The Amazing Race - Day 7 / Mes Rêves #17

 #17: Visit a significant movie site of a movie filmed in Europe (I'm not really sure what this means, but I think I'll know it when I see it) ✓

I originally made this goal with The Sound of Music in mind, but I didn't imagine I would have the chance to make it over to Salzburg. And now here I am.

First of all, some sad news about The Sound of Music - the hill and lake scenes were not filmed in Salzburg, they were filmed 28 km away. So get rid of any ideas you had about singing The Hills Are Alive as you run around the hills. Other than that, it is very easy to get to the sites around Salzburg.

1. Mirabell Gardens: these are found in the city center near Mirabellplatz. This is where parts of Do-Re-Mi were filmed. Highlights include the tunnel they run through and the Pegasus fountain.

2. Catch Bus 25 from Mirabellplatz to Schloss Hellbrunn. (Cost: €2.30)

Schloss Hellbrunn is the current home of the pavilion where Sixteen Going On Seventeen happened, as well as Something Good. Unfortunately they locked it a couple of years ago because someone got hurt trying to recreate The Sound of Music, so now all you can do is see the gazebo in a place that wasn't even in the movie. But it's still pretty cool.

3. Walk to Schloss Frohnburg (about 50 minutes)

Schloss Frohnburg was used as the front of the Von Trapp house because the front of the other house is completely obstructed by trees. The path leading up the the house is also the one where Maria sings part of I Have Confidence.

4. Walk to Schloss Leopoldskron (about one hour)

This was used as the back of the Von Trapp house - this is where the kids fell off the boat and where Uncle Max ate schnitzel, among other things.

5. Walk back to the city center and up to Nonnberg Abbey (50 minutes if you don't get lost, 1 hour 15 if you do)

This was the basis for the abbey in the movie, but in reality they filmed most of these scenes in a studio. One of the only things this site was used for is when the kids come to the gate to try and visit Maria.

6. Walk to Residenzplatz (15 minutes)

This is where Maria sings the other part of I Have Confidence, most importantly when she splashes the horse fountain thing.

And there you have it - my own Sound of Music tour around Salzburg. I have headphones in most of the pictures because I was listening to The Sound of Music soundtrack on repeat the whole day. I finished the day by watching The Sound of Music... again.