Breakfast at 8.15am then packed our bags and waited in the hotel foyer to be picked up for the Sound of Music Tour. We got picked up at 9.20am and were driven in a minibus 500m to Mirabellplatz to board our coach for the tour.

We got good seats and the tour departed at 9.40am. Drove through Salzburg past the castle to Leopoldskron Castle, a mansion beside a lake with great views of the mountains. We continued
on to Schloss Hellbrunn, not to see the castle but to see a gazebo used in the Sound of Music movie.

Left Salzburg on our way to Salzkammergut, Austria's lake district. Great views of the mountains and small lakeside villages. We stopped near Fürstl to ride the Sommerrodebahn a cross between a toboggan run and bobsled run in a metal halfpipe. The ride was good but could have been a bit faster!

Continued on to the town of St.Gilgen for the customary souvenir stop. Great views of the mountains overlooking the lakes and also the house where Mozart's mother was born. Moved on to Mondsee to see St.Peter's Church which was used in the wedding scenes of The Sound of Music. We had some apple strudel from Braun's Cafe as recommended by our guide then back on the coach to head back to Salzburg.

Arrived back in Salzburg at 2pm. Commentary for the tour was good and the tour was not as Sound of Music orientated as it could have been which was good. Ruined a bit at the end when the guide drew our attention to the tips basket and asked us to "give generously". We decided to leave out the back door and not leave a tip after that.

Went back to hotel and dropped off excess baggage then went to the old city for some lunch. Walked up to catch the Festungbahn up to the castle which cost an exorbitant €8.55 each but was much better than the steep walk to the top of the mountain. There were great views of the city and mountains from the castle. Went on tour of the castle which was an audio tour but was total chaos! About 40 people in the group trying to walk through the castle with no tour guide and the exit doors of each room locked until a guide came and opened them meant a lot of time crammed in a room waiting to get out. Very frustrating!

Caught the Festungbahn back down to the city and walked back to the hotel. Checked emails on the hotel internet terminal, had a coffee and then went in search of dinner at 7pm. Tried the restaurant recommended by reception at the hotel called Zum Fideln Affen but it was full and we were too hungry to wait around. Ended up at a nearby Chinese restaurant which was OK except for the owner/waitress who gave us rice we didn't order and charged us for it then disappeared when we paid and wouldn't come back to give us our change!

Back to the hotel for a rest, TV and to pack our bags for our trip to Venice the next day.