24 Hours in Salzburg (Plus, a Scenic Train Ride Into The Austrian Alps)
Since Salzburg is much smaller than Vienna, it is very doable to spend 24 hrs here without feeling like you missed out on something. From our 24hrs in Salzburg over Christmas, here are some top highlights when visiting this super charming city!
SHOPPING+ SIGHTSEEING
Just like in Vienna, most of our time in Salzburg was wandering through all the little alleys while popping into shops and cafes. As much fun and informative excursions can be, strolling through the streets in a new city is just as enjoyable to me (and, it’s FREE). I love getting “lost” in a new city while taking photos of anything that inspires me…it is the best feeling to just leisurely enjoy your surroundings.
When in Salzburg the must see shopping street is The Getreidegasse. With insane charm and vintage iron signs hanging along the way, this street will surely keep you entertained!
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS:
Salzburg actually has quite a bit of things to do; like touring museums, visiting the zoo and excursions, such as visiting the Giant Ice Cave (which is the biggest in the world!). But, here are 3 activities you can do in your short time there that are in the city:
Fortress Hohensalzburg: In the picture above, you can see Fortress Hohensalzburg on top of the hill, one of the main landmarks in Salzburg. Take a few hours to tour the castle and see incredible views from above!
The Sound of Music: After I found out the Sound of Music was filmed in Salzburg…all those songs from the movie flooded my head! The whole time walking around I had “The hills are alive…with the sound of music” on repeat (!). If you are fan of this classic movie, then you can take a tour of all the shooting locations as well as browse through the museum.
Mozart’s Birth Town: One of the most visited places in Salzburg is the yellow building below. It’s the birthplace of Mozart which is now a museum for you to tour. You can also tour his residence which is in the city too!
GOOD EATS + SWEET TREATS:
Oh man. We had some of the best Italian food at this restaurant tucked away by one of the Christmas markets called La Stella. I can highly recommend the pizza or homemade lasagna - the sauce was delicious - SO GOOD!! It’s a super cozy spot, especially during the holidays, as your view is all the cute Christmas huts.
For your sweet tooth, you can always snag one of the traditional heart shaped gingerbread cookies or get the famous Mozartkugel -a pistachio, marzipan and nougat chocolate covered ball. Both of these are always a great souvenir or bought as a gift for family + friends.
Scenic Train Ride into the Austrian Alps
After our time in Salzburg, we headed to Scheffau am Wilden Kaiser, a small village where we met friends to ski over New Years. This is where we took one of the most scenic train rides (the other time was from our train experience in Bergen,Norway!).
From the time we left Salzburg until we arrived to the village, we were surrounded by beautiful snow capped mountains with areas of crystal clear streams flowing near the train tracks. We would pass through other small towns along the way, and the closer we reached the village, the more the snow was covering the ground. Everything looked like a postcard - it was truly picturesque!
If you are in Austria, I would recommend taking the train from city to city - not only is it stress free (for the most part!), but, you have the opportunity to see Austria’s beautiful nature too!
“Climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow, till you find your dream. A dream that will need all the love you can give, everyday of your life, for as long as you live”