Salzburg Old Town Walking Tour: A 1-Day Itinerary
Salzburg Old Town Walking Tour
One of the highlights of my trip to Salzburg, Austria, was exploring the city’s historic Old Town on foot. Salzburg Old Town, officially part of the Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is compact enough to explore without a guide.
I visited Salzburg in December 2023 and spent much of my day walking between the major sights in Old Town. My self-guided walking tour of Salzburg included Salzburg Cathedral, Fortress Hohensalzburg, St. Peter’s Abbey, Mozart’s Birthplace, the Salzach River, and many of the narrow streets and squares throughout the historic center.
I began my walk at the Makartsteg Bridge, also known as Salzburg’s Love Lock Bridge. After crossing the Salzach River, I walked toward Old Town and the towers of Salzburg Cathedral.
The photo below shows the Makartsteg Bridge from Fortress Hohensalzburg.
Table of Contents
- Salzburg Old Town Walking Tour
- How to Walk to Salzburg Old Town from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof
- Salzburg Cathedral
- Fortress Hohensalzburg
- DomQuartier
- St. Peters Abbey
- Old Town’s Narrow Streets
- Mozart’s Birthplace
- Salzach River
- Mozart Bridge
- Christmas Markets
- Walking Around Salzburg – Tours and Packages
- Related Content
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How to Walk to Salzburg Old Town from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof
If you are coming from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof or staying outside Old Town, one easy option is to follow the pedestrian path along the Salzach River.
I recommend walking on the side of the river opposite Old Town before crossing at the Makartsteg Bridge. This route gave me some of my favorite views of Salzburg Old Town and Fortress Hohensalzburg across the river.
Walking to Salzburg Cathedral
After crossing the Salzach River and entering Old Town, I continued toward Salzburg Cathedral.
The current cathedral was completed in 1628. During World War II, an aerial bomb struck the cathedral in 1944, damaging its dome and part of the altar area. The restored cathedral was reconsecrated in 1959.
I did not go inside Salzburg Cathedral during my visit. Instead, I walked around the exterior, which was surrounded by Christmas market stalls during my December trip.
Walking Toward Fortress Hohensalzburg
After spending about ten minutes around Salzburg Cathedral, I continued toward Fortress Hohensalzburg. Earlier in the day, clouds and fog had limited my views of the fortress. As I walked closer, I was happy to see the weather beginning to clear enough to get a better look.
Later that afternoon, I spent a few hours visiting Fortress Hohensalzburg, which can easily be reached from Old Town by the Festungsbahn funicular. I have a separate guide covering my visit to the fortress.
One of my favorite sights in this part of Salzburg was the Sphaera in Kapitelplatz. Created in 2007 by German artist Stephan Balkenhol, the artwork features a male figure standing on top of a large golden sphere.
Walking Around DomQuartier Salzburg
After seeing the Sphaera, I backtracked past Salzburg Cathedral toward DomQuartier Salzburg.
DomQuartier connects several historic spaces associated with Salzburg’s prince-archbishops. The visitor route includes the State Rooms of the Residenz, Residenzgalerie, Cathedral Museum, St. Peter’s Museum, and additional historic spaces and exhibits.
I only had one day to see Salzburg, so I did not go inside DomQuartier. The museums were my backup plan in case the cloudy weather turned into steady rain, but the weather remained good enough for me to continue exploring Old Town on foot.
St. Peter's Abbey and Cemetery
My next stop was St. Peter’s Abbey, which was founded in 696 and is considered the oldest monastery still in existence in the German-speaking world.
Located behind the abbey is St. Peter’s Cemetery, also known as Petersfriedhof. I spent some time walking through the cemetery, and it ended up being one of the highlights of my visit to Salzburg.
One of the most interesting sights in the cemetery is the set of catacombs carved into the Mönchsberg rock. The catacombs include two small chapels and can be reached directly from the cemetery.
It was difficult to get a good photograph of St. Peter’s Abbey from inside the cemetery. I found that the best view of the abbey came later from the observation areas at Fortress Hohensalzburg.
Walking the Narrow Streets of Salzburg Old Town
I enjoy walking around historic city centers without following an exact route. Part of the experience for me is seeing what I come across on the smaller streets between the major attractions. Salzburg was no different, and I spent about half an hour simply walking through the narrow streets of Salzburg Old Town.
One building that repeatedly caught my attention was the Old Town Hall and its clock tower. The building dates to the 14th century and was purchased by the city in 1407. It served as Salzburg’s town hall until the mayor’s office moved to Mirabell Palace in 1947.
This part of my Salzburg Old Town walking tour was less about reaching a specific attraction and more about seeing the colorful buildings, shops, restaurants, and narrow streets that connect the major sights.
If you are exploring Salzburg Old Town on foot, I recommend leaving some extra time between attractions instead of walking directly from one landmark to the next.
Visiting Mozart's Birthplace
Salzburg is closely associated with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who was born in the city in 1756. His birthplace at Getreidegasse 9 is easy to recognize by its bright yellow exterior and now operates as Mozart’s Birthplace museum.
I spent about 30 minutes inside the museum. The exhibits cover Mozart’s childhood, family, music, and life in Salzburg, with several rooms containing historical objects and displays. Admission prices can change, so I recommend checking the official Mozart’s Birthplace website for current pricing before visiting. Admission is also included with the Salzburg Card.
Among the items I saw were one of Mozart’s wigs and examples of sheet music.
Anyone with a strong interest in Mozart or classical music will probably get the most out of the museum. I enjoyed seeing the house and exhibits, although travelers with limited time in Salzburg could simply view the exterior and continue exploring Old Town.
Walking Along the Salzach River
I also recommend including part of the Salzach River in a self-guided walking tour of Salzburg. Pedestrian paths run along both sides of the river, and I thought some of the best views of Old Town were from the bank opposite the historic center.
The riverside path is also useful if you are walking to Salzburg Old Town from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof or accommodations outside the historic center.
Crossing the Mozart Bridge
Another worthwhile stop is the Mozart Bridge, a pedestrian bridge near the southern edge of Salzburg Old Town. From the center of the bridge, I had clear views toward Salzburg Cathedral and the buildings lining the Salzach River.
I recommend walking across the bridge even if you simply turn around and return to Old Town. It only takes a few minutes and provides a different perspective of Salzburg’s historic center.
The photos below were taken from the Mozart Bridge.
Salzburg Christmas Markets
Because I visited Salzburg in December, the Salzburg Christmas Markets were also a major part of my walk through Old Town. Market stalls filled the squares around Salzburg Cathedral and DomQuartier, making it easy to combine sightseeing with a visit to the Christmas markets.
If you are visiting Salzburg from late November through December, I have a separate guide covering my experience at the Salzburg Christmas Markets.
Do You Need a Guided Walking Tour of Salzburg?
I found Salzburg Old Town very easy to explore on foot without a guide. The historic center is compact, and most of the major attractions on this route are within a short walk of each other.
If you prefer learning more about Salzburg’s history and architecture while you walk, a guided tour may still be worthwhile. I have linked a few Salzburg walking tours below through Viator that may be worth considering.
I am a Viator affiliate. If you book a tour through one of my links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.