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June 2024 – Salzburg, Austria
As soon as we arrive in Salzburg, our host sends us exploring. We do as advised, but with no rush. After all, we have six generous days ahead. There is no way we can miss a thing (or so we thought). 🙂
Two hours later we are sweating in the merciless sun. After a power walk and some dozen abrupt stairs, we reach what seems to be one of Salzburg’s known viewpoints.
“Damn it, we should have booked more nights!” comes the sudden realization.
And so, the second week of our Austrian holiday unfolds.
Mostly known as the birthplace of Mozart, Salzburg is packed with historical treasures and a vibrant cultural scene. As we found out, Salzburg is also the perfect gateway to discover the picturesque Austrian countryside. We never got bored. In fact, we would have needed extra time to see all those beautiful lakes in the area.
But let’s get to practicalities. Here is how we spent a week exploring Salzburg and its surroundings.
WHAT TO VISIT IN SALZBURG
- Schloss Hellbrunn + Zoo
We started our holiday with lots of energy and headed to Schloss Hellbrunn. The only thing more surprising than the magic fountains is that i ended up soaking wet. Spoiler alert, they really work.
- Cable Car Untersberg
Continue the bus journey to Untersbergbahn cable car. The unlimited 360 view from the local mountain of Salzburg is spectacular.
- Funicular + Fortress Hohensalzburg
For another gorgeous view over Salzburg, head over to the Fortress. Bonus, you’ll step into one of the largest and best-preserved medieval castles in Europe.
- Salzburg City Cruise
Seeing the city from water level, while listening to some history and local anecdotes is pretty cool. At the end we learned that a boat can also waltz. If the cruise didn’t make me dizzy, this definitely has.
- Mozart’s Birthplace
Little did we know that, while being born in Salzburg, Mozart despised the city’s limitations and the constraints imposed on him by its clergy. After touring across Europe as a child prodigy, Mozart famously left Salzburg for Vienna. This move marked the beginning of his most productive period as a composer.
- DomQuartier Salzburg
The DomQuartier served the prince-archbishops of Salzburg as their residence for centuries. We spent the entire time in awe, imagining the magnitude of their influence and power back then. Fun fact: Mozart gave his first Salzburg court concert in the conference room at the age of seven!
- Mirabell Palace
As the days got hotter, we left Mirabell Palace and its gardens for last. It was fun to watch people trying to recreate the scene from The Sound of Music, while we rested in the shades.
*all the above and more are included in the Salzburg card; it’s a really great (& cheaper) choice to combine multiple visits
DAY TRIPS FROM SALZBURG
If you have enough time, go outside the city!
- Hallstätter See, Hallstatt
Despite the overtourism, my favorite activity was our day trip to Hallstatt. As we learned from our host, there are less crowded alternatives in the Salzburg Lake District.
- Wolfgangsee Lake, St. Wolfgang im Salzkammergut
Sankt Wolfgang was his personal favorite and recommendation for visitors looking for an authentic experience. So if we ever go back, we’re definitely taking the off the beaten track.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN SALZBURG
We loved using buses in Salzburg! Especially because we had unlimited use of public transport included in the Salzburg card. 🙂
Public transportation is clean, reliable, with schedules available at bus stops and online. Most importantly, numerous routes cover the whole city and surroundings, connecting key attractions and neighborhoods throughout the whole day.
WHERE TO EAT IN SALZBURG
We also enjoyed trying out different places to eat, depending on where in the city we were out visiting. Here’s a short list of what we loved:
- Chez Aurélie – french breakfast
- Augustiner Bräu Mülln – brewery and beer garden
- Bärenwirt – traditional
- Zwettler’s Wirtshaus – traditional
- Cicchetti Salzburg – italian
- Café Tomaselli – dessert
HOW TO GET TO SALZBURG
- By plane
Flying is the fastest way to reach Salzburg. The airport is about 4 km from the city center. You can easily reach downtown by bus or taxi in about 15 minutes.
- By train
You can reach Salzburg by train from major European hubs like Frankfurt or Munich. From here you can transfer to a train heading to Salzburg Hauptbahnhof.
- By car
Salzburg has excellent connections with international motorways, making it easy to reach by car. Take the A1 or A10 autobahn if you’re traveling from Austria, or A8 from Germany.
Warning (again): driving in Austria requires a vignette.
WHEN TO VISIT SALZBURG
Salzburg is beautiful all year round, but the best time to visit depends on what you’re looking for. High season is June-August for perfect summer weather and Salzburg Festival, while December is preferred for ski and Christmas markets.
Low&shoulder seasons are best for seeing Salzburg like a local and hunting for budget deals.
And that’s a wrap! I can’t picture how our next roadtrip could top this one, but i’ll do my best.😅
Until then, happy holidays!
HaiHui Story 
I’d love to visit Salzburg one day and do these day trips – your photos are beautiful 🙂
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Thank you Hannah!🙏 I would visit it again for the same reason, those cute lake villages nearby are sooo dreamy 😊
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Your article does a good job of describing everything there is to see in Salzburg. I went back there last year during my stay in Vienna and I was surprised by everything that’s now on offer to visitors – it’s much more than it used to be.
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Thank you so much!🙏 It was our first time in Salzburg and we definitely felt a week was not enough to explore all the attractions and the Lake District.
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