Salzburg/Hallstatt – Day 7 of a 10-Day Trip in Europe
It was a clear winter day 7 in Salzburg. My morning consisted of activities in Salzburg’s centre and an afternoon visit to the town of Hallstatt. Hallstatt is known for its production of salt and you can even visit the oldest salt mine in the world here.
Day 7
Salzburg/Hallstatt
I started my day with a morning walk (~8:30am in Salzburg). The streets were quiet and tranquil. I was headed to Bäckerei Ursprunger, a bakery, for a pastry. On the way, I passed Pferdeschwemme (the Horse Well). Back in the 17th century, parade horses used to be washed and groomed here. Today, it is a historical landmark to visit with a horse statue and paintings of horses. It was also the backdrop for a scene in the Sound of the Music film!
The bakery was at the base on the Mönchberg Mountain and is the original store location. There are five other stores in Salzburg. The bakery has been baking since the 17th century! The baker was extremely nice and patient, while I admired the pastries and tried to choose; he even took the time to explain what was what. I ordered a pastry to go – it tasted like a cheesecake shortbread. It was tasty (I love shortbread!) and gave me enough energy to start my day.
Next, I walked over to the Museum of Natural History and Technology. This is a cool spot to visit with kids as there is so much to see. The museum has 4 floors and is filled with exhibitions on dinosaurs, ice age, planets, animals, and much more! I was particularly intrigued by the shell fossil that was probably 20x the size of my hand.
Afterwards, I visited the Salzburg Cathedral. The Salzburg Cathedral belongs to the Roman Archdiocese and was originally founded in 774. Over the years, new areas were built, thus expanding its footprint. It was rebuilt in 1181 after a fire. The famous composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, was baptized in this cathedral.
I then hopped on the bus for a short ride to the Mirabell Gardens – another Sound of Music film backdrop. The garden is well taken care of with its cut grass and flowers. Schloss Mirabell sits at one end of the garden. The word schloss means castle in German, which is exactly what it once was. It was built in 1606 by Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau for his mistress and 15 children and originally called Schloss Altenau. In 1612, Marcus Sittikus became the Prince-Archbishop and kicked out the mistress and children and renamed the castle Schloss Mirabell. Over the years, it has been the home of many elected Prince-Archbishops. The building no longer houses royalty today, but has offices for the mayor and other municipal government workers. There is a popular staircase in the building called the Angels’ Staircase, which leads to the Marble Hall. The Marble Hall, I believe, is only open for events, but the Angels’ Staircase is open to visit.
Afterwards, I headed to the tour bus pick-up area for my half-day trip to Salzkammergut area (in particular the town of Hallstat). I had wanted to have a sit down meal at the Bistro de Marquez (close to the tour meeting spot), but the restaurant was closed that day. Instead, I stopped at a franchise bakery called BackWerk for lunch (baked goods and tea). Once it was time, I walked to the tour meet-up location. My tour was run by the Salzburg Panorama Tour group. I actually booked through Viator, but I think you can book directly through the Salzburg Panorama Tour’s website. The check-in process was easy and the tour started on time. On the way to Hallstat, we stopped at a viewpoint that overlooked the village of St. Gilgen and Lake Wolfgang. The fun fact I learned about St. Gilgen is that it is the birthplace of Amadeus Wolfgang Mozart’s mother.
From St. Gilgen, the town of Hallstatt was not much further. We were given ~3 hours to explore Hallstatt as we chose. There are a few attractions to visit in Hallstatt. The town itself is beautiful. There is also a skywalk and a salt mine to visit near the town center. If you are here for a half day tour, visiting the skywalk will be tight in terms of time and there is definitely not enough time to visit the salt mine. I just spent the time exploring all Hallstatt’s hidden nooks and crannies. The town by the lake, coupled with the snow-covered mountains, clouds and blue sky background, was beautiful! I visited St. Michael’s Church to see the Bone House, but they were closed for visitors unfortunately. I read online that the Bone House is lined with real painted human skulls – creepy!
I enjoyed visiting the stores and stopped at the Salt Store, Saltzwelten, to buy seasoning salts. This is real salt from the mines! After taking in the gorgeous scenic views of Hallstatt, it was time to return to Salzburg so I got back onto the tour bus for the ~1 hour trip back to Salzburg. As I was boarding the bus, I was delighted to get compliments on my colourful Cotopaxi backpack from a Singaporean couple! Once back in Salzburg, I decided to have dinner at Sternbräu. Sternbräu is a restaurant/beer garden/pub and has its own branded beer. I thought I would have to wait as they seemed really busy, but I was seated instantly. I ordered a Stern-bier and the oven roasted pork covered in a gravy sauce. The dish also came with a boiled dumpling (knödel) and warm sauerkraut (which was strange to me as I am used to it being cold). The food was good and a nice way to spend my last night in Salzburg.
Complete Day 7 Itinerary
*Travel times may vary. Check Google Maps for most accurate travel details.
8:00am: Breakfast at Bäckerei Ursprunger near Mönchberg. On the way to the bakery, visit the Pferdeschwemme (the Horse Well) landmark.
9:00am: Visit the Museum of Natural History and Technology (1 minute walk from Bäckerei Ursprunger).
10:00am: Visit Salzburg Cathedral (11 minute walk from the Museum of Natural History and Technology). Then visit Mirabell Garden and the Angels’ Staircase (13 minute walk from Salzburg Cathedral).
11:00am: Have lunch at the Bistro de Marquez (2 minute walk from Mirabell Garden).
12:00pm: Join the half-day tour to Salzkammergut/Hallstatt (~1 hour drive from the Salzburg). Explore the town of Hallstatt, visit the Bone House at St. Michael’s Church, and buy salt from Saltzwelten!
6:00pm: Once returned to Salzburg (~1 hour drive from Hallstatt), have dinner at Sternbräu (10 minute walk from tour drop off).
10-Day Europe Itinerary
Click “Download” below for an excel version of my 10-Day Europe Itinerary to Czech Republic, Germany, and Austria. Feel free to use the excel file as a planning template for your own trip!
Austria Links:
Travels with Carolyne 