Salzburg itinerary — 3 days
Day 1 — Salzburg
5 stops · ≈ 5 h 41 minThe grand ceremonial square of Salzburg's old town, laid out in the late 16th century by prince-archbishop Wolf Dietrich. It is framed by the Residenz palace, the cathedral and burgher houses with arcades, and at its centre plays the baroque Residenzbrunnen fountain (1656–1661) — among the largest outside Italy, with marble horse tamers and tritons. Film fans know it from The Sound of Music: Maria's stroll was filmed here.
A cultural quarter wrapped around Salzburg Cathedral, opened in 2014: the state rooms of the prince-archbishops' Residence, the Residenzgalerie with European painting of the 17th to 19th centuries, the Cathedral Museum and a terrace on the cathedral arches with views over the old town. One ticket covers five museums, audio guide in ten languages included; closed on Tuesdays.
Founded by Saint Rupert in AD 696, St. Peter's Archabbey is celebrated as the oldest continuously active monastery in the German-speaking world. Set against the sheer rock face of the Mönchsberg, the complex features a Romanesque abbey church adorned with lavish Rococo stuccoes, Austria's oldest monastic library, and Europe's ancient culinary cellar. The atmospheric Petersfriedhof cemetery features early Christian catacombs carved into the cliff.
The city's toy museum a stone's throw from Linzer Gasse: 1,500 square metres where antique dolls, toy trains and tin soldiers share space with interactive zones where playing is not just allowed but required. A giant marble run, building areas, dress-up corners and a garden playground make it a rainy-day lifesaver for families with children.
Situated in Salzburg's Old Town, the Haus der Natur is an engaging natural history and technology museum housed in a former Ursuline convent. Across more than 7,000 square meters, visitors explore life-sized moving dinosaur models, regional alpine geology, a reptile zoo, and one of Central Europe's finest marine aquariums. Its state-of-the-art interactive Science Center allows children and adults to conduct hands-on physics experiments.
Reserve
7If you have time left — worth it too.
Turning away from the city toward the meadows and mountains, the banks of the Salzach River are a joy for cyclists, especially when the city is packed in summer. Rent a bike and ride south, admiring views of the jumble of domes and spires of the Altstadt, which slowly fades away as you pass the Volksgarten park. A bike ride here lets you escape the city crowds for a while. The Salzach River is a jade-colored waterway flowing through Salzburg, visible from various points in the city, including Hohensalzburg Fortress and the Winkler Terrace. Besides being a beautiful river for photography, it serves as a natural boundary between Salzburg's Old Town and the more modern parts of the city. The river is about 225 km (140 miles) long and originates in the Austrian Alps, where it flows through picturesque valleys and towns before reaching the city of Salzburg.
Historic 1893 building converted into an auditorium & stage for classic marionette productions.
Housed in the baroque Schloss Klessheim just outside Salzburg, Casino Salzburg offers gaming in a palace setting. The summer residence was originally designed around 1700 by master architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach for the Prince-Archbishops. Visitors enter staterooms with ornate stucco, marble fireplaces, and chandeliers to play American roulette, blackjack, and poker, or to dine at the upscale on-site palace restaurant.
Narrow medieval street, birthplace of the "Silent Night" poet & home to past & current brothels.
Alpine destination with skiing, hiking & biking routes, plus hotels, restaurants & a playground.
Nonnberg Abbey sits on the scenic slopes beneath Salzburg's Hohensalzburg Fortress. Founded around 714 AD by Saint Rupert, it is the oldest continuously operating women's convent in the German-speaking world. The late Gothic abbey church of St Maria houses rare 12th-century Romanesque frescoes in the choir, an intricate winged altar, and the crypt of Saint Erentrudis. Pop culture fans will also recognise it from 'The Sound of Music'.
The Mozart Residence on Makartplatz is the house the Mozart family moved to in 1773 from Getreidegasse; Wolfgang lived here until his departure for Vienna and wrote many works here. Damaged in the 1944 bombing, the building was reconstructed and opened as a museum in 1996: original objects, documents, autograph scores and a multimedia display on the composer's Salzburg years.
- Purchase a Salzburg Card for free access to public transport and discounts at attractions.
- Try the local delicacy, Salzburger Nockerl, in a traditional café.
- Visit the Hohensalzburg Fortress for stunning views of the city.