What to Do in Salzburg in a Day
The last stop on our two-week family trip to Germany and Austria last fall was to Salzburg! I had been to Vienna but never to Salzburg, and I was absolutely thrilled to spend time in this gorgeous historic city located on the west side of Austria along the border with Germany. This city nestled in the Austrian Alps is only about 2 hours away from Munich by train, so it’s a popular day trip (especially during Oktoberfest), but I highly recommend spending at least one full day in Salzburg and more if you can swing it!
We spent two nights and one full day (plus a few hours) in Salzburg, and I wish we had more time because there is so much to do there and I don’t like feeling rushed. Even though one day is definitely not enough time to see all that Salzburg has to offer, it might be all that you have, and I still think it’s worth a stop on your European adventure. This post shares what to do in Salzburg in a day, and there are a couple of options if you’re making a return trip or have extra time to spend there! I also shared a handful of places in Salzburg to eat and drink.
Before we dive in, I recommend purchasing a Salzburg Card for your visit. There are 24-, 48-, and 72-hour options, and prices vary based on whether you visit during high season or low. A 48-hour Salzburg Card for adults during high season is 40 Euros; we purchased our cards at our accommodation but had to use cash. You can ride the city buses for free and get free entry to many popular tourist attractions with the card!
What to Do in Salzburg in A Day
Mirabell Gardens
Mirabell Gardens is a gorgeous, large maintained garden on the grounds of the Mirabell Palace. It’s also where part of The Sound of Music was filmed: Maria and the children dance and sing “Do Re Mi” around the Pegasus Fountain (it features a sculpture of Pegasus) in front the palace. The Marble Hall inside the palace is one of the most popular and intricately-decorated wedding venues in the world.
We spent the late afternoon after arriving in Salzburg at Mirabell Gardens just walking around and enjoying the scenery. (It was also really hot out! Explore the gardens in the morning or evening to avoid the heat since there aren’t a ton of shady areas.) It’s a great place to relax after picking up a to-go cup of coffee. We walked around the Dwarf Garden, which features a bunch of sculptures of dwarves. Be sure to snap a photo over the gardens with a view of the Hohensalzburg Fortress in the background!
Getreidegasse in Altstadt
The Altstadt or “old town” of Salzburg is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and has been since 1996. Getreidegasse is the pedestrian street that runs through the heart of the historic old town, and there is a ton of great shopping on that street! I browsed Mango and got a souvenir at the Christmas in Salzburg store (which also has Easter-themed items). If you want a more leisurely thing to do in between sightseeing, I recommend strolling down Getreidegasse.
If you want to check out more in Altstadt, Mozart’s birthplace (one free entry with a Salzburg Card) is along Getreidegasse, and the Salzburg Cathedral is a stone’s throw from Getreidegasse. St. Peter’s Abbey (one free entry with a Salzburg Card) is a short walk from the cathedral. There are also various museums in old town Salzburg, many of which also offer free entry with a Salzburg Card. (As you can tell, the card is definitely worth it if you plan to visit all of these tourist attractions and more!)
Untersberg Cable Car
The Untersberg Cable Car is gondola that takes you up the side of a huge rocky mountain with 360-degree views of Salzburg to the north and Germany to the south. The trip up and down the mountain takes about 8 minutes each way, so it’s not too bad, and the view is amazing. You can get one free round-trip ride on the cable car with your Salzburg Card.
At the top, you can grab food at the restaurant and hike around Untersberg. It was unfortunately super cloudy and cold on our trip, so we didn’t get to see much of anything at the top. I’d love to go back on a clear day! The border of Germany is right along the trail at the of Untersberg, which I didn’t realize until I was reliving our trip for this post.
Untersberg is a bit of a drive or longer bus ride to the south of Salzburg. Be sure to bring layers, as it can be much cooler at the top of the mountain (especially if you see clouds at the top)! Also, wear sunscreen!
Salzburg Zoo
If you have kiddos, check out the Salzburg Zoo! A zoo wouldn’t normally be somewhere I’d go on my own, but Korri and I were hanging out with friends and their young kiddo. We stopped by the zoo after the cable car to see the animals and let their kiddo take a nap. (Entry was free with our Salzburg Cards!)
The zoo had lots of fun animals and was actually quite bigger than I thought it would be. It’s laid out interestingly, with much of the animal exhibits located up on the side of a hill. We ate lunch at the zoo and my schnitzel was actually pretty good for being zoo food, ha. After our quick trip, Korri and I caught the bus back to Salzburg for more fun with my family.
The Sound of Music Bike Tour
If you are visiting Salzburg between April and October, The Sound of Music Bike Tour with Fräulein Maria’s Bike Tours is a must-do! This came highly recommended, and it was definitely a highlight of our trip. The tour starts just outside of Mirabell Gardens. You stop at the gardens, continue over the Salzach River, and ride through old town, stopping at interesting spots along the way. The tour continues up the huge hill to Nonnberg Abbey (next to the fortress) before heading south to Hellbrunn Palace and the current site of the iconic gazebo. Then you ride all the way back to Mirabell Gardens!
Your guide will point out where specific scenes of The Sound of Music were filmed along with other cool history! Our guide was named Celeste and was SO knowledgeable and fun. We listened to music from The Sound of Music during our ride, too, haha. I need to rewatch the film now!
Plan for this bike tour to take at least four hours; ours was scheduled from 2 pm to 6 pm but we ended up getting back late. There are lots of stops, and while you do need to know how to ride a bike (and be comfortable riding cruiser bikes), you do not need to be an athlete by any means.
Mozart’s Birthplace and Residence
Salzburg is well-known for being where famous classical composer Mozart was born and where he called home. Your Salzburg Card gives you an entry into his birthplace (located on Getreidegasse) and into his residence, which is across the Salzach River from his birthplace. Both are within walking distance of each other in the city center. These are great stops to make if you are a music/history buff and want to check out a couple of museums.
We didn’t have time to explore either museum on our trip (a day in Salzburg is far too short!), but I’d like to next time! It still felt really cool to walk by two places that Mozart called home and to see bits around the city that pay homage to him and his legacy. Salzburg is such a beautiful city full of history!
Hohensalzburg Fortress
The Hohensalzburg Fortress is perched on top of a hill in Salzburg and is one of the largest preserved castles in the region. It features 360° views of Salzburg and the surrounding area. You can get up there via footpath (definitely not for the faint of heart) or via a funicular (cable railway system with two cars that balance each other out; as one travels up, the other travels down). Your Salzburg Card gets you one free admission and includes a round-trip ride on the funicular.
We didn’t have time to visit the fortress, so it’s definitely on the list for next time! Some other people in our group checked it out and said it was really cool. The fortress was built in 1077 (!) and then continuously updated until 1500. From May to September, there are twice-daily guided “quick tours” offered in English and German. The panorama ticket gets you access to an observation tour with 360° views!
Salzburg Salt Mine
Did you know that the “salz” in Salzburg means salt in German? Head south of town to check out the Salzburg Salt Mine (Salzwelten Salzburg in Hallein). Take a tour of the underground tunnels to see how the “white gold” was mined thousands of years ago. You’ll ride a mine train and slide down long slides to a salt lake! Be sure to dress for chilly weather and wear closed-toe shoes with traction. Your Salzburg Card gets you discounted admission but only at the ticket office; you can book in advance by calling the ticket office.
We considered going to the salt mine (it was recommended by family) but decided against it in favor of the other activities above. Since there isn’t quite enough time to do all of these things in one day, I recommend visiting the salt mine if you have more than one day in Salzburg or if you’re making a return trip and don’t want to do some of the other touristy things again.
Where to Eat in Salzburg
If you’re looking for places to eat and drink during your day in Salzburg, here are the places we ate (or drank) at and enjoyed! I’d love to hear your recommendations in the comments for next time.
Mirabell Coffee Bar — located across the street from Mirabell Gardens
Sternbräu — located in old town Salzburg off of Getreidegasse — delicious Austrian fare; sit in the courtyard and get the wienerschnitzel!
Shamrock Irish Pub — located in old town along the Salzach River — a fun bar with live music, locals, and delicious apple strudel shots
Gablerbräu (currently temporarily closed according to the website) — located north of the Salzach River near Mozart’s former residence — offers traditional Austrian fare; wasn’t my favorite meal of the trip but it was still good!
Restaurant Stiegl-Keller — didn’t make it here but it was on my short list because of the views! It’s located in the old town near the fortress and they offer traditional Austrian fare and beers.
1 Day Salzburg Itinerary
It’s super easy to take public transportation to get around during your one day in the beautiful city of Salzburg, Austria. Hop a train to Salzburg, and from the main train station, there are a number of city buses to take you all around Salzburg and the surrounding area. If you have a Salzburg Card (which you can purchase online ahead of your trip), rides on the city bus system are free!
