Salzburg, Austria & vicinity

Travel Dates: October 2025

What to do in Salzburg

Aussichtspunkt des Museums der Moderne – The best view of Salzburg is right in front of the Museum der Moderne (the Modern Art Museum). It’s a bit of a trek to get there since you’ll need to walk uphill, but it’s worth it for the panorama.

There are two main routes:

• Easier route (from the front): Start from Ursulinenplatz. This path has a few stairs but mostly gradual ramps leading up to the museum, so it’s easier but takes a bit longer.
• Fastest route (from the back): Start from Reichenhaller Straße. There are several staircases that lead up through the park to the viewpoint. It’s steep and has lots of steps, but it’s the quickest way up. Closer to the top, the path isn’t paved, so be careful—especially if you’re going at night. There are no lights, and the ground can be uneven.

Festung Hohensalzburg – We didn’t visit the fortress itself, but if you’re interested, you can buy funicular tickets that include access to the castle. Alternatively, you can skip the funicular and hike up the steep hill to the castle on foot, which is slightly cheaper. We did hike up to a nice viewpoint in front of the castle along Hoher Weg road, though it wasn’t quite as impressive as Aussichtspunkt des Museums der Moderne.

Mirabell Palace Concerts – A trip to Austria isn’t complete without experiencing some classical music, and in Salzburg—Mozart’s birthplace—attending a concert is a must. The Mirabell Palace Concerts primarily feature Mozart’s works, along with pieces by other composers. The concert we attended focused solely on Mozart, which we enjoyed.

If you’re interested, it’s a good idea to buy tickets in advance and reserve seats. There’s a slightly cheaper option for first-come, first-served seating, but we found the reserved seats worth it. The concert lasted about 1.5 hours with an intermission. Do note, the room is small, so it can feel a bit crowded.

City Views – While exploring Salzburg on foot, don’t miss these beautiful scenic spots along your route:

• Mirabellgarten – beautiful gardens in front of Mirabell Palace, featured in several scenes from The Sound of Music
• Marko-Feingold-Steg – pedestrian bridge with views of Salzburg’s Old Town and Festung Hohensalzburg in the distance
• Goldene Kugel Kunstprojekt “Sphaera” von Stephan Balkenhol – playful sculpture in Kapitelplatz

Red Bull Hangar-7 – One perk of Red Bull being founded and headquartered in Salzburg is the free entry to their Hangar-7, where you can see Red Bull’s impressive collection of planes, helicopters, F1 cars, and more. Bonus: there’s also a large, well-maintained bathroom and free parking on-site.

What to do outside of Salzburg

“The Sound of Music Trail” in Werfen, Austria – Fans of The Sound of Music can’t miss this beautiful mountain viewpoint where the iconic Do-Re-Mi scene was filmed. Search “The Sound of Music Trail” on Google Maps for the exact location—the view is absolutely breathtaking.

A few tips: watch out for cow droppings in the area, and note that there isn’t an official parking lot—we briefly parked on the roadside. Alternatively, you can hike up from Werfen town center, which takes about an hour.

What to eat in Salzburg

Johanneskeller – This place is a busy, cash-only spot where reservations are highly encouraged—and possibly necessary. We didn’t have one, but the staff was kind enough to get us a table after a 15-minute wait. Unlike most restaurants, water here is complimentary.

We ordered pumpkin soup, deer ragout, roast pork with gravy, and pesto pasta with shrimp. The deer ragout was especially delicious—tender, not gamey at all, and the sauce was full of flavor. The local unfiltered beer on tap was also really good.

The receipt mentioned that tip isn’t included, but we made sure to leave one anyway since our server was so helpful and friendly. Overall, a great experience and worth visiting if you can get a seat!

Café Tomaselli vs. Café Würfelzucker – We did a little apple strudel taste test in Salzburg at these two cafes. I personally preferred Café Würfelzucker because you can really taste the apple slices, and it’s less sweet. Café Tomaselli was more mushed together and sweeter. We also tried Café Würfelzucker’s pear strudel, which had an extremely light taste—almost a bit bland.

Braurestaurant Imlauer – We couldn’t get a table at Bärenwirt for dinner (you definitely need a reservation—book a few days in advance!), so we went to Braurestaurant Imlauer instead. The food overall was just okay, but I do recommend trying the goulash, which was flavorful, and the Salzburger Nockerl, which was a highlight: a light, soufflé-like dessert made with whipped egg whites and served with lingonberry sauce. Note that they do ask for tip here.

Balkan Grill Walter (Bosnagrill) – Literally a hole in the wall, this tiny stand is tucked inside a passageway with no seating. The sausage sandwiches are very cheap and make for a quick, satisfying bite. Be aware that lines can get long, especially during peak hours. The menu is extremely simple—just one type of sausage sandwiche with a choice of condiments like ketchup, mustard, etc.

Café Konditorei Fürst – Home of the original Mozartkugel (Mozart chocolate ball), a pistachio marzipan coated in a layer of nougat and then dipped in rich chocolate, this delicious treat is quite sweet. If you don’t want to sit down at the cafe for other food and drinks, you can simply buy a Mozartkugel to-go for €2.20.

Augustiner Bräu Mülln – A no-frills beer hall and food court experience in Salzburg. It’s cash-only (there’s a bank next door) and set up with self-serve food stalls, where most items are sold by weight.

A few tips to navigate:

• Beer: When you get a seat, servers may try to push beer on you immediately. Avoid this—they can overcharge and automatically give you a 1L mug without telling you there’s a 0.5L option. Instead, go to the beer/drinks stall and buy your own; it’s slightly cheaper.
• Food: The pork knuckle with mustard dip from the back-right stall was tender and delicious, as was the potato salad. The pork belly from the front-right stall was also very good. Meat prices per weight are reasonable, and this spot is great for big groups, so you can share a variety of dishes.
• Parking: There are two nearby lots. Free parking is available with restaurant validation, but we weren’t aware. We parked in the adjacent lot (P2) and paid €1 per hour; parking here is also cash-only.
• Other tips: No napkins, so be prepared. People here aren’t particularly friendly, and watch out for minor scams here.

Where to stay in Salzburg

Altstadt Hotel Hofwirt – The hotel has a great, convenient location with good amenities. They offer free breakfast, plus complimentary coffee, tea, and water available all day. You can also fill up your water bottles at the faucet by the reception—tap water here tastes very clean.

A few things to note: there’s no fridge, lotion, or tissues in the room. The hotel partners with a nearby parking lot for paid parking, but we found metered street parking relatively easy to find close by.

Other tips for visiting Salzburg

Guest Mobility Ticket – Hotels in Salzburg provide free public transportation for overnight guests through the Guest Mobility Ticket, which allows unlimited use of all public transport within Salzburg. The ticket is automatically included when you stay at a Salzburg hotel—the cost is covered by the city tax you pay at check-in. Be sure to ask your hotel for this ticket when you arrive.

Tap water – Tap water is safe to drink in Austria. Some restaurants offer it for free, while others may still charge a small fee. We found the tap water in Salzburg—especially from our hotel—had a clean, refreshing taste. Honestly, it was even better than bottled water!

OMV gas station – If you stop by an OMV gas station on the way to Salzburg, note that the bathrooms usually aren’t free. They do accept card payments if you don’t have coins. After you pay, be sure to keep your restroom receipt—the amount can be redeemed toward in-store food or drink purchases.