I spent a week in Salzburgerland, Austria with my boyfriend at the end of March. We flew into Salzburg and stayed for three nights before travelling to two other destinations, including Hallstatt. Salzburg is a beautiful small city with a chill vibe. Here’s my itinerary for a weekend in Salzburg.
Day 1 – Arrive in Salzburg
We travelled from Stansted Airport, UK, to Salzburg Airport – a short flight of just two hours. Feeling lazy on arrival, we grabbed a taxi from the airport to our hotel which took about 20 minutes.
Where to stay
We had booked to stay at the Hotel Goldgasse for our weekend in Salzburg. However, the hotel contacted us a few days before to offer us a stay in their sister hotel as roadworks had left our original choice unable to open.
The sister hotel, Hotel Stein, was brilliant and they even upgraded our room to a suite when we arrived. Located right on the river, not far from the lovelock bridge, it was a perfect location.
Hotel Stein has a trendy rooftop bar, called Steinterrasse, which is run separately to the hotel and serves great food. It has wonderful views of the city and surrounding mountains.
Wander the pretty streets
We arrived in the afternoon so there was time for a self-guided (Google maps guided?) orientation walk in Salzburg. Salzburg is a small city so it’s easy to wander around and not get lost. You’ll stumble across multiple city squares and find Mozart’s birthplace.
Lock a love lock
If you’re on a romantic getaway, it can be fun to visit Makartsteg Bridge where many couples have attached a padlock to the railing.
I took a padlock with our names on and surprised my boyfriend with it when we ‘happened’ to find the bridge.
Eat at Innergebirg
On the first night we ate at Innergebirg – a small bar/restaurant serving a select few traditional meals.
The doorway and the sign outside is very small and we walked past it at first – so keep an eye on Google maps to find it.
From the street you have to walk through a long, thin unheated area of tables to get to the cosy bar area. We visited in March so this area was empty, which felt strange, but there are a few tables in the bar area for dinner and drinks.
A nice, cosy, comfort food option for a meal with friendly staff who make you feel at home. We stayed for an extra drink.
Day 2 – A lazy brunch and a short hike
Go for Brunch at Afro Cafe
Tired after travelling (we’re not used to it anymore!) we woke up late and felt like a chill day, so we started with a lazy brunch.
We went to Afro Cafe which serves delicious coffee and African-inspired meals.
On a warm day, sit at the brightly coloured bistro tables out front and watch the world go by.
Try a Wafflino at N.U.R Cafe
What’s a Wafflino? It’s a coffee in an ice cream cone from N.U.R Cafe! Very cool. Unfortunately when we went they had recently changed supplier of the cones, and the recipe wasn’t quite right. It would have leaked, so instead we got a coffee and a separate cone. I’m sure they’ve sorted it by now, so you should check it out.
Hike to the Kapuzinerberg Monastery
Take the steep steps up to the top of the hill from Steingasse (which is just behind hotel Stein, where we stayed) for beautiful views of the city and caste.
From here, you can follow the trail along the fortified wall to the monastery. It’s not a long walk, unless you stop for photos every few steps like I did. Perfect on a nice day for a different view of the city with a mountain backdrop.
Drink Scnapps outside at Sporer
What’s a weekend in Salzburg without some schnapps? We fancied a tipple before dinner and we saw a few people standing outside Sporer having a drink, so we thought we’d join in.
The bar inside is tiny but stocked with every flavour of schnapps you could imagine. We tried the blackberry and stood outside in the cold March evening to feel warm on the inside.
Eat Schnitzels at Restaurant Meissl
We saw a guy pounding schnitzels (sounds rude. Isn’t!) through the window of Restaurant Meissl and so we thought we’d try it here.
The schnitzels here are large, but good, and there are a few fairly basic options to choose from. They also serve other dishes, such as pasta.
If you’re brave enough (and I have to say I don’t recommend it) you can try a Salzburger Nockerl for dessert. This is a sweet soufflé with three peaks, representing the three mountains around Salzburg.
We ordered just one peak and it was absolutely huge. I didn’t enjoy and ended up attempting to smack the air out of it with my spoon, to make it look like I’d eaten more than I could actually force down.
Day 3 – Visit the Castle
Coffee and cake at My Mom’s
My Mom’s is a cute and very well-rated cafe not far from Hotel Stein. The coffee was great, the pistachio cookie was huge and delicious, and the staff were very friendly and helpful.
Highly recommend for a caffeine hit and a snack!
Visit the Castle
The castle is one of the main attractions for a weekend in Salzburg. You can see the castle towering over the city from most places, so it’s easy to make your way there.
It’s a short, relatively steep walk up to the castle from the city centre, or there is a funicular if you’re feeling on the lazy side after brunch.
The castle itself is fun to look around and you can buy different levels of ticket to we various different areas. We went for the basic ticket, as we were happy to just wander the site, and we felt that was enough.
The basic ticket includes a ‘panoramic tour’ which tells you lots of interesting information about the history of Salzburg and the salt mines.
The highlight for me was climbing to the tower at the top of the castle where you can see for miles over the city, and the surrounding snow-capped mountains which aren’t visible from the ground.
Have lunch with a view at Steinterrasse
Steinterrasse is on the roof of Hotel Stein, where we stayed, so we reserved a table for lunch. This rooftop bar/restaurant has great views of the city, river and castle and is excellent on a sunny day.
The food is a bit on the expensive side, and maybe it’s a bit pretentious, but the fancy meatballs were tasty and it was worth it for the atmosphere.
Visit Mirabell Gardens
Mirabell Gardens is a public garden at Mirabell Palace. It’s a pleasant place to wander around on a nice day and features many different gardens to enjoy.
We found a quiet courtyard with evening sun, a stage and seating area, and a dwarf garden which we found quite… odd.
We visited in March so most of the plants weren’t in full bloom, but it was lovely nonetheless and worth a visit when you want to relax.
Have dinner at Barenwirt
Barenwirt is a bit further outside of the city centre which made for a nice evening stroll along the river.
Of the places we ate in Salzburg this was my favourite. A small cozy restaurant that felt a bit like being in someone’s home. I had the goulash and it was delicious.
Day 4 – Breakfast at Cafe Bazar
Before you say goodbye to your weekend in Salzburg, make sure you stop for breakfast at Cafe Bazar. Right on the river with plenty of tables outside in the morning sunshine, it’s a classy spot for your morning meal.
Perhaps it’s a bit ‘obvious’, but we enjoyed our granola and coffee watching people walk by from behind our sunglasses.
What about the Sound of Music?
You’ll note I haven’t mentioned the classic movie that was filmed in and around Salzburg… that’s because I’ve never seen it. I know, I know, you don’t understand, but it’s true!
If you’re looking to spend a day on a Sound of Music tour, check out these options on Viator. I’ve booked a number of day tours through Viator and it’s a company I like and trust.
Liked this? You might like…
Join my email list and get adventure inspiration in your inbox!
Plus! Free guide: How to Get More Adventure in Your Life