10 Things to Do in Salzburg, Austria (2024)

Salzburg, Austria, boasts a rich history dating back to the Roman Empire, but I was there for the Sound of Music history and filming locations. It’s a city that’s been sculpted by trade and is greatly influenced by its musical history. Mozart was born here, and his influence profoundly shaped Salzburg, namely in the city’s annual Mozart Week festival and landmarks like his Birthplace and Residence. Many of the places I visited here had some musical element to it, whether or street performance with a harp, or an organ concert held within a grand cathedral.

With its blend of history, culture, and picturesque landscapes, Salzburg is a must-visit destination for travelers seeking to immerse themselves in Austria’s captivating heritage. If you’re based out of Munich, which I was during my trip, it’s just 1 simple train under 2 hours to arrive here.

1. Visit Sound of Music Filming Locations

If you’re a fan of “The Sound of Music,” exploring the filming locations in Salzburg is an absolute must. Starting my journey at Mirabellgarten, this was where Maria and the Von Trappe family children sing “Do-Re-Mi”, as they dance around the gardens. Unfortunately, most of the garden was closed due to the icy conditions in January, so much of it had to be viewed from afar. So a tip, don’t expect much if you visit in the winter! It was still a nice pitstop though, as the garden itself is very serene, especially with the snow.

Then, I went to visit the Pferdeschwemme, where Maria and the kids stopped by during the singing of “My Favourite Things”. A short walk off the main shopping street, it’s a convenient stop if you need a slight break from all the shopping. As it was winter, the sculpture was in a protective bubble, so it was more obstructed than normal. I chose to include a new subject in the photo to mix it up, and a Porsche kindly offered to be the foreground subject instead.

I also made a stop at the Residenzbrunnen, Maria sang “I Have Confidence In Me” while dancing around the fountain. Again, being the winter, it was covered to protect the pipes.

So a word of advice would definitely be to not expect much if visiting in the winter! Still beautiful sights, though.

There are, of course, many more Sound of Music stops, but I didn’t have much time to visit them, and with so many snow/winter closures, I chose to explore the city instead.

2. Walk the Marko-Feingold-Steg Bridge, Lock of Love

Crossing into the old town from the hotel, I walked across the Marko-Feingold-Steg Bridge, also known as the Lock of Love. Unlike many of the other parts of Salzburg, the bridge is actually quite new, being built in 2015. Despite this, the locks line each part of the fence, in great numbers. I did not know about this bridge ahead of time, so I wasn’t able to bring an engraved lock for my wife and I. I thought of running to a general store there, picking up a lock and a permanent marker. However, I did figure that somewhere in the sea of locks, surely there was one with ‘A & L’, right? After just a minute, or so, of searching, I was able to find one, snap a photo, and show Lindsay.

A tip, though, would definitely be to bring your own lock.

3. Try Salzburg-Famous Bosna Bratwurst

The Bosna is not only a delicious Austrian fast food dish but also holds a significant place in the culinary and cultural history of Salzburg. Originating in the 1940s, the Bosna is essentially a grilled bratwurst sausage served in a white bread roll with a unique topping of onions, mustard, and curry powder. It was originally from a humble food stand located near the city’s old town, and coincidentally, this was the only one I didn’t go to. I did, however, check out Grill-Imbiss, and the Balkan-Grill, both of which are highly regarded.

Enjoying a Bosna from one of the city’s many Würstelstands is a great Salzburg experience, offering a taste of history and culture with every savory bite. I enjoyed it so much, that I had about 2-3/day, so much so, that the owner of the Grill-Imbiss began to recognize me (pictured below, taking a selfie with me). He said he’d never visited Canada before, and that it was a much warmer climate than home – it’s not often I hear that. I revisited him before I took the train out back to Munich, and nearly missed it. Very worth the trip.

4. Visit Mozart’s Birthplace & Museum

Mozart’s Birthplace, is located in the heart of Salzburg’s Old Town, steps away from the shopping street, and around the corner from the University Square. Originally lived in by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1756, it’s since been restored and transformed into a humble little museum, filled with his personal belongings and some original documents. There are some video presentations, interactive exhibits, and guided tours available, which I’ve read about on paper. I opted not to go into the museum as I’m not a huge classical music fan, but it’s definitely a stop-by on the outside for classical-music-lovers, and those who aren’t, to stand where Mozart used to stand. I crossed the street, and saw a cutout of Mozart advertising the FÜRST Mozart chocolate, which I went in to try instead (it was delicious).

5. Go to Salzburg Cathedral, Noon Music Hour

The Salzburg Cathedral, located closeby the Mozart Square, is considered to be the birthplace of music, as it was where the legendary composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was baptized in 1756. Mozart also served as the organist and concertmaster of the cathedral and composed many of his sacred works for its choir and orchestra.

Presently, the cathedral pays homage to this fact with a daily organ concert at noon. Admission is €9, and can be purchased at the ticket booth by the entrance, or from websites like GetYourGuide. Tickets are highly recommended for purchase, as they close online ticket sales on the day of, and they often sell very quickly on the day of.

The concert is often performed by a single musician, with a narrator who speaks on the history of the cathedral, and its musical history, in between a musician playing on the various organs around the cathedral. The finale is one to remember as well, as the organist moves to the giant organ above the entrance of the cathedral.

6. Visit St. Peter’s Abbey

St. Peter’s Abbey is located adjacent to Salzburg Cathedral, so it’s easy to stumble onto after a visit there. It’s one of the oldest monasteries in the area, founded in 696 by Saint Rupert, the patron saint of Salzburg. The abbey hosts regular concerts in its Baroque Hall and Romanesque Hall, where visitors can enjoy the musical heritage of Salzburg. St. Peter’s Abbey is also home to one of the oldest restaurants in the world, St. Peter Stiftskulinarium, which dates back to the 8th century and still serves traditional Austrian cuisine. I wasn’t able to grab a table here, so I ended up enjoying some more bosnas on the go instead. St. Peter’s Abbey also has a beautiful cemetery and catacombs, which were featured in the film The Sound of Music as the hiding place of the Von Trapp family. Entry into the catacombs is €2.

7. Stroll Alongside the Salzach River

The name Salzach comes from the German word for salt, which was a valuable commodity in the Middle Ages. The river was used to transport salt from the mines in the Alps to the markets and towns along its banks, a fun fact that was learned during a small walking tour in the Fortress Hohensalzburg museums.

Today, the river serves as a beautiful backdrop to a stroll from Salzburg’s city core to the altdstadt (old town) and back. Along the way, stop by to view some of the artwork left in trees, and to use some of the outdoor exercise equipment (got to get those gains, even on vacation).

8. Walk Fortress Hohensalzburg, and the Museums Inside

Towering over the Salzburg Cathedral, the Fortress Hohensalzburg can be accessed from the base of the cathedral square via a short 10-minute hike, or via the funicular (that’s closed in the winter). Of course, I’d be hiking up.

The Fortress offers multiple entrance ticket types:

• Basic ticket (panorama access only): €11.20
• All-inclusive (access to all museums inside the fortress): €13.60
• All-inclusive w/ round-trip funicular access: €18.00

Noting that these tickets are also available on location, at a slightly lower rate, but it’d be advisable to book ahead of time.

Purchase your tickets here: Fortress Hohensalzburg Tickets

Inside, the puppet museum is a nice inclusion and includes a display of the Sound of Music Von Trapp Family Singers. There is also a small and well-preserved goldener saal (golden hall) located in the upstairs museum, with useful audio tour information on the preserved rooms. The large ornate device (below) filled the entire corner of the room of the living room and was used as a heater. There wasn’t one in the bedroom, which they noted was because they believed that people slept better in the cold (I can only imagine how cold this place was in the winter). The only thing in the bedroom that wasn’t restored, and was the original, was the washroom.

9. Mix It Up: Try Some Vietnamese Cuisine

Often during my trips abroad, I would eventually seek some comfort food in the form of either: Japanese, Chinese, or Vietnamese cuisine. It stood out to me that Germany and Austria often had many Vietnamese restaurants, but all Japanese and Chinese restaurants combined all cuisines into one generic ‘Asia’ melting pot.

I later found out that many Vietnamese had immigrated here to Germany and Austria, as many Vietnamese fled during the Vietnam War, together with a large immigration during the 1980s due to the political ties of Vietnam and East Germany.

All this to say that I found a great, quaint little Vietnamese restaurant owned by a tremendously kind gentleman called ‘San’ (not sure how to spell it, as he only told me). As I sat down the first time, he quickly cycled through the languages he knew, until he finally landed on conversing with me in Cantonese. It was a cool taste of home. I came back three times and was satisfied each time. It’s strange to eat Vietnamese food while in Austria, but I found it to be a tasty detour from the typical bratwurst, brezen, beer, combination.

Visit NGON Vietnamese Kitchen

10. Visit Red Bull Hangar-7

Discovering the existence of the Red Bull Hangar was an accidental one for me. Just returning from my first trip to Augsburg, I realized on the train ride back to Munich that I had missed the Mazda Museum that was located there. So, moving forward, I made a note that I would search up anything ‘car museum’ related in all future legs in Germany, and Austria. Red Bull Hangar 7 popped up in this search, and was immediately a stop I was looking forward to.

Having watched F1 since about 2014, watching Mercedes dominate for years, it was a breathe of fresh air when Max Verstappen began to make Lewis Hamilton sweat, especially after Ferrari’s prior struggles to do this with Vettel. Now that Verstappen, and the Red Bull Racing Team, are the new dominant team in F1, it was going to be a must-visit stop for me.

Funnily enough, Max’s cars weren’t really to be found here, instead, it was Daniel Ricciardo, and Sebastien Vettel, making the most appearances. Additionally, the glass hangar hosts a collection of historical aircrafts and helicopters as well. It is also home to the Flying Bulls, a private aircraft fleet owned by Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz. I had read that Mateschitz had chosen this location for his private collection of aircraft, as the nearby Salzburg Airport was the location of the first flight he had as a child. These aircraft still perform in airshows today.

The Hangar also plays host to a restaurant called Ikarus, an incredible-looking, luxurious dining spot, with the unique notion of a different guest chef every month to create a special menu. It also has two bars, an outdoor lounge, a café, and an art gallery that exhibits contemporary works by various artists. Illume 2023, a photo exhibit highlighting the works of Red Bull Photographers around the world, is currently on display here, and is a relatively frequently occurring exhibit every year.

Read more about the current exhibits at Red Bull Hangar 7

Read more about the Illume 2023 Exhibit

Admission to the Red Bull Hangar is free (hence my wide smile).

Useful Links & Information

• Find the best accommodations in Salzburg: Expedia
• Buy Tickets Online for Mozart’s Birthplace & Museum
• Buy Tickets Online for Salzburg Cathedral Noon Concert
• Read More About Bosnas, and Where to Find The Best One
• Buy Tickets Online for Fortress Hohensalzburg

Thanks for Reading!