How To Spend One Day in Salzburg, Austria: A Simple Day Trip Itinerary (+ Map)

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Set on the banks of the Salzach River and overlooked by a hilltop fortress, the dreamy city of Salzburg is understandably one of Austria’s most beloved travel destinations. Thanks to its location and excellent train connections, it’s also a popular day trip from cities like Munich and Vienna.

Here is our tried-and-tested one-day itinerary for Salzburg, which we followed as a day trip from Munich. We’ll highlight must-see attractions, recommend delicious food spots, and provide practical tips to help you have a fantastic time. And while you can’t see everything the city has to offer in just one day, I do hope this guide will show you that even a single day in Salzburg is well worth the time and effort.

One Day in Salzburg: Itinerary Overview

A quick note: Opening days and times of attractions are always subject to change, so double-check before your visit.

Morning
// Mirabellgarten
// Kapuzinerkloster (Monastery viewpoint)
// Marko-Feingold-Steg (bridge of locks)
// Getreidegasse (including Mozart’s birthplace)
// Grünmarkt
// Giant gherkins

Lunch at Salzburger Grill

Afternoon
// Mozartkugeln (Mozart truffles)
// Explore the beautiful squares
// St. Peter’s Cemetery
// Hohensalzburg Fortress
// Extra time to walk the old town/apéritifs 

Dinner at Bärenwirt

Night
Admire the city in the dark (trust me!)

You can also watch our Salzburg video itinerary on YouTube

Salzburg One-Day Itinerary Map

>>> Grab our free map of things to do in Salzburg <<<

Salzburg One-Day Itinerary – Morning

Arriving in Salzburg

We caught a direct train to Salzburg from Munich. Salzburg Hauptbahnhof (main station) is just a short walk from the centre of the city, so it’s a very convenient option.

I would suggest arriving in Salzburg at around 8:30-9:00 am to really make the most of your day.

Mirabellgarten

If you’re arriving by train, it makes sense to start your day at Mirabell Gardens, which is just a 15-minute walk from the station, on the way into the centre of Salzburg. 

Mirabell Gardens are part of Mirabell Palace, built in the 1600s by the Prince-Archbishop as a token of love for his mistress. These gardens are meticulously landscaped, with vibrant flower beds, ornate statues, and grand fountains. From here, you’ll also get your first proper glimpse of the fortress. 

If you’ve seen The Sound of Music, these gardens will look familiar, because this is where Maria and the children sang and danced to “Do-Re-Mi.”

Salzburg and its surrounding area are home to plenty of Sound of Music filming locations, so if you’re a big fan, you might enjoy taking one of the popular Sound of Music tours.

While the gardens are free to enter, if you’re staying overnight in Salzburg (or catching a late train), you can also book tickets for Mozart concerts held in the Palace’s famous Marble Hall.

Mozart Residence (A quick Stop!)

If you’re into classical music, Mozart’s Residence is located just outside the gardens. The composer lived here with his family in the late 1700s, and it’s now a small museum showcasing his life. Inside, you’ll find original manuscripts, letters, and even his original pianoforte.

As we only had one day, visiting wasn’t a priority for us, but it might be something that interests you.

Kapuzinerkloster (Monastery viewpoint)

Walk around 10 minutes from Mirabell Gardens to the Kapuziner Monastery (via Mozart Residence).

The monastery is perched on a hill with one of the best viewpoints in Salzburg. While the first viewpoint you’ll reach is lovely, don’t stop there. Keep going, and just around the corner, you’ll be treated to a cracking view of the fortress and the beautiful city below.

It’s a little out of the way, and Salzburg has other great viewpoints, so if you’re looking to trim your itinerary, this might be one activity to consider cutting, especially if the weather’s bad and visibility is rubbish. That said, we were glad we made time for it on our day trip.

Walk to the Old town via Marko-Feingold-Steg

After heading back down the hill, continue to the old town by crossing the pedestrian bridge adorned with love locks. Even if you’ve seen love lock bridges before, this one offers lovely views no matter which way you look.

The walk from the monastery to the old town via the Marko Feingold bridge could be done in around 15 minutes, but I’d encourage you not to rush. Take your time and enjoy the beauty around you!

Getreidegasse

Stroll along the pretty, albeit busy, Getreidegasse. This cobbled street has a timeless feel, with handcrafted wrought-iron signs hanging above the shop doorways. Even if you aren’t interested in the shops, it’s still worth seeing.

Salzburg Card
Salzburg offers a city pass that provides admission to all the tourist attractions and free use of public transport. Since we planned to walk everywhere and focused mainly on free activities (except for the fortress and the catacombs), the Salzburg Card wasn’t worth it for us. However, if you’re planning to visit more paid attractions than we did, it’s worth checking the price of the Salzburg Card to see if it could save you money!

Look out for Mozart’s Birthplace

Getreidegasse is also the location of Mozart’s Birthplace, now a small museum. Here, you can walk through the family apartment and learn more about Mozart’s early life. The museum displays several instruments, including the violin he used as a child.

If, like us, you don’t go inside, you really can’t miss it from the outside. And I do mean you can’t miss it—it’s bright yellow!

Grünmarkt (green Market)

Close to Mozart’s Birthplace is University Square, where the traditional Green Market has been held since the 18th century. It’s only small, but we just can’t resist browsing stalls packed with local produce whenever we stumble across a market!

Giant Gherkins

If Mozart and The Sound of Music don’t interest you, that’s okay — just a few steps from the market, you’ll find human-sized gherkin statues for some reason. So, Salzburg really does have something for everyone!

Salzburg One-Day Itinerary – Afternoon

Quick Lunch at Salzburger Grill Imbiss

For a quick lunch, we stopped by Salzburger Grill Imbiss. This food stall might not look like much, but if you’re craving a bratwurst, this place definitely won’t disappoint. 

We both tried the traditional Bosna, which originated in Salzburg. This flavourful sausage is seasoned with a hot spice mix and served on perfectly toasted white bread. De-licious.

Mozartkugeln (One for Chocolate Lovers!)

For dessert, head to one of the four Fürst locations in the old town to try the original Mozartkugeln, created in 1890 by Salzburg confectioner Paul Fürst. These delectable truffles are filled with marzipan, nougat, and pistachio, all coated in chocolate. They’re pretty rich, so one is plenty (though I’d totally understand if you went for more!)

If you stop for lunch at Salzburger Grill Imbiss like we did, the closest Fürst location for Mozartkugeln is the Ritzerbogen shop.

Beautiful Squares

Salzburg has several very impressive squares, all just a short walk from each other. You can admire the pastel-coloured buildings, soak in the atmosphere and take in the sights along the way. Don’t miss the giant golden kugel, Mozart’s statue and the Residence fountain, often said to be the most beautiful in the city.

Remember, you can find all the sights mentioned in this itinerary on our free Salzburg map!

St. Peter’s Cemetery

Quietly explore the peaceful St. Peter’s Cemetery, where beautifully ornate graves rest alongside catacombs carved into the cliff face.

Hohensalzburg Fortress

No visit to Salzburg is complete without a trip to Hohensalzburg Fortress, a fully preserved medieval landmark that towers high above the city.

Recognised as the largest castle in Central Europe, it was originally built in the 11th century as a protective stronghold and a symbol of the archbishops’ power.

To reach the fortress, you can take the funicular or walk for around 20 minutes to the top. We chose the funicular, partly to save time and partly because we thought it would be fun! (It was fine, but not as fun as the name suggests).

Once inside, you can explore different parts of the castle, including exhibits on the fortress’s history and its connection to the city. Check out the prison, the armoury, and even a puppet collection.

You’ll also get some amazing views of the city and the surrounding mountains from the fortress, with the observation tower offering some of the best panoramic views in Salzburg.

There are four ticket options available: the basic ticket, the advanced ticket, and versions of both that include the funicular. We chose the basic option, which covers most of the fortress. For a little more time and money, the advanced ticket grants you access to the princely chambers and the magic theatre, too.

Be aware that opening hours are shorter from October to April, with the fortress closing at 5:00 pm. Check up-to-date opening hours before you visit.

Enjoy the old town

If you have a bit of extra time before dinner, you could do what we did and enjoy a leisurely stroll through the charming streets and courtyards of the Old Town.

If your feet are ready for a break, you could relax with a pre-dinner drink at an outdoor café and take in the lovely ambience. We chose a spot at random — Café Lumia — ordered a couple of apéritifs, and indulged in some much-needed people-watching

Dinner at Bärenwirt

If you’re looking for dinner recommendations, we really enjoyed Bärenwirt, one of the city’s oldest, traditional restaurants.

While they’re particularly known for their fried chicken, we ordered the cheesy pasta dumplings with fried onion (known as Kasnocken) and boiled beef, which was much nicer than it sounds!

This is a popular restaurant, so I’d recommend making a reservation in advance. You can do this on their website. In fact, it’s a good idea to make reservations for any restaurant you’re keen to visit, as Salzburg can get very busy!

Salzburg One-Day Itinerary – Night

If possible, stay in Salzburg until nightfall, when the city becomes somehow even more magical. Find a spot by the river, gaze up at the fortress, and watch the lights shimmering across the water.

Is One Day in Salzburg Enough?

No, not really. While Salzburg was an excellent choice for a day trip, we didn’t manage to fit everything in and were left wishing we had an extra day. However, one day was enough to get a good feel for the city and visit a few of the main sights, so if that’s all the time you have, I would still encourage you to go!

Other Things To Do In Salzburg

If you are visiting for longer than one day or you would like switch something that we suggested out for a different activity, then these are some other activities in Salzburg that we missed:

• Salzburg Cathedral (Mozart was baptised here and later played the church’s huge organ)
• Stiegl Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting
• State-Rooms of the Residenz
• Nonnberg Abbey (the gate was used in The Sound of Music!)
• Boat Ride on the Salzach
•  Museum of Modern Art (or just take the lift up to the terrace for amazing views!)
• St Sebastian’s Church & Cemetery
• Untersberg Cable Car (you’ll need to catch a bus)
• Hellbrunn Palace and Trick Fountains (on the same bus as the cable car, so you could combine these activities)

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