Salzburg Travel Guide

One of the best parts about blogging is the community that comes along with it!! A few years ago Gabriella and I "met" when she sent me the sweetest email ever! Gabriella lives in Salzburg (swoon, right?) and between Skype dates and countless emails, we are dear friends:)  She's a gem! I recently asked her to write up a travel guide from a local's perspective!! If you are headed to Austria anytime soon, you won't want to miss this!! xoxo
 ________________________________________________________________________________

A while ago Katie asked me to write a Salzburg travel guide for her blog and I am really happy to share a few insider tips with all of you! Here’s what to drink/eat/do whilst you’re in the city: 

TO DRINK | CAFÉS

220°

Chiemseegasse 5, 5020 Salzburg

This café is by far my favourite in the city, although it no longer holds the title of an insider tip. If you want to have breakfast here (highly recommended!) you definitely have to make a reservation on Saturdays and it won’t hurt to do so on a weekday, too. It’s closed on Sundays and Mondays, so keep that in mind when planning a trip!If you only have a few hours in the city, their coffee-to-go comes with a little biscotti – bonus! They also sell their own coffee beans, if you’re looking to take a little something different home with you.

Kaffee-Alchemie

Rudolfskai 38, 5020 Salzburg

If you want to feel like being in Salzburg and New York combined, this is it! The café itself is super small and only offers a few seats. Two large windows provide views of the river Salzach and their coffee might be the best in the city; you can get anything from an Aeropress to a regular cappuccino.

Café Bazar

Schwarzstraße 3, 5020 Salzburg

This café is situated right along the river and is a very traditional place to go and have coffee. Think Parisian-like patio lined with boxwood bushes, waiters in black and white serving you your cappuccino on silver trays.

Vis-à-Vis

Nonntaler Hauptstraße 108, 5020 Salzburg

This coffee house is actually a hybrid of a shop and a café. I love sitting amidst coffee table books and other interior trinkets – kind of like a really stylish living room. It’s not super central, but definitely worth the walk!

TO EAT | BREAKFAST/BRUNCH

 Café Fingerlos

Franz-Josef-Straße 9, 5020 Salzburg

This place has a large selection of items on their breakfast menu and is a mix between an old style café and a more modern design. This area in Salzburg (near the Mirabell castle and gardens) is one of my favourites. It reminds me of Paris and is especially lovely in spring and summer. If you can, get a table outside and enjoy the people-watching whilst brunching all morning ;)

Glüxfall

Franz-Josef-Kai 11, 5020 Salzburg

Before opening up this café, the owners ran an Austrian version of a Micheline-star restaurant. Clearly, the guys know what they’re doing and it shows in their elaborate breakfast menu. They offer three different kinds of breakfast-sets (mini, midi, and maxi) depending on how hungry you are, and you get to choose which items from the list you’d like.  Ranging from your regular omelette to fancy items like bloody mary and salmon canapés, you’re sure to find something that will suit your taste. It is expensive, though, so keep that in mind.

TO EAT | LUNCH

 BioBurger Meister

Linzer Gasse 54, 5020 Salzburg

Ask anyone who lives here for a lunch/dinner-recommendation and this place is sure to land on the must-try list. It’s a fairly small restaurant that serves burgers and fries (more like wedges). They use seasonal ingredients, their products are fresh and the price is ok, too. If you’re hungry and are in the Linzergasse already, definitely stop by here.

The Green Garden

Nonntaler Hauptstraße 16, 5020 Salzburg

If you’re looking for a vegetarian/vegan place – this is pretty much one of the only good ones in the city. Their menu is fun and fresh, and it’s near the Kaigasse – a street with a few shops worth looking into. (My personal favourite: The Living Store – lots of trinkets and interior decorations, albeit a bit on the pricey side)

Balkan Bosna Grill

Getreidegasse 33, 5020 Salzburg

This is a real institution as far as culinary places go. It’s a tiny (!!) little place that is so popular that people will stand in line for quite a while. There is only one item on the menu: the traditional “Bosna”. It’s a long crunchy roll, with two thin grilled sausages inside. The Austrian hotdog, if you will. The additions (which are basically the only options you get) are: sautéed onions with parsley, mustard, and a blend of spices. The first time my husband told me about it I couldn’t imagine liking it, let alone craving it after a long stroll through the city. Last thing: get the Nr. 2 – it’s the best!

Icezeit

Clearly not a lunch spot, but definitely a worthy dessert. For the best ice cream in town, head here (they have three ice cream parlours throughout the city!). With flavours like Mozart (hazelnut, nougat, and pistachio), salty peanut caramel or yoghurt blueberry, there’s an afternoon treat there for everyone. My favourite combinations are hazelnut/mango and Mozart/yoghurt blueberry, whereas my husband will always go for Salzburger Nockerl (based on the famous dessert) topped off with a fruity flavour.

DINNER

 Pasta e Vino

Wolf-Dietrich-Straße 31, 5020 Salzburg

This authentic Italian place will make you feel like you’ve been transported out of the city and into a town somewhere in Italy. They only serve a few dishes and the waiter will be the one telling you what’s on the menu for that day. My husband and I went for dinner there and wanted to start with an antipasti platter. Well, we were so full after that we didn’t even get to the pasta (that we had gone there for – everyone raves about it!), and ended our night with tiramisu and espresso. Their prices aren’t cheap, but it’s well worth an evening out! (Reservation recommended!)

Antichi Sapori

Müllner Hauptstraße 8a, 5020 Salzburg

Again, an authentic Italian restaurant that serves authentic dishes and drinks. Their pizza is incredible and what makes this even more charming is the fact that it’s a father-daughter owned business!

 

La Stella

Getreidegasse 36, 5020 Salzburg

The best pizza I’ve ever had. Plus it’s in the middle of the city and not over-the-top expensive. That’s all you need to book yourself a flight, right?

Sternbräu

Griesgasse 23, 5020 Salzburg

For authentic Austrian cuisine (with a large outdoor area ideal for balmy summer evenings) this is the place to go. Here’s where I tried my very first real Wiener Schnitzel (with veal) and although I’m not a massive fan of Austrian dishes myself, this one is a must if you do visit. There are a few restaurants throughout the city, though, so you’ll should be able to find yourself a real Schnitzel at any restaurant focused on Austrian cuisine.

Guerilla Burger

Nonntaler Hauptstrasse 9, 5020 Salzburg

This is seriously the best place in the city to get a burger. Yes, it is expensive, but worth every single Euro that you’ll spend. The quality is incredible and the only problem you’ll have will be deciding which one to go for.

TO DRINK | BARS

Steinterasse

Giselakai 3, 5020 Salzburg

The best view of the city (that doesn’t require going up a mountain!) can be found here. It’s actually a hotel, but its rooftop terrace is a widely popular after-work drink spot and afternoon coffee place. Take you camera, your sunglasses and be prepared to spend a bit more on an Aperol Spritz in exchange for a breathtakingly beautiful postcard-view of Salzburg.

Enoteca Setemilla

Bergstraße 9, 5020 Salzburg

This wine bar was a completely random find for us and it’s something I recommend to any friend in the city. It’s a wine bar that’s tucked in a side street of the Linzergasse and is (in my opinion) a real insider tip. You can get some fingerfood like Bruschetta or antipasti there, but I wouldn’t go if you’re hungry and/or conscious of spending your money.

Alchimiste Belge

Bergstraße 10, 5020 Salzburg

The only spot I haven’t been to myself that I will recommend is this one. If you’re looking for a bit of Belgium in Salzburg, go here. It’s a pub that offers a range of beers and has a nice (albeit smoke-filled) atmosphere. My husband goes here a few times a year with work colleagues and really enjoys the fact that he can try something different every time he goes.

M32

Mönchsberg 32, 5020 Salzburg

I took my husband here for his birthday-breakfast (super special!), but if you’re looking to get amazing views, a chilled white wine and a trip to the museum of modern art all in one – this is your spot! You can also come here for lunch/dinner, but it is quite expensive. If you want to enjoy a little something I’d opt for a slice of strudel or cake, or make the trek up before treating yourself to a big breakfast! I’d actually suggest walking up the Mönchsberg mountain and taking the elevator down, because they often hand out free tickets when you have a drink or something to eat at the M32. There are two routes up, so you could also go up one way and walk down the other!

TO DO / SEE

Gaisberg

This mountain can be seen from pretty much anywhere in Salzburg and holds a special place for me. My sister got married up there and my husband and I love driving up the mountain on warm summer evenings to have a picnic whilst enjoying a spectacular sunset over the city. The view from up there is absolutely breathtaking – the mountain range from the very left stretching to your right, and the city illuminated by the setting sun. Apparently, there is a bus that goes up the mountain, in case you don’t have a rental, but I’ve never taken it myself. There’s also a highline running trail that goes around the whole mountain. The views are spectacular, no matter where you are. (It’s about 5k, but you could also just turn around whenever you feel like it).

Grünmarkt (the literal translation would be Green Market – very fitting ;))

This is my favourite farmer’s market in the city, although it’s not the biggest. It’s situated right in the centre of Salzburg on University square (Universitätsplatz) and lends itself to a casual Saturday morning stroll (my favourite!). You can get anything from fresh vegetables and fruit, to different kinds of breads, cured meats, and (the reason I go) herbs and flowers.

Mirabell Gardens

Yes, they are a very touristy place to go, but for good reason. The gardens are beautiful and there are benches everywhere to marvel at the beauty surrounding you. During the summer months (weekends only, I think), there are wine tasting stands right outside the gardens. You can pay for a glass, or buy a whole bottle and take it with you into the gardens. We’ve done it twice and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good glass of wine.

Christmas Market

Salzburg boasts one of the most beautiful Christmas markets in the world. If you’re here around Christmas time, you’ll know why. A mug of mulled wine, a few roasted nuts, and – if you’re lucky – a layer of snow coating the city. 

These are just a few of the spots my husband and I have discovered in those short two years that we’ve been here. The city has so much charm and history, and I feel like you’d never run out of things to see and do, despite Salzburg not being very large in size. If you ever are in the area, please feel free to contact me – I’d love to go for a cup of coffee and show you a bit of what makes this city so special.