Walking Around Old Town Salzburg

Salzburg Itinerary for Walking Around Old Town

One of the highlights of my trip to Salzburg, Austria, was walking around Salzburg’s historical Old Town (sometimes called the Historic City Centre of Salzburg.) I created the following Salzburg itinerary highlighting the key tourist sites in Old Town Salzburg, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. When visiting Old Town Salzburg, a guide is not necessary, as all the key sights can be seen by following this route.

I visited Salzburg in December of 2023 and enjoyed walking around Old Town Salzburg on a cloudy day. The sections below will highlight my Salzburg itinerary and experiences during my self-guided walking tour of Old Town Salzburg.

The best place to begin a walking tour of Old Town Salzburg is at the Makartsteg Bridge (Love Lock Bridge.) This is where I started my day in Salzburg itinerary for walking around Old Town. To begin, I crossed the Salzach River and walked towards the two towers of the Salzburg Cathedral.

The photo below shows the Love Lock Bridge from the Hohensalzburg Fortress.

My Salzburg Itinerary Began at the Makartsteg Bridge (Love Lock Bridge)
My Salzburg Itinerary Began at the Makartsteg Bridge (Love Lock Bridge)

If you are coming from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof (train station) or staying outside of Old Town, I highly recommend walking along the pedestrian path that follows the Salzach River. I recommend walking on the side of the river opposite Old Town Salzburg and then crossing at the Love Lock Bridge. Doing so will allow you the best views of Old Town Salzburg along the journey.

Old Town Salzburg Along the Salzach River
Old Town Salzburg Along the Salzach River

Salzburg Itinerary for Walking Around Old Town on a Cloudy Day - Table of Contents

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Walking Around the Salzburg Cathedral Area

After crossing the Salzach River and entering Old Town, I began my Salzburg itinerary for walking around Old Town Salzburg near the Salzburg Cathedral. The current Salzburg Cathedral was completed in 1628 and renovated in 1959. The renovations were necessary as the building was hit by a single bomb in World War I.

Salzburg Cathedral Seen from Residenzplatz
Salzburg Cathedral Seen from Residenzplatz

I did not go in the Salzburg Cathedral during my trip to Salzburg. Instead, I walked around the outside of the Cathedral, which was lined by Christmas Markets.

The Facade of the Salzburg Cathedral
The Facade of the Salzburg Cathedral

Walking Around the Fortress Hohensalzburg Area

After spending about ten minutes walking around the Salzburg Cathedral Area, I continued towards Fortress Hohensalzburg. As I approached the Fortress, I was happy to see that the fog and clouds were beginning to clear up enough to see the Fortress.

Later in the day, I spent a few hours visiting Fortress Hohensalzburg, which can easily be reached by taking the nearby cable car. I created a separate page for the fortress which is linked in the previous sentence.

Hohensalzburg Seen from Old Town Salzburg
Hohensalzburg Seen from Old Town Salzburg

One of my favorite sights in Salzburg was the Salzburg Spharea. This gold ball was created in 2007 by artist Stephen Balkenhol. Standing atop the Spharea is a man who is supposed to represent the “everyday man.”

The Salzburg Sphaera
The Salzburg Sphaera

Walking the Exterior Salzburg DomQuartier

After viewing the Salzburg Sphaera, I backtracked past the Salzburg Cathedral to DomQuartier Salzburg. The DomQuartier Salzburg consists of five different museums built around the Royal Residenz and the Salzburg Cathedral. A single ticket (or the Salzburg Card) gets visitors access to the Cathedral Museum, state rooms of the Residenz, Residenz Gallery, St. Peter’s Museum, as well as any special exhibits.

Entrance to DomQuartier Salzburg
Entrance to DomQuartier Salzburg

I only had one day to view everything that Salzburg had to offer, so I did not go into any DomQuartier Salzburt museums. The museums were my backup plan, and if the cloudy day had turned into a rainy day, I would have spent my time inside viewing the exhibits of the five museums.

DomQuartier Salzburg
DomQuartier Salzburg
Statue Inside the Walls of DomQuartier Salzburg
Statue Inside the Walls of DomQuartier Salzburg

Walking Around St. Peter's Abbey Area

The next stop on my Salzburg itinerary was the St. Peter’s Abbey Area. St. Peter’s Abbey was founded in 696 and is the oldest monastery still in existence in the German-speaking world.

Located behind St. Peter’s Abbey is a cemetery known as Petersfriedhof Salzburg. Be sure to spend some time walking through this beautiful cemetery. It was one of the highlights of my time in Salzburg.

St. Peter's Cemetery - Salzburg, Austria
St. Peter's Cemetery

One of the more interesting sights in St. Peter’s Cemetery is the Catacombs carved into the nearby rocks. The Catacombs date back to at least the 12th Century and include two chapels.

St. Peter's Cemetery - Salzburg, Austria
Walking Through St. Peter's Cemetery
Catacombs Carved into the Rocks
Catacombs Carved into the Rocks

It is difficult to get a good photo of St. Peter’s Abbey from the cemetery.

St. Peter's Abbey
St. Peter's Abbey

The best place to photograph St. Peter’s Abbey is from the observation platform at Fortress Hohensalzburg.

St. Peter's Abbey - Seen from Fortress Hohensazlburg
St. Peter's Abbey - Seen from Fortress Hohensazlburg

Beyond the Clock Tower: Salzburg's Charming Backstreets Await

I love walking around old towns and typically do so without a planned route, as part of the fun is getting lost in the narrow streets. Salzburg was no different, and I enjoyed spending half an hour getting lost in the winding streets of Old Town Salzburg. Be sure to include time on your Salzburg itinerary for getting lost in the streets of Old Town.

One of my favorite buildings was the Old Town Hall Clock Tower, which majestically soared above the streets of Old Town Salzburg. Old Town Hall dates back to the 15th Century and served as Salzburg’s Town Hall until 1947.

Looking Towards Old Town Hall Clock Tower - Salzburg, Austria
Looking Towards Old Town Hall Clock Tower

Be sure to spend some time walking the narrow streets of Old Town Salzburg. You never know what you will find, from colorful buildings to extensive shopping options and various restaurants. Old Town Salzburg has something for everyone.

Narrow Streets of Old Town Salzburg
Narrow Streets of Old Town Salzburg

Visiting Mozart's Birthplace

Salzburg is known as the “city of Mozart” as it is the birthplace of the famous composer. Located in historic Old Town Salzburg, Mozart’s childhood home, painted in bright yellow, is now a museum. 

Birthplace of Mozart - Salzburg, Austria

I spent about 30 minutes visiting the Mozart Museum. The cost of admission to go inside Mozart’s Childhood Home and walk through the museum was €12 (free with the Salzburg Card).

In addition to seeing the various rooms of the home where Mozart gew up, there were also various museum exhibits.

Mozart's Living Room
Mozart's Living Room

Below is one of Mozart’s wigs and sheet music that was written by the famous composer. For anyone who is a fan of Mozart or classical music, a visit to the Mozart Museum is a must.

Mozart's Wig
Mozart's Wig
Sheet Music - Mozart Museum
Sheet Music - Mozart Museum

Be Sure to Add Walking Along the Salzach River to Your Salzburg Itinerary

Before leaving Old Town Salzburg, I highly recommend crossing the various bridges that go over the Salzach River. There are pedestrian paths on either side of the Salzach, and the best views of the buildings of Old Town are on the opposite side of the river.

Old Town Salzburg Along the Salzach River
Old Town Salzburg Along the Salzach River

The walking paths follow the banks of the Salzach River. If you are staying outside of Old Town Salzburg, one easy way to get to Old Town is to follow the Salzach River’s walking paths.

Looking up the Salzach River from the Hohensalzburg Observation Platform
Looking up the Salzach River from the Hohensalzburg Observation Platform

Crossing the Mozart Bridge

One of the best views of Old Town Salzburg is from the center of the Mozart Bridge. The Mozart Bridge is a pedestrian only bridge located near the southern edge of Old Town.

Mozart Bridge - Salzburg, Austria
Mozart Bridge

Be sure to walk across the Mozart Bridge and take in the views in all directions.

Crossing the Mozart Bridge
Crossing the Mozart Bridge

The photos below were taken from the Mozart Bridge.

Salzburg Cathedral Seen from the Mozart Bridge
Salzburg Cathedral Seen from the Mozart Bridge
View from the Mozart Bridge
View from the Mozart Bridge

Salzburg Itinerary Bonus - Exploring the Enchanting Salzburg Market

If you visit Salzburg during late November and December, Old Town Salzburg will be lined with Christmas Markets. Be sure to add the Christmas Markets to your Salzburg itinerary. To learn more about the Salzburg Christmas Markets, please visit my Salzburg Christmas Market page.

The Salzburg Christmas Markets are Located Near the Salzburg Cathedral and DomQuartier Salzburg
The Salzburg Christmas Markets are Located Near the Salzburg Cathedral and DomQuartier Salzburg

Walking Around Salzburg - Tours and Packages

If you do your research on the main attractions, a guide is not necessary for visiting Old Town Salzburg. Most tourists will be able to navigate Old Town Salzburg and see the sights via a self-guided walking tour. That being said, I know some people prefer to be led around by a local guide. I have linked a few tours below that caught my eye. Please note that I am an affiliate of Viator. If you purchase a tour using one of my links, I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no additional cost to you.

For those interested, was unable to find a Sound of Music Tour on Viator. The Sound of Music Tour can easily be found by utilizing a Google Search.

Prices are accurate as of February 2024.

Salzburg Private Walking Tour
Salzburg Old Town Highlights Private Walking Tour - $161.28

Experience the heart, history & heritage of Salzburg on a private tour of the Old Town. Visit the Mirabell Garden and see Mozart's birthplace. Extended options: Kollegienkirche, Salzburg Cathedral & Hohensalzburg.

Choose one of our excellent tour options tailored to your needs and interests.

2h: Old Town Highlights
Visit Mirabell Garden and see the highlights of Salzburg's Old Town, such as Mozart's Birthplace, Kollegienkirche, and Salzburg Cathedral (outside only)

3h: Old Town & Kollegienkirche
Visit the Kollegienkirche, the courtyard of St. Peter's Abbey and Mirabell Garden along with Salzburg's Old Town

4h: Old Town, Kollegienkirche & Salzburg Cathedral
Visit Salzburg Cathedral, Kollegienkirche, the courtyard of St. Peter's Abbey & Mirabell Garden along with Salzburg's Old Town

6h: Old Town, Kollegienkirche, Cathedral & Fortress
Visit Fortress Hohensalzburg, Salzburg Cathedral, Kollegienkirche, the courtyard of St. Peter's Abbey & Mirabell Garden along with Salzburg's Old Town

Old Town Salzburg Private Walking Tour
Salzburg Old Town Private Walking Tour - $158.35

Experience the heart, history and heritage of Salzburg on a private tour of the Old Town. Visit the Mirabell Garden and see Mozart's birthplace.

Highlights:
Explore the Old Town of Salzburg with a 5-Star Private Guide
Discover top attractions, history, heritage and music in Salzburg

Discover the Baroque churches, Mozart’s birthplace and other highlights of Salzburg’s Old Town! On this private tour you can tailor the experience to your needs and interests and sightsee at your own pace. Your Private Guide will show you the best things to see in Salzburg and tell you its fascinating history. Fall in love with Austria’s most musical alpine town!

Salzburg Old Town Running Tour
Salzburg Old Town Running Tour - $31.05

Looking for a fun way to stay fit while you travel and explore new places. Why not combine the two. Come join us on a sight-run around Salzburg's old town. We will take you on a 6km run through its history, scenic sidestreets and picturesque views with the stunning Alps as a backdrop. Runaway with me!

Salzburg Scavenger Hunt Through Old Town
Scavenger hunt through the old town of Salzburg - $31.39

Why a City Quest?
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After pressing the start button you have 12 hours to complete the quest.
We love the flexibility of a quest and we are sure you will too.
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