Salzburg, Austria: travel guide
Baroque city on the Salzach, birthplace of Mozart and setting of The Sound of Music, crowned by the Hohensalzburg Fortress.
- Country
- Austria
- Currency
- EUR
- Time zone
- Europe/Vienna
- Nearest airport
- SZG
Top places to visit in Salzburg
Hohensalzburg Fortress
Fort · about 2 h · entry EUR 13
One of Europe's largest fully preserved medieval fortresses, perched above the old town with a funicular and panoramic views.
Mirabell Palace & Gardens
Heritage · about 1 h
Baroque palace with manicured gardens famous from The Sound of Music's Do-Re-Mi sequence.
Salzburg Cathedral (Dom)
Church · about 0.8 h
Early-Baroque cathedral on Domplatz where Mozart was baptised, with a soaring domed interior.
Getreidegasse
Market · about 0.8 h
Narrow medieval shopping lane lined with wrought-iron guild signs, the beating heart of the old town.
Mozart's Birthplace
Museum · about 1 h · entry EUR 12
The yellow house at Getreidegasse 9 where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in 1756, now a museum.
Hellbrunn Palace & Trick Fountains
Heritage · about 2 h · entry EUR 15
Renaissance pleasure palace south of the city with mischievous 17th-century water-powered trick fountains.
St. Peter's Abbey & Cemetery
Monastery · about 1 h · entry EUR 2
Working Benedictine monastery founded in 696 with catacombs cut into the fortress rock and a romantic cemetery.
Residenzplatz
Cultural · about 0.5 h
Grand baroque square with a monumental fountain, bounded by the Residenz and the cathedral.
Nonnberg Abbey
Monastery · about 0.8 h
Hilltop Benedictine convent, the oldest continuously existing nunnery in the German-speaking world and Maria's convent in The Sound of Music.
Things to do
- Original Sound of Music Tour Tour · 4 h · from EUR 55 per person
- Salzburg Old Town Walking Tour Tour · 2 h · from EUR 18 per person
- Hohensalzburg Fortress & Funicular Sightseeing · 2 h · from EUR 13 per person
- Mozart Dinner Concert Entertainment · 3 h · from EUR 75 per person
- Salzach River & Lakes E-Bike Tour Adventure · 3 h · from EUR 45 per person
Day trips and tours
- Salzburg & Sound of Music Highlights 5 h · from EUR 79
Where to stay in Salzburg
- Altstadt about EUR 220 per night
Historic left-bank old town at the foot of the fortress; most sights on your doorstep.
- Neustadt & Mirabell about EUR 160 per night
Right-bank quarter around Mirabell Gardens with hotels, cafés and the station nearby.
Hotels
- Hotel Goldener Hirsch 5-star · EUR 350 to EUR 780 per night
- Hotel Sacher Salzburg 5-star · EUR 380 to EUR 900 per night
- Hotel & Villa Auersperg 4-star · EUR 150 to EUR 280 per night
- Star Inn Hotel Salzburg Zentrum 3-star · EUR 90 to EUR 150 per night
- YoHo International Youth Hostel 2-star · EUR 28 to EUR 90 per night
Where to eat
- St. Peter Stiftskulinarium Austrian, European · about EUR 65 per person
- Zum Zirkelwirt Austrian · about EUR 28 per person
- Café Bazar Cafe, Austrian · about EUR 18 per person
- Café Tomaselli Cafe · about EUR 16 per person
- Balkan Grill Walter Street Food · about EUR 6 per person
- Bärenwirt Austrian · about EUR 26 per person
Getting around
- Bus main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
Safety and scams to avoid
Costumed concert ticket touts
Getreidegasse & Residenzplatz
People in Mozart-era costume aggressively sell overpriced or lower-quality concert tickets to tourists.
How to avoid it: Buy from official venues (Mozarteum, fortress, Marionette Theatre) or verified sellers.
Overpriced taxi from airport
Salzburg Airport
Some drivers quote inflated flat fares to the old town instead of metering.
How to avoid it: Insist on the meter or use the trolleybus line 2; the fare is typically EUR 15-20.