At 9.15 am the buses for the Sound of Music tour leave from Mirabellplatz (Mirabell Square), and behind Schloss Mirabell (Mirabell Palace) are the steps where Maria and the children finish singing “Do-Re-Mi”. And on many Advent evenings, brass players perform in front of the palace from 5.15 pm. The Sound of Music in Salzburg works in winter too – just differently from the film.
What does “The Sound of Music” mean for Salzburg? “The Sound of Music” is a Hollywood musical film about the von Trapp family, shot in and around Salzburg in 1964 and premiered in the USA in March 1965. In German it’s called “Meine Lieder – meine Träume” (“My Songs – My Dreams”). One of the best-known filming locations in the city is the Mirabell Gardens (Mirabellgarten).
The Mirabell Gardens are right behind our stalls. You’ll find opening times and directions for the Christmas market further down.
Sound of Music Salzburg in winter: what’s on, what’s closed?
A lot is still possible in Advent, but some things take a winter break. Here’s what you can still do in December:
- Mirabell Gardens: the gardens are freely accessible all year round; in winter, some areas are closed off.
- Sound of Music tour: according to the operator, the original tour by Panorama Tours leaves Mirabellplatz daily at 9.15 am and 2 pm.
- On stage: the Salzburger Landestheater brings the musical back from 18 December 2026.
And this is what takes a break in winter:
- Sound of Music museum in Hellbrunn: open until 1 November 2026, then again from 20 March 2027.
- The green backdrop: the film shows Salzburg in the warmer months. In December the flowerbeds are empty, the trees are bare, and it gets dark early.
In return, there’s something the film doesn’t show: during Advent our Christmas market stands in front of the palace, from 19 November to 31 December 2026, usually from 10 am. You’ll find the exact times on our info page.
Mirabell Gardens: the Do-Re-Mi steps and Pegasus Fountain next to the market
In the Mirabell Gardens, Maria and the children dance around the Pegasus Fountain, and they sing the finale of “Do-Re-Mi” on the steps up to the Rose Hill. Both are in the Baroque garden right next to Schloss Mirabell, just a few steps from our stalls. Entry is free.
When the gardens are open in winter, which areas are closed off in Advent and when you’ll get the best light for photos – it’s all in our guide to Mirabell Gardens in winter.
Opening hours & getting here
From Mirabell Gardens it’s just a few steps to our stalls. Opening hours and directions at a glance.
Sound of Music tour in December: departures from Mirabellplatz
According to the operator, Panorama Tours’ “Original Sound of Music Tour” starts daily at 9.15 am and 2 pm at Mirabellplatz; the meeting point is Hubert-Sattler-Gasse 1. The tour lasts around four hours, is guided in English and stops at places including the Mirabell Gardens, Schloss Leopoldskron, the gazebo in Hellbrunn and Mondsee. A second tour, Bob’s Special Tours, starts at Rudolfskai and ends in the Mirabell Gardens.
In December there’s a lot to be said for the morning: the sun sets at around 4.15 pm, so an afternoon tour ends at dusk. Our stalls usually open at 10 am, shortly after the morning tour has left.
The operator doesn’t say which departure times apply on public holidays. Ask before booking if you’d like to go on 24, 25 or 31 December.
Hellbrunn, museum and stage: what’s open in Advent
The glass gazebo from the film, where Liesl sings “Sixteen Going on Seventeen”, now stands in the park of Schloss Hellbrunn (Hellbrunn Palace) in the south of the city. The Salzburg Museum’s Sound of Music museum in Hellbrunn, on the other hand, is on its winter break: it’s open until 1 November 2026 and reopens on 20 March 2027. In the courtyard at Hellbrunn there’s the Hellbrunner Adventzauber in Advent, a separate market with its own organiser.
You can see The Sound of Music on stage in Advent too: the Salzburger Landestheater performs the musical in German from Friday 18 December 2026, and the Salzburger Marionettentheater (marionette theatre) also has it in its repertoire. Both are on the same side of the Salzach as our market.
You’ll find the other Advent markets in Salzburg in our overview of all the Salzburg Christmas markets.
A winter day with The Sound of Music: filming locations by daylight, music in the evening
Of all the things to do in Salzburg in December, this is what a Sound of Music day could look like:
- Morning: the Mirabell Gardens in the morning light, then the 9.15 am tour from Mirabellplatz.
- Afternoon: back in the city, the Old Town and Getreidegasse on foot.
- Around 4.15 pm: sunset – and from 25 November, the Christmas tree in front of the palace lights up.
- From 5.15 pm: on many Advent evenings, brass players perform in front of Schloss Mirabell; all dates are on our programme page.
Add a Bauernkrapfen (traditional fried dough pastries) from Christl-Alm or a Salzburger Breze (Salzburg-style pretzel) from Alexander Reisinger – more in our article on food and drink at Mirabellplatz. Right by the big Christmas tree in front of the palace is Tanja Konrad‘s stall with Christmas tree decorations and small nativity scenes, and that’s also where the music plays. And if your hands got cold in the gardens, Astrid Siebenhandel has hats, gloves and scarves.
On Wednesday 25 November at 6 pm the Christmas tree lights up for the first time, and on Wednesday 2 December at 6 pm St. Nicholas and Krampus – a horned, fur-clad figure from Alpine folklore who accompanies St. Nicholas – come to visit.
Christmas programme
After your round of the filming locations: Advent music in front of Schloss Mirabell. All dates for 2026.
For visitors from further away
From the main station it’s a 10 to 15-minute walk to Mirabellplatz, and trolleybus (Obus) lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 stop right there. According to the operator, the original tour is guided in English. You don’t need a ticket for the Mirabell Gardens, as they’re freely accessible – and you don’t need one for the brass music in front of the palace either.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. According to the operator, Panorama Tours’ original tour leaves Mirabellplatz daily at 9.15 am and 2 pm. In December the morning is the better choice, because the sun sets at around 4.15 pm. For public holidays, check with the operator before booking.
Panorama Tours’ original tour starts at Mirabellplatz, meeting point Hubert-Sattler-Gasse 1, right next to our Christmas market. Bob’s Special Tours starts at Rudolfskai and ends in the Mirabell Gardens.
No. The “Sound of Music Salzburg” museum in Hellbrunn is open until 1 November 2026 and reopens on 20 March 2027. You’ll find the gazebo from the film in the park at Hellbrunn.
The glass gazebo where Liesl sings “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” now stands in the park of Schloss Hellbrunn in the south of Salzburg. The original tour from Mirabellplatz stops there.
In German the film is called “Meine Lieder – meine Träume” (“My Songs – My Dreams”). It was shot in and around Salzburg in 1964, and one of the best-known filming locations is the Mirabell Gardens, right next to our Christmas market.
Yes. The Salzburger Landestheater performs the musical in German from 18 December 2026, and the Salzburger Marionettentheater also has “The Sound of Music” in its programme.
Sources
Retrieved on 23 October 2026: City of Salzburg: Mirabellgarten · Salzburg Tourism (salzburg.info): Mirabellgarten, Sound of Music city walk · Panorama Tours: Original Sound of Music Tour · Bob’s Special Tours · Salzburg Museum: Sound of Music Salzburg · Salzburger Landestheater: The Sound of Music · Salzburger Marionettentheater · Sunrise and sunset times: timeanddate.de