11 Amazing Day Trips From Salzburg, Austria [2025]

Salzburg and its surroundings offer some of the most beautiful places in Austria and Europe. So they definitely can’t be missing on your itinerary. I lived in Salzburg for 3 years while studying at the University and visited all the places multiple times. Even now, I love coming back as I love them and feel at home there.

In this article, I’ve compiled a list of the 11 best day trips from Salzburg so you can enjoy the region and its beauties from a local’s perspective.

Whether you want to make a more relaxing boat tour or have some adrenaline and experience adventure in salt mines, I’ve covered it all for you.

Let’s explore one of the most beautiful parts of Austria together.

List Of The Best Day Trips From Salzburg

Here is a quick list of the 11 day trips from Salzburg for you to better navigate through the article:

1. Werfen Castle
2. Giant Ice Caves
3. Hallstatt & Sky Walk & Salt Mines
4. St. Wolfgang Lake
5. Schafberg Mountain
6. Berchtesgaden & Salt Mines
7. Eagle’s Nest
8. Könnigsee (King’s Lake)
9. Hallein Salt Mines & Celtic Village
10. Mondsee – Sound Of Music Tour
11. Oberndorf Bei Salzburg & Bridge To Germany

Map Of The Places For Excursions From Salzburg

Below is a map of all the places for excursions from Salzburg. Save it and use it when visiting some of them.

How To Get Around The Salzburg Region

You can take local trains or buses or rent a car to make these excursions from Salzburg.

Local buses and trains will take you everywhere you want. The only disadvantage is that you won’t have as much flexibility and will have to stick to the timetable.

If you decide to take public transportation to any place, check the connections via the official website of Salzburg’s transportation.

Renting a car is the best and most convenient way to make these trips. This way, you’ll have enough time to explore each spot, the flexibility to stop wherever you want, and even visit several places within one day.

1. Werfen Castle

Explore the history of Werfen Castle (Sound Of Music spot).

The first place for a day trip takes us to a nearby town called Werfen. You’ll spot its stunning castle already from the highway.

Prince Archibishop built this castle to protect his holdings from King Henry IV of Germany. It sits above the River Salzach, an important trade route in the past. 

Werfen Castle has also been featured in many movies and TV shows, such as Clint Eastwood’s Where Eagles Dare to the Call of Duty and the famous Sound of Music. 

You can buy entrance tickets to the castle on the spot.

The meadow near Werfen castle was where Von Trap’s children ran down with Maria, singing Do-Re-Mi. You can take time to walk through after you visit the castle.

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2. Giant Ice Caves

Walk through the largest ice cave complex in the world.

Not too far away from Werfen, you can explore the largest ice cave complex in the world – Eisriesenwelt. So if you want, you can visit it together with Werfen and its castle in a day.

Enjoy the 70-minute exploration of Giant Ice Caves. Take a cable car near Dr. Oedl-Haus and let yourself be blown away by the ice cave world up in the mountains. 

On a sunny day, you’ll also get amazing views of the Salzach Valley.

Don’t forget to bring extra layers of clothes for this excursion. You’ll be walking through the ice walls.

💡 NOTE: You have to book entrance tickets in advance online. The ice caves are closed in the winter.

👉 READ ALSO: Epic Austria Road Trip: 7, 10, 14 Days In Austria

3. Hallstatt & Sky Walk & Salt Mines

Explore the picturesque Hallstatt town, see stunning panorama of the Salzkammergut region, and have fun in the oldest salt mines in the world.

Hallstatt, the little Celtic village, became a UNESCO WORLD Heritage Site in 1997.

It’s more than 7000 years old and is one of the highlights of Austria’s famous Salzkammergut region. Many say it’s one of Europe’s oldest still inhabited places. 

It’s also home to the oldest salt mine in the world. You can do several activities in the town, so keep reading to learn about the best things to do here.

Best Things To Do In Hallstatt

1. Walk through Hallstatt town without using Google Maps
2. Cruise On Lake Hallstatt
3. Enjoy panoramic views from Hallstatt Skywalk
4. Have fun in Hallstatt Salt Mines

Hallstatt is a tiny village worth walking around and simply enjoying the atmosphere. Try to stroll through its tiny streets without using Google Maps.

Just walk anywhere your legs take you. It’s so much fun, and you’ll explore many interesting things in this charming village.

Also, check out the Instagram Spot for photos: Gosaumühlstrasse, which is only 5 minutes from the town center.

Cruise On The Hallstatt Lake

Take a boat cruise on Lake Hallstatt. You can do a large tour of three lake villages: Hallstatt, Obertraun, and Bad Goisern.

Find out how the lake was created and what villages are on it, learn about fish habitats in the lake, and enjoy the unique atmosphere of the Salzkammergut region.

You’ll most probably see swans on Lake Hallstatt. However, they weren’t always here. The Austrian Empress Sisi imported them here while she was vacationing in Hallstatt. She loved swans and couldn’t imagine the stunning views of the Lake without them.

Hallstatt Skywalk

Afterward, go to the Hallstatt Skywalk, located on Salzberg Hill. This viewing platform will give you panoramic views of the Hallstatt village, Lake Hallstatt, and the entire Salzkammergut area, which will blow your mind. 

Take a panorama funicular, which will get you up just within 10 minutes. Be aware that you have to be at the station 30 minutes before the funicular departure. Also, don’t forget to ask for an audio guide. 

You can also hike up to the mountain, which takes about an hour. I walked and enjoyed the whole experience even more.

Enjoy the spectacular scenery of Lake Hallstatt, surrounded by beautiful mountains and Austria’s entire Dachstein region.

Hallstatt Salt Mines

Once you’re on Salzberg Hill (Salt hill), you should also visit salt mines nearby. These are the oldest ones in the entire world.

During your tour through the salt mines, you’ll explore more about its 7000 years of history, slide down the mines, and walk through the oldest wooden staircase in Europe.  

You’ll get more information about these salt mines directly with Hallstatt Salt Mines. I recommend booking entrance tickets on the website in advance.

4. St. Wolfgang Lake

Relax on a cruise on Lake Wolfgang and explore St. Wolfgang Im Salzkammergut.

Let’s go back to the Salzkammergut region of Austria. Salzkammergut is famous for its beautiful mountains rising from crystal-clear lakes, small towns on the shores, and panoramic mountain views.

St. Wolfgang Im Salzkammergut is one of the most charming towns in this region, and you can visit it as an excursion from Salzburg.

Take bus n. 150 from Salzburg or rent a car and drive there by yourself.

Things To Do In St. Wolfgang Im Salzkammergut

1. Walk through St. Wolfgang streets, enjoy a coffee and taste local specialties
2. Hope on a Wolfgangsee cruise

First, once you arrive, take some time and walk through the town and its tiny little street. Again, just do it without Google maps and see where your legs take you.

The best way you can experience Wolfgang Lake is by boat. Get on the boat in the center of St. Wolfgang town. It has two stops: St. Wolfgang Markt and St. Wolfgang Schafberg.

The boat cruises around other villages on the Lake, so you can either get off in one of the villages or make it around and get back to St. Wolfgang Town.

St. Wolfgang has also amazing Christmas markets in December, so I highly recommend checking them out.

You can book the ticket on the spot. Check the timetable of the cruise on the official website.

PRO TIP: Get on the boat in the afternoon from St. Wolfgang to St. Gilgen and have dinner in the restaurant at Hotel & Gasthof Fürberg with a pleasant atmosphere next to the Lake.

5. Schafberg Mountain

Take the steepest cogwheel train in Austria.

When visiting St. Wolfgang Lake, one of the mountain excursions you can’t miss is the majestic Schafberg. It’s known for having the steepest cog-railway in Austria.

You can hike to the Schafberg mountain or take the steep cogwheel train. If you decide to walk up there, it’ll take you 3 hours from St. Wolfgang town.

The cogwheel train can get crowded, so book your tickets in advance and secure your spot. It’ll take you around 35 minutes to get there.

Schafberg Mountain has a restaurant and a hotel where you can sleep. Walk around and enjoy the stunning views of the Salzkammergut region and the crystal-clear lakes, including St. Wolfgang Lake.

6. Eagle’s Nest

Discover Hitler’s summer residence with spectacular views of Bavaria and Salzburg region.

Eagle’s Nest is a mountain with a house on the top of Mount Kehlstein in Germany. It used to be Hitler’s summer residence, also called Kehlsteinhaus.

The residence was built in 1938. In 1960, private stakeholders took over and made a restaurant out of it.

Hitler got it as a present from Martin Bormann, the head of the Nazi Party Chancellery. Surprisingly, he only went there 14 times during his entire life as he didn’t like it as he was scared of heights. 

Enjoy the breathtaking views of Bavaria and the entire area, even Austria and the Alps. Can you spot Salzburg and its Fortress from up there? Find out yourself.

How To Get To Eagle’s Nest

You can’t get to the Eagle’s Nest by car (only to the parking spot). From there, you can take a bus or walk. 

The bus departs every 25 minutes. Afterward, you’ll get to the tunnel and take a 124m elevator to the Eagle’s Nest restaurant. 

You can also hike up the mountain, which will take around 2 hours and 30 minutes. Don’t get scared because the signs show a 4-hour hike, but it takes way less. 

NOTE: Eagle’s Nest is closed in the winter.

7. Berchtesgaden & Salt Mines

Explore the salt mines and enjoy a boat ride inside.

Another day trip I highly recommend you make is to the small German town of Berchtesgaden, just across the border from Austria. 

It’s famous for the salt mines. This is one of my favorite excursions from the list. You’ll get to explore the history of salt mining and slide down the mines. But with this one specifically, you’ll also take a boat inside the mine, which is spectacular. 

If you plan to visit Berchtesgaden, you can visit Eagle’s Nest and the salt mines in one day. If you have time, you can also include a short stop at Könnigsee (King’s Lake) afterward.

8. Könnigsee – King’s Lake

Take a boat cruise on one of the most picturesque lakes in the Berchtesgadener Alps.

Another excursion you can make, a rather relaxing one, is visiting Könnigsee – King’s Lake. 

It’s also located in Germany, only 40 minutes away from Salzburg. These are the perks of Europe; you can cross borders whenever you want without further issues, so let’s make the most out of it.

The highlight of the lake is a boat trip on electric boats. It has two stops – St. Bartholomä and Salet.

After 30 minutes of the boat ride, you’ll reach the first stop, St. Bartholomä, a unique church. I highly recommend you climb 6 km up to the Ice Chapel (Eiskapelle) and see its natural beauty. 

After, hop on the boat again, and in 30 minutes, you’ll get to the second stop – Salet. You can get off and enjoy beautiful hikes around. The most popular is hiking up to Obersee Lake. It only takes 15 minutes, and it pays off with the Alps reflecting in the lake and the Roethbach waterfall. 

You can combine visiting the lake with the salt mines in Berchtesgaden or the Eagle’s Nest. 

9. Hallein Salt Mines & Celtic Village

Cross the border between Austria and Germany while you’re underground, slide inside salt mines, and explore the Celtic village, which is more than 7000 years old. 

The German word ‘Salz’ means salt. Salt used to be very important for the entire Salzburg region. The River Salzach was the main trade route between Salzburg and Venice, Italy.

One of the locations where salt is produced in this region is Dürnberg mountain near Hallein. It has amazing salt mines; you can’t miss visiting them on this itinerary. Let’s learn the history of salt mining in the Salzburg region and how much importance is brought to this place.

Walk through the 64 km-long tunnels inside the mines. Explore the history of salt mining and the importance it brought to the entire Salzburg region. You’ll also have a lot of fun sledding inside the salt mines.

Once you come out of the salt mines, take some time to walk through the Celtic village and see how they used to live there in the past.

10. Mondsee – Sound Of Music Tour

Lake Mondsee and 76 other lakes belong to the beautiful Salzkammergut region. Mondsee is a picturesque village and a popular wedding destination on the shores of Lake Mondsee.

You might already know why it’s such a famous wedding venue. Maria and Captain Trapp got married in the local Basilica St. Michael, which was featured in the Sound of Music musical.

Many people come here to explore the places where the movie was shot and reflect on it.

Even if you aren’t a fan of Sound of Music (locals actually don’t like it), Mondsee Village is still much worth seeing thanks to its colorful houses.

Walk around and get a nice coffee on the streets. You might be lucky to spot a local performance with people dressed in Austrian folk costumes (dirndl).

In wintertime, Mondsee hosts beautiful Christmas markets.

11. Oberndorf Bei Salzburg

Stand on the birthplace of the famous Christman Carol – The Silent Night. 

Oberndorf bei Salzburg is mainly famous for its Chapel. You might ask, why a chapel? That’s because a young priest, Joseph Mohr, wrote the text for the popular Christmas Carol ‘Silent Night’ inside back in 1818. 

Nowadays, you can visit the Silent Night Memorial Chapel to commemorate the history of the famous Christmas carol.

Every year on 24th December at 5 pm, a ceremony in honor of the creators of Silent Night Carol takes place in the Memorial and the Chapel.

Until today, it has been translated into 300 languages, and the carol is a significant part of Christmas celebrations in Austria.

Laufen – Cross The Border To Germany

When you’re in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, you must get to the bridge over the River Salzach, where you can stand with one leg in Austria and another already in Germany.

Once you cross the bridge, continue to a small town called Laufen. It’s a charming town, where you can get lunch and enjoy a coffee in one of the small cafeterias.

You might also be lucky to spot some Austrian beer party next to the river as my friend and I did. So keep an eye on it, and you can be part of it in the evening.

Which Excursion Should You Make?

If you can’t decide which day trip from Salzburg you should do, let me help you.

👉 HALLSTATT: If you want to experience salt mines, beautiful lakes, and charming villages, visit Hallstatt. Although it is a very tourist spot, you will still like it.

👉 HALLEIN SALT MINES: If you don’t like tourist spots and still want to see salt mines, explore the Hallein Salt Mines with its Celtic village. It won’t be so crowded.

👉 WERFEN + GIANT ICE CAVES: If you are more into ice caves and history, go to Werfen and the Giant Ice Cave Complex.

👉 BERCHTESGADEN + KÖNNIGSEE: If you want to step foot into Germany, visit Berchtesgaden with its salt mines – remember these are special as you will also take a boat inside the mines. Then, walk up to Eagle’s Nest and enjoy breathtaking views.

👉 LAKES: If you just fancy a relaxing trip, go to St. Wolfgang, Könnigsee, and Mondsee.

👉 OBERSDORF BEI SALZBURG + MONDSEE: Finally, if you want a relaxing excursion with some religious influence, go to Oberdorf bei Salzburg. You can, for instance, do Oberdorf bei Salzburg and after visit Mondsee.

👉 READ ALSO: Switzerland Vs. Austria: Which Is Better To Visit?

BONUS: Best Of Salzburg Itinerary

Salzburg is a stunning city on its own. So spend at least 1 or 2 days exploring its beauties.

Take my Salzburg itinerary, which has a detailed description of the sights I recommend you visit. I’ve designed it based on my experience living in the city for 3 years. So you’ll see all the highlights.

Also, check out where to stay in Salzburg and choose the best hotel for your stay and area.

FAQs: Exploring The Salzburg Region

I’ve also answered some frequently asked questions about Salzburg and its surroundings. Check my answers below:

Can You Do A Day Trip From Salzburg To Vienna?

Yes, you can make a day trip from Salzburg to Vienna, but I don’t recommend it. Vienna is a big city, and I would spend at least 2 days to enjoy it fully. Also, the train ride takes 2.5 hours, so you’ll spend 5 hours on a train overall. It’s manageable, though.

Can You Do A Day Trip To Hallstatt From Salzburg?

Yes, you can make a day trip to Hallstatt from Salzburg. It’s one of the best trips you can make from the city. You can take a local train or bus, rent a car, or join an organized excursion with a guide.

How To See The Alps From Salzburg?

The best way to see the Alps from Salzburg is to visit the following places: Fortress in Salzburg (its tower), Untersberg Mountain, Gaisberg Mountain, Werfen Castle, or Eagle’s Nest.

How Many Days In Salzburg Is Enough?

5 days is the perfect time to visit Salzburg. You only need one or two days to explore the city center. After, leave an extra three days to make some excursions in the region and enjoy the spectacular Alps and beautiful lakes.

WRAP-UP: Day Trips From Salzburg

These are the best excursions from Salzburg. I highly recommend you choose at least one of them and explore the stunning surroundings of Salzburg. These are truly some of the most beautiful places in Austria (and even Europe). Spend an extra day or two and take your time to have fun in salt mines or walk up to Hitler’s residence.

If you have questions or need a customized travel itinerary for this area, contact me at info(at)voicesoftravel.com. I’ll gladly help you.

Happy Travels!