From the elegance of its gilded palaces to the pristine beauty of the surrounding countryside, Salzburg is a fairytale destination at any time of year. Famous as both the birthplace of Mozart and as the setting for The Sound of Music, you’ll find a magical mix of history and culture, cobbled squares and mountain views, vibrant café culture and panoramic hiking trails. These are a few of our favourite things to see and do in sensational Salzburg.
In 1965, the Sound of Music movie revealed the beauty of Austria’s fourth-largest city to the rest of the world. This year, the city is celebrating the iconic film’s sixtieth anniversary, and there are plenty of ways that you can reenact your favourite movie moments.
Join a guided cycling tour to key filming locations including Leopoldskron Palace, Nonnberg Abbey and the Mirabell Gardens, find out if the hills really are alive with the sound of music during a hiking tour into the surrounding countryside, or dine on schnitzel with noodles at the historic Restaurant Herzl. You can even watch as puppets reenact the adventures of the Von Trapp family at the Salzburg Marionette Theatre.
Set high on a clifftop, Hohensalzburg Fortress has stood watch over Salzburg’s Old Town for more than one thousand years, and it remains one of the largest and best-preserved castles in central Europe. Its rooms and galleries are a fabulous place to start if you want to learn about Salzburg’s history, with exhibits that cover everything from armour to court life.
Every Sunday at 11.45 am, the city pauses as trumpets sound from the battlements, and the fortress also hosts regular concerts and other festivities. If you don’t fancy the challenging 15-minute climb to reach the fortress, hop on the funicular for a brief but spectacular ride to the top.
One of the most iconic scenes in the Sound of Music takes place in the gardens of Mirabell Palace, where Maria provides her new charges with an al fresco singing lesson. The palace itself is a UNESCO World Heritage listed celebration of baroque opulence, from the marble pillars and breathtaking ceiling frescoes of the Marmorsaal (Marble Hall) to the intricately carved Angels’ Staircase.
The buttercup-yellow façade of this seventeenth-century palace makes it one of Salzburg’s most recognisable attractions, but the real delight in visiting Hellbrunn Palace is to experience the magic and fun of its famous Trick Fountains. The entire complex was constructed by one of the city’s prince-archbishops, Markus Sittik, as a summer oasis where guests could expect to be the target of their host’s famous love of pranks.
As you tour the immaculate gardens and grottoes, be on the alert for water games and trick fountains, which are still taking visitors by surprise more than four centuries after they were first devised. You can cycle to the palace in around twenty minutes (less if you choose the more direct but less scenic route), or you can opt for a scenic boat ride along the tranquil Salzach River.
Salzburg’s other great musical legacy is that it was the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Everywhere you go in Salzburg, you will find constant reminders of their most famous and beloved son, from bronze statues and classical concerts to Mozart-themed chocolates and ice cream.
His birthplace, the Hagenauer Haus at No. 9 Getreidegasse, is a great place to start if you want to learn more about his life and creative genius, followed by the pretty-in-palest-pink No. 8 Makartplatz, also known as Dance Master’s House, which is now known as the Mozart Residence. If you visit the city’s DomQuartier historic complex, you’ll see where he gave his first court concert at the age of seven, wowing his impressive audience in the elegant state rooms of The Residenz.
Salzburg is a fabulous destination to explore on foot, from the cobbled streets and elegant squares of its Altstadt (Old Town) to the riverside parks and walkways. There are even themed walking tours that make it easy for you to delve into specific areas of interest, including Mozart, the Sound of Music, and the city’s thriving beer culture.
At the heart of the Old Town, you’ll find Getreidegasse. Aside from being famous as the birthplace of a certain musical wunderkind, the picturesque, pedestrian-only street has been the city’s commercial heart for centuries. Lined with tall townhouses and narrow arcades adorned with ornate, wrought-iron signs, it’s the perfect spot to indulge in a little retail therapy.
All that window shopping and sightseeing is guaranteed to ensure you work up an appetite. Happily, Salzburg’s vibrant café and restaurant culture offers the perfect way to replace all the calories you’ve invested in seeing the sights. Head to one of the city’s historic coffee houses to experience the Austrian tradition of flaky, decadent pastries accompanied by smooth, hot coffee, or settle into a traditional inn to enjoy regional specialities like Kasnocken and crispy roast pork.
If you love to connect with a destination by sampling its refreshments, you’ll find plenty to tempt you in Salzburg. Its brew-brewing heritage stretches back more than six centuries, and there are eleven breweries plus countless inns and beer gardens where you can indulge your passion for all things hoppy or malty.
The countryside that surrounds Salzburg is magical at any time of year. During the winter months, the rolling hills are cloaked in a soft blanket of snow that’s perfect for exploring on skis or snowshoes. During the warmer months, there are endless lakes and mountain meadows to explore on foot or by bicycle.
One of our favourite ways to soak up the spectacular views of the Berchtesgaden region is to ride the Untersbergbahn: a mountain cable-car that’s located just ten kilometres from Salzburg. A scenic eight-minute climb will deliver you to the summit, then you can go hiking, climbing, ski touring or ice-caving… or simply enjoy a hearty Austrian meal, complete with views that are to-die-for.
Salzburg’s name means ‘City of Salt’, in reference to the rich deposits of ‘white gold’ that have been mined from its surrounding mountains for centuries.
The world’s oldest salt mine is located near the village of Hallein, around 20 kilometres south of Salzburg. You’ll don overalls and ride an electric train deep into the mountain, take a raft ride across an underground lake and slither down a series of miner’s slides, all while learning about the history of salt mining. If you want to find out more about the Celtic inhabitants who were the Dürrnberg region’s earliest miners, be sure to allow time to visit the nearby SALINA Celtic Village too.
Whether you prefer to wander through ornate Baroque palaces, dance between Sound of Music locations, or sip coffee in a quiet Altstadt café after a morning stroll along the river, Salzburg is a destination that offers something for everyone. To experience its unique blend of culture, history and scenic beauty for yourself, contact your personal travel manager today.
TravelManagers respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands where we work and gather, and those we visit.
