10 BEST Things to do in Salzburg, Austria

Looking for some fun and exciting things to do in Salzburg? I’ve got you covered!

Salzburg isn’t the first place on most people’s lists when planning a trip to Europe, and I think that’s a real shame. Known as the birthplace of Mozart and the backdrop for The Sound of Music, it’s a magical city, and one that completely won me over on my visit.

Tucked between alpine peaks and split by the Salzach River, Salzburg packs an enormous amount into a compact, walkable center, from baroque squares and hilltop fortresses to film locations, salt mines, and some of the prettiest day trips in Austria. There’s no shortage of things to do, so to help you plan, I’ve pulled together the very best of them below. Let’s dive in!

Salzburg at a glance

Salzburg is one of the easiest cities in Europe to get around, and a few things are worth knowing before you arrive to make the most of your time.

Most of the center is best explored on foot: The historic core is compact and largely pedestrian-only, so for anything within the Old Town and over into the New Town, walking is the quickest and most pleasant way to travel. I covered most of the city this way without ever needing transport.

Your hotel gives you free public transport: Since 2025, anyone staying overnight in paid accommodation receives a Guest Mobility Ticket at check-in, which covers free travel on the city’s buses, trolleybuses, the S-Bahn, and regional trains for the whole of your stay. It’s brilliant for reaching spots outside the center or getting in from a hotel near the station, though note it doesn’t cover the FestungsBahn funicular up to the fortress or the late-night buses.

Taxis and Uber are around as a backup: Both work fine, but they can be slow to appear at peak times, so build in a buffer if you’re relying on one to reach a dinner reservation or a timed tour.

Book your tours in advance: Salzburg gets busy in summer and around the Christmas markets, and the best tours, especially the Sound of Music one, fill up fast. I’d lock in anything you’ve got your heart set on before you arrive, rather than risk it selling out.

How I Would Spend Three Days In Salzburg

🎥 Day 1: Sound of Music Tour, Cooking Class, & Fortress Mozart Concert
Start with the essential Sound of Music tour, which covers the film locations plus the scenic Lake District and the town of Mondsee. In the afternoon, get hands-on with this apple strudel and Nockerl cooking class, then spend the evening enjoying a Mozart concert at the Salzburg Fortress.

🏔️ Day 2: Visit the Berchtesgaden Salt Mines or Eagle’s Nest
Either visit the Berchtesgaden salt mines, riding trains and slides deep into the caves, or make the trip up to Eagle’s Nest for its sobering history and staggering alpine views. Back in the city, spend the late afternoon soaking up Salzburg’s best viewpoints, wandering the Mirabell Gardens, and browsing the riverside market stalls along the Salzach.

🏰 Day 3: Take a Hallstatt Day Trip & Tour Hohensalzburg Fortress
Take the unmissable trip out to the fairytale village of Hallstatt, where you can ride the funicular up to the Skywalk viewpoint or wander the lakeside lanes. Back in Salzburg, cap off your trip with a tour of the Hohensalzburg Fortress up on the hill, followed by a final dinner in one of the Old Town’s historic beer halls.

For a full day-by-day breakdown, see my Salzburg itinerary with all my personal recommendations!

Things to do in Salzburg, Austria

1. Take a day trip to see the charming mountain town, Hallstatt

Hallstatt is a picture-perfect village on the shores of Lake Hallstatt in Austria’s Salzkammergut region, and it looks like it was lifted straight out of a fairytale. Having been lucky enough to visit, I can tell you it’s one of the most scenic places I’ve ever set foot in, and it’s an easy highlight of any trip to this part of Austria.

If you’re short on time, this half-day tour from Salzburg is a great way to see it, driving you about 1.5 hours out of the city through the mountains and giving you a couple of hours to explore the village at your own pace.

Once you arrive, you’re spoiled for choice on what to do. On a clear day, I’d make a beeline for the funicular up to the Skywalk, a viewing platform suspended high above the village with jaw-dropping views out over the lake and the mountains ringing it.

If you’d rather keep your feet on the ground, the famous Hallstatt Ossuary is a fascinating, if pretty eerie, stop, housing over 1,000 painted human skulls, the largest collection of its kind in the world. Or you can simply wander the lanes, ducking into the little cafes and shops and soaking up that storybook atmosphere.

However you spend your time, Hallstatt is well worth the trip out.

2. Visit the film locations from “The Sound of Music”

Calling all Sound of Music fans, put this half-day tour straight to the top of your Salzburg list! It was easily one of my favorite things I did in the city, and the reason it earns my top spot overall.

The Sound of Music was a film I watched a lot as a kid with my family, but I hadn’t seen it in years, so I was a little worried I’d be rusty! As it turned out, the tour was the perfect refresher, and if you’re any kind of fan of the movie, this is an easy recommendation. Our guide brought the whole story to life, weaving in behind-the-scenes details throughout the day that I’d never have known otherwise.

We stopped at loads of the film’s famous sites. We saw the gazebo, the lake where Maria and the children famously tumble in, and the house where the family stayed, all while learning tons about how the movie was made. It really did feel like stepping into the film.

One of the highlights was the drive out to Mondsee, a beautiful lakeside town where we had around 40 minutes to explore. We hit a bit of traffic on the way, so that time felt a touch short, and honestly I’d have happily stayed longer, but it was still a lovely stop, and it’s where you’ll find the church in which Maria and the Baron get married in the film. The tour wrapped up back in the Mirabell Gardens, where “Do-Re-Mi” was filmed, which was the perfect place to finish.

The scenery throughout is every bit as stunning as it looks on screen, and singing along to the soundtrack with a coach full of fellow fans was every bit as fun as it sounds. For the mix of film history, gorgeous landscapes, and sheer good fun, this one’s an easy top pick. If you’re still on the fence, just have a look at the thousands of 5-star reviews!

3. Learn how to cook Austrian apple strudel and Nockerl

Trying local food is one of my favorite parts of any trip, but learning to actually make it is even better, and this apple strudel and Salzburger Nockerl cooking class was a real highlight of my time in Salzburg!

Our chef was Leonardo, who was fantastic, warm, patient, and clearly passionate about what he does. We were a medium-sized class of around 18, split into smaller groups of 3 to 5 people per table, which made the whole thing feel relaxed and personal, and Leonardo walked us through each step so nobody felt out of their depth, even the less confident cooks among us.

We learned to make two Austrian classics from scratch. First up was apple strudel, and getting the pastry thin enough was trickier than Leonardo made it look, though the results were well worth the effort. Then came the Salzburger Nockerl, a light, fluffy baked dessert shaped into three peaks.

I loved the little bit of history behind it, since those three peaks are meant to represent the three hills that surround Salzburg, which makes a lot of sense!

The best part, of course, was sitting down to eat everything we’d made, served up as a proper lunch. There’s something really satisfying about tucking into a meal you’ve cooked yourself, especially in the city the recipes come from. If you enjoy food and fancy a fun, hands-on break from sightseeing, I couldn’t recommend this more.

4. Visit the Museum of Modern Art and see Salzburg from above

One of the best views in Salzburg doesn’t come from the fortress everyone flocks to, but from the top of the Mönchsberg, the wooded hill that rises right above the Old Town. Up here you’ll find the Museum der Moderne, Salzburg’s museum of modern art, and, just as importantly, a panoramic terrace with one of the finest outlooks over the city.

I made the trip up mostly for the view, and it didn’t disappoint. From the terrace you get a sweeping panorama across the whole city, the domes and spires of the Old Town below, the Hohensalzburg Fortress opposite, and the mountains rolling away into the distance.

If you do fancy checking out the art, the museum showcases modern and contemporary works across several floors in a striking, light-filled building, and it’s a lovely rainy-day option. It’s generally open from 10 am to 6 pm, closed on Mondays and open later on Thursdays, though it’s always worth checking current hours before you go.

The easiest way up is the Mönchsberg lift (the MönchsbergAufzug) from Gstättengasse, which whisks you to the top in about 30 seconds and saves you the climb. It costs €4.80 per adult for a round-trip, and you can ride it just for the viewpoint without buying a museum ticket. Honestly, for a view like that, it’s money very well spent.

5. See a Mozart concert at the Salzburg Fortress

If you’re looking for the perfect date night activity in Salzburg, this romantic dinner and Mozart concert at the Fortress is a great choice!

The evening starts with a funicular ride up to Salzburg Fortress. Built in 1077, this massive medieval castle towers over the city up on Festungsberg Hill. You will get to enjoy incredible panoramic views while eating a delicious Austrian dinner – and having a glass of wine or two, of course!

But after dinner, the real fun begins. The fortress’s historic rooms come to life with Mozart’s best compositions, performed by internationally renowned soloists. Mozart was actually born in Salzburg, so it was such a neat experience hearing his music played here!

Few experiences bundle up so much of Salzburg in a single evening – the fortress, the food, and the music, all wrapped in centuries of atmosphere. For classical music lovers, or anyone after a special, dressed-up night during their stay, this one’s a joy. Just be warned that it fills up fast, so book ahead to be sure of a spot.

No matter what option you choose, I am confident you will enjoy this magical evening of food, history, music, and culture! 

6. Visit the Eagle’s Nest in Germany

If you’re in Salzburg from mid-May through October, this half-day tour to the Eagle’s Nest is a super interesting day out. The Eagle’s Nest was Hitler’s mountain retreat and is located across the border in Germany, so don’t forget your passport! 

It’s a short 30-minute drive from Salzburg to Obersalzburg, but you can expect gorgeous views of the Austrian countryside as you go. Especially as you wind up Hoher Göll, the mountain on which the former estate is perched. Once you reach the top, you’ll skip the queue and get direct access to the complex, thanks to this specific tour. 

You’ll have about one hour to tour the grounds, which is just the right amount of time to take in the staggering mountain-top sights and learn some of the history. It’s a bit bone-chilling to be in the same house, knowing it’s where top Nazi officials spent so much of their time. 

The mood lightens a bit on your way down the mountain, as you stop at Berchtesgaden, a quaint Alpine village. You’ll have some free time to wander through the historic center, stop for a relaxed lunch, and enjoy the small town before heading back to Salzburg. 

This is a great tour for history buffs and mountain lovers, and anyone looking for an off-the-beaten-path experience.

7. Walk through the beautiful Mirabell Gardens

Not everything worth doing in Salzburg needs a ticket or a booking, and the Mirabell Gardens are the perfect example. Free to enter and set right in the heart of the New Town, they’re one of the easiest and loveliest things you can add to any Salzburg itinerary.

Laid out in the baroque style, the gardens are a picture of neat symmetry, with manicured flowerbeds, elegant fountains, marble statues, and carefully clipped hedges all arranged around the grand Mirabell Palace. What really makes them special, though, is the backdrop. Look across the blooms, and you get a postcard-perfect view straight toward the Hohensalzburg Fortress on its hill, one of the best free photo spots in the whole city.

If you’re a Sound of Music fan, you’ll recognize the gardens the moment you arrive, since this is where much of “Do-Re-Mi” was filmed. Walking up the very steps the children danced on, or past the Pegasus fountain they circled, is a real treat, even if you’ve only seen the film once.

Because they’re so central and cost nothing, the gardens are easy to weave into a day of sightseeing, whether you fancy a peaceful morning stroll before the crowds build or a quiet spot to sit and rest your feet.

8. Explore the Berchtesgaden Salt Mines

If you fancy something a little different, this tour of the Berchtesgaden salt mines swaps the city streets for a journey deep underground. Just across the border in Germany, these are some of the oldest salt mines in the world, worked for over 450 years and still producing salt today, alongside a genuinely fun visitor experience.

On the tour, you suit up in traditional miner’s gear before heading down into the tunnels. From here, the real fun is in how you get around, riding a little underground train through the tunnels and whizzing down wooden miners’ slides to reach the lower levels, which is exactly why this one goes down so well with families. Younger visitors tend to love it!

A highlight of the experience is crossing a subterranean “mirror lake” by raft, gliding across still water deep beneath the mountain, which sounds like a wonderfully surreal thing to do. Alongside the fun, there’s plenty to learn, with guides explaining how the salt is extracted and the long history of mining in the region.

The trip also includes some free time in the town of Berchtesgaden, a pretty Alpine spot where you can wander the center and grab a bite, and it lets you tick another country off your list while you’re at it. Rainproof and family-friendly, it makes a brilliant option for a less predictable day out.

The tour runs twice daily and is very popular (look at all of the 5-star reviews!), so make sure you book in advance so you don’t miss out!

9. Learn about Salzburg on a private walking tour

There’s no quicker way to get to know a new city than on foot with a local guide, and this private walking tour of Salzburg is a great way to do exactly that. Having your own guide means you’ll pick up all sorts of history and stories you’d simply walk straight past on your own, while ticking off the big sights like Mozart’s Birthplace and the stunning Salzburg Cathedral.

The real draw here is the flexibility. Depending on how much time you have and what you want to see, you can pick a tour anywhere from 2 to 6 hours long, and because it’s private, the whole thing is shaped around you and your group rather than a fixed script.

If you’re tight on time, the shorter 2-hour option makes a brilliant introduction to slot in when you first arrive, helping you get your bearings for the rest of your trip. With more time to spare, one of the longer tours means you won’t miss Salzburg’s lesser-seen gems, like the Kollegienkirche and the fortress. Tours run daily at multiple times, so they’re easy to fit around the rest of your plans.

Related Read: Maximize your time and follow my ideal 3-day Salzburg Itinerary, including these top activities and a few of our favorite things!

10. Browse the Salzach Galleries Riverside Market

To round things off, here’s a lovely low-key way to spend an hour or two that most visitors never hear about. The Salzach Galleries is an open-air market that sets up along the banks of the Salzach River, and it makes a refreshing change from ticking off another church, museum, or viewpoint.

It’s completely free to wander, with stalls selling a real mix of art, handmade crafts, jewelry, clothing, and souvenirs. You could easily browse the whole thing without spending a cent, though it’s a lovely spot to pick up something a little more original than the usual fridge magnet if the mood takes you. What I liked most was how relaxed and local it felt, a nice contrast to the busier tourist sights across the water.

Because it runs right alongside the river, it pairs perfectly with a riverside walk or a gentle stroll through the Old Town, so you can fold it into your day without much planning at all. Wander the stalls, watch the water go by, and enjoy the slower pace for a while.

The market generally runs on weekends, with Saturday hours from 10 am to 8 pm and Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm, and it’s at its best from late spring through September when the weather plays along. Dates can shift, though, so it’s worth a quick check before you plan your day around it.

Where to Stay in Salzburg, Austria

Salzburg might be a relatively small city, but it’s certainly not lacking in great places to stay! You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to historic hotels, luxury stays, or something with a moderate budget. Here are my top three recommendations: 

Luxury – $$$

Hotel Goldener Hirsch is one of Salzburg’s most iconic hotels, sitting right on the famous Getreidegasse in the thick of the Old Town. The interiors are elegant and traditional, full of antique furniture and classic Austrian charm, and there are two restaurants on site.

With the shops, cafes, and sights all just outside the door, it’s about as good as a five-star Old Town stay gets. Rooms start at €400 and can be booked on Booking.com.

Mid-range – $$

Hotel Elefant is a lovely mid-range choice set in one of the Old Town’s oldest buildings, on a quiet lane just off Getreidegasse. It blends historic character with comfortable, modern rooms, and you’re within a couple of minutes’ walk of Mozart’s Birthplace, the cathedral, and the main squares.

The tucked-away side streets stay calmer than the main drag, which is a real bonus in peak season. Rooms usually start at around €180 per night during peak season and can be reserved on Booking.com.

Budget – $

Cityhotel Trumer Stube is a friendly, family-run hotel that gives you an Old Town location without the Old Town price tag. The rooms are simple, spotless, and comfortable, and the welcome is warm. You’re a short stroll from the main sights on one side and the Salzach River on the other, so you can be crossing a bridge toward the Mirabell Gardens within minutes.

Rooms typically start at around €120 per night during peak season and can be reserved on Booking.com.

For more options, check out all the hotels in Salzburg here!

Related Read: Want more detail? My full guide breaks down the best areas to stay in Salzburg, complete with neighborhood tips and hotel picks for every budget.

Thanks for reading!

Salzburg really is a special place to visit. Fans of The Sound of Music, history lovers, and anyone with a soft spot for charming alpine towns will all find plenty to fall for here, and that’s before you factor in the food, the mountain day trips, and those postcard views from the Mönchsberg.

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