One Day in Salzburg - The Perfect Walking Tour

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Experiencing Salzburg in one day – is that even possible? Absolutely! In Austria’s fourth-largest city, best known as Mozart’s birthplace, you can undertake a perfect walking tour that leads you to the most beautiful sights. Whether you’re interested in culture, history, or simply want to enjoy the impressive scenery between the Alps and the Salzach River – Salzburg is a multifaceted city that uniquely blends tradition and modernity.

Discover the Most Beautiful Salzburg Attractions in the Old Town on Foot

The Old Town of Salzburg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and invites you to explore its charming alleys, impressive viewpoints, and historic buildings. All Salzburg attractions are easily accessible on foot. In this article, we’ll take you on a walking tour of Salzburg in one day.

How to get to Salzburg

You can easily reach Salzburg from many European major cities via direct flights. The airport is about 20 minutes from the city center, and there are good connections with common means of transport. For cheap flights to Salzburg, it’s best to check out Skyscanner.

If you’re arriving by car, that’s no problem either. Salzburg is located on the Austrian A1 highway, which is directly connected to the A8 from Munich. If you want to spend a few days in Vienna before or after your stay in Salzburg, you can reach the capital in about 3½ hours. By the way, we combined our Berchtesgaden vacation with a Salzburg excursion, which works wonderfully. From Berchtesgaden to Salzburg is only a half-hour drive, and even by bus, the two places are very well-connected.

Tip: If you’re arriving by car but prefer not to drive directly into the city, we recommend one of the P+R parking lots a bit outside the city. We did this as well and took the city bus from P+R Salzburg Süd, which runs several times an hour. We were in the city center after just under 15 minutes. By the way, Flixbus buses also stop at P+R Salzburg Süd if you want to travel to Salzburg from other places in Europe with Flixbus.

A good general overview of the travel options to Salzburg can be found at 12go.

Another tip: If you plan to visit many museums and attractions and use the bus frequently, we highly recommend the Salzburg Card. It offers many free admissions and allows you to use public transport for free. Additionally, it sometimes provides fast-track entry without waiting in line. You can book it online and simply load it onto your smartphone.

Accommodation in Salzburg – Our Hotel Tip

A great hotel for our Salzburg walking tour is the arte Hotel, which is located almost directly at the main train station. From the hotel, it’s only a 10-minute walk to Mirabell Palace, and you’ll be staying in a modern district of Salzburg. There’s also a bus stop nearby if you prefer to take the bus into the city.

The rooms are at a good 4-star level and offer everything you need. The highlight of the hotel is also the great view of the Old Town. We recommend booking one of the rooms on the upper floors. Alternatively, you can end your Salzburg walking tour comfortably at the hotel’s rooftop bar.

More hotels in Salzburg can be found here if you prefer to stay in other districts.

1. Mirabell Palace and Mirabell Gardens

Mirabell Palace and its adjoining Mirabell Gardens are must-sees on any Salzburg walking tour. The baroque palace was built in the 17th century and impresses with its magnificent rooms, including the famous Marble Hall. However, we found the Mirabell Gardens much more interesting, offering a dreamy setting with its perfectly arranged flower beds, statues, and fountains. Take the time to explore the entire area – don’t miss the hunt for the many dwarf statues in the Dwarf Garden (Zwerglgarten).

If you choose the aforementioned option of arriving via the P+R parking lot and taking the bus into the city, get off at the Mirabellplatz stop.

By the way, we recommend starting the walking tour as early as possible. The later you arrive at Mirabell Palace, the more tourists (including group tours) will be around.

2. Marko-Feingold-Steg (Makartsteg)

As you walk through the Mirabell Gardens towards the fortress, you’ll eventually arrive at Makartplatz. From there, it’s only about 120 meters to the Marko-Feingold-Steg footbridge, which crosses the Salzach River. The Makartsteg is especially known for the countless love locks that adorn the bridge.

Even if it can get a bit crowded on the bridge when many tourists are present, it’s a great photo spot. The view of the Salzach River with Hohensalzburg Fortress in the background is unique. From here, you can already see the next stop on our Salzburg walking tour: Mönchsberg.

Tip: Come back here in the evening after your tour and enjoy the view at night or at dusk.

3. Mönchsberg and Museum of Modern Art

If the word “museum” scares you because you’re not a museum type, don’t worry. You don’t have to enter the Museum of Modern Art to enjoy the incredible view over Salzburg. However, if you still have time and/or are interested in the topic, feel free to check out the official website.

The elevator ride up costs €3, and you’ll be on Mönchsberg in a few minutes, where the entire “Salt City” lies at your feet. During our morning visit, it was very quiet, and we had no trouble finding a viewpoint and photo spot.

4. Hohensalzburg Fortress

Now we embark on a portion of Salzburg’s Panorama Trail. From Mönchsberg, you can walk to the large fortress. This takes about 20 minutes at a normal pace. Along the way, you can discover many more viewpoints, some of which are hidden. Take your time here as well, and discover as much as you can on the Panorama Trail. Don’t miss the view on the other side of Salzburg towards the airport!

The last stretch before the fortress is a somewhat steeper path. Upon reaching the foot of the enormous complex, you need to choose a ticket. If you want to take the funicular back down during your tour, choose the Basic Ticket (€11.20 for adults and €4.60 for children). If you wish to see the impressive Prince’s Chambers, select the All-Inclusive Ticket. We skipped this, but if you’re interested in history, it’s certainly a highlight.

The interior of Hohensalzburg Fortress isn’t very large, but it still offers some attractions. There are various exhibitions with, for example, authentic knight armor, medieval weapons, and a marionette museum. A few interactive games and videos make the visit varied and interesting for children. If you’re hungry after the steep climb to the castle, there’s also a restaurant on-site.

After enjoying the magnificent view over the city, head to the funicular and redeem your ticket down. From up here, by the way, there’s a beautiful view of our next destination on the Salzburg walking tour, the Salzburg Cathedral.

5. Salzburg Cathedral and Golden Sphere

Before heading to the cathedral, we want to point out another famous Salzburg attraction, the St. Peter’s Cemetery (Petersfriedhof). It’s located almost directly at the foot of the mountain, and once you leave the funicular, you can reach it in just a few minutes. St. Peter’s Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Salzburg and features picturesque crypts and chapels.

Otherwise, head to Kapitelplatz, which is almost right next door, where the cathedral with its golden sphere awaits you. Salzburg Cathedral is one of the city’s most magnificent baroque buildings, impressing with its imposing façade and artistic ceiling frescoes. With over 400 years of history, the cathedral is an essential part of your Salzburg walking tour and offers insights into the city’s religious and cultural significance. You’ll encounter many tourists here again, which is not surprising given this important attraction. However, since the area is huge, it doesn’t get too crowded, and you’re sure to find a good photo spot. More information can be found on the DomQuartier website.

6. Mozartplatz (Mozart Square)

The Residenzplatz with the Residence Fountain is also a popular photo motif among tourists. It also belongs to Salzburg Cathedral, and from here you head directly to Mozartplatz, which is less than 100 meters away.

Now we come to a person who made the city of Salzburg world-famous. Mozartplatz is dominated by the imposing statue of composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Surrounded by historic buildings, the square invites you to linger and offers a beautiful view of the cathedral. If you’re not interested in classical music, you can skip Mozartplatz. Apparently, Mozart seems very popular especially among Asian tourists – accordingly, the relatively small square can get a bit crowded.

7. Goldgasse and Getreidegasse

Before we stroll to one of Salzburg’s most famous streets, we’ll visit one of the lesser-known alleys: Goldgasse. It fits perfectly into our Salzburg walking tour and has the advantage that there aren’t as many tourists here. It’s known for its small boutiques, artisan shops, and traditional restaurants that exude typical Austrian flair. We found Goldgasse even a bit more attractive than Getreidegasse, which we’ll get to shortly.

The entrance to Goldgasse is almost at Mozartplatz, and you can find it directly at Residenzplatz, which you visited earlier. A red banner with the inscription “Goldgasse” shows you the way. By the way, there are also a few beautiful boutique hotels in Goldgasse. So if you want to stay overnight in Salzburg and prefer a more historic area, Goldgasse is a good tip.

Although Goldgasse doesn’t lead directly to Getreidegasse, you can reach it via the Old Market after about 300 meters. Then, continue through Judengasse directly into the popular street. You’ll recognize it immediately by the crowds of tourists, and you can now stroll along the entire alley, which is about 300 meters long. Since Getreidegasse is a shopping street, one shop lines up after another along the way.

8. Mozart’s Birthplace

As you walk along Getreidegasse, you won’t have to look long for one of the city’s most famous facades: the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart was born here in 1756, and today you can learn more about the life and works of the world-famous composer in the faithfully preserved rooms. The museum offers a fascinating journey through time for music lovers and history enthusiasts alike. Even if it seems a bit improper: Nowadays, there’s a small “Spar” supermarket on the first floor of the house.

9. Insider Tip: EDEN Café Skybar

At the end of our Salzburg walking tour on one day, you can relax and unwind in a trendy Salzburg sky bar. EDEN not only offers delicious food and drinks but also a breathtaking view over the city’s rooftops. In the stylish atmosphere, you can enjoy the panoramic view of Hohensalzburg Fortress and the surrounding mountains, like the Gaisberg. Especially at sunset, the sky bar is a popular meeting point. You can reach EDEN in about 20 minutes on foot from Getreidegasse; just use Google Maps as a navigation aid. Alternatively, the bus lines along the Salzach River offer a more convenient transport option. From the “Justizgebäude” stop, it’s only a very short walk to Unipark Nonntal, where EDEN is located.

One Day in Salzburg – Conclusion and Additional Activities

Although there are, of course, other ways to discover Salzburg in one day, this was the perfect walking tour of the Old Town for us. If you want to stay in the city for more than one day, you can discover the following attractions in and around Salzburg:

• Hellbrunn Palace and Trick Fountains
• Nonnberg Abbey
• Horse Pond (Pferdeschwemme)
• Kapuzinerberg
• Mozarteum
• Stiegl Brewery
• Gaisberg (with a fantastic view)
• Königssee in Berchtesgaden
• For children: House of Nature (Haus der Natur), Salzburg Zoo, Toy Museum (Spielzeug Museum)

Note that these were just a few ideas, and Salzburg has much more to offer – depending on your taste. We also recommend a boat trip on the Salzach River. This way, you can discover Salzburg from the water, offering a completely new perspective.

Salzburg: Tours and Tickets

Do you prefer to travel with a guide who knows the area very well? Then we recommend a guided tour with a local. This way you can get to know Salzburg in a completely different way. GetYourGuide offers a wide selection of exciting tours for Salzburg and its surrounding areas.

We hope we were able to answer your question about whether you can visit Salzburg in one day. For more Salzburg tips, feel free to write a comment below.

Photos: Photo 8 (Petersfriedhof): Kirk Fisher/shutterstock.com