Salzburg, Austria

Salzburg, in its Alpine setting, feels like a village.  There's something quite fairy tale and romantic about walking on the tiny streets, looking at the beautiful shops and buildings, and hearing classical music play in the air.  It is best known as being the film setting for The Sound of Music and the birthplace of the great musical composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  You'll see Mozart everywhere, especially in the form of souvenir chocolate balls.

Everyone in Salzburg was really nice and helpful.  I had no trouble finding people who spoke English really well.  This surprised me because Salzburg was such a small town compared to Vienna, where I constantly encountered people who said they spoke "only a little" English.  It was wonderful to speak with people who were so receptive to tourists.

During the summer, you can see all of Salzburg and its museums, PLUS go on a tour of The Sound Of Music all in one day with some careful planning and lots of energy.  (Closing times of the attractions might make your time really tight to fit it all in one day in any other season.)  It took me about seven hours to explore the entire village, including paying visits to museums and castles, taking a snack break, and having a leisurely dinner.  Here's my recommendation for how to best spend one day in Salzburg*:

9:30AM  

Start your day with The Sound of Music Tour. 

1:30PM  

The tour finishes at Mirabell Gardens.  Walk through and take lots of photos.  Purchasing a 24-hour Salzburg Card from the tourist office will grant you free entry to most of Salzburg's most popular sights and museums.

2-5PM  

The biggest bang for your buck with the Salzburg Card will be the cable car ride to Untersberg which offers magnificent village views.  Do this one first since it closes by 5PM most days of the year (4PM in the winter).  Then take the bus (free rides covered on the Card) to Hellbrunn Palace before it closes at 6PM. (Hellbrunn is a stop in the Sound of Music Tour, but you don't actually take time to go into the Palace.)

View of Salzburg

5-7PM  

Take the bus back to the train station and make your way through the village to check off all the other museums covered by the Card:  Salzburg Fortress, Mozart's Birthplace, Mozart's Residence, etc.

Salzburg Fortress can be seen from anywhere in the village.

Mozartplatz

7PM  

If you're inclined to get the most out of your Card, you can take the Salzach Cruise at 7PM (8PM on select days in August) or take in a symphony (not included on the Card).

Walking through the village

*Alternately, you could do this day in reverse.  The Sound Of Music Tour departs twice daily at 9:30AM and 2PM, so you could see all the village sights during the morning and then do the tour in the afternoon.  This would be a good option for those traveling in the off season when the attractions close at 5PM or earlier.