Salzburg is famous for two major things – Mozart, and The Sound of Music.
Every shop, hotel, and tourist attraction seemed to be themed on one of these. We watched the movie a few days before arrival in the city, so I happened to have a Sound of Music song montage stuck in my head for the duration of our three day stay.
If you’re not interested in either of those things, don’t worry – there are plenty of things to do that aren’t Mozart or Sound of Music related! Here are my suggestions for a few must-do activities in Salzburg.
1. Head to a beer hall
First of all, beer. The beer halls in Austria are very similar to their counterparts in nearby Germany, so start your activities in Salzburg by trying some Bavarian-style beer and salty pretzels at Augustiner Bräu.
Get yourself a stein of the local brew and peruse the numerous food stalls for some traditional schnitzel or bratwurst. The beer hall opens at 3PM and is open ’til late – but you’ll have to head in early if you’d like a seat!
2. Check out the classic architecture
What really grabbed my attention in Salzburg were the winding narrow streets of old town with its towering spires, and historic churches. If you’re into photography (like I am) then you’ll love this place! Take a wander through the old town and see what you can find.
3. Visit the castle
I don’t always go inside European castles as I find the entrance price can be a little high for my liking, but Salzburg is one of the places where I paid the entrance fee. I did not regret it – the views of Salzburg from the castle are absolutely amazing, and the tour of the halls was great. There are also museums inside the castle grounds that are sure to please everyone. This is definitely a must-do in Salzburg.
4. Do a day trip to Hallstatt
Charming, quaint, romantic… there are many words I could use to describe Hallstatt but none of them will quite justify the beauty of this alpine township. We found most restaurants and attractions closed for the winter, but the surrounding mountains looked stunningly beautiful covered in snow.
It’s not easy to access by public transport, but it is totally and utterly worth the journey through the picturesque Salzkammergut region to see this town.
Thank you for the tips about Salzburg! Headed there this summer for a couple of days and it’s good to see more than Sound of Music tours on an agenda! Those pretzels look amazing!!
Ooh that’s great, Caprice! I’m sure you will love Salzburg 🙂