Salzburg

An artist's paradise along the Salzach River, set against a backdrop of the snow-capped Alps, Salzburg, Austria, radiates Old World charm. Salzburg travel begins with its Altstadt -- "Old Town" -- a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site chocked full of cobblestone streets, Medieval and Baroque buildings, palaces, concert halls, monasteries and more. The home of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and The Sound of Music also stacks its calendar full of opportunities to see more contemporary creative efforts on display. 

Salzburg's mild, rain-dotted climate gives visitors flexibility when it comes to travel plans. Like many of its European neighbors, many choose to travel to Salzburg during the summer, bringing its tourist season to a peak. Both temperatures and prices drop to more comfortable levels in September and October, offering a welcoming alternative. And, while the weather doesn't get too extreme in Salzburg itself during the winter months, its Alps-adjacent location attracts many skiers to the area.

Salzburg’s central mountain, the Mönchsberg (literally the ‘monk’s mountain’), stands at 503m (1,650ft) and dominates the Altstadt. Quite apart from the huge Festung Hohensalzburg, residence of the Archbishops of Salzburg, the forested top gives spectacular views over the city and ­surrounding mountains and is one of the nicest places to stroll away from the busy streets below. 

Along with the buildings on the Mönchsberg, the old city of Salzburg has been declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. Characterised by atmospheric narrow roads and passages that link squares dominated by wonderful Baroque churches, the Altstadt is where Mozart was born and where the festival started in his honour has its concert halls. Trapped between the Mönchsberg and the Salzach river, this compact district can feel a little swamped by tourists, but the crowds are soon forgotten as you peer into shop windows, tuck into delicious local food and explore the Altstadt’s museums and churches.

The Staatsbrücke (‘State Bridge’) over the Salzach leads visitors to Salzburg’s New Town, as the sector to the north-east of the Salzach or ‘Right Bank’ is commonly known, although it is only ‘new’ in relation to the Altstadt. It is the Mirabell’s flower gardens which epitomise Salzburg’s New Town; fragrant, colourful, manicured to within an inch of its life but with such love and care that it retains the power to charm even at its most stylised. 

The layout and design of the Hellbrunn palace built for Markus Sittikus follow the lines of a typical Italian villa suburbana. It was probably built in 1613–5 under the supervision of the architect in charge of the reconstruction of the cathedral, Santino Solari. The interior is no longer complete, but the frescoes in the banqueting hall and the adjoining music room in the octagonal pavilion still provide first-class examples of the Mannerist style: with views of a city in the background, the trompe-l’oeil painting shows imaginary scenes of buildings with aristocrats strolling among them.

Salzburg can get scorching hot in the summer months. What better way to cool off than by going for a dip outside? The Salzach river, though cool and enticing, is off-limits to bathers because of the strong currents, but Salzburg boasts three central outdoor swimming pools, including one adventure pool in Leopoldskron. If you have a free afternoon, kick-back poolside while enjoying the mountainous location. Most pools also have a volleyball court and café, so why not make an afternoon of it? You can also travel to the nearby lakeside town of Fuschlsee.

Having a decent breakfast is imperative when on holiday. With a strong heritage of café culture, it’s a great idea to spend a leisurely hour (or two) in the morning enjoying a coffee and a generous breakfast spread. If you’ve got a particularly jam-packed day ahead, go the whole hog and indulge in an Austrian breakfast made up of cheese, cold meats, rolls and croissants, jam, muesli and yogurt. With a huge range of cafés to choose from, you could go to a different one each morning.

An ideal trip for a rainy day, the Stiegl Brewery is home to Salzburg’s most popular beer. This brewery is located a short bus ride away from the centre of town, in the direction of the airport, and contains various exhibitions and the offer of a beer-tasting session at the end of the tour. The museum takes you through the brewing process, the various advertising campaigns and gives you a brief history of Austrian beer culture. All the production is done locally, with the water for the brewing process sourced from the mountains nearby. If you’re feeling peckish or thirsty, Stiegl also has a restaurant and beer garden attached.

If you’re only going to visit one museum in Salzburg, then the DomQuartier Museum is the one to go for. Located in the heart of the Old Town, this museum combines five smaller museums in one space, giving you real value for your money. The Residenz Palace will be fascinating for those interested in Austrian history and the guided tour gives you an exclusive view of the cathedral from the upper gallery. The terrace linking the Residenz and the cathedral spans across the two main squares in the Old Town, so be sure to take your time to enjoy the curious architecture.

For those with kids, or the young at heart, this museum makes for a fun afternoon. Containing extensive and interactive exhibitions, Haus der Natur has something for everyone, with exhibitions on subjects such as space, energy, music and technology, as well as an aquarium and reptile house. Perfect for a rainy day, Haus der Natur is centrally located and also boasts a cosy and inexpensive café, serving some of the best all-day breakfast in the city.

It wouldn’t be a trip to Salzburg without at least one mention of the timeless classic, The Sound of Music. Instead of forking out for a coach tour, why not pay a visit to the beautiful and tranquil Mirabell Gardens? Just a short walk from the centre of town, these gardens are highly maintained and were part of the famous ‘doe, a deer’ scene. Enjoy a walk past the flowers and fountains, before taking those must-have photos on the steps, where Julie Andrews struck her famous hat-in-the-air, hand-on-hip pose.

Salzburg attracts thousands of classical music lovers each year, partly due to it being the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Now converted into a museum, the house in which the prodigy was born on January 27, 1756, still stands. Guests can learn about Mozart’s life and his music by walking through his bedroom, living room and kitchen. The museum features various original documents chronicling his life and even a replica of his own piano.

Salzburg’s imposing mountain, Untersberg. In the summer months, it is, of course, possible to hike up to the top, but another option is to take the cable car and then walk around the top. The view from the peak is nothing short of incredible, boasting panoramic views of the Alps, Bavaria, Salzburg and the lakes in the Salzkammergut National Park. Snow covers the mountain throughout the winter and there is the possibility of skiing down the mountain to a village nearby, although this is only for experienced skiers. Don’t forget to check the Untersberg online webcam before embarking on your trip, as it’s really only worth the visit on a clear day.

For getting around at night, have a look at our article public transportation. There is a night city bus called NachtStern and a night bus called BusTaxi that departs from various spots in the city centre at every full hour (on weekends until 3 am). Costs 4,50 Euros per ride, regardless of how far you go - the BusTaxi serves the villages in the surroundings of Salzburg. Ask at your hotel, at the Salzburger Verkehrsverbung (public transport company) or at the tourist information office for further details.

The 2 Kinds of Salzburg Nightlife

There are two ways to approach the nightlife issue: Firstly, there are traditional bars and inns, the kind of venues we personally prefer. Some of them are somewhat anti-mainstream or even underground, which is where you might find our editors. Others are ore of the traditional Austrian inn type.

Secondly, you can go mainstream and pretend to be in a city with real nightlife - in this case, you will find pseudo-snobbish bars and clubs that look like fancy clubs in the city centre of London, but lack the clientele. Here you will find a mix of law students, other wannabes and new money from both the city and the surroundings villages. Not our preference, but maybe appealing to you.

Hope this helped !!!