PLAN YOUR TRIP
Plan your Salzburg.
Itineraries written by someone who lives here. Logistics from someone who has done the airport-to-Altstadt run a hundred times.
WHERE TO STAY
Where to base yourself
Most visitors stay in the city and day-trip out. If you would rather wake up by a lake or under a mountain, these are the bases worth knowing.
THE CLASSIC BASE
Salzburg
Walk to everything, day-trip to the rest. For most first visits, the city is the answer.
View destination →LAKES
St. Gilgen
On the Wolfgangsee, half an hour out. Swim before breakfast, be in the Altstadt by lunch.
View destination →POSTCARD VILLAGE
Hallstatt
The famous lake village. Stay over to have it to yourself once the day-trippers leave.
View destination →MOUNTAINS
Zell am See
Lake below, glacier above. The base for the high peaks and the Grossglockner road.
View destination →OVER THE BORDER
Berchtesgaden
Just into Bavaria. The Konigssee, the salt mine and alpine quiet, minutes from the city.
View destination →LOGISTICS
Getting around
How to move between the airport, the station and the old town. For current fares and timetables, check the city transport app before you travel.
PRACTICAL
On the ground
Six small things that make the trip smoother.
Language
German. English widely spoken. Bitte, Danke and Grüß Gott will get you smiles.
Money
Euros. Cards work most places, but keep cash for small Stuben and bakeries.
What to pack
Walking shoes. Layers. A rain shell even in July. A swimsuit if a lake day is on the cards.
Phone and wifi
EU roaming covers most plans. WiFi is everywhere. No local SIM needed for a week.
Tipping
Round up to the nearest euro, or add 5 to 10 percent on a sit-down meal. Hand it to the server.
Tap water
Drink it. Mountain spring. Fill your bottle at any public fountain in the Altstadt.
WHEN
Best months to visit
The honest version: there is no bad time, only trade-offs. Here is how the year actually feels.
ITINERARIES
How long are you here?
Pick the length. We've written each one as if a friend asked.
One day in Salzburg
Altstadt, Mozartkugel, the morning view. The cheat-day itinerary for cruise passengers and stopover guests.
Read the 1-day plan →Three days in Salzburg
Old town one day, a lake or mountain the second, a slow third day. The honest middle ground.
Read the 3-day plan →One week in Salzburg
City + Salzkammergut + a Berchtesgaden day. The version where you actually understand the region.
Read the 1-week plan →LOGISTICS
Getting here, getting around
The boring stuff, answered honestly.
Salzburg Airport (SZG)
15 minutes from the Altstadt. Bus 2 = €2.50, taxi = €18-22. Trolley line opens 2027.
Train station (Hbf)
5 min walk to Mirabellgarten, 15 min to the Cathedral. Bus 1/2/3/6 fan out from here.
Salzburg Card
€31/24h, €40/48h, €46/72h. Worth it if you do 3+ paid sites in a day. Skip if you're walking the Altstadt only.
Public transport
One ticket = €2.50, 24h ticket = €6.30. The OBB Salzburg app shows live bus times.
WHEN
Best months to visit
The honest version: there is no bad time, only trade-offs. Here is how the year actually feels.
WHEN
Best months to visit
The honest version: there's no bad time, but there are bad combinations.
Spring (Apr-Jun)
Cherry blossoms in Mirabell, asparagus on every menu. Crowds light through May.
Summer (Jul-Aug)
Festival season. Avoid if you hate crowds, mandatory if you like Mozart and Strauss.
Autumn (Sep-Oct)
Best month for hikes. Mountain huts close late September. Foliage hits early October.
Winter (Nov-Mar)
Christmas markets Nov-Dec. Slow January. Skiing 45 min away.
The free Salzburg I send everyone to
None of this charges an entry fee. Half of it is better than the things that do. Bring shoes that climb and you have a full day before you spend a cent.
PRACTICAL
On the ground
Six small things that make the trip smoother.
Language
German. English widely spoken. Bitte / Danke / Grüß Gott will get you smiles.
Money
Euros. Cards accepted most places but cash needed at small Stuben and bakeries.
What to pack
Walking shoes. Layers. Rain shell even in July. Swimsuit if any chance of a lake day.
Phone & wifi
EU roaming covers most plans. WiFi everywhere. No need for a local SIM for a week.
Tipping
Round up to nearest euro, or add 5-10% on a sit-down meal. Don't leave coins on the table. Hand it to the server.
Tap water
Drink it. Mountain spring. Fill bottles at any public fountain in the Altstadt.
COMING SOON
Build your own trip
We're building a tool to let you save places across the site as you browse. Want early access?
Notify meREADY-MADE PLANS
Start from a plan
Three routes through Salzburg, each built as a collection you can follow stop by stop.
Sound of Music Trail
The gazebo, the gardens, the lake country. A self-guided route through the real filming locations.
Follow the trail →
Salzburg with Kids
A local guide’s family plan: the zoo, the fortress funicular, the hands-on stops that hold small attention spans.
See the family plan →
Mozart’s Salzburg
Birthplace, residence, the cafe with his name on it. The composer’s city, walked in order.
Walk the Mozart route →
Salzburg in one day
Half a day covers the essentials. A full day-by-day route through the Altstadt, fortress and gardens.
See the one-day plan →
Two days in Salzburg
The unhurried version. Day one in the old town, day two out to the lakes or up the fortress.
See the two-day plan →
Salzburg with kids
The family day-by-day: the zoo, the fortress funicular, the trick fountains at Hellbrunn.
See the family plan →ITINERARIES
How long are you here?
Pick the length. We've written each one as if a friend asked.
One day in Salzburg
Altstadt, Mozartkugel, the morning view. The cheat-day itinerary for cruise passengers and stopover guests.
Read the 1-day plan →Three days in Salzburg
Old town one day, a lake or mountain the second, a slow third day. The honest middle ground.
Read the 3-day plan →One week in Salzburg
City + Salzkammergut + a Berchtesgaden day. The version where you actually understand the region.
Read the 1-week plan →COMING SOON
Build your own trip
I am building a tool that lets you save places across the site as you browse, then turn them into a route. Want early access?
Notify me