24 Hours in Salzburg, Austria — Spring Edition

Travel Date: 23-24 March 2023

The Journey to Salzburg

We took a three-hour ÖBB train from Innsbruck to Salzburg. Since we booked a Sparschiene ticket, our train made more stops than the regular express routes — but honestly, who cares? The scenery along the way was absolutely breathtaking.

We took the 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM train, which gave us a beautiful view of the Alps. If you’ve seen Instagram posts about how stunning this route is — believe me, it lives up to the hype.

It felt like we had the entire carriage to ourselves. Maybe there were a few others, but for those three hours, it felt like it was just the five of us — laughing, chatting, and enjoying the ride through the snow-dusted mountains.

This was the cabin we stayed in the whole time — just the five of us! It felt super private and cozy since there were only a few people in the carriage. We loved how spacious it was — plenty of room for our bags up top, big windows for the views, charging ports, and even hooks for our jackets. OBB trains really thought of everything!

Arrival in Salzburg

We arrived in Salzburg around 11:00 AM, checked into our hotel, rested for a bit, and then headed out to explore the Old Town (Altstadt) — but not before stopping for lunch.

We stayed at Hotel Drei Kreuz, just a few meters from the Old Town — a perfect room for five people. We each had our own beds, with mine and Jestine’s room separate from the guys’.

*Jestine and I had our bed, and the guys had theirs too.*

If you already have the Salzburg Card, deciding where to go first can be tricky. In our case, we didn’t maximize it right away — we spent almost two hours enjoying just one spot!

Too hungry to pick a nice place to eat — we just ended up here with all these veggies!

Exploring the Old Town

Too lazy to join a guided walking tour, we decided to explore on our own — and that turned out to be one of the best decisions of the trip. We wandered through narrow streets, following our instincts (and Google Maps), and somehow ended up covering nearly the entire Old Town.

After lunch, we went straight to the Old Town — our go-to itinerary in most cities. It’s the center of everything. We loved Salzburg’s alleys — small but elegant — with shop signs that looked so refined and classy.

Inside the Salzburg Museum — a journey through the city’s art, music, and history, from Mozart’s legacy to medieval treasures, all housed in elegant halls at the heart of Salzburg’s Old Town.

*The beautiful little alleys of Salzburg.*

We didn’t have a fixed plan, but the maps helped us identify notable buildings, and the Salzburg Card pointed out the key attractions to visit.

We passed by several iconic spots:

Salzburg Old Town – Easily explored on foot, full of charm at every corner.
Salzburg Museum – A quick but worthwhile stop to learn about the city’s history.
Lock Bridge & Mirabell Gardens – Perfect for reliving The Sound of Music nostalgia.

A Relaxing Afternoon

Before sunset, we passed through the Lock Bridge and noticed locals lounging by the riverbank. That gave us an idea. We didn’t want to splurge during our trip, so we bought chips and drinks from the nearest Spar — conveniently located just across the bridge.

*The colorful riverside houses by Staatsbrücke, with a view of Hohensalzburg Fortress.”*

Makartsteg Bridge — Salzburg’s iconic love lock bridge with a perfect view of Hohensalzburg Fortress

By late afternoon, we found ourselves sitting by the riverbank, relaxing with snacks and drinks — the perfect way to unwind after a full day of walking. The sun reflected off the Salzach River, and the fortress glowed softly in the background — a postcard moment you can’t quite capture, only feel.

Dinner at Sternbräu

That evening, we had dinner at Sternbräu, and we absolutely loved it. The staff were warm and friendly, the atmosphere was cozy, and the food was fantastic.

In many Austrian dishes, especially traditional ones like Tafelspitz (boiled beef) or sausages, you’ll often find a white, finely grated topping that looks like cheese — but when you taste it, it’s sharp, spicy, and a bit nose-tingling. That’s freshly grated horseradish (Kren).

Aside from classic Austrian dishes, we also tried the famous Salzburger Nockerl — a light, fluffy dessert that’s a must-try in Salzburg. We stumbled upon the restaurant while exploring the Old Town, and since we were craving authentic Austrian food, it was perfect. The staff even helped us choose which traditional dishes to try.

The Next Morning: Fortress & Zoo

The next morning, we revisited the Old Town before taking the funicular up to Fortress Hohensalzburg for a panoramic view of the city.

As part of our cultural immersion (and convenience), we had breakfast at McDonald’s — we had forgotten it was early Sunday, so we weren’t sure if the shops were closed because it was too early or because of the day itself.

After breakfast, we searched for the funicular from the ground — it took us almost an hour to find it, distracted by the charming alleyways and beautiful architecture of the Old Town.

The fortress funicular is included with the Salzburg Card, so there’s no need to buy a separate ticket. When we finally reached the fortress, we were surrounded by thick stone walls and narrow windows — some of which looked like old defense openings. From above, Salzburg looked like a painting — pastel rooftops framed by mountains.

Observation towers & courtyards – These areas offer stunning panoramic views over Salzburg and the Alps.

The **cannons** by the windows of Hohensalzburg Fortress stand as silent guards of history. Once aimed over Salzburg to defend the city from attack, they now rest behind stone walls as reminders of the fortress’s strength and strategic power.”

**Torture chamber / dungeon** – It’s a small, dark room once used for holding prisoners, and sometimes associated with torture or interrogation. You can still see the heavy doors, chains, and small window openings.

**Marionette Museum** – A small quirky section showing puppetry traditions from Salzburg.

Who did it better? Fortress edition.

Our final stop using the Salzburg Card was Hellbrunn Zoo, which turned out to be a delightful surprise. Although it was a bit far from the city center, we had a great time. We saw many unique Alpine animals — most of them new to us — and it was such a fun, relaxing way to end the trip. We even had a mini adventure running to the bus station, trying to catch the next bus — stressful, but memorable. If you’re traveling with kids, this is definitely a spot they’ll love.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/203586913@N03/54884815119/in/album-72177720329927667

Final Impressions

If you have more time, there’s so much more to discover in Salzburg. But even with just a day and a half, the city completely won us over. Between its fairytale architecture, friendly locals, and cozy restaurants, Salzburg is the kind of place that makes you slow down — and simply enjoy the moment.

May 2024 visit

We had the chance to visit Salzburg again in 2024 — this time with our colleagues! These photos were taken during our second visit for a team-building event. Our Vienna teammates organized a fun scavenger hunt around the city through myCityHunt