Salzburg & Salzburg Region

Salzburg's left-bank old town is a baroque total work of art, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. Churches, palaces, squares, and fountains crowd together in a small space — all dominated by the fortress on the Mönchsberg. The alleys are narrow, the facades high, and at every corner awaits a new postcard motif.

★★★ Getreidegasse

Salzburg's most famous street — a medieval shopping street with wrought-iron guild signs that hang over the shops like works of art. Each sign is handcrafted and unique: H&M has as elaborate a wrought-iron logo here as the traditional jewelers next door. The house passages (the so-called Durchhäuser) lead to hidden courtyards with boutiques, galleries, and small cafes — definitely walk through!

The Getreidegasse is narrow and hopelessly crowded in summer. The trick: come before 9 AM or after 6 PM, when the day-trippers are gone and the light turns the facades golden.

★★★ Residenzplatz & Cathedral

The baroque heart of the city: the spacious Residenzplatz with the magnificent Residenz Fountain (1661, largest baroque fountain in Central Europe), flanked by the Old Residence (Archbishop's Palace, state rooms 13 €) and the Salzburg Cathedral. The cathedral (1614–1628) with its 71-meter-high dome is a masterpiece of early baroque — Mozart was baptized here in 1756. The baptismal font still stands in the same place.

Residenzplatz. Cathedral: free (donation of 3 € requested). Cathedral museum 13 €. Mon–Sat 8 AM–5 PM, Sun 1–5 PM.

★★ St. Peter's Abbey & Cemetery

The oldest continuously existing monastery in the German-speaking area (founded 696). The St. Peter's Cemetery with its wrought-iron grave crosses, flower-decorated graves, and the rock-hewn catacombs is one of the most atmospheric places in Salzburg. Here, the first Christians of the region are said to have hidden. In the adjacent Stiftskeller St. Peter — supposedly Europe's oldest restaurant (803!) — you can still dine today.

St.-Peter-Bezirk 1. Cemetery free, catacombs 2 €. Cemetery: daily 6:30 AM–7 PM (summer), 6:30 AM–6 PM (winter).

★★ Kapitelplatz & Modern Art

Behind the cathedral, the Kapitelplatz opens with Stephan Balkenhol's oversized sculpture "Sphaera" — a golden sphere with a man on top, wonderfully contrasting with the medieval fortress in the background. From here, the funicular (cable railway) takes you up to Hohensalzburg.

★ Alter Markt

The most intimate square of the old town: small bourgeois houses, the Fürst-Archbishop's Court Pharmacy (in operation since 1591!) and the Café Tomaselli — Salzburg's oldest coffee house (since 1705), where Mozart already drank his coffee. A piece of Mozart cake (not to be confused with the balls!) and a melange on the terrace: 11 €.

The Hohensalzburg Fortress towers 120 meters above the city on the Festungsberg and is the largest fully preserved castle in Central Europe. It was expanded over centuries since 1077 and never conquered — a bulwark that protected Salzburg's archbishops from rebellious citizens and enemy armies.

★★★ The Castle

The complex is massive: thick walls, defensive towers, bastions, and inside magnificent princely rooms with Gothic carvings, the golden hall, and the torture chamber. The castle museum tells 950 years of history — from peasant uprisings to salt mining to use as a barracks and prison. Particularly impressive: the Golden Hall with Gothic star ceiling and the view from the princely rooms over the entire old town.

★★★ Panorama

The view from the fortress is the best in Salzburg — and one of the most beautiful in the entire Alpine region: at your feet the baroque old town with its domes and towers, the Salzach, the right-bank new town, and on the horizon the Untersberg (1,853 m) and the Berchtesgaden Alps. On a foehn wind day, the view extends to the Watzmann. In the evening, when the city below begins to glow, the moment is magical.

Funicular or on Foot?

The funicular (cable railway from Kapitelplatz) takes you up in 54 seconds — convenient, but you miss the ascent through the old fortifications. The footpath (15–20 minutes via Festungsgasse) is steep but rewarding: through medieval gates, past bastions with views that funicular riders never see.

Mönchsberg 34. Combined ticket (funicular + museums) 16.30 € (children 9.20 €). Only funicular: 9 €. Only footpath + museums: 13 €. Jan–April & Oct–Dec: 9:30 AM–5 PM, May–Sept: 9 AM–7 PM. Evening tours Fri & Sat at 7:30 PM (25 €, incl. wine).

Salzburg is Mozart's city — and it doesn't let you forget it. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, born here in 1756, is omnipresent: his face on chocolate balls, his name on squares, streets, and hotels. Behind the commerce, however, are two authentic museums that show the person behind the genius.

★★★ Mozart's Birthplace

In this yellow bourgeois house at Getreidegasse 9, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on January 27, 1756. The family lived here until 1773 in cramped quarters on the 3rd floor. Today, the museum displays original instruments — including Mozart's childhood violin and his clavichord —, letters, portraits, and everyday documents. You learn how father Leopold toured his son as a child prodigy through Europe and how the family lived between genius and financial worries.

The birthplace is Salzburg's most visited museum — the rooms are accordingly small and often crowded. Come at opening at 9 AM or after 4 PM.

Getreidegasse 9. 14 € (combined ticket with residence 20 €). Daily 9 AM–5:30 PM (July–Aug until 8 PM).

★★ Mozart's Residence (Dance Master's House)

In 1773, the Mozart family moved to the more spacious Dance Master's House at Makartplatz on the right bank of the Salzach. Here, the young Mozart composed many of his early masterpieces. The museum is more modern and less crowded than the birthplace, with multimedia stations, original sheet music, and an impressive collection of Mozart portraits. Chamber concerts are regularly held in the Dance Master's Hall — Mozart in Mozart's living room.

Makartplatz 8. 14 € (combined ticket with birthplace 20 €). Daily 9 AM–5:30 PM.

Mozart beyond the Balls

For those who want to experience Mozart beyond the commerce:
Mozarteum — The International Mozarteum Foundation (Schwarzstraße 26) houses Mozart's original piano and hosts concerts year-round. In the garden stands the "Magic Flute House," where Mozart supposedly composed parts of the opera.
Sebastian Cemetery — Here lies Mozart's father Leopold buried (Linzer Gasse 41). A quiet, beautiful cemetery in Italian style with the mausoleum of Archbishop Wolf Dietrich.
Mozart Week (end of January) — The most prestigious Mozart festival in the world, founded in 1956. The Vienna Philharmonic and international soloists perform Mozart's works at historic venues. Tickets from 35 €, top concerts 120–250 €.

Hellbrunn Palace (1615) is Austria's most playful palace — built as a pleasure palace for the Salzburg Prince-Archbishop Markus Sittikus, who had a pronounced sense of humor. The palace itself is pretty, but the trick fountains in the park are the real highlight and unique worldwide.

★★★ Trick Fountains

The trick fountains (built from 1612) are a baroque amusement that has been working for 400 years — without electricity, only with water pressure from the Hellbrunner Berg. The prince-archbishop invited guests to dinner in the garden grottoes and then secretly sprayed them with water: Fountains shoot from table chairs, stone figures spit water, mechanical theaters move by water power, and those who stroll through the avenues are surprised by hidden jets.

The tour (only guided, approx. 40 min.) is entertaining and interactive — the guide activates the water surprises and you will get wet. That's part of the fun. On hot summer days: perfect. On cool rainy days: less so.

★★ Palace Park & Stone Theater

The extensive park (freely accessible!) houses the Stone Theater — the oldest open-air stage north of the Alps (1617), carved into the natural rock. The first opera performance north of the Alps took place here in 1617. Also: a wildlife park with deer and fallow deer, playgrounds, and the famous Monatsschlössel viewpoint.

★ Hellbrunn Advent Magic

In November and December, the palace park transforms into one of Austria's most atmospheric Christmas markets: 700 lanterns illuminate the avenues, handicrafts instead of mass-produced goods, punch and chestnuts under old trees. Less crowded than the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt and much more atmospheric.

Fürstenweg 37, 5020 Salzburg (6 km south of the old town). Palace + trick fountains 16 € (children 7.50 €). April–Oct: 9 AM–5:30 PM (July–Aug until 9 PM, evening tours!). Nov–March: only palace (without trick fountains). Bus 25 from Mirabellplatz (20 min.).

Only 30 km south of Salzburg — but already in Bavaria — lies one of the most spectacular natural areas of the Alps: the Berchtesgaden National Park with the emerald-green Königssee, the Watzmann (2,713 m), and the historically charged Kehlsteinhaus. A perfect day trip from Salzburg, combining nature and history.

★★★ Königssee

The cleanest lake in Germany is nestled between steep rock walls like a Norwegian fjord in the middle of the Alps. The electric boat ride over the 8 km long lake is legendary: Halfway, the boatman stops and plays the trumpet — the echo from the rock walls is an acoustic wonder that has enchanted visitors for centuries.

Destination of the ride: the pilgrimage church of St. Bartholomä (1134), whose red onion domes in front of the dramatic Watzmann east wall (1,800 m vertical rock!) are among the most iconic motifs of the Alps. From here, you can continue hiking to the Obersee (30 min.) — an even quieter, wilder lake with the Röthbach Waterfall (470 m, Germany's highest waterfall).

Seestraße 55, Schönau am Königssee. Boat trip to St. Bartholomä: 21.50 € return (children 11 €). To Salet/Obersee: 25.50 € return. April–Oct: half-hourly 8 AM–5 PM. Limited in winter.

★★ Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle's Nest)

Built in 1938 as a gift from the NSDAP to Hitler, the Kehlsteinhaus at 1,834 m is now a restaurant and documentation site — not a pilgrimage site. The journey is spectacular: Special buses drive up the steep Kehlstein road (6.5 km, 800 meters of elevation), then a brass-clad elevator ascends 124 m through the rock to the summit. The panoramic view over the Berchtesgaden Alps, the Königssee, and on clear days to Salzburg is breathtaking.

Kehlsteinstraße, Berchtesgaden. Bus ticket from Kehlstein parking lot: 21 € return. Mid-May–Oct (weather-dependent). First bus 8 AM, last ascent 4 PM. Restaurant at the top: Main courses 14–22 €.

★★ Berchtesgaden Salt Mine

Salt has been mined here since 1517 — today, the oldest active salt mine in Germany is an experience museum. The tour (70 min.) leads through underground tunnels, over miner slides, and with a raft over the underground salt lake. Especially a highlight for families.

Bergwerkstraße 83, Berchtesgaden. 24 € (children 14 €). Daily 9 AM–5 PM (Nov–April 11 AM–3 PM). Duration 70 min.

Getting There from Salzburg

Bus 840 from Salzburg main station directly to Berchtesgaden: 50 minutes, hourly, approx. 6 € one way (Bavaria Ticket is worth it for groups: 27 € for up to 5 people, valid all day). By car: 30 min. via B305/B20 (border crossing without control). Parking at Königssee: 7 €/day.

The Salzburg Festival (end of July to end of August) is the most important classical music festival in the world — founded in 1920 by Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Max Reinhardt, and Richard Strauss. For six weeks, Salzburg becomes the world stage: opera, drama, concerts, and readings at over 15 venues, with the best artists in the world.

★★★ Jedermann at Domplatz

The heart of the festival: Hugo von Hofmannsthal's "Jedermann" (The Play of the Rich Man's Death) has been performed outdoors at Domplatz since 1920. When Death calls and his "Jedermann!" call echoes from the church towers of the old town, even the most hardened spectators get chills. One of the most impressive theater experiences in Europe.

Tickets 30–450 €. Performances: approx. 15 performances in July/August. Advance sales from November of the previous year — sought-after dates sell out quickly.

★★★ Great Festival Hall

The largest opera stage in the world (100 m wide!) was blasted into the Mönchsberg in 1960 — an architectural masterpiece. Here, the Vienna Philharmonic conducts, the greatest opera singers in the world perform, and the most prestigious premieres take place. Even outside the festival, a tour (8 €, daily 2 PM) through the vast rooms is worthwhile.

Experience the Festival — Even on a Budget

The festival is expensive (opera tickets 80–450 €), but there are ways:
Jedermann Broadcast: The premiere is broadcast live on a big screen at Kapitelplatz — free!
Siemens Fest>Spiel>Nights: Every evening, operas and concerts are shown on a big screen at Kapitelplatz — free, with sausage stand and festival atmosphere.
Children & Youth Program: Discounted tickets from 10 € for under 27s.
Last-Minute Tickets: On the day of the performance from 9:30 AM at the ticket office (Hofstallgasse 1), there are last-minute tickets with up to 50% discount.

Festival Season Practical

During the festival, Salzburg is expensive and crowded: hotel prices double, restaurants are fully booked, the old town is teeming with evening gowns and tuxedos. Those who want to experience the festival should book 6+ months in advance. Alternative: Stay in Berchtesgaden or at Lake Fuschl (30 min. away, half as expensive) and drive to Salzburg in the evening.

The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is the most spectacular panoramic road in the Alps — and one of the most beautiful roads in the world. Over 48 km, it conquers 36 hairpin bends and leads over the Hochtor Pass (2,504 m) to the foot of the Grossglockner (3,798 m), Austria's highest mountain. The road was opened in 1935 and was then Austria's largest infrastructure project.

★★★ The Drive

Plan at least half a day for the drive — those who rush through miss everything. The road starts in Bruck an der Großglocknerstraße (Pinzgau) or in Heiligenblut (Carinthia) and climbs through various vegetation zones: from alpine meadows over dwarf pine belts to the alpine high mountain desert above the tree line.

Stop at the viewpoints: Fuscher Törl (2,428 m), Edelweißspitze (2,571 m, the highest point, only accessible via a side road — panoramic view over 30+ three-thousanders!), Hochtor Tunnel, and the side road to the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe.

★★★ Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe & Pasterze

The highlight of the road: From the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe (2,369 m), you look directly at the Grossglockner and the Pasterze, the largest glacier in the Eastern Alps. The glacier is impressive — and alarming: It has lost over half of its area since 1850. A glacier railway (free) leads down to the glacier tongue. Marmots are omnipresent here — they practically pose for photos.

★★ Hikes

Gamsgrubenweg (2.5 km, 45 min.): Panorama high trail with tunnels and rock galleries directly above the Pasterze. Easy, also for families. Marmots, ibexes, and griffon vultures as companions.
Stockeralm Circular Trail (4 km, 90 min.): Alpine hike with flower meadows and alpine hut for a stop. Kaiserschmarrn at 2,000 m — culinary highlight.
Glockner Hike to Salmhütte (6 km, 3 hrs): For the experienced. Ascent to the Salmhütte (2,638 m), the highest alpine club hut on the Glockner route. You won't get closer to the summit without a mountain guide.

Practical

Toll: 41.50 € per car (day ticket, valid for round trip). Motorcycle 31 €.
Opening times: Early May to early November (weather-dependent). Daily 5 AM–9:30 PM (last entry 8:15 PM).
Getting there from Salzburg: 150 km via the A10 and B311 to Bruck, then the High Alpine Road. Travel time from Salzburg: approx. 2.5 hrs to Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe.
Fuel up: Fill up before the ascent — there is no gas station on the route.

The Salzburg cuisine is alpine-hearty with a baroque touch: dumplings, nocken, game dishes, and sweet pastries dominate. Salzburg lies at the intersection of Bavarian heartiness and Austrian finesse — and you can taste it.

★★★ Salzburger Nockerl

Salzburg's national dessert — and a culinary masterpiece: three airy soufflé peaks made from egg whites, sugar, and a hint of flour, baked golden and dusted with powdered sugar. The three peaks are said to represent the city mountains of Salzburg (Mönchsberg, Festungsberg, Kapuzinerberg). Fresh from the oven, they must be served immediately — nockerl wait for no one.

Stiftskeller St. Peter · St.-Peter-Bezirk 1/4 · €€€
Europe's oldest restaurant — continuously operating since 803. The Salzburger Nockerl here (16.50 € for 2 people!) are legendary, as is the game from local hunts and the trout from the monastery pond. The baroque room with vaulted ceiling is the most beautiful setting in the city. Main courses 18–32 €.
Daily 11:30 AM–10 PM. Reservation strongly recommended.

★★★ Kasnocken (Cheese Spätzle)

The soul food of the Alps: hand-scraped spätzle with melted mountain cheese (usually Emmental and mountain cheese) and roasted onions, served in a hot pan. Simple, filling, addictive. Add a green salad — that's a perfect alpine meal.

Gasthof Goldgasse · Goldgasse 10 · €€
Hidden in one of the oldest alleys of the old town: honest Salzburg tavern cuisine in a 600-year-old house. The Kasnocken (14.90 €) are the best in the city — golden brown, cheesy, crispy. Add a Stiegl beer on tap. Main courses 13–24 €.
Wed–Mon 11:30 AM–9:30 PM, Tue closed

Zwettler's · Kaigasse 3 · €€
Established brewery-restaurant with its own beer garden in the Kaiviertel. Kasnocken 13.90 €, schnitzel 17.90 €, homemade dumplings. Sunday brunch (22 € all-you-can-eat). Popular with locals.
Daily 10 AM–11 PM

Other Salzburg Specialties

Bosna — Salzburg's unique street food: a spicy sausage in white bread with onions, curry powder, and mustard. Sounds simple, tastes fantastic. Invented in the 1950s, the best Bosna is at Balkan Grill (Getreidegasse 33, tiny counter stand, 4.50 €). The queue is legendary — and justified.

Mozartkugeln — The real Salzburg Mozartkugeln only come from Confectionery Fürst (Brodgasse 13): hand-rolled, with marzipan, nougat, and pistachios, coated in dark chocolate. Piece 1.70 €, box of 12 pieces 22 €. The industrial Mozartkugeln from other manufacturers (in supermarkets) are no comparison — look for the silver-blue Fürst paper.

Trout from the Salzkammergut — Fresh from the lakes, filleted at the table, with parsley potatoes and butter. Best at M32 on the Mönchsberg (Mönchsberg 32, trout 28 €, plus panoramic view) or at Bärenwirt (Müllner Hauptstraße 8, trout 19 €, down-to-earth).

Augustiner Bräustübl · Lindhofstraße 7 · €
Salzburg's largest beer hall — and the most beautiful: since 1621, the Augustinian monks have been brewing strong beer here. In the huge beer garden (1,400 seats under chestnut trees), you get a stone mug (0.5 l from 4.60 €), fill it at the wooden barrel, and buy pretzels, Obatzda, radish, and roast pork at the stalls in the entrance hall. No frills, no tourist program — this is how Salzburg has been drinking for 400 years.
Mon–Fri 3–11 PM, Sat–Sun 2:30–11 PM. No reservation possible.

Arrival

The Salzburg Airport (SZG, "W. A. Mozart") is only 4 km from the center. Bus 2 to the main station: 15 min., 2.20 €. Taxi: approx. 18 €.
Alternatively: Munich Airport (MUC) is 190 km away, but often cheaper. Direct train Munich–Salzburg: 1:30 hrs, from 19 €.

By train: ÖBB Railjet from Vienna (2:20 hrs, from 19 €), from Munich (1:30 hrs, from 19 €), from Innsbruck (1:50 hrs, from 14 €). The main station is a 20-minute walk from the old town.

On Site

Salzburg's old town is compact and car-free — everything is within walking distance. For the Mönchsberg, there is the Mönchsberg Lift (Gstättengasse, 4 € return). The bus network (Salzburg AG) is good, single ticket 2.20 €, day ticket 6 €. Rent bicycles at Movelo (from 15 €/day) — the Salzach cycle paths are delightful.

Accommodation

€ Budget: YOHO Salzburg (bed from 22 €), A&O Salzburg Hauptbahnhof (double room from 69 €).
€€ Mid-range: Hotel am Dom (double room from 140 €, perfect location), Arthotel Blaue Gans (double room from 130 €, oldest inn in the city).
€€€ Luxury: Hotel Sacher Salzburg (from 320 €), Schloss Leopoldskron (from 250 €, "Sound of Music" castle!).

Best Travel Time

April–June: Delightful. Blooming gardens, mild temperatures (12–22°C), pre-festival calm. Easter market at Domplatz.
July–August: Festival time! Crowded, expensive, but culturally unbeatable. 25–30°C, occasional thunderstorms.
September–October: Golden autumn, grape harvest, Rupert-Kirtag (Salzburg's largest folk festival, end of September). Beautiful.
November–December: Christmas markets at Domplatz and in Hellbrunn. Atmospheric, cold (0–5°C), snowy.
January–March: Mozart Week (end of January). Ski resorts in the surrounding area (Obertauern 90 km, Kitzbühel 80 km). Cheapest hotel prices.

Day Trips from Salzburg

• Hallstatt & Salzkammergut (75 km, 1.5 hrs): UNESCO village by the lake, salt mines, skywalk. Bus 150 + train or car.
• Berchtesgaden & Königssee (30 km, 40 min.): See separate section above.
• Werfen — Eisriesenwelt (40 km, 45 min.): The largest ice cave in the world! Hohenwerfen Castle as a bonus.
• St. Wolfgang & Wolfgangsee (50 km, 1 hr): Schafbergbahn, White Horse Inn, summer retreat idyll.
• Zell am See & Kitzsteinhorn (85 km, 1.5 hrs): Glacier ski area, snow year-round at 3,000 m.