Last updated on June 9th, 2024 at 01:01 pm
Salzburg might be the fourth largest city in Austria, but it’s closer to Munich, Germany, than Vienna. When we found that out, it was a given that we’ll extend our trip to Munich and explore Salzburg’s old town. Luckily the discovery happened during our planning stages, and we were also able to add a couple of day trips from Salzburg to our itinerary. So read along to learn about our awesome trip and what to do in Salzburg in 3 days.
Fun Fact: Salzburg literally translates to Salt Castle. Also, Salt was considered white gold for centuries in Europe.
Needless to say, this trading town with the Salzach River flowing through it was one of the richest towns in Europe’s history. To learn more about its intriguing past we took the Hallein Salt Mine tour. And then came Sound of Music, bringing more glory to Salzburg in the last century.
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How to get to Salzburg
FROM VIENNA
The two biggest cities around Salzburg are Vienna and Munich. You can either take a train from Vienna Central Station which will take about 2.5 hrs to get to Salzburg Hbf. The other option would be to rent a car and drive for about 3 hours to get here.
FROM MUNICH
Munich to Salzburg by Car:
We drove from Munich to Salzburg which was an easy 1.5 hours drive one way. The reason we rented a car was also to do a road trip to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich. In addition, having a car gave us the flexibility to explore the Austrian countryside nearby Salzburg at our own pace.
Munich to Salzburg by Train:
All of these following trains start from Munich Hbf train station.
- You have the option to take Austria’s Railjet Express (RJX) which can get you to Salzburg in roughly 1.30 hrs. The Railjet train single ride ticket costs anywhere from €33 to €40.
- Germany’s Deutsche Bahn which runs EuroCity (EC) trains from Munich to Salzburg offering cheaper fare of about €23 and takes roughly 2 hours one way.
- Your third and cheapest train option would be Meridian Regional Train from Munich to Salzburg. You can buy the tickets online or at the Meridian ticket machines at the station.
Munich to Salzburg by Bus:
We always prefer trains over buses in Europe unless budget is a real issue for you. In that case, there are a few bus companies that run regular service from Munich to Salzburg. One of them to consider is Flixbus which is around $8.99 for a single ride.
Things To Do in Salzburg in 3 days
Salzburg is the perfect place for a weekend getaway trip. But if you follow our itinerary you will not only explore some of the best sights in Salzburg old town but also sneak some adventure in the Austrian Alps.
So let’s get to the fun stuff!
Day 1: (Can be used as 1-day in Salzburg itinerary)
We reached Salzburg from Munich early in the morning and left our car at the hotel which was just outside the Old Town. I cannot stress enough how important it is to take public transport to get in and out of Salzburg Old Town (Altstadt) unless you are staying within the limits of the old fortified city.
The old town of Salzburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is best explored on foot. While doing so here are a few things to see & do on your first day.
1. Get Lost in Old Town’s Alleys
As cliche as it may sound, do it! While you are strolling past famous sights in Salzburg’s Old town, don’t miss the opportunity to accidentally spot a gem of an alley. TIP: Grabbing the old town Salzburg map from the visitor center would help tremendously.
2. Mozarthaus
You can’t miss this yellow house in the old town. This is where Wolfgang Mozart was born but he eventually moved to Vienna where he created most of his musical masterwork. If you’d like you can take a guided tour of Mozart’s house.
3. Dom Salzburg
This is Salzburg’s biggest cathedral which is in the town center. One of the best gothic interiors I’ve seen in Europe.
4. Hohensalzburg or Fortress Salzburg
On top of the hill above Dom Salzburg standing tall is Salzburg fortress which was built in the 11th century. It was built for the Archbishop of Salzburg who was also a salt trader in addition to his priestly duties. You can either hike up or take the funicular to get to the fortress.
From the top of the fortress, you’ll get the best view of the entire town. If you read along you’ll discover where to get the second-best view which includes the fortress in the frame.
5. St. Peter’s Abbey
After you are done touring the Hohensalzburg head to St. Peter’s Abby which is close to the Fortress’s exit. This is an offbeat spot in Salzburg and one of the places to see catacombs in the town.
6. Summer (OR WINTER) Festivals
Never miss the energy that a good festival brings to town. Here’s a full list of summer festivals in Salzburg. When we visited in May, the music festival was taking place. Grabbing local food, drinking and dancing with the locals is definitely our kind of travel.
Similarly, Salzburg has Christmas markets & winter festivals going on in the winter season.
7. Mirabell Garden
This garden is one of the filming locations of Do Re Mi song in ‘The Sound of Music’. Enjoy a relaxing time in the neatly manicured palace garden where the entrance is FREE. Don’t forget to check out the Pegasus fountain and the Hellbrunn Palace which has an entrance ticket priced at €12.50.
To avoid the crowds we’d recommend early in the morning or later in the evening for a stroll in Mirabell Gardens.
Day 2: Take a Day Trip From Salzburg
Sneak some fun day trips whether it’s sliding down the Alps or Sound of Music tour or Salt Mine tour below is a few options to consider.
8. Salt Mine Tour in Hallein
When a town is named after Salt how can you not find out more about its rich history? And the best way to do that is going to the bottom of Alps to learn about rock salt history. Yes, I said bottom. With our tour, we were taken hundreds of feet under the Alps and even crossed the Austrian-German border underground!
Hallein Salt Mine tour (which we took) is closer to Salzburg than Hallstatt Salt Mine if you are wondering which tour to take.
9. Slide Down the Alps on a Toboggan Ride
Just around the corner from Hallein Salt Mine, you have your chance to add a little adventure on your trips. If you don’t know what a toboggan ride is then you must read our blog post on this Alpine Slide adventure near Salzburg.
10. Sound of Music Tour
If you are a diehard fan of the Von Trapp family, then go on ‘The Sound of Music’ tour. We skipped this to do the above two.
11. Museum of Modern Art
After returning from your day trip, head to the Museum of Modern Art. Make sure you go right before sunset. Why?
Not really to see the art, I mean you could if that’s your calling, but to actually see the second-best view of Salzburg. The panoramic view from where you have the Salzburg Fortress in the frame too.
Entrance Fee: If you enter through the museum you only need to pay for the elevator to the rooftop deck. From the deck, you’ll get a panoramic view of Salzburg. You can even hike up to this point for FREE if you want to.
Romantic Rooftop Dinner (Top of Modern ART Museum)
If you want to take your evening a notch above then reserve a table for dinner at the Museum of Modern Art’s rooftop restaurant M32. The restaurant is located at one level above the rooftop deck and we were lucky to get seated without a prior reservation.
Day 3: Hallstatt (Day Trip from Salzburg)
If you are going all the way to Salzburg you possibly cannot return without seeing the most photogenic town in Austria, Hallstatt.
12. Day Trip from Salzburg to Hallstatt
As much as we wanted to stay overnight in Hallstatt, all we could afford at this gorgeous lake town was a day trip from Salzburg. It was amazing to take different routes along the Austrian countryside to get to Hallstatt.
If you are not renting a car then consider taking one of the bus tours or the longer option to get to Hallstatt yourself from Salzburg is taking a bus.
Final Day: Return Back to Munich or Vienna or home
It is time to say goodbye to one of the dreamiest vacations ever. As they say in ‘The Sound of Music,’ if the hills are calling, you will definitely be back someday!
Where to Stay in Salzburg
It goes without saying that do not drive to old European towns. Since we were driving we choose to stay outside the old town in Salzburg at Hotel Turnerwirt. If you really want to stay within walking distance then here are your options.
- Altstadt Hotel Hofwirt Salzburg
- Hotel Adlerhof Salzburg
- Goldness Theater Hotel Salzburg
I hope this helps you plan a fun Eurotrip, especially in Salzburg. If you liked this post then don’t forget to share with friends and family.
Read Next: Romantic Road Trip in Germany’s Rhine Valley
Happy Traveling!
Salzburg and Hallstatt both look like a fantastic places to explore!
I do like the sound of music tour, but I think I would do the same as you and slide down the mountain! 😀
Haha great mind think alike!
Woaahhh the salt mines look so cool! I’d never heard of those in Austria before!
Yup, there are a few of them! And they take right below the Alps 🙂