Let me tell you guys an embarrassing fact about myself: I’ve wanted to go on the Sound of Music tour since I was 15 years old. Yes, it’s cheesy, and typically I’d never go on a group tour, but I was absolutely desperate to take this one. Luckily, Jeremy and my in-laws were equally as excited to take the tour with me and to sing along. My father-in-law’s rendition of Edelweiss was the best on the bus!

Our guide Peter was excellent, full of jokes and little facts about Salzburg and the movie. We boarded a dedicated Sound of Music bus, snagged the front seats, and started our tour. We hit all the movie filming locations in Salzburg, including the one I was most excited for: the 16-Going-On-17 Gazebo, where Rolf and Liesl dance and sing and share their first kiss.

We also saw the house and pond where the scenes outside the Von Trapp manor were filmed, including where Maria and the children toppled over their boat while wearing the curtain clothes.

Then we drove up to Mondsee, a beautiful Alpine lake town. The abbey was where Maria’s wedding scenes were filmed.

I loved seeing the abbey, and the surrounding town was cute, but probably the best part was the lake. It was just stunning.

I could have stood there and stared forever and never gotten tired. But, alas, the Von Trapp bus needed to go back to Salzburg.

Speaking of Salzburg, I’d only really planned the Sound of Music tour and that’s it. Luckily, Peter pointed out a few things while we were on the tour, and Salzburg was very walkable.

A walk by the river, a visit to Mirabell Gardens, and a quick peak in every church and down every alleyway was just what I needed to come down from my Sound of Music high.

Plus, the Christmas markets were just starting, which I think is the best part of the year.

We stayed in town just long enough to see the start of the Christmas market at Schloss Hellbrunn. This was one of the best decisions we made, even though the market was just getting started, their decorations were SO good.

They had a full courtyard of Christmas trees framing the front of the palace, which I thought was better than any of the shopping stalls. I’m pretty sure I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again for good measure: there really is nothing like a Christmas market!