4 DAY CITY GUIDE: THINGS TO DO IN SALZBURG, AUSTRIA

SIGHTS

• Strolling through the Old City

  We would have regretted not staying in the Old City – it’s the ideal base for exploring Salzburg. Even though the city is small and very walkable, staying right in the heart of it all made it very easy to walk around. Everything was within a 5-10 minute radius. The traditional shops in Salzburg’s Old City include liquor stores, an umbrella manufacturer and a small El Dorado for cheese gourmets.

• Take a Sound of Music tour

  Ok, I have to admit, a huge part of traveling to Salzburg, other than skiing (which didn’t happen due to the weather), was to check out the Sound of Music sights. I mean, I know it’s the birthplace of Mozart, but I wasn’t going to miss walking through movie history! I definitely recommend the  Sound of Music & Salzburg Lakes Tour by Panorama Tours. You can read my review here.

• Christkindlmarkt in Salzburg Square

  As it gets closer to the holidays, Christmas markets or Christkindlmarkte open all across Europe. We were traveling through at the right time – the Salzburg Christmas market opened on our final day in the city. Strolling through tasting delicious Christmas treats, buying unique ornaments, soaps, and jewelry is a shopping lovers dream!
  And of course, to keep warm, one has to indulge in a glass (or two!) of punsch. Made from warm wine, Austrian rum, orange juice and spices, punsch is a hearty drink sure to keep you warm as you peruse through the stalls.

• Hellbrunn “Adventzauber”

  We visited Hellbrunn Palace during our Sound of Music tour, and saw that the Christkindlmarkt was opening that very day. Such a beautiful area, and we wanted to pop by, but couldn’t find the time to fit it in.
  If you find the time, take Bus 25 from Mirabellplatz to Salzburg Fürstenweg.

• Visit the fortress – take the funicular

  The Hohensalzburg Fortress dates back to the 11th century and is one of the largest fortifications in Europe. It’s definitely the first thing you see when you look up as you stroll through the old town, and its largeness is magnified in the night sky. We heard the views from the fortress are stunning, but for some reason the funicular wasn’t running during our stay. And, there was no way we were going to climb up all those stairs.

• Mozart House/Museum

  

  Smack dab in the middle of old town, it’s a small house. But not hard to miss since it’s in Mozartplatz (Mozart Square)! We walked by, but never ventured in.

• Mirabell Gardens

  A popular Sound of Music filming location, especially the dwarf garden. But, Mirabell Gardens is beautiful in its own right, perfectly manicured garden which I can only imagine is beautiful when the flowers are in bloom. Perfect for a picnic when the weather is bright and sunny.

• Untersburg Mountain

  Take the cable car up to Untersburg Mountain. It takes a few hours but you get to see the city from an altitude of 1,776 meters! Fun fact: The mountain range was shown at the beginning and ending of The Sound Of Music (when Maria is running through the fields atop the mountain, and when they escape to Switzerland at the end), BUT the scenes were filmed on the German side of the mountain, not the Austrian!
  Check the times of year to see when it’s possible to do this, because it was closed for maintenance when we were in town.

• Salzach River

  Strolling/biking/or running along the Salzach river is a must, especially during sunset or early evening.
  You get to see the city of Salzburg all lit up, and reflecting on the water, it makes for a romantic setting. What could be better?

MUSEUMS

• Museum der Moderne

  The Museum of Modern Art sits on Mönchsberg, and is a direct contrast to the Old City below. The best time to visit (or any museum for that fact) is an hour before closing. I’ve found museum’s to be the emptiest at this time, and the closest you’ll ever get to the art by yourself.
  In the winter this means catching the city just as the sun is setting, and from the viewpoint, is
  B E A U T I F U L.
  The entire museum wasn’t open, except for the Setting Things in Motion collection, which really made you think about art. Art can mean different things to different people, and for me, it was refreshing heading to a modern art museum after all the classical art I’d seen. Art is all around us – I see the way I curate my wardrobe on a daily basis as art. If you want to think about the world around you, definitely head to the Museum der Moderne, you won’t be disappointed.

MORE SALZBURG THINGS TO DO

Stay tuned for Part II, where I discuss the fun stuff ie: shopping & most importantly, eating!

Thanks to the Salzburg Tourism Office for all their assistance, and for providing us with Salzburg cards for the duration of our stay. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.