Melnq8

I'm fine tuning the details for our upcoming visit to Switzerland, Austria and Germany.

We're planning a day trip to Salzburg from our St Gilgen base, or perhaps stopping there on the day we travel from St Gilgen to Munich (assuming there are luggage lockers at the Salzburg train station, which I'll look into).

I've discovered there are several Christmas Markets in Salzburg and I'm trying to determine which ones are easily accessible from the main train station (I assume the Altstadt is pretty close?).

There's also an Advent Market in the Hohensalzburg Fortress on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, which means we'd definitely have to visit as a day trip from St Gilgen, but I'm wondering if it would be worthwhile to combine that market with a visit to the Fortress and if the Fortress is accessible by foot from the train station?

Other suggestions for what to see in Salzburg that could be incorporated into a single day trip would be greatly appreciated.

Cowboy1968

Just a side note: There are lockers at Salzburg main station
https://www.oebb.at/en/reiseplanung-...bewahrung.html

I'd say that anything in the Altstadt in close to the main station. It takes appr. 10-20 minutes of walking, depending on where in the Altstadt you want to go.

If you want to go up to the fortress, there is a funicular, so you don't have to do the climb. Unless you want to.
https://www.salzburg.info/en/travel-.../cable_railway

The fortress hill offers some very nice vistas so unless it was raining cats and dogs I'd say it's always worth the trip (even when you decide against visiting the fortress). But when your time is limited I'd focus on the streets and Christmas markets in the Old Town first, and see if you still have time left to go up.
Aside from the maze of cobblestone streets and squares of the Old Town, I find visiting the Cathedral worth while.

Melnq8

Thanks Cowboy. I was aware of the Fortress funicular, but couldn't tell how long a walk to reach it from the main trainstation. Any idea?

Cowboy1968

Hmm.. I'd have said appr. 20 minutes from the station to the funicular. Google thinks you need almost 30 minutes.
Nevertheless, the walking route is just the first 5-10 minutes somewhat bland cityscape until you reach Mirabell park and palace.. then the walk becomes quite scenic with crossing the Salzach river and entering the pedestrian zone of the Old Town.

Melnq8

Doable then, excellent, thank you again!

fourfortravel

With the Salzburg Card you can use public transportation for free and skip the queue for the funicular to the Fortress. A 24-hour card is €25, valid from the time it's first used; if you tour the Fortress, visit the Dom Quartier (worth it for the interior view from the top), and drop in on the small and charming Christmas Museum the card is paid for.

Here are my notes on the Salzburg Christmas markets:

Mirabellplatz. Definitely the most traditional market of the holiday, though small, with lovely fresh and seasonal floral arrangements at one stall that I regret not purchasing.

The Christkindlmarkt at Dom and Residenzplatz. Refreshingly uncommercial compared to Vienna’s Christkindlmarkt. We enjoyed a small snack of Bauern Krapfen (flat, fried doughnuts topped (in our case) with garlic and a little bit of sauerkraut—an acquired taste, to be sure). One of the tall, cylindrical market mugs also came home with us.

At this market I also found my beloved Schneeball, another acquired taste of fried dough strips wrapped into a ball and covered with sugar powder. We had discovered the Bauern Krapfen in Innsbruck last year (where it is known as “Kiachl”) and the Schneeball in Bavaria on a trip several years earlier, and were happy to meet up again with these yummy friends.

SternAdvent at Stern Brau. Hands down, our favorite market of those we visited in Salzburg’s AltStadt. The setting was enchanting, and the stalls were filled with unique handcrafted items. Several purchases were made at this market. Walking back to our vehicle from the market, we passed a Käse Hütte offering cheeses from Vorarlberg, and combined with some Wild (Deer) Salami, a couple of baguettes and a crisp Weiss Burgundy from the grocery, dinner was born.

Schloss Hellbrunn. Snow was lightly falling now, giving the market a romantic feel. The market offers were exceptional, we thought, and once again my tote was filled by the time we departed with felted and handsewn stocking stuffer delights. As we were heading home from this market, we made time for a lunch of Deer Chili beforehand in one of the cozy huts.

Melnq8

Thank you fourfortravel - I remember reading about some of your Austrian Christmas Market visits some time ago - I appreciate your insight, very helpful. Good to know about the Salzburg Card too.

Think I'll pass on the deer salami and deer chili though!