: "I'm going to tell you what my mom told me. Wiggle your toes. Just wiggle your toes and it will ground you in the moment that you're in."

Cooke reminded Grant of this before her speech at the Kennedy Center dinner. It worked.

"I did that that day and I tell people all the time, 'if you have to present, whatever it is, if you start getting overwhelmed, just wiggle your toes.' I give the credit to Sheryl."

Trauma can manifest change and recovery takes time

The bicycle accident isn't the only thing Grant has had to overcome in the last four years. During COVID she discovered a birth defect in her heart that required open-heart surgery. In 2022, the bike accident required her to have a shoulder surgery. Then while re-training her voice, her vocal coach noticed a lump on her throat that would ultimately also require surgery right after the Kennedy Center Honors in January of 2023.

The cyst turned out to be non-cancerous, but was growing and affecting her vocal chords. She considers this just another blessing that came from the bike accident, which sent the cyst into "hyper growth" mode so it was discovered and remedied early.

"That cyst was keeping company with my vocal cords and was slowly making it impossible for me to hold pitch to sing. It felt like too much work. Singing wasn't fun anymore. I was trying, but I hated the way I sounded. The sound my vocal cords would make when they rubbed together was the same, but my ability to control it was awful."

After the wreck brought the cyst to her attention and it was removed, Grant said, "It gave me my voice back. How amazing. I'm so grateful for that."

Grant's husband Vince Gill said of Amy, "It didn't matter if it was a heart surgery or a bike wreck, you can't faze her. She's fearless every step of the way. It's pretty inspiring to watch. She's always had that aura around her that's contagious. It's remarkable."

Today Grant is learning to embrace the process of healing and recovery, which she has learned doesn't happen overnight. Both take time and she's taking life a little slower to make sure she creates space to heal. After all, isn't this exactly what she needed when she confided in her friend before the wreck?

"I'm going to enjoy the process of regaining balance. I'm going to enjoy the process of healing. And like for me with singing, my vocal coach Laura said you've got to strengthen the little tiny muscles in your vocal folds. And she said, pick any low note and see how long you can hold it. I went from getting to 'three Mississippi' and now I've got 'eight Mississippi.' The human body is incredible in response to attention."

'The View from Here'

In February of 2024, just two years after her accident, Grant embarked on a 33-city tour that will hit Nashville's Ryman Auditorium for two shows just in time for Mother's Day on May 10-11. It will be the first time in 25 years Grant has headlined a Nashville show outside of her annual Christmas residency at The Ryman.

The show has been billed as a walk down memory lane through her remarkable career. Contemporary Christian music's female pioneer's proverbial mantle of awards boats a whopping six Grammy Awards and 26 Dove Awards (including four Artist of the Year Awards). She was the first CCM artist to have a platinum record, the first to hit No. 1 on the pop charts and the first to perform at the Grammys. 

She has total career album sales in excess of 30 million and over 1 billion global streams. And she isn't done yet.

She has released two new songs “Trees We’ll Never See,” and “What You Heard” that she says will ultimately be part of an entire album she will call "A View From Here" even though its title track has yet to be written. It's her first new music in 10 years.

"So much of my touring life is singing old songs. That's what people want to hear. You can't recreate your musical past. And I love that people still are willing to buy a ticket, and they want to come and join us, and they know the words. But the view from 63 is a lot more in-depth. At this stage of the game, to me it's so much more meaningful to fall in love with the process. You know, if I fall in love with the process of cooking, it doesn't matter who is at the table."

Melonee Hurt covers music and music business at The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK — Tennessee. Reach Melonee at  [email protected] , on X @HurtMelonee or Instagram at @MelHurtWrites.

What : Amy Grant

When : May 10-11

Where : The Ryman Auditorium

Tickets : www.ryman.com/event/2024-amy-grant