Austria , Sound of Music Tour with Oli, Leo & Hayley

Austria, Sound of Music Tour

Our Austrian adventure began as we set off for a week in Dorfgastein, excited to explore the breathtaking scenery and iconic Sound of Music locations. Guided by our expert guide Mitch, we explored filming locations that brought the beloved story to life. At Schloss Leopoldskron, we imagined the Von Trapp children splashing into the lake, Maria dancing on the balcony during the ball, and the family’s lemonade scene with the Baroness. Wolfgangsee Lake amazed us with its emerald waters and mountainous backdrop.

At Nonnberg Abbey, we discovered where Maria first sought sanctuary, before passing Schloss Frohnburg, the Von Trapp family mansion. We visited the famous Gazebo where Liesl and Rolf sang “16 Going on 17,” now relocated to Schloss Hellbrunn to preserve it for visitors. At St Michael’s Church, we admired the pink twin-towered parish where Maria and Georg were married, and finally, at Mirabell Gardens, we stood before the Pegasus Fountain and recreated the iconic “Do-Re-Mi” scene, singing along and capturing photos of the exact spots from the film. Throughout the tour, Mitch shared fascinating stories about the cast, filming challenges, and behind-the-scenes secrets, making it a truly immersive and magical experience.

Raring to go we made our way to Sportgastien, a scenic mountain resort in a spectacular location which happened to be hosting the Nassfeld Alpine Festival this weekend. This festival celebrates homemade products and regional delicacies. Musical entertainment is also provided on the alpine pastures. Soon enough we were walking through the incredible valley, surrounded by steep mountains on all sides, there were people panning for gold in the river whilst children paddled in the cool water. We walked along paths, across bridges, and up to cafe for a quick drink with a view and some traditional Austrian musicians. The walk continued along the river with spectacular views of waterfalls and flowing streams. This made for some great photos, especially when the herd of friendly cows came over to say hello!

Our next treat was to set sail on a 1-hour cruise along the lake. It was a lovely boat, some sat in the shade downstairs and some out on the top deck taking in the impressive mountain views. In the North of the lake was Steinernes Meer and to the South was Hohe Tauern, as well as Zell's local mountain Scmittenhohe. It was beautiful taking in the views and the lakeside houses with lots of local people splashing around in the water.

An ice cream treat- the perfect way to cool down on a hot, summers day.

We rode cable cars to the summit of Fulseck Mountain, enjoying panoramic views of the Gastein Valley, watching paragliders, and dining on traditional mountain-top fare. We felt like we were on top of the world!

offered sun-soaked fun at the Gastein Valley leisure resort, with pools, slides, and paragliders providing excitement.

Another glorious day took us to the spectacular Krimml Waterfalls, Europe’s largest, where we hiked through the gorge, paused for photos, and admired the powerful cascading waters before enjoying a scenic lunch and some souvenir shopping.