A Cosy Winter Guide to Salzburg in February

Located in northern-central Austria, Salzburg is a city that will take your breath away, especially in the low season without many visitors. Known as the backdrop for The Sound of Music, most people visit this city for a day to see filming locations or to take a selfie for Instagram. With coffee, mountains and a touch of snow, here’s how I went beyond a day to experience Salzburg in February.

Why Salzburg?

This city can be known for being overly touristy and sometimes crowded, so why Salzburg? Being one of Austria's larger cities, trains are available directly from Vienna. This makes it an easy and safe journey for solo travellers. Staying in Bad Ischl, the transport hub of the Salzkammergut, or Sankt Wolfgang, an equally beautiful market town, may rival Salzburg.

However, these small towns become very quiet in February as locals hit the slopes during the snow season. The slightly more vibrant Salzburg was a better choice for my winter escape, meaning my experience will differ from those visiting in the busier summer months.

Travelling to Salzburg 

Flying to Salzburg from London or Amsterdam is possible. However, accessing the city by train or bus allows you to admire a landscape of wild fir trees, charming towns and snow-capped mountains, an experience in itself. For trains, purchasing a ticket and reserving a seat are two separate bookings in Europe.

You can travel on Austrian trains without reserving a seat, but you could risk missing a seat with a view without doing so. Once you have arrived at Salzburg station, you can take a bus or order an Uber to access your accommodation. From Salzburg Hauptbahnhof, you can also use a bus or another train to reach nearby towns and cities.

Where to Stay in Salzburg

A day or two in Salzburg is undoubtedly enough to see the sights. With many other beautiful places to visit in Austria, it's understandable why most travellers only use Salzburg as a day trip or stopover destination. So, where you stay may not be important to you. However, staying here for three to four nights gives you extra time to experience those special moments.

You can always take the bus to nearby towns like Saint Gilgen if you’re looking for things to do in Salzburg after a day or so. There are multiple accommodation options in this city, but I suggest staying near the old town.

Leonardo's Hotel Sazberg City Centre, with its friendly staff, offers a great base in the historic city centre. Despite being a 30-minute walk from the main train station and a 15-minute walk from the Sudtirpler Platz Central Bus Station, this area is close to everything you need to embrace the city's charm.

Five of my Favourite Experiences in Salzburg 

From Mozart's birth house to Hohensalzburg Fortress, there's more than one way to visit Salzburg. Even though I didn't go far from the beaten track, these are the moments that defined my winter adventure.

Petersfriedhof (Saint Peter's Cemetery) 

It seems strange to list a cemetery as a top experience, and it's not something I normally visit. Though I have since been told Peterfried is known by many, I stumbled across this cemetery after noticing a group of tourists standing at its entrance while lost in the old town.

Entering through gothic-styled iron gates, you'll find yourself among wildflowers and tombstones dating back to 1288. With church bells chiming in the background, there's a truly chilling but peaceful ambience throughout Petersfriedhof. It's a moment you won't forget.

Gaisberg (Ghost Mountain) 

Located east of Salzburg, Gaisberg is a haven for paragliders or anyone looking for a mountain-top restaurant. You can catch the bus from Mirabellplatz to reach the bottom of the mountain. Unless you book online, you will need cash to ride the bus to the summit. Paragliding isn't for everyone, but jumping off a snow-covered mountain with VIP Paragliding was a highlight of my stay.

Visiting Gaisberg is still worthwhile even if you're not interested in adrenaline sports. Having lunch at Kohlmayrs Gaisbergspitz is a great way to escape Salzburg's crowds for an hour or two. Located on the mountain top among the fir trees, you'll feel like you're in a Christmas movie after a meal at this cosy inn.

Coffee Lounges

Despite Vienna being famous for its coffee culture, my love for coffee sparked in the streets of Salzburg. Whether lounging in Cafe Tomaselli or buying a takeaway latte from Nur Coffee, Austrian coffee will keep you smiling even if your day goes wrong. As mentioned in my Vienna blog, Austrian coffee houses act like a public lounge roo m. Once you’ve ordered, waiters keep their distance so customers can enjoy their coffee in peace.

As an introvert who needed a coffee while deciding what to do after a tour had been cancelled, this provided the perfect environment for me. You shouldn't have any issues ordering your favourite brew, as most menus feature QR codes linking you to an English menu. However, if you're unsure, a latte makes for an easy order.

Salzburg's Christmas Shops

As someone visiting Salzburg outside the Christmas season, I was surprised to find numerous Christmas shops in the old town. Filled with ornaments of every size and colour, you'll be amazed by the craftsmanship in these stores. Transporting glass ornaments or snow globes home can be challenging due to their fragile nature.

I found placing decorations in an empty egg carton filled with tissue paper helped minimise any breakages. Regardless of whether you buy something or not, you'll feel like you've visited Santa's workshop after entering shops like Christmas in Salzburg or Candela.

Visiting Hallstatt

Surrounded by mountains, Hallstatt is a popular day trip destination for tourists. Unfortunately, over-tourism has become a problem due to the belief that Hallstatt inspired Arendelle in the film Frozen, making it popular on social media. For this reason, I wasn't going to visit this town.

However, after struggling to secure a tour in the low season, I booked an early morning tour that avoided the crowds. Although I thoroughly enjoyed my experience, especially when it started snowing while eating pastries from Maisinger Cafe, it's essential to consider the problems surrounding overtourism.

If you plan to visit Hallstatt, I suggest booking an overnight stay so you can explore the town like a local during late in the evening or early in the morning. Those visiting Hallstatt during peak season should choose an alternative town nearby as I can only imagine how busy this town can get in Summer. Even though most people come for the views, also remember to buy a coffee or souvenir to support the locals living in this tiny village.

Where to eat in Salzburg

Like most of Austria, finding a gourmet feast far from your hotel is easy. Whether it's chocolate for lunch or bratwurst for dinner, Salzburg boasts a diverse array of unique eateries. For chocolate, my favourite place was Altstadt Confiserie, which offers a wide range of handcrafted chocolates.

For goulash on a cold winter's night, I enjoyed takeaways from Nordstrom, Salzburg. Of course, Afro Cafe and Cafe Tomeselli were my favourite places for breakfast and coffee. Before leaving Salzburg, you should also buy a small bag of pistachio and marzipan-filled chocolate Mozart Balls. You can purchase these almost anywhere in Salzburg, but I recommend visiting the original maker's shop at Cafe Konditorie. 

Salzburg will always be known as the city to visit for Sound of Music fans. However, after visiting Salzburg in Winter, I can say there’s more to this Austrian gem than you realise,