Sound reminder of musical great

Picnics on hillsides and splashes in fountains, photos in gazebos and coach trips up mountains – what finer way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the release of that cinematic gem the Sound of Music than with a few of everyones' favourite things in the city where it all began.

If you love Maria, her handsome sea-captain, the nuns and all those curtain-clad children, then you'll love this city and all it offers to fuel your movie obsessions.

I was there to enjoy the gala weekend of the film's anniversary but there are enough treats available throughout the year to satisfy the most ardent fan.

The best has to be the four-hour official coach tour, run by Panorama Tours which runs twice a day, and visits film locations within the city and out to the lakes and mountains. With a guide to share magical movie snippets, the journey is peppered with music and video, and sometimes a clutch of edelweiss seeds to pocket.

You can not help but alternate between gasping and bursting into song as you visit places only seen before on the big screen.

Take the city's Nonnberg Convent. This building with its unmistakable red-onion roof takes centre stage in one of the film's first scene, when the bell rings out for evening prayers and Maria has to leave her hill-top idyll. (Not the quick bob down the bank you might think – in real life she would have needed a fast car to get there as quickly as she did).

It's wonderful to see, and prompts a few choruses of How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria before out and off to the other must-see sights.

One of my favourites is St Michael's Basilica in the village of Mondsee, which was the church used for the wedding scene of Maria and the captain. With its mellow yellow interior of ornate lushness set against a backdrop of pink and white it is a glorious vision.

Another popular stop-off is Leopoldskron Palace which was used for the lake scene, where Maria fell backwards instead of sideways and failed to hold on to little Gretel – the only non-swimmer in the cast – as planned. Luckily she was fished out but memories of that ice-cold shoot bring chills to the actors even to this day.

The sumptuous building was built originally as a home for the Prince Archbishop of Salzburg and was renovated in 1918 by Max Reinhardt. He was one of Europe's most famous theatre directors and was co-founder of the Salzburg Festival – and was the impresario who nurtured the singing talents of the Von Trapps.

The house, which is now a hotel, is never seen as shots of Frohnburg Palace are cut in instead. A door would have been knocked on at one location to be opened at another a good 20 miles away.

The tour is punctuated with fascinating facts and reflections like these – and are lapped up by a very appreciative audience who are already spoilt with both the scenery and the mountain-sweet air.

Give them this in addition to the gazebo at Hellbrunn – backdrop for Liesl and Rolf's I am 16 going on 17 and Maria and the captain's Something Good, then they are in seventh heaven.

Show them the very spot where Maria and the children picnicked, and sang Do-Re-Mi – which is now part of the new hour-long hiking trail from Werfen then you have lost them completely.

Back in the centre of the city, and drink in the Summer Riding School (Festival Hall) which was used as the concert hall; the Mirabell Gardens, where the children famously danced on the steps and the Residenz Square and fountain where Maria swung out with her suitcase singing I have confidence.

Around 300,000 film fans make their way to the Mecca of Salzburg every year, participating in shows, dinners and puppet shows. There is beautiful architecture, cruises on the Salzach River, Mozart's Residence and the Old Town to be savoured and, a little further afield, the Austrian Lake District as well as the Bavarian beauty of Berchtesgaden on the Austrian/German border with its Eagle's Nest, once the southern HQ of the Nazi shops, party – and now a much-visited spot for hikers.

To really enjoy a panoramic vision of the wonder of the city, take a gondola to the top of the Untersberg mountain for its stunning views and – more importantly – to see the place where the film began, and a chance to run across the meadow, arms outstretched, think of Julie Andrews, head up to the sky and sing.

Travel Facts

For discounts on tourist hot-spots buy a Salzburg card. See www.salzburg.info

Cakes, chocolate and locally-brewed beer must be sampled, for a Michelin-starred restaurant head for Obauer. See www.obauer.com

For details on Sound of Music bus tours see www.panoramatours.com

For hotel reservations see www.leopoldskron.com

For more details on Hellbrunn see www.visit-Salzburg.net