Capturing Charm on a Scenic Stroll
I travelled from Munich, Germany to Salzburg by train. The journey was quite enjoyable. To soak in the local atmosphere, I decided to walk to my hotel called Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten. Along the way, I took some photos, which I’ve uploaded below. It was my first time in Austria, and surprisingly, the cleanliness matched that of Australia. The green hills in and around the town reminded me of the hills back in Western Australia where I live.
During my 3 days in I discovered that Salzburg’s history is still very much alive in its vibrant streets, and the 900-year-old fortress overlooking the old town provides breath taking panoramic views.
Day 1 in Salzburg, Austria
On day one I explored the city area before doing day trips from Salzburg on day 2 and 3. The places I am going to recommend can be explored in any order and at any pace. I started my day from arriving at following places.
Mirabell Castle & Gardens
A walk through Mirabell Gardens serves as an ideal path to reach Hohensalzburg Fortress. It will transport you to another world. Should your stay in Salzburg extend beyond a day, a return visit to this splendid place is almost inevitable.
Hohensalsburg Fortress
This fortress offers breath-taking panoramic views from the top tower of the fortress. There’s a museum in the fortress and a dungeon for all the dirty peasants. Head up to the top to capture the beautiful views, making your visit a truly memorable one.
Residenzplatz
Architectural wonders that will wow you. A setting that makes you feel so happy and history that will inspire you. This place is the main square of the city and is also used for Christmas markets and music events. I could spend hours just sitting there.
Mozart’s birthplace
Even though I had Symphony 40 as the ringtone on my old Nokia mobile phone years ago, but I still didn’t know Mozart existed until I got here. He was an influential music composer from the 17th century.
Kapuzinerberg Lookout
It’s a lookout point with a restaurant. It’s a nice place to switch from city to the nature. It’s a good hike which isn’t far from the city centre. The walk in the woods is really nice and invigorating.
Hangar-7
It’s a building in Salzburg with a collection of historic planes, helicopters and formula one racing cars. Dietrich Mateschitz, the founder of Red Bull, is the owner. This place might also give you wings.
After exploring all of these amazing places, it was time to satisfy my taste buds with some authentic Austrian cuisine. I did not waste my time looking for fast food chains like McDonald’s, I embraced the local food scene. Then I returned to my hotel room for some well-deserved rest. At night I went along for the stroll along the river and it was so beautiful.
Day 2: Daytrip to Hallstatt from Salzburg
Today is the day of daytrip to this Instagram worthy little village called Hallstatt.
How to get to Hallstatt from Salzburg?
You can reach there by various modes of transportation. You can use rail, bus or car rental. Third option is expensive one but more comfortable. Taking the train is the easiest and fastest method to travel to Hallstatt. From Salzburg Main Station, take a train to Attnang-Puchheim Station, where you can change to a local train to Hallstatt. It takes about 2.5 hours to complete the journey. Opting for a bus journey is the cheapest of them all and I naturally went for that, and the other plus is that the bus takes you right into the town unlike train which drops you on the other side of the lake and then you have to take a ferry to arrive in the town.
I bought the return bus ticket from the ticket vending machine at Salzburg, train station. Just type in Hallstatt as your destination and Salzburg would already be selected as an origin point. The bus number is 150 which you have to take at the bus station just at front of Salzburg train station. Look for the bus stop that says Line 150 among the other bus numbers. This bus runs every hour. When you sit in the bus make sure you take any window seat behind the driver side, you’d get the best views along the journey.
Now when the bus arrives at Bad Ischl after approximately 1hour and 15minutes, you get off here. Wait for the bus 542 which runs every 20 minutes. Again, look for the bus stop here which says Bus 542. It’s not far from the where bus 150 drops you off. Bus 542 is only a half an hour journey, and it will take you to the Hallstatt Gosaumühle where you get another bus 543. You don’t have to look for the bus stop here as both buses park side by side. Bus 543 will only take 10 minutes to take you to the fairy tale town Hallstatt. All catching buses could look difficult as a stranger but it’s easier than it sounds. In a nutshell just three buses Bus 150, Bus 542, and Bus 543. For coming back just follow the same route in reverse.
I promise you’d get best views on this journey even if you are the person without any aesthetic sense.
Things to do in Hallstatt
Visit the Hallstatt Salt Mines: More than 2,000 years have passed since the Hallstatt salt mines first opened. Visit the spectacular underground chambers and learn about the history of salt mining on a guided tour.
Explore the World Heritage Museum: The museum is housed in one of Hallstatt’s oldest buildings and offers an interesting insight into the city’s history.
Enjoy local cuisine: A notable local dish is the Hallstatt trout, which is served with freshly baked bread and regional ingredients.
Above activities are suggestions only and you can change them anyway you like depending in your time availability and interests. I took the bus back to Salzburg the way I came here.
DAY 3: Day Trip to Berchtesgaden
Berchresgaden is in Bavaria, Germany, but it makes more sense to do a daytrip to this breathtakingly magical place from Salzburg, Austria. As it’s less than 35 kilometres from Salzburg.
How to get to Berchresgaden from Salzburg?
Arrive at Salzburg Train station. Walk from the train platforms to the bus stops just outside the station (look for “840 → Berchtesgaden”). Board RegioBus 840 at Salzburg Hauptbahnhof (Bus J).
Purchase the BGL-Tagesticket “Bus & Bahn” (€12) from the driver. It’s valid all day on all RegioBus lines in Berchtesgadener Land (including 837, 838 & 841).
The ride is 34–49 minutes, passing stops like Salzburg Justizgebäude and Kilianmühlbrücke, before terminating at Berchtesgaden, Busbahnhof.
Day Trip Sequence
1. Morning → Maria Gern
- Transfer at Berchtesgaden, Busbahnhof to bus 837 bound for Hintergern/Schönau a. Königssee.
- Ride ~25 minutes and alight at “Maria Gern”.
- Explore the Baroque church and village (allow 1–1½ hours).
- Return on the next bus 837 to Berchtesgaden, Busbahnhof (runs hourly).
2. Midday → Eagle’s Nest
- From Busbahnhof, board bus 838 toward Obersalzberg/Dokumentation.
- Ride ~15 minutes, get off at “Dokumentation Obersalzberg”.
- Walk 300 m to the shuttle bus up to the Kehlsteinhaus. It’s only open between May to October. Plan ~2 hours.
- Return on bus 838 back to Busbahnhof (service is limited to 1–2 runs/day).
3. Afternoon → Königssee
- At Busbahnhof, board bus 841 toward Jennerbahn/Königssee.
- Ride ~25 minutes, alight at “Königssee” lakeside stop.
- Stroll the shore or take the boat to St Bartholomä/Salet (boats every 30 min). Plan ~1.5–2 hours.
- Return: catch bus 841 back to Busbahnhof, then bus 840 back to Salzburg (last departs ~18:00–19:00).
Can You Do All Three in One Day?
Yes, if you:
Start early from Salzburg (catch the 840 by ~08:00) to arrive at Berchtesgaden by ~09:00.
Hit Maria Gern on the 08:44 or 10:44 837, returning by latest 12:44 into Berchtesgaden.
Wait for the lone 14:20 838 up to the Documentation Centre. This is the only Obersalzberg run you’ll catch.
Descend on the same bus back by ~15:00.
Transfer immediately to a 841 (next departure by ~15:30–16:00 on weekdays) for Königssee, giving you a couple of hours lakeside.
Return on the 841 → Busbahnhof → 840 back to Salzburg (last 840 departs Berchtesgaden ~18:00–19:00).
Sample Timeline
| Time | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 | Depart Salzburg on Bus 840 | Arrive Berchtesgaden ~08:45 |
| 8:45 | Bus 837 → Maria Gern | Arrive Maria Gern ~09:10 |
| 09:10 to 10:00 | Explore Maria Gern (church & village) | ~1 hr visit |
| 10:44 | Bus 837 back to Berchtesgaden | Arrive Busbahnhof ~11:10 |
| 11:10 to 14:20 | Free time in Berchtesgaden (lunch, museum) | Wait for 14:20 Obersalzberg bus |
| 14:20 | Bus 838 → Dokumentation Obersalzberg | Arrive ~14:35 |
| 14:35 to 16:45 | Shuttle & visit Eagle’s Nest (Kehlsteinhaus) | ~2 hours visit |
| 16:45 | Bus 838 back to Berchtesgaden | Arrive ~17:00 |
| 17:00 | Bus 841 → Königssee | Arrive Königssee ~17:25 |
| 17:25 to 18:30 | Explore Königssee (lakeside, short boat trip possible) | Evening stroll |
| 18:30 | Bus 841 back to Berchtesgaden | Arrive Busbahnhof ~18:55 |
| 19:00 | Bus 840 back to Salzburg | Arrive Salzburg ~19:45 |
Note: If it feels a bit rushed, you can always spread it out over two days or take as much time as you like.
Things to do in Berchtesgaden
Explore the historical town of Berchtesgaden: Explore the city centre, visit the Salzburg Museum, and the old salt mines. Several historic structures can be found in Berchtesgaden’s town centre, including the market square, town hall, and St. John’s Church. Explore the neighbourhood’s streets and take in the ambience.
Try local cuisine: Traditional foods from Berchtesgaden, like schnitzel, kaiserschmarrn, and leberknodel, are well-known. Eat at local eatery to experience the regional flavours.
I was pretty tired by the end of it. I am pretty sure the memories of this place would never skip your brain too. I drove back to Salzburg just before the dark, returned the rental car, and went to sleep straight away. Whichever mode of transport you chose to come here just do the same thing in reverse order and arrive in Salzburg to have a wonderful sleep as I did. If you’re ready to travel to Innsbruck the next morning, click the next button with Innsbruck written on it.