Salzburg Day Trip

Salzburg, just across the Austrian border, is the most rewarding city day trip from Munich, and one of the loveliest small cities in Europe: a baroque old town squeezed between the Salzach river and a wooded hill, crowned by one of the largest medieval fortresses in Europe, the Hohensalzburg. For centuries it was an independent state ruled by prince-archbishops, who grew rich on salt and built the city as a showpiece of churches, squares and palaces in the Italian style, which is why the old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, born in 1756 in a yellow house on the Getreidegasse, the narrow shopping street famous for its wrought-iron guild signs, and the home of the Salzburg Festival, one of the world's great music festivals, held each summer. And for many visitors it is above all the city of The Sound of Music, filmed here in the 1960s, with the Mirabell Gardens, where the children sang Do-Re-Mi, the Nonnberg Abbey and the lakes and mountains around the city. A classic day covers the Mirabell Gardens and the palace on the right bank, a walk across the river to the Getreidegasse and Mozart's Birthplace, the cathedral and its squares, and a ride up the funicular to the fortress for a view over the domes and the Alps. In Advent, the Christkindlmarkt in front of the cathedral is one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in the region. The day trip linked here is a guided tour in English of about nine hours, departing from a tour office in central Munich near the main station, with return transport included; the description mentions the two-hour train journey. Alternatively, regional and long-distance trains run frequently between Munich and Salzburg, and an independent trip is easy if you want to set your own pace.

Planning your day: the train journey from Munich to Salzburg takes about two hours, depending on the service, and Salzburg's main station is a fifteen to twenty-minute walk or a short bus ride from the old town. Start on the right bank, in the Mirabell Gardens, which are free, then cross the Makartsteg footbridge, hung with love locks, to the Getreidegasse. Mozart's Birthplace, the cathedral, the Residenzplatz and the Kapitelplatz, with its giant golden sphere, are all within a few minutes of each other. Take the funicular, the Festungsbahn, up to the Hohensalzburg in the afternoon for the view, then come down for coffee and a Salzburger Nockerl, the city's famous baked souffle, before the train home.

Guided or independent: a guided day trip suits first-timers who want the stories, the logistics handled and a group to share the day with, and the guide will make sure you see the main sights in the right order. Going independently gives more flexibility, especially if you want to add the fortress interior, a concert, or one of the museums, and it can be cheaper with group or regional rail tickets. Either way, the Salzburg Card, sold separately, covers many museums and public transport if you plan to see a lot. Remember that Salzburg is in Austria: you cross an international border, though within the Schengen area, so carry your passport or ID.

When to go: Salzburg is beautiful in every season, but it gets very busy in July and August, when the Salzburg Festival is on, and during Advent, when the Christmas markets draw crowds from across the region. Spring and autumn are ideal for comfortable walking, and winter brings snow on the fortress and a cosy coffee-house atmosphere. Couples should linger on the river at sunset; families will enjoy the fortress, the Sound of Music stories and, in summer, the trick fountains at Hellbrunn Palace just outside the city.