Hotel Sacher Salzburg
Why we like it: Salzburg's grand historic hotel, from 1866, on the bank of the Salzach opposite the old town and the fortress, with 110 rooms and the Café Sacher.
Duration2 nights
From ViennaTrain, about 2 h 30
From SpainPlane to Salzburg (SZG) in season, or to Vienna or Munich and train
Getting aroundOn foot, funicular and bus 25
Best timeApril – October and Advent
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed for leaving Vienna on Friday afternoon and returning on Sunday night, without a car. From April to October, Sunday is for Hellbrunn and the boat; in winter, when they close, for the Untersberg cable car, which stops only for its autumn maintenance.
Friday
- 116:30Train to Salzburg
Railjet from Wien Hauptbahnhof. Leave your suitcase at the hotel and have dinner at the Augustiner Bräu Mülln, with wooden-barrel beer until 23:00.
Saturday
- 108:30Breakfast at the Café Tomaselli
On the Old Market square from 7:00, with the house rolls and brioche.
- 209:30Getreidegasse and Mozart's birthplace
The street of iron signs and the flat where Mozart was born in 1756. €18, or €25 with the Mozart Residence, on the other side of the river.
- 311:30Cathedral and St Peter's Cemetery
Mozart's baptismal font in the cathedral, €7, and the catacombs in the rock of the cemetery next door.
- 413:00Lunch at the Bärenwirt
Backhendl, the Salzburg fried chicken, in Mülln. Midday kitchen until 14:00.
- 515:30Hohensalzburg Fortress
Funicular from the Festungsgasse, €15.50 with the basic ticket. Stay to see the rooftops of the old town light up.
- 619:30Dinner at St. Peter Stiftskulinarium
At St Peter's Abbey, with a seasonal menu or the dinner with Mozart concerts. Book.
Sunday
- 109:30Mirabell Gardens
The Baroque garden with the fortress as a backdrop, free from 6:00.
- 210:30Salzach boat or Untersberg cable car
From April to early November, a 40-minute boat trip, €19. In winter, bus 25 to the Untersberg cable car, €34 return, eight minutes up to 1,776 m.
- 314:00Hellbrunn Palace
From late March to 1 November, on bus 25: Archbishop Markus Sittikus's water games, €16.50. Out of season, extend the Untersberg.
- 418:00Return to Vienna
Railjet from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof. You reach Vienna around nine at night.
Salzburg can be seen in a day from Vienna, but with two nights you enjoy it differently: the Baroque old town at leisure, the fortress when the lights come on, a dinner at St Peter's Abbey and a whole day to head south, to the Hellbrunn water games or the Untersberg mountain, on the same bus. From Vienna it is about two and a half hours by direct train; from Spain, you can also fly to Salzburg when there are seasonal flights.
How do you get there?
From Vienna, on the ÖBB Railjet from Wien Hauptbahnhof or Meidling, with two trains an hour without changing, or on the WESTbahn. Salzburg's main station is a quarter of an hour's walk from the old town.
From Spain, direct flights to Salzburg (SZG) depend on the season. If you can't find one, fly to Vienna or Munich and continue by train. From W. A. Mozart airport, about 6 km away, bus 10 drops you in the centre in a quarter of an hour Monday to Saturday and bus 2, at the main station in about 23 minutes. See the "By plane" panel on the Salzburg listing.
Where to sleep?
| Accommodation | Area | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Stein | Beside the Salzach, opposite the old town | Adults-only design hotel, with a seventh-floor terrace facing the fortress |
| YoHo Hostel | Near the main station | For spending little, with private rooms and bike hire |
| Hotel Sacher Salzburg | On the Salzach bank | The 1866 grand hotel, for a treat |
And if you have one more day?
By car or regional bus, the Salzkammergut and its lakes are east of the city. If you continue by train towards Vienna, you can stop at Melk, at the gateway to the Wachau.
With children
Salzburg is small and flat in the old town. Children enjoy the funicular and the fortress ramparts, the boat and, above all, the Hellbrunn jets: bring a spare T-shirt. The Salzburg Card costs half for children aged 6 to 15.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Salzburg, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Salzburg
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
Salzburg on foot, by bus and by boat
Salzburg is done without a car, and better so: the old town is pedestrianised, hotel garages cost between €24 and €55 a day and everything you will see is on foot or a bus ride away. You arrive by plane or train at the central station, buy the Salzburg Card and forget about it.
110–220 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel Sacher Salzburg and Hotel…
- Getting aroundOn foot through the old…
- Where to eatCafé Tomaselli for breakfast on…
- ServicesSalzburg Card, with the city…
Where to sleep
- Hotel Sacher Salzburg and Hotel Stein, on the bank of the Salzach opposite the old town
- YoHo Hostel, next to the central station
Getting around
- On foot through the old town, Mirabell and both banks
- The FestungsBahn funicular to the fortress
- Bus 25 to Hellbrunn and the Untersberg cable car
- The Salzach boat from the Franz-Josef-Kai
Where to eat
- Café Tomaselli for breakfast on the Alter Markt
- Augustiner Bräu and Bärenwirt, in Mülln, on foot from the centre
Services
- Salzburg Card, with the city bus included
- Tourist offices at the Mozartplatz and the station
Salzburg with a fine hotel and a special table
Salzburg has historic hotels opposite the old town, restaurants with Gault&Millau toques and, in summer, the festival. Luxury here is a room with the fortress in the window, crossing the river on foot to dinner and having tickets for a concert.
From €300per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel Sacher Salzburg, a grand…
- Getting aroundOn foot: both hotels are…
- Where to eatSt. Peter Stiftskulinarium, with a…
- ServicesSalzburg Festival, from 16 July…
Where to sleep
- Hotel Sacher Salzburg, a grand hotel of 1866 on the bank of the Salzach
- Hotel Stein, Venetian design and a rooftop terrace, adults only
Getting around
- On foot: both hotels are a bridge away from the old town
- Private transfer from the airport, arranged by the hotels
Where to eat
- St. Peter Stiftskulinarium, with a surprise menu and the Mozart Dinner
- Café Sacher and Café Tomaselli for the afternoon
Services
- Salzburg Festival, from 16 July to 29 August 2027
- Hotel concierge for opera and concert tickets
Salzburg on a backpack budget, by hostel or tent
Salzburg is not cheap, but it can be managed: a hostel next to the station or a campsite with a bus to the door, dinner at the Augustiner brewery stalls and plenty of things you see for free from outside, from the Mirabell garden to St Peter's Cemetery. If you are going to go into three or four places, the Salzburg Card is worth it.
45–90 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepYoHo Hostel, dorms with lockers…
- Getting aroundOn foot through the centre…
- Where to eatThe Augustiner Bräu stalls, in…
- ServicesCentral station and bus 2…
Where to sleep
- YoHo Hostel, dorms with lockers next to the central station
- Camping Nord-Sam, in the north, with bus 23 to the station
Getting around
- On foot through the centre; city bus with the Salzburg Card
- Bike: the hostel and the campsite hire them out, and there is a path along the Salzach
Where to eat
- The Augustiner Bräu stalls, in Mülln, with a mug of beer
- Hostel breakfast for €8
Services
- Central station and bus 2 to the airport
- Hostel laundry, €3 a wash
Fly to Salzburg or Munich and take a bus or train to the centre
Salzburg has its own airport, W. A. Mozart, about 6 km from the centre: a taxi takes about 15 minutes and the city bus a little over 20. From Spain direct flights depend on the season, so many people fly to Munich or Vienna and continue by train. For the city you do not need a car; hire one only if you are continuing to the Salzkammergut or the Alps.
- Getting thereSalzburg W. A. Mozart (SZG)…
- Getting aroundBus 10 from the airport…
- Where to sleepHotel Stein, three minutes from…
- ServicesAirport bus, lines 2 and…
Getting there
- Salzburg W. A. Mozart (SZG), the nearest, with a city bus at the door
- Munich (MUC), with more connections from Spain, and a train from the city to Salzburg central station
- Vienna (VIE), if you are combining the two cities, with a direct train to Salzburg
Getting around
- Bus 10 from the airport to the centre, about 15 minutes, Monday to Saturday
- Bus 2 from the airport to the central station, about 23 minutes, every day
- The Salzburg Card includes the city buses
- Hire car in the car park opposite the terminal, for the Salzkammergut
Where to sleep
- Hotel Stein, three minutes from the Rathaus stop of bus 10
- YoHo Hostel, next to the central station, where bus 2 stops
Services
- Airport bus, lines 2 and 10
- Car hire at the airport
- Tourist office at the central station
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights2
Where to stay
Where to stay without a carin styleif you're backpackingif you're flying
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Hotel Stein
Why we like it: An adults-only four-star design hotel beside the Salzach, with Murano glass and a seventh-floor terrace facing the fortress.
YoHo Hostel
Why we like it: A hostel near the central station, with 24-hour reception, dorms with lockers, private rooms, a bar and bike hire.
Camping Nord-Sam
Why we like it: A pitch campsite with a pool in north Salzburg, next to the motorway exit, with bus 23 to the station and a cycle path to the centre.
Services for this trip
Areas, for any way of travelling
| Area | Who it's for | Average night |
|---|---|---|
| Old town | Everything on foot, but pricier and noisier | |
| Right bank of the Salzach | Hotels opposite the old town, Mirabell and the Linzergasse | |
| Next to the station | Hostels and cheaper hotels, bus to the airport | |
| North Salzburg | Campsite, motorway exit, bus 23 |
Where to eat
Where to eat in Salzburg
Augustiner Bräu Kloster Mülln
What to order: a mug of Augustiner and whatever you fancy from the stalls in the corridor: roasts, bread, cheese and radish.
Bärenwirt
What to order: the Backhendl, the house's breaded chicken, and for dessert the Salzburger Nockerl if they have them that day.
Café Tomaselli
What to order: an Austrian breakfast with bread rolls and the house brioche, or a coffee with cream and a cake from its bakery.
St. Peter Stiftskulinarium
What to order: the surprise menu at the Peter restaurant, or the Mozart Dinner with a concert if you want music.
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
If you are going to enter three or more places, the Salzburg Card pays off: €35 for 24 hours from November to March and €38 from April to October, with one admission to each attraction and the city bus.
We'd skip it
Don't go up the Untersberg between 2 November and 13 December 2026: the cable car is under maintenance.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does the getaway cost?
With a mid-range hotel, trains, admissions and meals, from about €350 per person for the two nights; dinner at St Peter's raises it.
Do I need a car?
No. The old town is pedestrianised and bus 25 goes to Hellbrunn and the Untersberg.
When is it busiest?
In July and August, with the festival, and in Advent. Book the hotel in good time.
Can it be done from Munich?
Yes: Munich is closer than Vienna by train. If you are flying from Spain, compare the two airports.