Two full days is enough for the heart of Salzburg. The centre is compact and walkable, so the Hohensalzburg fortress, the cathedral and DomQuartier, the Residenzplatz squares, the Getreidegasse and Mozart's birthplace, the Mirabell gardens and the Sound of Music in-town spots all fit without a rush. Base yourself in the old town so everything is on foot and you can be up at the fortress before the coach groups arrive. Day one takes the left bank: the fortress by funicular, the cathedral and DomQuartier, the baroque squares and the Getreidegasse, then an evening at the Augustiner beer hall or a coffee house. Day two crosses to the right bank for the Mirabell gardens and the Sound of Music sights, the Steingasse and the Kapuzinerberg view and the Nonnberg abbey, or swaps in the Hellbrunn trick fountains if they are running. What you give up at this pace is any day trip out to the lakes or the mountains; for Hallstatt or the Eagle's Nest, take the three-day version.
Duration
2 days
Base
Altstadt (Old Town)
Mid budget
220 EUR
Best months
May · Jun · Sep
Picks sorted with our recommended base, Altstadt (Old Town), first. Book early: the good-value rooms go weeks ahead.
Couples€€Old town design hotel · Altstadt (Old Town)
The Blue Goose is Salzburg's oldest inn turned contemporary art hotel, its rooms hung with modern works. It stands right on the Getreidegasse in the heart of the old town.
from ~160 EUR/night
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Special occasions€€€Riverfront grand hotel · Neustadt (Right Bank)
The legendary Sacher sits right on the Salzach with fortress views from the best rooms and its own Sachertorte served in the cafe. A footbridge takes you straight across to the old town.
from ~350 EUR/night
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First visit€€Right-bank classic · Neustadt (Right Bank)
A comfortable classic hotel right by the Mirabell gardens on the right bank. It is an easy walk over the bridge into the old town, with the station close for day trips.
from ~130 EUR/night
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Budget€Sound-of-Music hostel · Around the Hauptbahnhof
The well-known backpacker hostel near the station that screens the Sound of Music every night. It offers both dorms and cheaper private rooms within walking distance of the centre.
from ~30 EUR/night
Check pricesReal hotel photos · prices are indicative from-rates, not live quotes · booking links support the site at no extra cost
Day 1
Morning
Ride the FestungsBahn funicular up to the Hohensalzburg fortress first thing, before the coach groups arrive, and walk the ramparts and museums of one of the largest preserved castles in Europe. The panoramic terrace over the domes is the view of the trip.
TipThis huge 11th-century fortress crowns the hill over the old town and is one of the largest fully preserved castles in Europe, never taken in a siege. Ride up on the FestungsBahn funicular from Festungsgasse rather than slogging up the path, as the return ticket usually includes the funicular and the fortress museums; go early or late in the day to beat the midday crush, and the panoramic terrace over the domes is the reason to come.
Back down the hill, step into the free Baroque cathedral where Mozart was baptised, then follow the DomQuartier loop on a single ticket through the prince-archbishops' state rooms. Remember it shuts on Tuesdays outside the summer.
TipThe Baroque cathedral where Mozart was baptised is free to enter, and its bronze fonts and painted dome are worth ten quiet minutes off the square. For the full experience buy a single DomQuartier ticket, which routes you through the prince-archbishops' state rooms, the cathedral terrace and the museums on one loop; note the DomQuartier closes on Tuesdays outside July and August, so check the day before you go.
Afternoon
Have a late lunch on or just off the squares, keeping it light before an afternoon on foot. A street back from Residenzplatz the prices drop from the tourist menus on the square itself.
Wander the linked baroque squares of Residenzplatz, Domplatz and Kapitelplatz around the big fountain and the golden orb sculpture, and time a pause for the Glockenspiel chimes at 6pm if you are near.
TipThe linked baroque squares of Residenzplatz, Domplatz and Kapitelplatz form the free, always-open heart of the old town, set around the big Residenz fountain, the Glockenspiel tower and a giant golden orb sculpture topped by a figure. The Glockenspiel chimes at set times, usually 7am, 11am and 6pm, so time a pause for it; this is also where the main Christmas market sets up through Advent, so expect stalls and crowds in December.
Walk the narrow Getreidegasse under its wrought-iron guild signs to Mozart's yellow birthplace at number 9, going in to see his childhood violin. Buy the ticket online to skip the queue in season.
TipGetreidegasse is the famous narrow lane of wrought-iron guild signs, free to walk and busiest in the middle of the day, so come early for photos before the crowds. Mozart's yellow birthplace house stands at number 9 and holds the museum with his childhood violin; buy the ticket online to skip the queue in season, or get the combined ticket that also covers the Mozart residence across the river for a small saving.
Evening
Head out to the Augustiner Brau monastery beer hall in Muhln for the evening, filling a stone stein straight from the barrel and picking up pretzels and roast pork at the deli stalls. Bring cash and grab a bench in the chestnut garden in summer.
TipThis vast monastery beer hall in the Muhln district pours its own beer straight from wooden barrels into stone steins you rinse and fill yourself, with a hall of self-service delis for pretzels, roast pork and cheese. It only opens from mid-afternoon on weekdays and from early afternoon at weekends, so it is an evening spot; grab a bench in the chestnut-shaded garden in summer, and bring cash for the deli stalls.
Finish with a Salzburger Nockerl, the huge baked meringue dessert shaped like the hills, back in the old town if you still have room. It is made to order and best shared between two.
TipSalzburg keeps the Viennese coffee-house tradition, and its signature dessert is the Salzburger Nockerl, three fluffy baked meringue peaks meant to echo the hills, best shared as it is huge and made to order. For the sweet souvenir, buy the original hand-made Mozartkugel from Cafe Furst on the Alter Markt, where they were invented, rather than the foil-wrapped supermarket copies; expect to pay a premium for the real ones.
Day 2
Morning
Cross the river early to the Mirabell gardens for the manicured beds, the Pegasus fountain and the fortress framed behind, before the tour groups fill the paths. This is where the Do-Re-Mi steps and fountain appear in the film.
TipThese manicured baroque gardens with the Pegasus fountain and the rose beds are free and open daily until dusk, and they frame the fortress for the classic photo. Sound of Music fans will recognise the steps and the fountain from the Do-Re-Mi sequence; come early morning for the emptiest shots, and if the palace Marble Hall is not hosting a wedding or a concert you can usually step inside for free.
Link the in-town Sound of Music spots on foot from here, or pick up a half-day coach tour if you want the outlying palaces like Leopoldskron. Book the tour a day ahead in summer as they sell out.
TipThe film locations, the Mirabell gardens, Leopoldskron and Hellbrunn palaces, the Nonnberg abbey and the gazebo, are scattered across town and out to the edges, so decide whether to link the in-town ones on foot or take a coach tour for the outlying palaces. The half-day bus tours book out in summer, so reserve a day or two ahead; if you would rather do it free, the Mirabell gardens and Nonnberg abbey are both an easy walk from the centre.
Afternoon
Cross back toward the Steingasse and climb the stepped path up the wooded Kapuzinerberg for the best free panorama over the old town and the fortress. Allow 20 to 30 minutes up and wear proper shoes as it is steep.
TipThe Salzach embankments give you the postcard view of the fortress reflected in the green river, and the wooded Kapuzinerberg hill above the right bank climbs to the best free panorama in the city. Start from the Steingasse or the Linzergasse and follow the stepped path up past the Capuchin monastery, allowing 20 to 30 minutes; wear proper shoes as it is steep, and go before dusk for the light on the old town.
Come down and walk up the Nonnbergstiege to the Nonnberg abbey below the fortress, the oldest running nunnery north of the Alps and where the real Maria was a novice. The church is free but it is a working convent, so keep quiet.
TipThis hilltop convent below the fortress is the oldest continuously running nunnery north of the Alps, founded around 714, and the place where the real Maria von Trapp was a novice before her marriage. The church is free to visit and open daily, but it is a working enclosed community, so keep quiet and dress modestly; reach it up the stepped Nonnbergstiege from Kaigasse, which doubles as a quiet back way toward the fortress.
Evening
Alternatively, swap the afternoon for the Hellbrunn palace and its trick water-fountains if they are running, roughly April to early November, taking bus 25 out in about 20 minutes and expecting to get a little wet.
Round off the trip in a Viennese-style coffee house, and pick up a box of the original hand-made Mozartkugel from Cafe Furst on the Alter Markt as an edible souvenir rather than the supermarket copies.
TipSalzburg keeps the Viennese coffee-house tradition, and its signature dessert is the Salzburger Nockerl, three fluffy baked meringue peaks meant to echo the hills, best shared as it is huge and made to order. For the sweet souvenir, buy the original hand-made Mozartkugel from Cafe Furst on the Alter Markt, where they were invented, rather than the foil-wrapped supermarket copies; expect to pay a premium for the real ones.
For 2 days, base yourself in Altstadt (Old Town). This is the baroque core on the left bank of the Salzach, packing the Hohensalzburg fortress, the cathedral, Residenzplatz and the Getreidegasse into a dense grid of squares and lanes. Everything you have come to see is on foot, and the setting under the fortress is as pretty as Salzburg gets. Base here on a first, short trip when you want the headline sights on your doorstep and do not mind paying and sharing the streets for it. Compare all neighborhoods in the full where-to-stay guide.
Got longer?
Salzburg in 3 days →
Two full days is enough for the heart of Salzburg. The centre is compact and walkable, so the Hohensalzburg fortress, the cathedral and DomQuartier, the Residenzplatz squares, the Getreidegasse and Mozart's birthplace, the Mirabell gardens and the Sound of Music in-town spots all fit without a rush. Base yourself in the old town so everything is on foot and you can be up at the fortress before the coach groups arrive.
Base yourself in Altstadt (Old Town) for this itinerary. This is the baroque core on the left bank of the Salzach, packing the Hohensalzburg fortress, the cathedral, Residenzplatz and the Getreidegasse into a dense grid of squares and lanes. Everything you have come to see is on foot, and the setting under the fortress is as pretty as Salzburg gets. Base here on a first, short trip when you want the headline sights on your doorstep and do not mind paying and sharing the streets for it.
The plan works year round, but May, June, September give you the best weather-to-crowds ratio.