Bernhard
October 16, 2024
Salzburg is compact, walkable and packed into one bend of the Salzach river, which is exactly why first-time visitors struggle to choose. This guide collects the best things to do in Salzburg in one place: the top attractions everyone should see, the places locals actually go, and the practical details (where things are, how long they take, what to skip) that make a day here run smoothly. If you have only one day, follow the order below from the fortress down to the river. If you have longer, see our two-day Salzburg itinerary and the trip planner for what to book ahead.
The 15 best things to do in Salzburg
1. Hohensalzburg Fortress
The white fortress on the Festungsberg is Salzburg's landmark and the right place to start, because the view from the ramparts shows you the whole layout of the city. Construction began in 1077 under Archbishop Gebhard, and it is one of the largest fully preserved medieval castles in Europe. Inside, the Golden Chamber with its late-Gothic ceiling and the Salzburg Bull organ are the highlights; the Fortress Museum and the puppet collection are worth an extra half hour. The funicular from Festungsgasse takes one minute; the walk up from Nonnbergstiege takes about 15 and rewards you with a quieter approach. Allow two hours. Read more in our Hohensalzburg Fortress guide.
2. Mozart's Birthplace on Getreidegasse
The yellow house at Getreidegasse 9 is where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on 27 January 1756 and where the family lived until 1773. The museum spreads across three floors and holds his childhood violin, the clavichord he composed on, portraits and letters. It is small and busy, so go when it opens or in the last hour before closing. If you want the fuller story, the Mozart Residence on Makartplatz across the river is larger and calmer, and a combined ticket covers both.
3. Mirabell Palace and Gardens
Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich built Mirabell in 1606 for Salome Alt, the mother of his children, and the baroque gardens laid out later are the most photographed spot in the city: the Pegasus fountain, the rose garden, the Dwarf Garden and the steps where the children sang "Do-Re-Mi" in The Sound of Music. Entry to the gardens is free. The Marble Hall inside the palace, where the young Mozart played, hosts evening chamber concerts. Our Mirabell guide covers the film locations in detail.
4. The Old Town (Altstadt)
Salzburg's historic centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. Getreidegasse is the main shopping lane, famous for its wrought-iron guild signs, but the real pleasure is the network of passages (Durchhäuser) that cut between the streets and open onto hidden courtyards. Residenzplatz has the largest baroque fountain outside Italy, and the Glockenspiel in the tower above it plays at 7 am, 11 am and 6 pm. Set aside a whole morning and see our Old Town landmarks guide for a street-by-street route.
5. Salzburg Cathedral and the DomQuartier
The cathedral was consecrated in 1628 and is the first great baroque church north of the Alps. Mozart was baptised here, and the bronze font from 1321 still stands in the left aisle. Entry is by donation. The DomQuartier ticket links the cathedral's organ gallery, the archbishops' Residenz state rooms and the St. Peter's museum into one circuit that takes about 90 minutes and is the best single museum visit in the city.
6. St. Peter's Abbey, cemetery and catacombs
Just behind the cathedral, St. Peter's is the oldest monastery in the German-speaking world, founded around 696. The cemetery with its wrought-iron graves against the cliff is one of the most atmospheric places in Salzburg, and the catacombs cut into the Mönchsberg rock above it can be climbed for a small fee. The abbey's restaurant, St. Peter Stiftskulinarium, is documented from 803 and claims to be the oldest in Europe. More in our St. Peter's Cemetery article.
7. Hellbrunn Palace and the Trick Fountains
Prince-Archbishop Markus Sittikus built Hellbrunn between 1612 and 1615 as a summer pleasure palace, and its water games have been soaking guests for 400 years: hidden jets in the stone dining table, a mechanical theatre powered by water, grottoes and spouting statues. The guided fountain tour runs from April to early November. The park is free and holds the original Sound of Music gazebo. Bus 25 from the main station or the Old Town takes about 20 minutes.
8. Mönchsberg: the lift, the views and the Museum der Moderne
The cliff that walls in the Old Town is also its best walk. Take the Mönchsberg lift from Gstättengasse up to the Museum der Moderne, then follow the ridge path east to the fortress. The whole walk takes about 45 minutes, passes the Bürgerwehr bastion and gives a view of the domes and the Salzach that no ticketed viewpoint can beat. The museum's terrace café is the nicest spot in the city for a coffee with a view.
9. Kapuzinerberg: the quiet side of the river
Across the river, the Kapuzinerberg is steeper and far less visited. Steps from Linzer Gasse lead past the Stations of the Cross to the Capuchin monastery and on to the Franziskischlössl at the top. The viewpoint at the monastery wall looks straight across at the fortress and the Old Town skyline. It is the best free sunset spot in Salzburg, and you will often have it almost to yourself.
10. Augustiner Bräu in Mülln
Austria's largest beer hall has been brewing at the monastery in Mülln since 1621, and nothing about the ritual has changed: pick a stone mug from the rack, rinse it at the fountain, pay at the counter and have it filled from a wooden barrel. Food comes from a row of independent stalls in the hall, and in summer everyone sits under the chestnut trees. It is a 15-minute walk along the river from the Old Town. Our Salzburg brewery guide covers Stiegl and the smaller breweries too.
11. Haus der Natur
If you are travelling with children or the weather turns, the natural history museum on Museumsplatz is the best indoor afternoon in town: an aquarium, a reptile house, a space hall and a hands-on science centre spread over several floors. Allow two to three hours. It opens daily, including Mondays when most other museums close.
12. Salzburg Museum and the Panorama
The city museum in the Neue Residenz on Mozartplatz tells Salzburg's story from the prince-archbishops to the present, with a strong section on the city as a myth in music and film. The Panorama Museum next door shows Johann Michael Sattler's 360-degree painting of Salzburg from 1829, which is the quickest way to understand how little the skyline has changed. For contemporary art, see our guide to Salzburg galleries and exhibitions.
13. A Sound of Music tour
Nearly six decades after the film, the locations still draw visitors from around the world: the Mirabell steps, the Nonnberg Abbey where the real Maria was a novice, Leopoldskron Palace, the Hellbrunn gazebo and the lake district scenery of St. Gilgen and Mondsee. You can visit the city sites on foot, but the lakes need a car. Our private Sound of Music tour covers them all in a day, and the filming locations article lists every spot.
14. A day trip to Hallstatt and the Salzkammergut lakes
Salzburg sits at the edge of the Salzkammergut, and the lakes are the reason to stay an extra night. Hallstatt, the Wolfgangsee with the Schafberg cog railway, and the Fuschlsee are all within 90 minutes. Hallstatt is the most famous and the most crowded; going early or with a private driver who knows the parking situation makes the difference. Details on our Hallstatt tour from Salzburg page, and for car-free options see places to visit near Salzburg without a car.
15. Eat like a local
Three things to try: Salzburger Nockerl, the sweet soufflé shaped like the three hills of the city; a Bosna from the Balkan Grill stand in a Getreidegasse passage, sold there since 1950; and an original Mozartkugel from Café Fürst on Alter Markt, where the confectioner Paul Fürst invented it in 1890. For a sit-down meal, the traditional inns of the Old Town serve Wiener Schnitzel and Tafelspitz; our Salzburg food guide names ten specific places.
Beyond the top 15: worth it if you have time
- Untersberg cable car. Twenty minutes from the centre in Grödig, the cable car climbs to 1,776 metres for a view over Salzburg, the lakes and the Berchtesgaden Alps. Read the legend of Kaiser Karl in the Untersberg.
- Nonnberg Abbey. The oldest continuously existing convent in the German-speaking world, founded around 714, just below the fortress. The nuns still sing Gregorian chant at early morning mass.
- The Salzburg Festival. Founded in 1920 by Max Reinhardt, Hugo von Hofmannsthal and Richard Strauss, it runs from late July to the end of August. Jedermann on the cathedral square is the signature production; tickets for it sell out months ahead, but many concerts are easier to get.
- Christmas markets. From late November the Christkindlmarkt fills Domplatz and Residenzplatz, and the Hellbrunn Advent market is the prettiest in the region. See our Christmas market tour.
- Stiegl Brauwelt. Austria's largest private brewery, with a museum and tasting, ten minutes from the centre.
How to plan your day in Salzburg
A one-day route that works: fortress first thing (funicular up, walk down past Nonnberg), St. Peter's and the cathedral, lunch in the Old Town, Getreidegasse and Mozart's Birthplace, cross the river to Mirabell Gardens, then either Kapuzinerberg for sunset or Augustiner for the evening. Everything on that list is within a 20-minute walk of Residenzplatz.
Salzburg Card. Sold for 24, 48 or 72 hours, it covers the fortress with the funicular, both Mozart museums, Hellbrunn, the Mönchsberg lift, the Untersberg cable car, the Salzach boat and all city public transport. If you plan to enter three or more sights in a day, it pays for itself.
When to come. May, June and September have the best weather and fewer crowds than the festival weeks. December is busy but magical. Our guide to the best time to visit Salzburg goes month by month.
With a private guide. Be Special Tours runs private tours from Salzburg with licensed local guides. A half-day city tour with a licensed guide covers points 1 to 7 in about four hours with skip-the-line entries, and our full-day trips take you to Hallstatt, the Eagle's Nest, the Bavarian mountains or the Sound of Music locations with a driver-guide. Browse all Salzburg day tours.
FAQs
What is Salzburg famous for?
Mozart, who was born here in 1756; The Sound of Music, filmed here in 1964; the baroque Old Town under the Hohensalzburg Fortress, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; and the Salzburg Festival, one of the world's leading classical music events.
How many days do I need in Salzburg?
One full day covers the top sights in the Old Town and Mirabell. Two days let you add Hellbrunn, the Mönchsberg and a slower pace. With three days you can take a full-day trip to Hallstatt, the Eagle's Nest or the Salzkammergut lakes.
Is Salzburg walkable?
Yes. The Old Town, Mirabell Gardens, both Mozart museums and the fortress funicular are all within a 20-minute walk of each other, and the historic centre is largely car-free. Only Hellbrunn, Untersberg and the lakes need a bus, car or tour.
What are the must-see attractions in Salzburg?
If you have time for only five: Hohensalzburg Fortress, the Old Town with Getreidegasse and Residenzplatz, Mirabell Gardens, Salzburg Cathedral with St. Peter's, and Mozart's Birthplace.
Can I see the best places in Salzburg in one day?
Yes, if you start early. Follow the route above: fortress, cathedral quarter, Old Town, then cross the river for Mirabell. Skip the museums' full circuits and keep Hellbrunn for a second day.
Is Salzburg expensive?
It is pricier than most of Austria outside Vienna, mainly for hotels in the festival season. Sightseeing is manageable: the gardens, churches, both hill walks and the river are free, and the Salzburg Card caps the cost of the ticketed sights.
Which side of the river should I stay on?
The Old Town side (left bank) puts you among the sights; the right bank around Linzer Gasse and Mirabell is quieter, slightly cheaper and still five minutes from everything on foot.
Where can I see The Sound of Music locations?
In the city: Mirabell Gardens, Nonnberg Abbey, the Residenzplatz fountain, the Felsenreitschule festival hall and the Hellbrunn gazebo. Outside: Leopoldskron Palace, St. Gilgen, Mondsee church and the meadows of the Salzkammergut, which are easiest with a guided tour.
Is Salzburg good for families?
Very. The trick fountains at Hellbrunn, the Haus der Natur, the fortress with its funicular, the Salzburg Zoo next to Hellbrunn and the Untersberg cable car all work well with children, and distances are short.
What should I eat in Salzburg?
Salzburger Nockerl, Wiener Schnitzel, Kasnocken (cheese dumplings), a Bosna sausage from Balkan Grill, apple strudel, and a Mozartkugel from Fürst. Wash it down with a Stiegl or an Augustiner drawn from the barrel.
