One Day In Salzburg: An Easy Day Trip From Vienna

Salzburg is a perfect day trip from Vienna; it’s easily accessible by train, and it’s small enough to explore the essentials in just one day. I did this day trip on my two week trip to Vienna and would say it’s a must do on any trip!

Despite it being such a small town, it’s actually famous for quite a bit – leaving you with tons of things to do in Salzburg! Just to give you a sneak peak, Salzburg has ties to Mozart, The Sound of Music, and is home to one of the oldest castles in Europe!

So here’s my guide to one day in Salzburg from Vienna filled with how to get there and what to do while you’re there!

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

Why Should You Visit Salzburg Austria?

Salzburg is small city in Austria that borders Germany. Although it’s small size, Salzburg is known for quite a bit and is well worth at spending at least one day here from Vienna (if not more!).

Salzburg is where The Sound of Music was filmed and was even home to the original von Trapp family. It’s also the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (you know the very famous classical composer). You’ll also find one of the oldest (and largest) castles in Europe (Fortress Hohenzalzburg), a salt mine, and the Eastern alps (the closest peak is only 16 km (10 miles) from the city centre).

How To Get To Salzburg From Vienna

From Vienna you have three ways to get to Salzburg: train, car, or an organized tour, I’ll go over each option in more details below…

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Taking The Train From Vienna To Salzburg

I opted to take the train from Vienna to Salzburg. The train ride from Vienna to Salzburg is direct, about two and a half hours, and trains runs quite often (see the schedule).

On top of that, the train station in Salzburg is in the heart of the city so you don’t need to take any extra transportation once you arrive. You walk off the train, and you’re in the city centre in a matter of minutes! So you don’t need a car once you’re there either.

Renting A Car For A Day Trip In Salzburg

You can also drive from Vienna to Salzburg through the A1 motorway. It’s about a 3 hour drive from Vienna (which is longer than taking the train!). You’ll also have the stress of driving in a foreign country, and finding parking once you arrive. The benefit of driving is that it gives you the most flexibility with your day.

There is street parking in Salzburg both for free or paid, or you can also park in a paid lot. Read more about your parking options in Salzburg. And you don’t need a car once you arrive in Salzburg unless you want to explore some of the surrounding Austrian mountains (which you can still do without a car by going on an organized tour from Salzburg).

Although I didn’t drive to Salzburg, I did rent a car in Austria to drive to Hallstatt from Vienna. There are several places to rent cars in Vienna, I rented from Europcar in the city centre. It was perfect to be able to drop off the car after opening hours.

Go On An Organized Tour From Vienna To Salzburg In One Day

The least stressful way to get from Vienna to Salzburg for one day is to go on an organized tour. This is the most expensive option but you get a lot of value for what you pay, and it will be the least stressful!

I’ve done organized tours with Viator before and would recommend their tours. This tour from Viator leaves from Vienna and goes to all the main spots on the way to, and around Salzburg. It includes stops at key Sound of Music locations on the way, as well as Mozart’s Birthplace, and gives you free time in the Salzburg city centre.

Read more: Escape For A Wonderful Day Trip To Budapest From Vienna

Is One Day Enough In Salzburg Austria?

One day in Salzburg is a good amount of time to see everything in the city. But! You might want an extra day to discover some of the surrounding Austrian Alps (and trust me, they’re worth it!).

One day in Salzburg is technically enough time to get a taste of both the city and the surrounding Austrian Alps. But something will have to give. I spent one day and was able to tour everything I wanted in the city in the morning, and go on a the Sound of Music Tour of the alps in the afternoon.

But I did miss out on top things to do in Salzburg, like touring inside Mirabell Palace. And I could have also spent longer relaxing in the small towns in the Austrian Alps. So if you are interested in seeing EVERYTHING in both the city centre and the surrounding Austrian Alps, I think two days would be better suited.

One day in Salzburg will definitely leave you wanting more, which is always better than the alternative!

Top Things To Do In Salzburg In One Day

The best way to see Salzburg in one day is to start with a free walking tour of the city (as you may know, I’m a big believer in free walking tours!). The idea is that you give your tour guide a tip afterwards of how good you thought the tour was.

Alternatively, you can book a regular walking tour through Viator, which has very good reviews. Not only does a tour show you where to go, but gives you a bit more information at each destination.

Walk Through Old Town & New Town Salzburg

Salzburg is divided into Old Town (Altstadt) and New Town (Neustadt) by the Salzach river running through the city. You should take some time to walk through both and see the top attractions in each neighbourhood. Salzburg is known for its quaint streets and architecture that you could get lost in! Unfortunately, it’s become a little bit touristy nowadays, but try to look past it to see the charm.

You don’t want to miss Linzer Gasse that’s actually pedestrian only! And cross the river along the Marko-Feingold-Steg Bridge for some amazing skyline views of the city (p.s. if you want to lock your love, bring a lock for the bridge!).

Pro Tip: You might get lucky and stumble on a local event. When I was there, I stumbled on a local food market fundraiser. There was a band and stations serving local beer and food. If you know when you’ll be in Salzburg try to look up in advance if there are any local events happening when you’ll be visiting. They have a lot of markets and concerts throughout the year.

See Mozart’s Birthplace

Salzburg is the City of Mozart (and they don’t let you forget that when you’re there!). You can’t walk two steps without seeing a Mozart poster or souvenirs in the shop windows. There’s also a statue erected in his honour in Marktplatz. But, he was born there after all, so why not celebrate him…right?

Probably the most exciting activity for Mozart fans is that you can visit his birthplace. His childhood home has been converted into a museum with some of his old instruments, and it’s in the centre of town. You get the chance to walk where Mozart did and learn about his life in Salzburg.

You might also be interested in: The Districts Of Vienna: What You Need To Know

Visit Mirabell Palace

One of the top things to do in Salzburg is to visit the Mirabell Palace. Today, the Mirabell Palace hosts concerts, wedding ceremonies and other special events. Dating back to 1606, the palace is known for its grand marble hall and angel staircase.

Even better though, entry to the palace (and it’s gardens) is completely free! The only downside is that the palace isn’t always open to the public. It’s closed to visitors on the weekend and during special events. So if it’s something you want to see, plan to go during the week and double check opening hours beforehand.

Even if the palace is closed when you visit, you’ll still have access to the gardens. I swear you could get lost in a daydream in these gardens. They’re beautifully kept with bush art, fountains, and statues. At the entrance, you can see the fortress towering above in the distance. There are so many gardens to explore that you can easily spend an entire afternoon here alone.

You might also recognize the steps to the entrance of the gardens. They’re used in one of the most famous scenes with the von Trapp family in the Sound of Music. I’m not going to lie, I went there in the morning and had no idea I was standing on the Do-Re-Mi steps. When I did finally figure it out, I immediately ran back to take it all in!

Explore The Oldest Castle In Europe: Fortress Hohenzalzburg

Fortress Hohenzalzburg is the largest, fully preserved medieval castle still standing in Europe. It dates all the way back to 1077. The fortress now hosts several exhibits exploring life in the medieval period, and there’s even one on puppets!

But, what makes this a must-see is the incredible panoramic view of the surrounding alps you get from the top. And again, with so much to do just at the Fortress alone, you could spend your entire day trip in Salzburg here!

You might notice that the fortress is all the way at the top of the hill. Don’t worry though, there is a funicular you can take, and your admission ticket includes both ascent and descent.

Or, if you’re stubborn like I was (and didn’t know this in advance) there is a path you can walk up. But I’ll warn you, it’s VERY steep. If you still want to walk, I recommend at least taking the funicular up and then walking down. The fortress is pretty large, so you want to save your energy to walk around the exhibits and climb the stairs to the top.

And if you plan to be in Salzburg on a Sunday at 11:45 A.M., you’ll get to hear live music from the trumpeters towers. It can be heard by the entire town below, not just in the Fortress. 

Venture Outside The Salzburg City Centre

Salzburg is beautiful and the surrounding area outside the city doesn’t disappoint either. If you have extra time I highly recommend going on a half-day trip out of the city centre to see the surrounding Austrian Alps and the towns hidden among them.

Salt Mining in Salzburg

The mountains surrounding Salzburg are actually salt mines. So, just like Hallstatt, the city developed around the salt mining industry. In fact, Salzburg translates from German to “salt fortress”. You can tour the mine, but it’s a 40-minute drive outside the city.

If you’re also planning on visiting Hallstatt, I recommend visiting the salt mine there instead. It’s in the town centre, and because Hallstatt is so small, it’s one of the main attractions to do there. And then to see the mountains around Salzburg up close, I’d recommend going on the Sound of the Music tour…

The Sound of Music Tour

The Sound of Music tour takes you to all the iconic Sound of Music hot spots in and around Salzburg. If you didn’t already realize, The von Trapp family was from Salzburg and the 1965 movie was filmed there!

The tour gives you some amazing insider scoop about the movie and real family. They also play songs from the movie during the drive (and you’re encouraged to sing along!) to get into the Sound of Music vibe. You’ll get to see the filming locations for the von Trapp family homes, like the Gazebo where Leisl professes her love to Rolf, and the church where Maria and Captain von Trapp get married.

If you’re a fan of the movie, this tour is a must do. But even if you’re not the biggest fan, it’s a great way to get out of the city centre to see what else Salzburg has to offer. They bring you up into the mountainous region and explore some little Austrian towns.

Where to Eat in Salzburg?

I actually only ate at one restaurant in Salzburg because I stumbled on the local market for lunch. But for dinner, I ate at Die Wiesse and it was delicious. It’s a local restaurant and brewery serving Austrian dishes.

Need A Place To Stay In Salzburg

We only spent one day in Salzburg so went back to Vienna at the end of the day. But, if you do decide to extend your time in Salzburg and need a place to stay overnight I found these accommodations.

For a unique bed and breakfast experience stay at Villa Flöckner Bed & Breakfast. You’re also very conveniently located close to the train station and Mirabell Palace. See room rates and availability.

If you’re looking to stay in the heart of Salzburg stay at Hotel Wolf. This boutique luxury hotel is in the middle of the pedestrian section of the Old Town. Each room is different at Hotel Wolf in this building from the 1400s! See room rates and availability.

Why not pamper yourself for the night at Hotel & Petit Spa Auersperg. Although it’s outside the city centre it’s still only a 15 minute walk to the nearest attraction. Plus I don’t know if you’ll ever want to actually leave the hotel! See room rates and availability.

For more accommodations in Salzburg, click here.

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My travel packing essentials, I always pack in my Travelpro Maxlite 5 Carryon (I prefer the 2-wheeled for more packing space!). To stay organized in my suitcase, I use MEC packing cubes. To save space on medication, I like using these pill organizers. And to make sure I don’t lose any loose belongings, I always have a Go Travel Cary Clip.

To take my best family photos, I use this Joby Gorillapod with remote shutter. This way, no one is left out from travel photos. And I always travel with a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated – I like my Thermoflask because it’s easy to carry and keeps my water cold!

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