Salzburg is an enchanting city that will capture your heart from the moment you arrive. Salzburg is known for its music from Mozart to the Sound of Music. The charming city is easily walkable to enjoy its many sites and amazing views. The city is full of fountains, parks, and museums to explore. If you are a nature lover and adventure seeker, the lakes and mountains surrounding the city are calling your name. Check out our guide below for Salzburg must see attractions, traditional food, and our two day itinerary:
Places to See
Hohensalzburg Fortress – One of the largest medieval castles in Europe. We purchased the basic tickets and took the funicular to the top of the fortress. The funicular was a very quick trip and if you blink you will miss it. Once at the top and inside the fortress you are welcomed with an amazing view of Salzburg. We made our way inside and found the entrance to the audio tour. The audio tour was short, but interesting. The best part of the tour was that you were able to climb the tower in the fortress and see even more amazing views of Salzburg and surrounding areas. After the audio tour, we explored the rest of the area inside the fortress. The fortress is a lot bigger than we originally realized. Our basic tickets allowed us to visit a few of the museums inside. The museums were historical and had various artifacts from different time periods, but the award for the most unique museum goes to the Marionette Museum. It has many marionettes set up in different scenes and is worth a quick stop inside. We stopped for a few more pictures of the Salzburg scenery before heading back down on the funicular. This is a great first stop in Salzburg, as it gives you a preview of the places you will see as you continue to explore the city.
Salzburg Cathedral – We aren’t Cathedral experts, but this one is beautiful and worth a quick look inside.
Residenplatz – A large, stately square in the center of historic Old Town. The square is located just behind the Salzburg Cathedral, you can’t miss it.
Mozarts Geburtshaus – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on the January 27, 1756 and now you can tour the home he grew up in. Salzburg has a rich cultural history and there are Mozart tours that you can book to see more locations with history related to Mozart.
Salzach River – Walk across the many pedestrian bridges that cross the Salzach River and connect the city of Salzburg. Enjoy a nice walk or run along the river, it is a great location to view at sunset.
Mirabell Palace – The palace was originally built by an arch bishop in 1606 as a gift for his love. After several renovations and changes, today Mirabell Palace houses the official offices of the Mayor of Salzburg. The palace is known for its beautiful grounds, fountains, halls, and musical performances – including performances by Mozart. The Marble Hall in the palace serves as one of the most beautiful wedding halls. The Marble Hall is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 8am -4pm and Tuesday, Friday from 1-4pm. The Angel Staircase is open daily from 8am-6pm. Admission is free to Mirabell Palace.
Kapuzinerberg – A large hill on the eastern side of the Salzach River in Salzburg. We were ambitious and tried to run up the hill, but the steepness quickly beat us and we incorporated intervals of walking as we continued up the hill. There are excellent viewpoints of the city below as you follow the trail.
What to eat/drink and where to find it!
Bärenwirt – If you are going to be in Salzburg, we recommend having a meal at Bärenwirt and getting a reservation in advance if you can! We were lucky enough to get a table outside even though we didn’t have dinner reservations. It was a little chilly considering we were visiting Salzburg at the end of September. Chris regretted not bringing a coat with him, but they handed out blankets to keep us warm while we enjoyed our meals. It seemed like you couldn’t go wrong with any of the choices on the menu at Bärenwirt. I had a really good potato and egg dish with salad and Chris had schnitzel.
Augustiner-Bräu – Augustiner-brau is a large brewery with a huge beer garden. You wait in line to pay for the mug that you would like to have filled; the pilsner is the only beer available. The only choice you have to make is what size mug you would like to use which helps the line move quickly! Tip: This brewery is cash only! Once you have picked up your mug, you can (and should) choose to dip the mug in cold water. This is supposed to help the beer taste better. Then you simply hand the beer to the person pouring the beer straight from a large wooden keg. Chris’ decision to go without a coat that night continued to haunt him as we drank our cold mugs of beer outside under the night sky. This is a great place to visit, especially if it is a nice day.
Zum Zirklewirt – I have to say that my meal at Zirklewirt was the best out of our entire two week road trip around Europe. We were able to be seated at a table for 2 with no problem, but Yelp did recommend having a reservation and you can reserve a table online. I chose a vegetarian option and I am so happy that I did because it was absolutely delicious; spinach dumpling covered with parmesan cheese and butter with a side salad. It was unbelievable! I don’t actually remember what Chris had to eat here, but I do remember that he enjoyed his meal too. The cozy furniture and decorations created a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Our Itinerary – 2 Days in Salzburg
Day 1
Fortress Hahoensalzburg – 10 Euros, Book online in advance
Salzburger Dom – * The next few places are all in the same area
Residenz Castle
Getreidegasse
Mozarts Geburtshaus
Dinner at Barenwirt
Augustinerbräu – Kloster Mülln
Day 2
Morning run to Mirabell Palace and Kapuzinerberg
Day trip to Hitler’s Eagles Nest
Dinner at Zirklewirt
Check out our Day Trip to Hitler’s Eagles Nest Guide for more details on this unique destination close to Salzburg and check out our Bratislava Destination Guide for another great city to explore!
