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SOUND OF MUSIC do-it-yourself tour
2012 guide out soon
The following description relates to the Sound of Music do-it-yourself tour. For Salzburg and the Salzkammergut, see its separate listing below.
If you're on the fence about doing the Sound of Music yourself, why not join me on tour this September?
The DIY guidebook Salzburg, Lake District & The Sound of Music (for sale below) is bundled with the destination guides for Salzburg and the lake district (see below). It is an absolute must-have for Sound of Music fans and anyone headed to Salzburg, Austria! Why? Because the comprehensive information contained within this resource I've composed to guide you like a local while saving you a heap of time and cash. Really! Case in point: In Salzburg, the price for a 4-hour Sound of Music guided tour is roughly $50 (per person). Actually, the tour is only about 3.5 hours when subtracting the time waiting for people to get on and off the bus at the few stops visited. Moreover, you are not shown many of the must-see sites and simply driven past many more. No kidding! And I pity those travelers who are unfortunate enough to be stuck on the bus with a lifeless tour guide, seat neighbors who incessantly talk throughout (like those at the movie theater), or even worse on board with a crying baby!
Below is the full description of the Sound of Music do-it-yourself tour, including my two-part SOM video series.
(See Comments at the bottom of the page and feel free to add one of your own!)
This SOM "part 1" video is fast approaching 2 million views!
WITH THIS comprehensive Sound of Music do-it-yourself tour, written by a former SOM tour guide, Brett Harriman (founder of Harriman Travel Books), you will not only see most everything featured in the 1965 film classic, you can take your time while sightseeing with the whole family (a group of friends or individually) for the low, pay-once price of $9.95 (traditional handheld guidebook or pdf file download).
With this tour you will learn many things, among them the real history of the von Trapps: where Georg and Maria really got married; how the family really escaped from Nazi-occupied Austria; where they landed, and re-landed; how long the von Trapps were detained at Ellis Island, New York; and where they eventually settled. Learn about Maria penning their fascinating story of survival into book form, how much she sold the rights for, and what happened afterwards.
But that's just the historical side of things; this DIY tour will lead you to the charmingly scenic and captivating sites the Hollywood film scouts discovered in 1963 that set the backdrop for director Robert Wise to shoot, arguably, the most popular musical film of all time.
TOUR BREAKDOWN: The Sound of Music part of this bundled Salzburg guide is 18 pages (guidebook edition), has two maps, and is split into three chief sections: (intro) The Basics, SOM 101; Walking Tour; and Driving Tour.
WALKING TOUR: Allow at least 90 minutes to complete the Walking Tour. This section leads you past, among many other sites, the Festival Halls, through the cemetery, up to the abbey, across town to experience the aromatic Mirabell Gardens and waltz up/down the Do-Re-Mi steps. For the latter two sites, slip on the old curtains you worked so hard to tailor.
DRIVING TOUR: (Note that people without a car are not completely left out in the cold when it comes to the Driving Tour; it is possible to do more than half of it -- everything except the lake district -- on your own by bicycle. Your route, though, will be different to that of Drivers, which is described in the tour.) Although you could spend most of the day on the Driving Tour, I recommend you allow at least two hours to complete it in the speediest of trips. There are five sites on the Driving Tour; four are in Salzburg and the fifth is in the Salzkammergut (lake district). The route is fairly simple to navigate and the countryside is delightful to behold, especially in the lake district. Regarding the latter destination, if the weather's nice, bring your bathing suit.
Suggestion: See the movie before leaving home or setting off on the tour. (Note: In Salzburg I point you to where you can view the movie for free; shown daily.) And watch it again post-tour; I guarantee that you'll see things you've never noticed before while reliving the history and, above all, the treasured memories of a memorable time. These are for you to keep, forever!
PURCHASE the full do-it-yourself Salzburg, Lake District & The Sound of Music destination guide, pdf file download or traditional-style guidebook (pictured below). See this guidebook on Amazon.com
Click thumbnail for larger image (but note the actual size of the guidebook is 5.06" x 7.81", not what's shown).
Brett Harriman (Photoshoped) is seen here at Schloss Leopoldskron (used as the back of the von Trapp villa) holding the Salzburg, Lake District & The Sound of Music guidebook with the old-town fortress in the background. (See this guidebook on Amazon.com)
SALZBURG do-it-yourself
including Salzkammergut
and Hallstatt
2012 guide out soon
Founded in 696 A.D., Salzburg is one of Austria's oldest settlements. It is authentic, wowing and heavenly, accented by a mesmerizing collage of church steeples and a must-visit 11th-century fortress perched high above the Old Town defining its majestic skyline. If you're able to come here, you'll know why Salzburg is my favorite city in all of Europe!
Below is the full description of the destination guide, including my three-part Salzburg video series.
THIS SALZBURG do-it-yourself document is heaving with traveler's tips, economical accommodations, historical sites, a suggested itinerary, and a self-guided Old Town tour: Mozartplatz to Mirabell. With this resource as your guide you'll learn about, and have access to, the history of Salzburg in addition to all the essential details a traveler would require upon arrival (e.g. tourist info, train station, buses, parking, airport, bike rental, post office, supermarket, holidays, church service, what's free, etc). What's more, at your fingertips are all the key Sights to see (including the fortress, zoo, catacombs DIY tour, Mozart's birth house); Best Views; Shopping; Entertainment; Good Eats (featuring Europe's oldest restaurant); Good Sleeps; and Excursions (which include the provincial towns of Werfen and Oberndorf, home to the famed Christmas carol: "Silent Night."
Appended to this document is the Salzkammergut, or lake district, located just east of Salzburg. This district is arguably the most beautiful in Austria; a must-see for every visitor to this corner of Europe. Featured destinations are Lake Fuschl; Lake Wolfgang (birthplace of Mozart's mother, Anna Maria Walburga Pertl); Hallstatt, a scenic hamlet nestled on the shoreline of Lake Hallstaetter that is so spectacular it is a UNESCO World Heritage site, home to the bone house and the world's oldest salt mine; and Moon Lake (Mondsee), an alpine dream made even more heavenly by its church that Hollywood chose to marry Georg and Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music.
So, what are you waiting for, pack your bags and let's go!