Study Abroad Files: Salzburg

Apr 27

Apr 27 Study Abroad Files: Salzburg

Salzburg is a tiny Austrian town tucked between the beautiful snow-capped mountains, with plenty to see and explore. It's possible to see the most of Salzburg in one and a half to two days, and with longer time it's possible to visit small neighboring towns (or even to visit Munich, under two hours away).

Dining

Eating in Salzberg was definitely on the expensive side, but looking for local places made the prices seem absolutely worth it. My friends and I ate delicious breakfasts of fresh scrambled eggs and cheese, and had absolutely incredible seafood pasta (right across the lake from the house that was used for filming in The Sound of Music!). Notable: WeiherWirt, 220 GRAD, The Heart of Joy Cafe

Sightseeing

I'm not one for typically tourist activities - I've never been to Disneyland, refuse to go to Madam Tussaud's, and generally avoid anything while abroad that attracts a lot of American visitors - but The Sound of Music bus tour was a must for this trip. At €42, it's a bit pricy but for anyone who has seen and adores the movie, it was completely worth it. The tour guide was entertaining, and the bus took us to places around Salzburg and the surrounding towns that would have been difficult to visit otherwise.

Notable sights to see the city and mountains from: Hohensalzburg Fortress, Museum der Moderne Salzburg

Along with having fantastic views of the city, the Museum has a James Turrell exhibit open that you can visit without paying admission.

Pro tip: walk (or take the €2,60 elevator from the Museum der Moderne Salzburg) up to the Museum for views of the Fortress and city, then walk along the path to the Fortress to hit both in the same day!

Shopping

Salzburg isn't particularly notable for shopping, with the most exciting stores being a small scale Zara and Mango. To find interesting postcards and souvenirs, peep inside small stores and museum gift shops.

Nightlife

Salzburg quiets down around 1am, but there are plenty of small bars and restaurants serving snacks and drinks! If the weather is nice, sitting outside and listening to parties pass by on their way to their next destination is an entertaining way to spend the night.