City Guide for Salzburg

Get prepared for your visit to Salzburg with the Free Walking Tour Blog written by a local, licensed Tour Guide. Topics range from Sightseeing to Day Trips to Food and Drinks.

A local’s Salzburg travel guide with advice on where to go AND what to do.

Things to See and Do in Salzburg

Photographer hiking Kapuzinerberg via the Imbergstiege in Salzburg

This is your guide to my hometown. Discover what to do and see, where to stay, and what to eat in Salzburg. Find out about Salzburg’s best day trip destinations and how to reach them. There is more to Salzburg than the Sound of Music and Mozart.

My name is Gerhard. I am deeply rooted in Salzburg Tourism and passionate about traveling and travelers. Passionate about meeting and guiding you. It’s my desire to share what I love and know about my city. I believe and hope that my knowledge in form of this Salzburg City Guide will prove useful to you on your journey.

Your Comprehensive Salzburg travel guide to help you plan better and explore more.

All Salzburg Blog Posts

  • Hotel Sacher Salzburg Suite

    Ultimate List of the Best Luxury Hotels in Salzburg

    As a local who works in tourism, founded the Free Walking Tour Salzburg, and runs this travel blog you are reading, I have had the pleasure of experiencing some of the most luxurious hotels in…
  • Journey Into the Past: a Review of the Open Air Museum Salzburg

    The Open Air Museum Salzburg, also known as the Freilichtmuseum Salzburg, is a historical open-air museum located just outside Salzburg. The museum is dedicated to preserving and showcasing the traditional rural architecture and culture of…
  • The cue at the entrance to the Ice caves

    What to Expect from a Visit to the Werfen Ice Caves?

    The Ice Caves in Werfen, Austria are the largest Ice Caves in the world. They are convenient to reach from Salzburg, and besides the Lake district and Berchtesgaden, the Werfen Ice Caves in summer are…
  • Sacher Hotel Wien Cake SachertorteRAF

    Austrian Desserts: The Icing on the Cake in Salzburg

    While Austrian main courses may become repetitive over time, the opposite is true for Austrian desserts. Austrian cuisine is renowned for its pastries and sweets, featuring a wide variety of cakes, tarts, and cookies found…
  • Man walking into the Salzburg Cathedral

    Discover Salzburg on a Budget: Best Low-Cost Hidden Gems

    In another article, I wrote about the Salzburg Card and how to use it. The Salzburg Card is the best deal if you want to save money while visiting all the sights.  I understand, however, if you are…
  • The Hohensalzburg Fotress at Sunset

    1000 Years: A Brief History of the Hohensalzburg Fortress

    If I could only recommend one sight in Salzburg, it would be the Hohensalzburg fortress. First of all because of the three viewing platforms, but also because of the building, the museums, the funicular, and…
  • Inneneinrichtung vom Cafe Tomaselli, dem ältesten Cafe Salzburgs

    Where to find Traditional Austrian Cafés in Salzburg?

    Are you wondering why Viennese coffee house culture became part of the UNESCO World Heritage? In this article, I will tell you why and point you to the best Viennese Coffee houses in Salzburg. I only…
  • Easter Bunnies in Austria

    Easter in Austria: 8 Easter Traditions and Customs

    Easter in Austria marks the beginning of Spring and the beginning of my favorite season. Tourist season. But Easter is far from a random holiday in spring. In fact, Easter is the most important Christian…
  • Bluntautal near Golling

    3 Favorite Off-the-Beaten-Path Escapes from Salzburg

    Hallstatt, the Eagles Nest, and the Ice Caves. These are the most popular places to visit from Salzburg and for a reason. Each of those places is surrounded by stunning natural beauty. Due to their…
  • Hellbrunn Castle in Winter

    Hellbrunn Palace: An Introduction to Salzburg’s Trick Fountains

    Hellbrunn might be the most visited place in the surroundings of Salzburg. On the one hand, that’s because of its proximity to the city and because the castle and the trick fountains are included in…
  • Traditional Theme Park Attractions at the Rupertikirtag Fair

    Rupertikirtag: A Guide to the Most Traditional Festival in Austria

    As a local tour guide of over a decade and an old town resident, I have to admit that Rupertikirtag is not my favorite event for reasons I will disclose later. However, as a visitor…
  • The Austrian Lake District - Sankt Wolfgang Seeufer

    What to Do in St Wolfgang in the Salzkammergut Lake District

    Salzburg may be the second most famous Austrian city after Vienna, but it’s just a stone’s throw away from some of the countries most spectacular natural wonders. The Austrian lake district is one of them….
These posts are probably worth your time. Straight from a local guide.

Recommended Reads

  • Gerhard Reus and the 24 hour Salzburg Card

    Salzburg Card Secrets: The Complete Guide to Salzburg Cards

    The Salzburg Card allows you admission to most of the attractions in Salzburg at a fixed price. There are 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hour Salzburg cards, allowing you free admission within those timeframes. You can visit all the museums, head out…
  • Königsseeschifffahrt

    7 Best Day Trips from Salzburg: A Local’s Guide to Top Spots

    You can explore the essentials of Salzburg in a day or two. If you are a curious traveler, you could keep going and won’t run out of new discoveries in the old town. However. If…
  • Photographer hiking Kapuzinerberg via the Imbergstiege in Salzburg

    Salzburg in One Day: The Perfect Itinerary for Independent Travelers

    There are certain ingredients for the perfect day in Salzburg. In this article, I will give them to you. This article will help design your day from start to finish, so you don’t miss anything….
  • Free Walking Tour Postcard

    The Definitive List of 100+ Things to Do in Salzburg

    Salzburg is small. You could see the main sights in a day or even half a day. However, there are many more things to do in Salzburg than just the essentials. We need the details…
  • String Puppet Museum

    Where the Hills are Alive: The Sound of Music Locations in Salzburg

    Most Austrians have never seen the Sound of Music, but as a local guide with over a decade of experience, first navigating the streets on a bike taxi and now on foot, I’ve gone deep…
  • Landestheater Salzburg and Hotel Bristol Salzburg

    The 15 BEST Hotels in the Old Town of Salzburg

    Are you looking for the perfect place to stay while visiting Salzburg? Salzburg’s Old Town is one of Austria’s most precious gems and showcases the country’s best-preserved architectural and cultural monuments. A stay in the…

Have you booked your tour yet?

Spots fill quickly, so it’s best to book your Tour in advance. A couple of hours that give you stories, context, and tips for the rest of your stay.