Salzburg vs. Cesky Krumlov: Choosing Your Ideal Danube River Shore Excursion

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A Danube River cruise hits many of central Europe’s grand cities, including Budapest and Vienna. During a typical weeklong sailing, you’ll also have the chance to visit one of two smaller towns not too far from the river: Salzburg in Austria or Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic.

The towns do have some similarities. Both have historic city centers that are UNESCO World Heritage sites, with picture-perfect buildings, castles and churches to explore. Both are tourist-friendly — in fact, both are likely to be crowded during peak summer months — and have cute shops for souvenirs. Both have delicious apple strudel and baked goods that you’ll want to make sure to try.

The problem is, on your typical Danube River cruises, you can only choose one of these cities to visit. That’s because each town is about 90 minutes away from the river by bus, in opposite directions. River ships typically run excursions to Salzburg and Cesky Krumlov from Linz, Austria, or from Passau, Germany.

(Your other option, of course, is to stay on the ship and do an excursion in one of these towns, but since both Salzburg and Cesky Krumlov are special in their own right, we recommend visiting at least one of them).

We’ve been to both Salzburg and Cesky Krumlov several times. Here’s our breakdown on why you should choose one over another.

Choose Salzburg if You Want to Stay Busy All Day

Of the two cities, Salzburg is larger than Cesky Krumlov, by quite a lot: 575,000 people compared to 13,000. Simply by size, Salzburg has more ground to cover, with more things to see, and you’ll have no trouble filling your hours on a day trip here.

Top of the list is the Fortress Hohensalzburg, which looms over the city. This is the biggest fully preserved castle in central Europe, dating back to 1077, and it’s easy to tour, either with a healthy walk up the hill or a funicular ride.

Salzburg’s Old Town (Altstadt) is also fairly extensive, sporting Baroque architecture that came from the city’s status within the Holy Roman Empire; this mix of Italian and German influences is why Salzburg has its UNESCO status.

Add in the special interest sites (which we’ll outline below) and you find that Salzburg is one of those cities where you can’t do it all in one day, so you’ll have to choose your own adventure, with an eye on the clock.

Choose Cesky Krumlov for a Relaxing Day in a Medieval Town

By contrast, Cesky Krumlov is much smaller than Salzburg, so it’s easier to visit and really see everything in one afternoon. Cesky Krumlov earns its UNESCO status from being an almost perfectly preserved medieval town, with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture.

The main site in town, the Castle once owned by the Schwarzenberg family, can take up as much time as you want. Most walking tours pass through the fresco-filled courtyards and stop at the moat, which houses several of the remaining “castle bears” in the Czech Republic. More in-depth Castle tours will take you inside, where you can see one of the world’s the best-preserved Baroque theaters.

The rest of the town is best seen by an easy ramble over cobblestoned streets. Cesky Krumlov is compact, and it only takes a few hours to walk through the entire thing. That means you won’t feel guilty about stopping for a leisurely lunch or drink.

Choose Salzburg if You Love The Sound of Music

Salzburg will be forever linked with a certain Julie Andrews movie, and it’s hard to escape a visit here without at least hearing one rendition of the movie’s songs. Full Sound of Music bus tours exist if you’re a fan; these trips take you outside the city to bucolic Mondsee, home of the grand basilica where Maria and her Captain von Trapp married. Expect singalongs and costumes if you take this trip, with the movie played on loop.

Even if you don’t take a Sound of Music tour, you can easily see some of the major sites on your own. The gazebo where Liesl and Rolf danced to Sixteen Going on Seventeen is within the grounds of Hellbrunn Palace Park, where most panoramic tours of the city stop. A stop here posing is a must. The Mirabell Palace Gardens, where the title character Maria taught the kids their “Do Re Mi”s is right in the center of town.

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