Salzburg in Winter: A Snowy Day in Salzburg, Austria

Salzburg is known as the city of Mozart and Sound of Music. But even if you’re a fan of neither, you can easily use my self-guided walking tour to spend a day in this lovely Austrian city of Baroque architecture set against a mountain backdrop.

Mr AW and I visited Salzburg for a day in January earlier this year, as a stopover between Munich and Hallstatt. It had been snowing and Salzburg was covered in a blanket of soft fresh snow. We decided to not be fussy about seeing everything and simply go for a walk. It was our anniversary and what better way to celebrate it than walking hand in hand, exploring a new city in the 20th country we had visited together. The snow made it all the more, dare I say the word, magical 😉

How to spend a snowy day in Salzburg, Austria

Mirabell Gardens

Considered to be one of the most beautiful Baroque gardens in Europe, Mirabell Gardens (or Mirabellgarten) were laid out in the 17th century. It’s arranged in geometric-shaped patterns and has mythological statues that were created by an Italian sculptor, Ottavio Mosto.

It’s also one of the most popular tourist attractions in Salzburg because the garden’s Pegasus fountain was a filming location for Sound of Music’s “Do re mi” song.

We entered the gardens from the Pegasus fountain side, looking onto the Hohensalzburg Fortress, and walked it length to exit on the Makartplatz side.

 

Makartsteg

We then used the Makartsteg footbridge to cross Salzach river to enter the Old Town. Named after Hans Makart, a famous painter who was born and raised in Salzburg, this pedestrian and cyclist only bridge is quite a sight with the sides completely covered in love locks. An apt place for that anniversary picture, right? 😉

Old Town of Salzburg

Located along the picturesque Salzach river, the Old Town (Altstadt) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s beautifully preserved and any construction activity is regulated to conserve the look and feel of the place.

Here in the Old Town, it was hard not to be charmed by the ornate buildings of pastel colours and the bustling market squares. We walked the Getreidegasse lane which is the busiest shopping street in the historic old town and saw Mozart’s birthplace whose facade is painted in a bright yellow.

We then walked via University Square towards Salzburg Cathedral but not before taking a sneak peek of the Christmas markets still running in hidden courtyards.

Just around the corner are Residenzplatz, Mozartplatz and Salzburg Museum for more wandering about.

At this point you have an option to take the funicular up to the Hohensalzburg Fortress which offers fabulous views over the city. However, we decided to give it a skip.

We then made our way towards Cafe Konditorei Fürst to sample their original Salzburger Mozartkugel (a pistachio core surrounded by hazelnut nougat which is then dipped in dark chocolate) and some hot chocolate (a snowy day requisite!). Mozartkugel translated as Mozart’s balls may not sound like something you’d want to eat but these kugels wrapped in a blue and silver foil are a local specialty. These are still handmade as per the recipe first created by Paul Fürst in 1890 which has been passed down the generations.

Best views of Salzburg (and FREE)

We then made our way towards the viewpoint at Aussicht Kapuzinerberg Nord. It may be a bit difficult to find but once you make it there, the panoramic views of the Old and the New town separated by the river, the fortress and the castle dominating the skyline and the stunning scenery of snow-covered mountains are absolutely worth it!

Address: Imbergstiege 5, 5020 Salzburg, Austria

Looking for more ways to explore Salzburg? How about the taking the Mozart City Tour or the Sound of Music Tour.

I hope you enjoyed this post about our easy walking itinerary for spending one day in Salzburg. Have you been to Salzburg or planning to go? Do leave me a comment to share your thoughts!

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Cheers,
Ameeta xx