Traveling Austria during winter time only makes sense when you’re going to a ski resort? I am here to proof you wrong! But I agree, it’s not necessarily the first place that comes to mind when you think of a city trip in March. And honestly, I wouldn’t really have thought of it, had I not seen an advert from the Deutsche Bahn for cheap tickets to go to Austria. So because I had some time off work, I hopped onto their website, checked which cities weren’t too far away, and without giving it much more thought booked my ticket. It was going to be my first ever trip all by myself. My chance to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. And that’s exactly what I did! So let me share with you what I did, ate & saw when traveling Salzburg, Austria.
Traveling Salzburg: What I Did
Walking Tour
One of the first things I do whenever I visit a new place/city is a Free Walking Tour. This is the one I did, but I’d only rate it a 6-7/10. We did stop by the most important attractions of the city, but the guide (Johannes) didn’t go into a lot of detail with quite a few of them. I feel that Salzburg, being a really old city, would have a lot more history to tell. But nevertheless, these tours always help to get to know the layout of the city and help you find your way around. And I did go back to a few sights and spend a little more time there.
Day Trip to Hallstatt
Another Austrian city that I have been wanting to visit for a couple of years now is Hallstatt. It’s probably more a town than a city, but got really popular a few years ago. So popular, there is a replica of the town in China. And, conveniently, the original Hallstatt is much closer to Salzburg than the Chinese one. It is, however, not super easy to get to, using public transportation. You have to take a bus, then a train, and then even a ferry!
If you want to make life easier, and also get to know the Salzkammergut (the area north of the Alps), I recommend doing a guided bus tour. This is the one I did. Starting from the Mirabell in the center of Salzburg, it’s a 1,5 hour drive to Hallstatt, filled with lots of interesting information about the surrounding areas, as well as a quick photo stop at the Wolfgangsee (looks beautiful!).
In Hallstatt, you then get 2,5 hours to whatever you want. There is of course a funicular to take you up to a lovely view point up the hill, but since it was around 20€ just to get up there, I passed on that one. Instead, I decided to explore the city center of Hallstatt, and of course take my own picture of the infamous city vignette. To do so, walk to the Hotel “Haus Cian” (find here) and snap away. Just be aware that there a lot of other tourists doing so. Pro tip: To avoid those crowds, wait around 15-20 minutes before going there. I didn’t, but ended up having my lunch break right after taking my picture. And after a while, the crowds disappeared (until the next tourist bus arrives).
Another way to escape the masses and get a nice view down onto the town is by taking the hiking trails. One of them also passes by the little waterfall that is right in the middle of the city. And like I said, you do get a good view over the city, plus there were barely any people there when I walked it.
One last thing to consider: Depending on the season you’re going, a lot of cafés, restaurants and shops are closed. Usually the season ends around October/November and starts again around March. If you’re planning on spending the entire day there, pack snacks and drinks accordingly.
Go Shopping
Going shopping obviously isn’t exclusive to traveling Salzburg. But what I really loved about the shopping streets there was the fact that there was a huge number of independent little shops, rather than the big chains you get in every other city. And what I loved even more that there weren’t a lot of touristy shops, but just stores that looked like locals would actually go there as well. One shop you could buy yourself a nice Dirndl/Lederhosen, the next was all about salts and spices (the name Salzburg isn’t a coincidence after all), another sold handmade soap bars and shampoos. What a nice change. And also because Salzburg is an old city, a lot of the buildings are super old as well, with the most rustic looking signs outside the shops. If you want to check it out for yourself, I would highly recommend going to Getreidegasse.
Go Hiking
If shopping isn’t your jam, don’t worry. My favorite activity of the entire trip was hiking up the Gaisberg. For one, because I love hiking and being out in nature. But big part of the reason why was that I was joined by one of my best friends from University, who I hadn’t seen since October. And we were spoiled by 10 hours of sunshine and 18 °C that day, which was absolutely perfect.
The route we did was similar (although probably not identical) to this one. If you’re doing the tour right now be warned: there’s still quite a bit if snow, and the trails can be rather slippery. And it’s a steep climb: more than 900 altimeters on a 5000 meter hike. I was drenched. But absolutely worth it, because we got the most wonderful views. And even better: Kasspazn and Kaiserschmarrn at the Goasn Wirtshaus. 100% recommend!
Traveling Salzburg: What I Ate
Gasthof Alter Fuchs
After my trip to Hallstatt I went to the Alter Fuchs, which is right in the center of Salzburg. You can have a variety of authentically Austrian foods there. I went for the spinach dumplings, which actually came with the best side salad I’ve had in a long time (fantastic dressing). The dumplings themselves where pretty good, too, although maybe a bit mushy for my liking. That didn’t stop me from polishing off the plate, though.
My Mom’s
You know a place is good when you go back the next day. And I could have happily come back here a million more times. My Mom’s café is right in the center of Salzburg, and lures you in with the most delicious looking cakes in their window. And not only do they look fantastic, they taste amazing, too. Plus make for great fuel when traveling Salzburg. I had the vegan cinnamon roll and the gluten-free brownie, both of which were super delicious. They have great variety, as well as vegan and gluten-free options for their best sellers. Highly recommend!
Café Bazar
Another café I would recommend is Café Bazar, right by the river Salzach. Completely different vibe than My Mom’s, meaning much more traditional and authentically Austrian. And they have an amazing selection of cakes as well. I had the Topfenstrudel (cheese cake) which was super yummy. Definitely worth a try!
Traveling Salzburg: What I Visited
The Fortress
After the above mentioned walking tour, I decided to walk up to the fortress of Salzburg. If you’re not into walking, there is a funicular that you could take, which is about a 1-2 minute ride up the hill. Once you make it to the fortress, you can decide between to ticket options: the basic or the all inclusive. I went for the latter one, which includes 2 more rooms. If you’re on a tight budget, I would say go for the basic option. Because those two rooms are really nicely decorated, but it’s not something you absolutely have to see. And there is so much else to look at, you’re really not missing out.
Regardless of the ticket option, you do get a really nice view over the city. That being said, Salzburg isn’t my favorite city to look at from above. I can’t even tell you why that is, it just seems to be a bit boring. Plus, I way prefer nature over cities, so I was absolutely mesmerized by the view of the Alps surrounding the city.
The Mirabell
Built in 1606, this UNESCO world heritage site is probably most known for being a shooting location for the movie “The Sound of Music”. I had never heard of that movie, but was reassured by the tour guide Johannes that most Germans have are clueless. To Americans, however, that movie apparently is a classic. Alright.
Since I didn’t know or care about the movie, I just admired the castle for its beauty. And the castles garden was lovely to walk through, even though spring hadn’t sprung just yet. There is also a dwarf garden (“Zwergelgarten”) right next to it, which I accidentally snuck into (the gate wasn’t closed, but sadly it wasn’t open to the public yet). So I only got a short look at the different dwarfs, interesting looking garden gnome-statues.
The Houses of Mozart
Apart from “The Sound of Music”, Salzburg is most famous for being the birthplace of a certain Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. To make sure everybody knows, they indicated the house he was born in, as well as the house he and his family lived. What I thought rather unfortunate is the fact that there is a supermarket in the lower floor of the birth house. It made the whole thing a lot less spectacular and just doesn’t feel right to me. But of course, when traveling Salzburg, you should stop by and see for yourself.
Thank you for reminiscing my time in Salzburg with me. If you plan on going, or have been to Salzburg, definitely let me know your plans or what you thought!
Lots of Love,
Lena
Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored.
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