rick steves walking tour of salzburg

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Salzburg – Rick Steves Town Walk

If you are jet lagged or would like to take a walk around Salzburg in Austria, I highly recommend the Salzburg Rick Steves Town Walk. I LOVED Salzburg and found to to be a walkable city and this walk a fun activity to do in town that is almost free. In Rick Steve’s town walk, he leads you around Salzburg and gives you a paragraph or two about 15 different items of significance. It was as if we were on a guided tour, but with complete flexibility. We could dip into stores we liked and stop for coffee whenever, while still learning about the buildings and history of Salzburg.

Where you go on the Salzburg Rick Steves Town Walk

The town walk is a great introduction to the city of Salzburg. Rick Steves slowly introduces you Salzburg’s historical connection to Mozart, the Sound of Music, and the salt trade – all of which I found fascinating. Once you have an overview of the town, you can delve deeper into the topics that you find to be particularly interesting. For example, my mother and I went to dinner and concert at the Hohensalzburg Fortress to honor mozart and scouted out all the Sound of Music spots that interested us. 15 items of significance might seem like a lot, but none of the items were too heavy or involved. Here’s a breakdown of what types of things that will be described to you:

• 3 Churches (or view of Church)
• 6 Important Buildings
• 3 Important Courtyards

Within some of these items, he will point out fun facts of lesser importance. For example on the way from St. Peter’s Cemetery to Kapitelplatz, he points out a restaurant that is supposedly the oldest restaurant in existence – from 803 A.D. It was also on this section that we found a salt store, which provided excellent and inexpensive souvenirs from a city historically known for its’ salt trade! Who wouldn’t need some salt?

At a Glance:

• Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars – would do it again in a heartbeat!
• Intensity: Cute outfit with walking shoes
• Location: Salzburg, Austria
• Cost: Free for Audio and map, $7 for pocketbook
• Restrooms: There were at least one set of paying bathrooms that Rick Steves leads you by.
• Timing: 1.5 – 3 hours

Highlights:

• Scavenger hunt-type discovery of the town
• Historical briefing and significance given about each destination
• Seeing sights and walking through areas that you might not normally visit.

Highlights of the Salzburg Rick Steves Town Walk

The town walk took us about 3 hours to complete, but the beauty of doing the walk ourselves was that we could go at our own pace, which was quite leisurely. We didn’t purchase any entrance tickets, but stepped into the Cathedral and other churches, when appropriate.

Some of my favorite parts of the walk included: the starting bridge for it’s view of the town, the special view of the cathedral, finding a salt shop and Mozart chocolates near the veggie market, and ending up at the Alter Markt, where we accidentally stumbled upon the best seats upstairs at Cafe Tomaselli. Cafe Tomaselli was a delight, so I highly recommend stopping there for a coffee or afternoon cocktail/beer. Also, during the entire walk I felt entertained and informed… even if we did get a little lost sometimes. Rick Steves provides the perfect balance of entertaining tidbits and condensed history lesson at each place.

How to Get the List/Audio and Map

I had planned to listen to the Salzburg town walk, but my mom and I ultimately decided to read from her Rick Steves pocket book to each other. Honestly, this was a great way to keep present in the moment, and discover the town together. You can listen through Rick Steves app or you can buy the Munich and Salzburg Pocketbook on Amazon for about $7. I even found a PDF of the town walk map !

This little town walk was an excellent way to orient ourselves in a new town. This orientation came in extremely handy when going to the Salzburg Fortress Dinner and Concert later that evening. I could tell that Salzburg was a town that I was going to enjoy, but after the walk, I completely adored it.

What self-guided town walks have you done before? Let me know in the comments if you recommend any others because I am sure there are a ton of towns/cities which Rick Steves hasn’t organized the walks for.

Happy Travels,

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Salzburg Town Walk Audio Tour Austria Audio Tours

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For the latest version of this audio tour, download the (free!) Rick Steves' Audio Europe™ App — available for Apple and Android. Learn more at https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/audio/audio-europe The hills are alive with the sound of Rick's voice, as we visit the gracious city of Mozart, castles, baroque towers, pleasant cafes, and — everywhere you go — the Sound of Music. Allow about an hour for this walk.

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How is the public transportation? From the train station, will there be a place to pick up a map showing some important sights or should I get something beforehand?

Of course like many I'd like to see some of the Sound of Music places, but I don't feel like paying to sit in a tour bus all day and I want to take my time and see much more than just that. Is it possible to get to most of the good places (not just Sound of Music stuff) by foot and public transport? Any recommendations for some must-sees? or must-eats?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

The bus station is right outside the train station. I imagine there would be maps and tourist guides at the train station as I've seen guide books on stands there (although never bought anything). Take a bus into the old city. You will pass Mirabelgarten on the way so you can either do that first (with Mozarts Wohnhaus just close by) or you could do it on the way back (it's within walking distance from the old city).

In Mozartplatz there is the tourist information office where you can get all the information you need although we bought a SOM Keepsake guide book in a gift shop. This guide shows all the SOM locations in the city. Many of them are in the Altstadt and VERY close together. If you're going to do a lot of the sights a Salzburg card would be a good idea. I think you can buy these at the railway station but certainly at the tourist office and other tourist shops.The tourist office itself and the row of shops beside it in Mozartplatz were also featured in the film. As the children are learning do-re-mi they are going along in a carriage and pass by these shops. The sign for the hairdresser (Friseur) is still there after all these years.

The benefit of doing the SOM locations on your own and on foot is that you can get closer to them and take your time. Nonnberg Abbey is part way up the hill towards the fortress. You could combine this with a visit to the fortress itself which is wonderful. It's like another world up there as the architecture is totally different to the city. Take the funicular up as it's quicker. Nonnberg is signposted on the walkway to and from the fortress and you can go round to the gates featured in the film, and go into the little church. There are two horse fountains featured in the film. One is in Residenzplatz, a seventeeth century beauty, the other is the painted horse pond close to the Monchsberg on Karajan Square, easily reached close to the top of Getreidegasse ( Mozart's birthplace is close by and all the trendy shops). The rock riding school featured at the end of the movie for the concert is a few steps away on Hoftstallgasse.

If you take the Monchsberg lift (close to the painted horse pond) up to the museum of modern art you get a stunning view of the city, perhaps the most famous view. Just outside the museum doors is a set of steps known as the "Winkler "steps because of the wonderful restaurant that was there during the sixties. It is on these steps that Maria first put words to the do-re-mi song in the film. It is worth a quick trip up just to catch the view (and you can use the Salzburg card for this too).

Across the river in Mirabelgarten there are various locations used in the film and you will recognise them. The garden only takes a short while to circumnavigate, with photo opportunities all the way.

The things you miss out on by doing the SOM on foot are the gazebo (frankly you're missing nothing. It is stuck in a corner of the grounds at Hellbrunn close to the car park. Everyone rushes to photograph it but it really is totally uninspiring); Leopoldskron castle (which is only a drive-by on the tour) can be seen from the southern battlements of the Fortress but you wouldn't be able to get close to it unless you found a bus to take you by there. Frohnburg, the other house used in the film is along the traffic-free Hellbrunner Allee. You'd have to take some time out to walk along it and as your time is precious I wouldn't bother. Obviously you wouldn't see the SOM marriage church which is situated miles away from Salzburg at Mondsee.

You should have time during your day to sit and enjoy some of Salzburg's cafe society too. Have a wonderful trip.

This past Christmas we spent in Salzburg and just to verify that we had seen everything, we took the tour. We went with Bob's Tour - the small one. While it was very nice and our guide was very informative, I would not do it again. I also understand that in the warmer months, the tour includes a luge ride and a stop for pie at a cafe. We didn't do this as we went in the winter.

We really enjoyed our time at Mirabel Palace the day we went there on our own and you can see everything there that was in the movie without being rushed.

If I was starting all over again, I would do as Liz suggested and get the guide book and do it your self. It's easy, fun and you are experiencing the ambiance of Salzburg at the same time.

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Salzburg Hotels and Places to Stay

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Joyful Exuberance in Salzburg

I’m in Salzburg, lying in bed about 100 meters from Mozart’s dad. He’s just outside my window in the graveyard of St. Sebastian church. When in town, I generally sleep within easy earshot of its bells. The bells of Salzburg ring with a joyful exuberance. They wouldn’t if its citizens didn’t like it that way.

Yesterday, in a tiny village church, I lingered, but it felt lifeless. Suddenly the dozen or so tourists loitering around me burst into a rich, Slavic hymn-—invigorating the church. They were a folk group from Slovakia who explained, “We can’t be in a church without singing.”

This morning here in Salzburg, I went to the 10 o’clock mass at the cathedral. As hoped, a choir and small orchestra filling the loft turned the back wall into a wall of sound. I was with my camera crew, in a dizzying perch, high on the side, enjoying a privileged birds-eye view of the musical action. Far below me a thousand people faced the altar. I faced the loft, where for 2 years of Sundays, Mozart served as organist: baroque scrolls, dancing cupids, conductors’ batons, swirling the icing on a musical cake.

On the 250th year of his birth, the musical genius of Mozart is still powering worship. Walking home, a woman on a bike artfully towed a tiny wagon under the spires. On it was a tall, triangular, black leather case. I said “Wow, only in Salzburg…a bike, towing a harp.” She looked at me and added, “A Celtic harp.” At the ATM a few minutes later I met a woman from a Sweet Adelines choir. She said “We traveled all the way from Pennsylvania to sing here in Salzburg…the people love us here.”

Music seems to weather the storms of modernity very well. It wouldn’t, if the citizens didn’t like it that way.

21 Replies to “Joyful Exuberance in Salzburg”

Great to follow along with you Rick. My wife and I were in Austria (with your book in hand of course) last summer and fell in love with both Salzburg and Vienna. The beauty of Salzburg and the livability and class of Vienna were the highlights of our 16 day trek around Central Europe. We are lucky enough here in Chicago to have the only Julius Meinl coffee shop outside of Vienna in the entire world. If you are ever in town coffee and dessert is our treat. Enjoy the music and a coffee and torte for us. Thanks Matt and Katie

Our memory of Innsbrook Austria was a pink church, we sat in the last row in respect for the local people. The music, the paintings, the stained glass windows and the sunshine pouring through aluminated the real artistry kept alive for all of us to enjoy. “A thousand people”…must have been a very large church indeed. When we travel, we make it a point to visit all the churches, read the plaques, and I can’t understand how they allow tourists to walk all over the artistic grave stones in the floors of the church ? Our next trip will definately include Vienna ans Salzburg while indulging on the wonderful food and sweets… Thanks Rick, you are really appreciated, how lucky to be able love your work ! Lin + Mark

Rick, we just got back from Germany and Austria and it was a pleasure to chat with you for a few moments at the Kaisergruft (imperial crypt) in Vienna last week (and share in your filming). Thanks for your hospitality. We have used your books for many years while traveling in Europe. We look forward to your new shows and wish you well. We enjoyed the self-guided Walk you wrote for Salzburg, as well as other places on our trip.

Thank You Rick for doing this blog on your travels!! It is so fun to follow along.

Thank you so much for having the blog. I won’t be making it to Europe for a few years yet, but I know I’ll be one the most informed tourists after those years of reading your shared stories here. Thanks again! Ginny

I fell in love with Salzburg on one of your tours three summers ago. It is my favorite European city. Prague comes in a pretty close second (which I visited in May this year). On a second trip to Salzburg last year, I was able to spend about 15 very quiet and reflective minutes in the Nonnberg Abbey before the first tourists showed up. On the tour trip, I also ate dinner with two new tour friends in front of the big city hall screen in Vienna. I love traveling in Europe (with your guidebooks).

Rick- Glad to see that you are re-visiting some places that are among the favorites of my husband and myself- due to your TV show. We have been traveling “Rick’s style” for 20+ years and love it. Salzburg and Vienna will always have part of my heart! We too will be in Scandanavia (Oslo) (and London) soon- we fly out Thursday night. Maybe we’ll finally get to see you in action! Keep up the wonderful work- the web site is marvelous and this blog is a great addition.

Ha! When my wife and I stay in Salzburg we stay at what must be the same hotel, even maybe the same room. I too like to be close to papa Mozart. And Constanze.

Keep up the blog, Rick. I’m relieving my last trip through you!!

Saw you on the footike path along the river the other day 18.07.06 in Salzburg, Österreich. I wasnt sure if it was you, so I turned around to see if it was you. [I was running on the path] I got excited, have used your info. for traveling before. Haben Sie eine gute Seit in Salzburg!- Fred

Finally! I am thrilled to see that you have a blog. It is a delight to read. A few years ago, I discovered the lovely wine gardens outside Vienna, with your helpful guidebook. A big thanks. I am looking forward to more of your excellent entries. Will you be traveling outside of Austria as well?

Hello Rick,

As others have mentioned, it is a great idea to get a travel blog. I am planning a trip to Germany (and especially the Black Forest) and would love to do the same.

Barry Southers

Salzburg is amazing. My family and I spent 4 days there this Easter Week of 2006. I fell in love with Salzburg. The church bells ringing on Easter morning for mass was such an emotional feeling for all of us. It would be so amazing if we had this in the United States. There is no place on earth with the exception of the vatican that has such an amazing celebration of this very Holy Week. Thanks for your blog.

Auf Weidershen have a wonderful time in Austria

Rick, love reading your blogs about Austria…one of my favorite countries to visit. Your comments remind me of my visits there. Speaking of places not visited so much by North America tourists, have you ever checked out Graz and the surrounding towns and places there…absolutely incredible! Have fun in Austria!

Rick- I would have to say that you (and your shows and especially your books) were what inspired me to make my first trip to Europe on my own. Thanks for the insights that led me through the ‘back door’ rather than through the well-traveled paths. THIS is what I have found most rewarding.

For some time I have been trying to figure out what is the big deal with blogs? With yours, I can see the point — great idea!

Thanks for taking the time to create and post to this blog. You’re a hero to me and a good traveller buddy of mine – traveling for a living… you made the right choice!

Thanks for letting us all be a part of it!

Love your books, videos, travel goodies, and store. My husband and I are both teachers and hitting Italy for three solid weeks for the first time this August. Thanks for all you guidance.

What is your opinion of Roma Pass? It looks like it came out April 2006. http://www.romapass.it/

Also, I have a suggestion for you that might be a not-so-new one. I would love to be able to have an annual subscription to your web site (like a magazine). With this subscription I could have access to printing information normally available through your books. However, I would only have to print the exact pages and know the info is the latest most updated stuff. I have spoken with many people about this and they love the idea too (quite sophisticated market analysis!). Who wouldn’t want the most up to date Rick Steves library at their fingertips?

Grazie, Lisa M (Redmond, WA)

I so much enjoyed reading your blog, partly because it was from you and partly because I love Austria. I have been fortunate enough to have enjoyed five trips to Europe, and your books and TV programs have been invaluable. Alas, unless I find another 60-year-old widow who is as slow as I now am from arthritis, I may have to just live vicariously through your travels. BTW, I was fascinated to read Andy’s blogs last year–and this is not something I normally take the time to do.

I went to Europe for the first time last July (2005). I am a grandmother-to-be, back in college(now that the kids have grown up). The much younger students, another non-traditional student and I stayed at the Kolping House in Salzburg. It is the most beautiful city!

Your books helped make that trip most versatile. We used the Eurail for our weekend travel. Your books, detailing each destination, provided so much time saving information that we were able to enjoy much more than we ever thought possible.

My friend, Karen, constantly (102 times at the last count!)would look at me and say,”I could live here!” She always had the biggest smile. I know how she felt. We are both hooked and already planning for the next vacation in Europe. We’ll be taking notes! Thanks again for the wonderful, timely information.

Carla, I think it is a common affliction for many of us. As my wife and I travel we often say the same thing, “I could live here!” As a matter of fact in a couple of years when I retire we are planning to do just that. But, where? Happy travels. Jacobsen Travels.com

Rick, The family really appreciated the time you spent with all 8 us, in Hallstatt. The grandchildren may have started journaling again, because of your comments. We hope we can ‘run’ into you again and share dessert and coffee.

Keep on travelin’

Salzburg…gorgeous. I travelled solo through Salzburg so avoided the planned tour thing and got to meet with and converse with the people. They were warm and characters I found..more so than in Germany. I also went in off season so perhaps had a different take. This city captures the hearts and minds of so many..always has and always will.

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Getting Around Salzburg

I will be visiting Salzburg for 2 days in August and I booked a hotel in the smaller area of Old town; north/west of the river. My partner is 69 and has some issues walking, and tires easily. I was wondering what is the best way to get around, buses? Taxis? Walking we can do but will need to rely on some sort of other transportation. Thank you!

That sort of depends on what you mean by getting around. And also where you're staying. I'm not sure what you mean by " north/west of the river ". The Salzach runs through Salzburg roughly from southeast to northwest, so either you are on the northeastern side of the river, or the southwestern side. Or as they are also known, the right and left side.

But both parts of the old town are pedestrian zones so to get around them you walk. There are also a number of bus routes running along the edges of them.

Buses are frequent and will help you out. You can pick up a map and or buy tickets at the train station. If you are getting a "salzburg" card local buses are included. Here is a map of the bus routes. https://ontheworldmap.com/austria/city/salzburg/salzburg-public-transport-map.html

I apologize for my error, we are staying Northeast of the River near Mozart University. Thank you for the help!

In that case, you have a couple of bus stops in the area that are served by a number of routes. Even if you're not getting a Salzburg-card, a 24 hour ticket for the buses is very cheap.

it's a walking city and designed for such, so you will be at a disadvantage. Don't think taxis will be much help. As noted, looks like you'll need the buses.

The bus routes in Salzburg do not go into the pedestrianized historic area of Salzburg. Your best bet is to take taxis to really minimize walking, but these will be $$ and possibly hard to locate. Getting a taxi at your hotel will be easy, but when it is time to return, you will need to find a taxi stand. I suggest asking your hotel to pinpoint for you on a map where the taxi stands are located.

Assuming that you are staying near Mirabell Gardens, it is only a 7 minute walk to Mozart's birthplace. This building is centrally located. Do you think your partner can do 7-10 minutes?

I keep the "Free Now" app on my phone for taxis especially in German speaking countries. On a recent trip to Salzburg, I got on a bus going in the wrong direction. When I figured that out, I hopped off at a bus stop that sadly had no further service for the day. I used the Free Now app to request a taxi. It's a lot like Uber/Lyft. Worked great!

I always stay near the train station which also has a bus depot. Often just walk a mile to the “outdoor mall” street below the castle. We have found excellent eating across the river - a less fancy pedestrian area.

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The Hidden Gem Spots Rick Steves Recommends Instead Of These Tourist-Infested Ones

European travel expert Rick Steves has a lot of great tips , but his most valuable advice may center on adjusting your mindset rather than packing well or saving money. In an interview with Journey Woman , Steves expressed concerns that social media drives travelers to the same iconic landmarks to get identical photos as those taken by every other tourist who came before them. Steves sees meeting different kinds of people, trying new things, and leaning into the differences between where you come from and the places you visit as the goal of traveling — and that means heading to destinations that locals frequent, not tourist hot spots.

You can try this approach by skipping classic destinations like Madrid or Lisbon and choosing what Steves calls "second cities," like Porto or Cordoba. It can also mean doing some more research to find places that have the same appeal as some of the most popular places but that get fewer tourists, like choosing to visit beaches on the Peloponnesian Peninsula rather than going to busy Santorini or even swapping out big cities like Salzburg for nearby small towns like Hallstatt (pictured) which have the same great views and way less tourists.

Avoid the biggest tourist traps and choose local favorites

Rick Steves has called out big tourist traps that don't have much to offer travelers looking for authentic experiences on his  website . According to Steves, the tourism industry essentially created many well-known destinations to sell stereotypes about their respective countries to visitors eager to find an exciting destination.

For example, in Germany, Steves says that the Rhine River has become a staple for visiting tourists eager to see castles rising from the mountainside. While an undoubtedly gorgeous region, Steves recommends swapping it for the area around the Mosel River (pictured). Steves explains that although it doesn't see much tourism compared to more popular German spots, the Mosel Valley resembles what people imagine when they think about their perfect trip along the Rhine. It features a beautiful river winding around vineyards and castles.

For those seeking authentic experiences, Steves suggests doing what the locals enjoy rather than pursuing activities catered to tourists. Rick Steves suggests having authentic dining experiences by eating at family-owned restaurants in quiet neighborhoods. You might also want to check out local events, like a soccer match, religious service, or street market, instead of choosing places you've heard of before.

Swap the most famous cities for second cities

Instead of visiting the most famous cities in Europe, you might want to swap in some less popular but still fascinating and beautiful options. Steves has dubbed these locations "second cities" because they are more likely to be the second largest or second most popular. They might not be as famous, but they often contain many of the same cultural experiences as their touristy counterparts without forcing visitors to fight the crowds. "While lacking the popularity and the bucket-list sights, Europe's second cities tend to enjoy a creative edge, a strong civic spirit, a Rust Belt toughness, fun-loving eateries with cutting-edge menus, entertaining street art," Rick Steves explained in an article for The Washington Post .

Sometimes, these second cities may even provide a more authentic experience because they don't focus on travelers as much. They might also cost less to visit, especially if you follow Rick Steves' advice for finding budget accommodations . Steves has suggested visiting Glasgow (pictured) over Edinburgh, Lyon or Marseille instead of Paris, Antwerp instead of Brussels, and cities like Manchester or Birmingham rather than London.

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