Sound Of Music - guided tour or ??

I would take one of Bob's Tours. Some of the sights are out of town.. You'll get much more information on the actual Von Trapp family with the tour as well.. And although the tour only briefly stopped by the actual Abbey where Maria was a nun, we went back and visited afterwards. Pretty neat...Enjoy your trip- Salzburg is a pretty cool place..

Don't waste your time and money on a tour. They'll show you a lot of place, none of which are really authentic. Almost every place you see in the Sound of Music movie was shot in a sound stage in Hollywood. The few real places from the movie (Mirabell, the Residenz, the outside of Nonnenberg Abbey) you can see just walking around town.

Sorry I can't recommend a specific tour as it's been way too long since I took one to even remember who offered it - but for the person (like me!) who loves SOM, the tours are fun and very informative and who cares if most of it was shot on a sound stage, it's a lot of fun to picture the Von Trapp children standing right in front of you singing. So I say ignore the naysayers and have fun!

Sound stage or no, you will recognize many places in Salzburg from the movie. The summer house from the movie, now moved to Hellbrunn Palace, was originally built in the backyard of the former carriage house next to Schloss Leopoldskron. The Schloss was the "location" used for the back of the house (filming didn't actually occur there but on a set built as an exact replica). The church where the Von Trapps were married (in the movie) is in Mondsee, a bit out of town. You would probably thoroughly enjoy a tour. (In the interest of full disclosure, I have not taken a tour myself. I lived in Salzburg and attended Salzburg College, which was then housed in the previously mentioned former carriage house next to the Schloss.)

I had a great time! i can't remember which tour i took, that was a few years ago. I am a big fan of SOM and really enjoyed it! If you want to see the pavillon-gazebo, it is located at Hellbrunn castle.

thanks everyone. i realize much of the movie was filmed on sets elsewhere...but seeing the few spots that were in the movie (not to mention the town where the von trapp family actually lived) is so exciting! i guess i was just mostly curious if previous visitors felt like they were able to find all the spots w/o a tour or if going on a 1/2day or daylong tour really adds to what you are able to see... would you guys also recommend the "salzburg card" if we'll be ther for more than a day? we will also be spending time at the "eagles nest". that's as much of a plan as we have!

Laura, my wife and I took a Bob tour each of the two time we have been to Salzburg and enjoyed each one. We actually had the same bus driver and tour guide (2007 & 2010). Do the tour. Dorsey

it seems the BOB options are either 4-hr SOM solely, or 8hour SOM/Hallstat....has anyone done the all-day option?

We took Bob's tour two years ago. The van was much more maneuverable than the big buses. We really enjoyed the tour. And yes, I am a big SOM fan and knew what was shot on a sound stage and what was not. :-)

Also not a fan of any SOM tour. The only upside was: because we did this as part of a music student tour, the students were also a choir and when we finished looking at the Stiftskirche Mondsee (the wedding church) I asked if the choir could sing a song, which they did. That part was magical. I got more going to the Trapp Family Lodge in Vermont than anything in Salzburg.

Your best bet is to take one of the Bob tours, since as others have said, some of the locations are outside the Salzburg tour.

I too took Bob's special tours. I really enjoyed it. It was in a van and so a small group. The guide didn't pretend that it was all filmed in Salzburg, but did have some stories. The tour included a fun stop at a luge run. Do it! Let your inner child let you try it. it's great fun and great views. Pam