Walking Around Old Town Salzburg on a Cloudy Day
Walking Around Old Town Salzburg - Where to Start
One of the highlights of a trip to Salzburg, Austria, is walking around historical Old Town Salzburg. When visiting Old Town Salzburg, a guide is not necessary, as all the key sights can be seen on a self-guided walking tour. I visited Salzburg in December of 2023 and enjoyed walking around Old Town Salzburg on a cloudy day. The sections below will highlight my 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.) Begin by crossing the Salzach River and walk towards the two towers of the Salzburg Cathedral.
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 viwes of Old Town Salzburg along the journey.
Walking Around Old Town Salzburg on a Cloudy Day - Table of Contents
- Where to Start
- Salzburg Cathedral
- Fortress Hohensalzburg
- DomQuartier
- St. Peters Abbey
- Old Town Clock Tower
- Mozart’s Birthplace
- Salzach River
- Mozart Bridge
- Christmas Markets
- Walking Around Salzburg – Tours and Packages
- Support Buzzin’ Around the World – Visit Our Affiliates
- Earning Points and Rewards
- Related Content
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Walking Around the Salzburg Cathedral Area
After crossing the Salzach River and entering Old Town, I began my self-guided walking tour of 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.
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.
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. You can read about my visit to the Fortress by clicking HERE.
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.”
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.
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.
Walking Around St. Peter's Abbey Area
The next stop of my self-guided walking tour of Salzburg 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.
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.
It is difficult to get a good photo of St. Peter’s Abbey from the cemetery.
The best place to photograph St. Peter’s Abbey is from the observation platform at Fortress Hohensalzburg.
Walking the Narrow Streets Near the Old Town Hall Clock Tower
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Walking Along the Salzach River
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.
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.
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.
Be sure to walk across the Mozart Bridge and take in the views in all directions.
The photos below were taken from the Mozart Bridge.
Salzburg Christmas Markets
If you visit Salzburg during late November and December, Old Town Salzburg will be lined with Christmas Markets. To learn more about the Salzburg Christmas Markets, please visit my Christmas Market page by clicking HERE.
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.
Prices are accurate as of February 2024.
 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. |
 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. |
 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! |
 Scavenger hunt through the old town of Salzburg - $31.39 Why a City Quest? |
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