Choose from 59 Fun Things to Do in Austrian Alps
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Salzburg Fortress (Festung Hohensalzburg)
Perched on its craggy mountain lookout, Salzburg’s famous castle, Festung Hohensalzburg, dominates the city and its Old Town. Surrounded by walls and dotted with towers and battlements, Festung Hohensalzburg is one of the largest and best preserved castles in Europe.
The fortified castle was built in 1077, from its lofty position protecting Salzburg, with cracking views of the surrounding countryside.
Take a guided tour around the palatial state rooms, Gothic torture chambers, lookouts and museum collections. Keep an eye out for more than 50 examples of the castle’s symbol, a regal lion holding a beetroot – or is it a turnip?
Practical Info
The Hohensalzburg Fortress is a 15-minute walk south of Salzburg’s Old Town, or a quick trip on the funicular railway.
Address: Austria
Admission: Varies
From $ 17
St Gilgen
Much of the lakeland landscape around the gloriously Baroque village of St Gilgen found its way into the opening shots of The Sound of Music, the iconic movie that marks its 50th anniversary in 2015. Although the town’s outskirts have bowed to modern development, the heart of St Gilgen is still one of chocolate-box perfection, where wooden chalets with steeply pitched roofs stand side by side with softly colored Baroque townhouses overlooking Wolfgansee lake.
In winter St Gilgen holds one of the Salzburg area’s most famous Christmas markets, with wooden stalls selling handmade jewelry, traditional wooden toys and fragrant local gingerbread alongside plenty of warming glühwein. A cable car travels up to Zwölferhorn for skiing, and between May and September this becomes a jumping off point for hiking, cycling and climbing adventures in the Salzkammergut (Austrian Lake District). By summer Wolfgansee lake is given over to water sports and cruiser trips to the equally cute lakeside towns of Stobl and St Wolfgang.
St Gilgen is 45 minutes from Salzburg by road and the tourist office is found on Mozartplatz.
Address: St Gilgen 5340, Austria
From $ 52
Museum of Modern Art Rupertinum
Salzburg’s modern art museum consists of two parts; the MDM Rupertinum is housed in an elegant medieval palace in the Altstadt (Old Town) while the MDM Mönchsberg sits on a rocky crag above the city. Together the MdM Salzburg buildings offer over 3,000 meters of exhibition space for 20th- and 21st-century Austrian art and began life in 1983, when local art collector Friedrich Welz donated his entire collection of works by Oskar Kokoschka to the city. Displays include temporary exhibits along with paintings drawn from the museums’ core collection, including Austrian favorites Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele, a scattering of French Impressionists and an 18,000-strong collection of contemporary Austrian photography.
Practical Info
Wiener-Philharmoniker-Gasse 9. Open Tue, Thur–Sun 10am–6pm; Wed 10am–8pm. Admission combined with the MDM Mönchsberg: adults €12, seniors & students €8. Single ticket: adults €8, seniors & students €6. Buses 8, 10, 20 and 25 can be taken to the Rathaus (Town Hall).
Address: Mönchsberg 32, Salzburg, Austria
Admission: Varies
From $ 29
Salzburg Zoo
Allow at least three hours to explore Salzburg Zoo, opened in 1962 in a dramatic setting adjacent to the Schloss Hellbrunn estate. While not the biggest zoo in Europe, there’s still a lot to pack in: rare white rhinos, hippos and sleek antelopes in the African Savannah enclosure; great scavenging birds of prey, pink flamingos, brown bears, lynx kittens and mischievous monkeys.
There are more than 1,200 animals at the zoo, consisting of some 140 species, including endangered animals. The zoo covers 34.5 acres (14 hectares) and there has been considerable expansion and improvement in the standard of its facilities since 2006, with new enclosures built for wolves, alpacas and rheas, the completion of a petting zoo for kids and the opening of the South America House, featuring tapirs who recently had a baby. Other additions include a new lion house as well as cheetah and jaguar enclosures. Conditions have upgraded for human visitors too; the Mahlzeit im Zoo restaurant has had a facelift and offers typical Austrian cuisine – schnitzels and strudels – along with comfort for children.
Salzburg Zoo takes advantage of the light summer nights to open late between the end of July and the beginning of September, with the last admission at 9.30pm.
Practical Info
There is free parking outside the zoo and bus No 4 stops a five-minute walk away. Opening hours are daily 9am-4.30pm, with later closing in summer. Admission is €10.10, aged 15-19 €7, aged 4-14 €4, family €23. Entrance is free with the Salzburg Card.
Address: Anifer Landesstrasse 1, Salzburg 5081, Austria
Admission: Adults: €10.10; Youth 15-19: €7
From $ 29
Salzburg Residence Gallery (Residenzgalerie Salzburg)
Set within the lavish halls of the Salzburg Residence, the Salzburg Residence Gallery (Residenzgalerie Salzburg) is among the highlights of a visit to the 16th-century palace. The gallery is home to the State of Salzburg's painting collection and boasts an impressive array of 16th to 19th century art from all over Europe.
Notable highlights include works by Dutch masters such as Rembrandt, Rubens and Brueghel; 18th-century paintings from Austrian artists including Waldmüller, Amerling, Makart and Ender; and a magnificent series of paintings portraying Salzburg through the ages.
Practical Info
Salzburg Residence Gallery is located on the 3rd floor of the Salzburg Residence, found on Residenzplatz in the heart of the Old Town. The Gallery is open daily (except Tuesday) from 10am-5pm, and combined entrance to the palace and gallery is €12.
Address: Residenzpl. 1, Salzburg, 5020, Austria
Hours: Open Wed-Mon 10am-5pm; July-Aug: daily 10am-8pm
Admission: Adults: €12; Children: €5
From $ 29
Silent Night Chapel
Silent Night is arguably one of the world’s best-loved Christmas carols and its words were written in 1816 by a priest called Josef Mohr, who lived locally to Salzburg in the rural village of Oberndorf. Its sentimental but catchy tune was composed two years later by Franz Xaver Gruber and the carol was performed for the first time on Christmas Eve 1818 in the village’s St Nicholas Church. This church destroyed by heavy flooding at the end of the 19th century, only to be replaced by the white-washed, many-sided neo-Baroque Silent Night Chapel in 1937. Since then a whole local industry has grown up around the carol, which has been translated into more than 300 languages, and life in Oberndorf has changed forever.
Although a visit to this idyllic little village is a joy any time, and it has a small museum where there are copies of the original manuscript and score, Oberndorf really comes into its own at Christmas. A traditional market takes over its main square and hundreds of visitors from across the world come to hear Silent Night being sung at Midnight Mass in the chapel on Christmas Eve.
Practical Info
Oberndorf is a 20-km (12.5-mile) drive from Salzburg along the A1 and B156. In summer cyclists can follow the Tauern bike path along the River Salzach directly to Oberndorf.
Address: Stille Nacht-Platz 2, Oberndorf, Austria
From $ 52
Mondsee Cathedral
Mondsee is a little town in Upper Austria located on the shore of the lake Mondsee. In the year 748, the Bavarian Duke Odilo II founded the monastery on the site of a former Roman settlement. You might better know the Mondsee Cathedral as St. Michael’s Basilica, where the wedding scene in the iconic film ‘The Sound of Music’ took place. Home to the Mondsee Abbey, the cloister church was cemented in popular culture forever when Maria and the Baron Georg von Trapp walked down the aisle in the 1965 movie musical. The Mondsee Cathedral is located directly in the middle of the town center, next door to the monastery building and courtyards (which are open to the public). The abbey is one of the oldest (and the most picturesque!) in Austria. Inside, the most famous ‘resident’ of the Mondsee Cathedral is the skeleton of Abbot Konrad II, who was killed in 1145 defending the monastery from noblemen who wanted to repossess the land.
Practical Info
The cathedral is easy to spot – the former Benedictine abbey church’s two towers are visible from almost anywhere in town, and the basilica is painted a distinctive bright yellow. Admission is free, and the cathedral is open every day from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Address: Kirchengasse 1, Mondsee, Oberösterreich, Austria A - 5310, Austria
Hours: Open daily 9am-7pm
From $ 52
Obersalzberg
The lovely town of Berchtesgaden is in the Bavarian Alps, much visited for its wildly decorative Baroque architecture. High above perches Obersalzberg, an enclave that is world-known as the location of the country retreats of Nazi party leaders Adolf Hitler, Martin Bormann and Hermann Göring. On the site of the former Nazi stronghold is the Dokumentation Obersalzberg, a peace center-cum-museum designed to deal with the horrors of National Socialism and examine the history of World War II; it also incorporates sections of a Nazi underground bunker system.
From Obersalzberg transport runs up to Hitler’s infamous guesthouse, the Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle’s Nest), which sits even higher at 6,600 feet (2,011 m) above the spectacular Berchtesgaden valley; it has been open since 1952 as a restaurant with views across to the peak of Untersberg.
Practical Info
Eagle’s Nest is only open during summer and is accessible via a complicated combination of tunnel and elevator up the steep rocky sides of Kehlstein or by a switchback road carved out of the hillside. Berchtesgaden is over the Austrian border in Germany but passports are not needed as both countries are members of the EU.
Address: Berchtesgaden, Germany
From $ 52
Salzburg Salt Mines (Salzkammergut)
Beneath the glittering lakes and snow-dusted mountains of Austria’s Lake District, the subterranean world of the Salzburg salt mines spreads out in a network of underground mines and tunnels. Used to mine “white gold” since the Bronze Age, the historic salt mines at Hallstatt and Berchtesgaden are now popular attractions. Here you’ll find fascinating insights into the region’s salt-mining heritage, as well as fun activities such as slides, train rides, and boat cruises.
The Basics
The Berchtesgaden salt mines can only be visited as part of a guided tour. Exploring the salt mines is a blast for the whole family. At Berchtesgaden, visitors can tour the mines by train, brave a 118-foot-long (36-meter-long) miners’ slide, cruise across a subterranean salt lake (the “Mirror Lake”), and marvel at the Salt Cathedral. At the Hallstatt salt mines, visitors can walk through underground tunnels, learn about the science of salt in a subterranean classroom, see a prehistoric wooden staircase (the oldest of its kind in the world!), and shop for innovative salt products in the gift shop. Journey to the mines on a half- or full-day tour from Salzburg, Austria, or Munich, Germany.
Things to Know Before You Go
- The salt mines can only be visited on guided tours, and it’s best to book in advance, especially during high season in July and August.
- Wear warm clothes and comfortable shoes, as it can be chilly underground. Overalls and protective clothing are provided for most tours.
- Some parts of the salt mine tours are wheelchair accessible, but it’s best to check with your tour operator in advance.
How to Get There
The main salt mines are located in Berchtesgaden and Hallstatt, about 16 miles (25 kilometers) and 43 miles (70 kilometers) by road from Salzburg, respectively. It’s easiest to visit as part of a guided tour, but buses also run from Salzburg to Berchtesgaden and Hallstatt, as well as other locations in the Salzkammergut region.
When to Get There
Most salt mines are open year-round, but fewer tour times are usually available in low season. July and August are the most popular months to visit; during this time it’s a good idea to book an early time slot to avoid crowds.
Combo Tours with the Salzburg Salt Mines
Salt mine excursions are often combined with a trip to Adolf Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest atop a sub-peak of Hoher Göll mountain, or a boat cruise around Lake Königssee in Germany. Alternatively, opt for a private tour to Hallstatt and discover the underground world of the Hallstatt salt mines, ride the funicular—a steep cable railway—to the Five Fingers Viewing Platform at Krippenstein, or take a boat tour of Hallstatt Lake.
Address: Salzwelten Hallstatt, Salzbergstrasse 21, Hallstatt 4830, Austria
Hours: Varies
Admission: Adults: € 17
From $ 61
Mirabell Palace and Gardens (Schloss Mirabell und Mirabellgarten)
Part of Salzburg’s UNESCO World Heritage–listed historic center, Mirabell Palace (Schloss Mirabell) enjoys a rich royal history, as well as a place in movie legend: it was one of the filming sites for The Sound of Music. Built by Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich in 1606, the palace is most famous for its magnificent baroque gardens.
The Basics
Both Salzburg city tours and The Sound of Music tours often include a stop at Mirabell Palace and Gardens, where visitors can explore the lavish palace interiors, stroll the landscaped gardens, and admire the grand marble Donnerstiege stairway. The palace’s ornate Marble Hall hosts regular concerts of music by Salzburg’s favorite son, Mozart.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Admission to the palace and gardens is free.
- The Dwarf Garden (Zwergelgarten) is a must-see for families with kids.
- The palace and its gardens are wheelchair accessible.
How to Get There
Mirabell Palace is located on the northern bank of the River Salzach in central Salzburg. The easiest way to reach the palace is on foot—it’s about a 10-minute walk from the Old Town, across the State Bridge (Staatsbrücke).
When to Get There
The palace and gardens are open daily year-round, but the gardens are at their most impressive during spring and summer, when the flowers are in full bloom. During peak summer months, an early morning visit is best to avoid the crowds. In the winter, the Dwarf Garden and Hedge Theater are closed.
Exploring the Mirabell Gardens
Originally designed by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach in the 17th century, the Mirabell Garden is among the most impressive baroque gardens in Europe. The grand centerpiece is the Pegasus Fountain, around which the Von Trapp children danced during their rendition of “Do-Re-Mi” in The Sound of Music. Other highlights include the Rose Garden, the Grand Fountain, the Hedge Theater, and the unique Dwarf Garden filled with knee-high marble garden gnomes.
Address: Mirabellplatz, Salzburg 5020, Austria
Admission: Free
From $ 22
Salzburg Cathedral (Dom)
Salzburg’s Cathedral, or Dom, is a restrained exercise in classic Italian Baroque, topped with green bronze domes. Mozart was baptized here, and the building was completed in 1628.
Highlights include the light-filled atrium and dome, the crypt with its Romanesque foundations and tombs, and the statues of angels surrounding the altar.
The Cathedral Museum tells the history of the Cathedral’s construction and artworks.
Practical Info
The Cathedral is in the Old Town on the southern bank of the River Salzach. The Domplatz is the site of Salzburg’s famous Christmas Market.
Address: Domplatz, Salzburg 5010, Austria
Hours: Opens Mon - Sat at 8am (Sundays and holidays opens at 1pm). Closes 5pm - 8pm depending on the month.
Admission: Free; donations welcomed. Museum admission: Adults: € 6, Youths (6-18yrs): € 2
From $ 22
Schloss Leopoldskron
A short stroll from the historic center of Salzburg, the lakeside palace of Schloss Leopoldskron is one of Austria’s most acclaimed works of architecture, built in 1736 by the Prince Archbishop of Salzburg, Leopold Anton Freiherr von Firmian. The masterwork of architect Pater Bernhard Stuart, the Rococo-style palace is renowned for its elaborate stucco works, the handiwork of Johann Kleber, and a series of striking interior paintings, including Andreas Rensi’s Four Seasons in the Festsaal hall and Franz Anton Ebner’s Wedding of Atalante, which adorns the ceiling of the chapel.
Changing hands several times throughout its over 200-year history, Schloss Leopoldskron has amassed a fascinating history, once belonging to King Louis I of Bavaria, hosting the engagement ceremony of Emperor Franz Josef of Austria and Empress Sissi, and being purchased by Max Reinhardt, co-founder of the Salzburg Festival, who used the dramatic setting as a backdrop for the festival’s main events. Perhaps most famous though, is the palace’s starring role in the iconic ‘The Sound of Music’ – the lakeside gardens were one of several original filming locations dotted around Salzburg.
Address: LeopoldskronstraBe 56-58, Salzburg 5020, Austria
From $ 38
Schloss Ambras
The 16th-century Renaissance castle of Ambras perches in the foothills of the Alps just south of Innsbruck. Once the home of Archduke Ferdinand II, the majestic Renaissance building houses collections of armor, fine paintings and one of the most important examples of German Renaissance architecture in Austria in the shape of the Spanish Hall. Finished in 1572, this vast banqueting room is 157 feet (48 meters) long, with an inlaid marble floor and an intricate wood-paneled ceiling but the stars of the show are undoubtedly the 27 full-length portraits of the Habsburg Imperial Family.
The armories are located in the Lower Castle and were collated by Ferdinand II; they include suits of jousting armor, knights on horseback and rare weaponry. Here there’s also an eccentric Cabinet of Curiosities full of oddities such as coral crucifixes and stuffed sharks, all laid out as they were in Ferdinand‘s time. The Upper Castle houses the Portrait Gallery, in which 300 paintings cover 400 years of Habsburg history and include works by Titian, Anthon van Dyke, and Cranach the Elder.
Outside there are English-style box gardens and sunken baths to explore plus a pretty courtyard bar for drinks in summer.
Practical Info
The Sightseer tourist bus (free with the Innsbruck Card, which also gives access to several Innsbruck museums and galleries) takes 30 minutes to Schloss Ambras from central Innsbruck; taxi rides are 10 minutes long.
The castle is open daily (but closed throughout November) and both audio guides and guided tours are available in several languages. Entry is free with the discounted Innsbruck Card. Classical concerts are often held in the Spanish Hall.
Address: Schloßstraße 20, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
Hours: Open daily from 10am - 5pm
Admission: €10 (USD$13) for adults; free for children and teens
From $ 8
Mozartplatz
Salzburg is immensely proud of its most famous son, and Mozartplatz is just one of the city’s many tributes.
The square, with its elegant statue of a youthful Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, dates back to 1842 and was partly funded by Mad King Ludwig of Bavaria, who was a big fan.
One of Salzburg’s most famous squares, it is a popular spot for a photo stop and a stroll.
Practical Info
Mozartplatz is in the Old Town on the south bank of the River Salzach, at the eastern end of the pedestrianized Getreidegasse.
Address: Mozartplatz, Salzburg 5020, Austria
Hours: Open daily
Admission: Free
From $ 326
Mozart Residence (Mozart Wohnhaus)
The 17th-century Tanzmeisterhaus, where Mozart lived from 1773 to 1780 and composed many of his masterpieces, is now a museum devoted to Salzburg’s most famous resident. Beautifully restored in period style, the Mozart Residence takes visitors on a journey through Mozart’s life and works.
The Basics
Visitors to Mozart Residence can explore the museum’s eight exhibition rooms, including family portraits, personal items, and musical instruments, as well as multimedia presentations and interactive displays. Most visitors opt to explore independently, but the museum is also a popular inclusion on Mozart tours of Salzburg, as well as a stop on Salzburg hop-on hop-off bus tours.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Audio guides are available in multiple languages and included in the entrance fee.
- Entrance is included to holders of a Salzburg pass that combines entrance to multiple attractions onto one card.
- Mozart’s Residence is wheelchair accessible, via the Theatergasse entrance.
How to Get to There
Mozart Residence is located on Makartplatz, on the north bank of the River Salzach in Salzburg’s historic center. The easiest way to get there is on foot, and it’s around a 10-minute walk from central attractions such as Salzburg Cathedral, across the Staats Bridge.
When to Get There
The Mozart Residence is open daily year–round. The busiest time to visit is during the peak summer months of July and August, when it can get crowded—opt for an early morning visit for the fewest crowds.
Mozart in Salzburg
The iconic composer is everywhere in Salzburg. Mozart’s face adorns postcards, souvenirs, and restaurant menus—you can even buy Mozart ice cream. After visiting Mozart Residence, fans can also tour Mozart’s Birthplace—now a museum that offers insight into his humble beginnings; pose for photos by Mozart Monument in Mozart Square; take a walking tour of the many sites associated with Mozart; or visit during the annual Mozart Week, hosted by Mozarteum Foundation. Another unforgettable experience is attending a Mozart concert, and there are options for orchestral recitals and dinner concerts held in intimate venues around the city.
Address: Makartplatz 8, Salzburg 5020, Austria
Admission: Varies
From $ 14
Nonnberg Abbey
Nonnberg Abbey is a Benedictine nunnery with a landmark spire in the center of Salzburg and is perhaps best known throughout the world as the home of the troublesome novice nun Maria in The Sound of Music, the magical movie that celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2015. The nunnery sits tucked under the Hohensalzburg Fortress and was founded somewhere around 715 AD; it is the oldest constantly inhabited convent in Europe and its complex of buildings consists of the abbey, convent, chapels, church, cloisters and refectory, all built in a charming jumble of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque architectural styles.
Nonnberg’s main church of Maria Himmelfahrt is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and is Gothic in style, adorned with gleaming stained-glass windows and a series of biblically themed paintings. Largely rebuilt after a fire in 1423, the church nevertheless retains fragments of its original Byzantine and Romanesque frescoes in the choir.
Practical Info
Nonnberggasse 2. Open daily from 7am to dusk. Take 50-cent coins to operate the lights on the paintings in the church. The nunnery is within walking distance of all central Salzburg sights.
Address: Nonnberggasse 2, Salzburg, Austria
Hours: Open daily from 7am to dusk
From $ 52
Mozarteum
Salzburg is the city of Mozart and music festivals and is also home to several Baroque orchestras. Most prestigious is the Mozarteum Orchestra, which was founded in 1841 with the help of Mozart’s widow and their sons; today it is one of Austria's leading symphony orchestras under the leadership of English conductor Ivor Bolton. It plays a leading role in the annual Salzburg Festival and has a permanent home at the Mozarteum, a complex of two concert halls built between 1910 and 1914. The grand and glittering neo-classical Great Hall (Grosser Saal) has seating for 800 and is regarded as Salzburg’s most beautiful concert venue, while the Viennese Hall is a smaller auditorium perfectly proportioned for chamber-music concerts, with an audience capacity of 200.
As well as performing around the world and hosting weekly concerts at their home base, the Mozarteum Orchestra also performs at the annual Mozart Week every January. In June 2015 Salzburg celebrates The Sound of Music’s 50th anniversary; kicking off on Monday June 22, the festivities will culminate on Friday June 26 with a concert at the Mozarteum, where much-adored song tunes from the movie will get a rousing airing. There are free organ concerts in the Great Hall most days at 12.30pm.
Practical Info
The Mozarteum is located at Schwarzstrasse, and its ticket office is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm5pm, and on Saturday from 9am to noon. Prices vary by event.
Address: Schwarzstraße 24, 26, Salzburg, Austria
Admission: Varies
From $ 38
Museum of Natural History (Haus der Natur)
Located in two buildings on Museumsplatz near the River Salzach, Salzburg’s natural history museum was founded in 1924. It is an offshoot of the Salzburg Museum, which incorporates seven branches including the Toy Museum (Spielzeug Museum) and the Monatsschlössl ethnology museum at Schloss Hellbrunn as well as its main branch at the Neue Residenz. Along with a series of exhibitions focusing on dinosaurs, geology, the natural world and space travel, there’s an aquarium and reptile zoo featuring alligators and poisonous lizards.
The separate and largely interactive science center is wonderfully child friendly and displays across its three floors of hands-on exhibits examine energy, the human body and noise – this being Salzburg, the Audio Lab features the music of Mozart; it also has a science lab where junior experiments can be safely conducted under supervision.
Practical Info
Museumsplatz 5. Open daily 9am–5pm. Admission adults €8, children over 4 €5.50, under 4 go free. Bus number 1 or 10 to Mönchsbergaufzug.
Address: Museumsplatz 5, Salzburg, Austria
Admission: Adults: €8
From $ 11
Museum of Modern Art Monchsberg
Salzburg’s superb museum of modern Austrian art comes as a contemporary change after the city’s relentless Baroque charm. It has two branches: the MDM Rupertinum and the MDM Mönchsberg. The latter perches above the city on the rocky crag of Mönchsberg, one of five steep hills that form part of the city’s skyline; it was designed by Munich architects Friedrich Hoff Zwink following a competition launched in 1998 and has a series of light-filled, airy galleries tucked behind its ultra-modern white-marble façade. The four-floor museum opened in 2004 and holds exhibitions of contemporary painting, installations and temporary exhibitions from contemporary Austrian artists as well as open-air displays on the surrounding terraces. The neo-Gothic 19th-century Amalie Redlich Water Tower that stands next to MDM Mönchsberg has been incorporated into the gallery and hosts workshops and other events. The museum’s award-winning M32 restaurant has a panoramic terrace for views across Salzburg and the River Salzach; it is one of the city’s most popular summer dining spots.
Practical Info
Located at Mönchsberg 32, the museum is open on Tuesdays and from Thursday to Sunday. Hours are 10am to 6pm regularly, and until 8pm on Wednesdays. Admission combined with the MDM Rupertinum costs adults €12, and seniors and students €8. Single tickets cost adults €8, and seniors and students €6. The Mönchsberg funicular goes up the hill to the museum from Anton-Neumayr-Platz and runs daily between 8am and 7pm (later in summer); return fares are €3.50 for adults and €1.80 for those under 14.
Address: Mönchsberg 32, Salzburg, Austria
Admission: Varies
From $ 29
Salzburg Old Town (Aldstadt)
Salzburg’s Old Town is the historical and navigational heart of the city, a maze of medieval streets stretching along the banks of the Salzach River. The birthplace of Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Salzburg’s atmospheric Altstadt is preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage site and overlooked by the hilltop Hohensalzburg Fortress.
The Basics
A Salzburg city tour typically begins in the Old Town to explore the city’s baroque architecture and rich cultural heritage. A popular choice is to combine a walking tour of the Old Town with a sightseeing cruise along the Salzach River or a visit to nearby attractions such as Hellbrunn Palace (Schloss Hellbrunn), Leopoldskron Palace (Schloss Leopoldskron), or the Mirabell Garden (Mirabellgarten).
Day trips to Salzburg are also possible from Vienna or Munich, Germany, often including a drive through the scenic Austrian lakes region, famous as a filming location for The Sound of Music.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Most of Salzburg’s Old Town is pedestrianized.
- There are free Wi-Fi spots located around the Altstadt.
- Most of the attractions in Salzburg’s Old Town are wheelchair accessible, but some of the narrow cobbled streets might be tricky to navigate.
How to Get There
Salzburg’s Old Town is just south of the main train station, about a 20-minute walk or a 10-minute taxi ride away. The Altstadt spans the Salzach River, and though city buses are available, the district itself is best explored on foot. Most of Salzburg’s main attractions, hotels, and restaurants are located here.
When to Get There
Lively at all times of the day, Salzburg’s historical center is busiest during the peak summer months of July and August. During that time, attractions such as the Hohensalzburg Fortress can feel crowded, and it’s best to make an early start. Alternatively, visit during the festive season, when Salzburg’s Cathedral Square (Domplatz) hosts one of Austria’s best Christmas markets.
Highlights of Salzburg Old Town
The hilltop Hohensalzburg Fortress offers a spectacular view over Salzburg. Many other Altstadt highlights are close together, including lively Kapitelplatz, the baroque Prince-Bishops’ Palace (Salzburg Residenz), Salzburg Cathedral, the Benedictine monastery of St. Peter’s Abbey, and the University Church (Kollegienkirche). Among the Old Town’s most popular sights is the Mozart Geburtshaus (Mozart’s Birthplace), a museum of the composer’s early life. It’s on Getreidegasse, the Altstadt’s elegant main shopping street, where many storefronts retain their original hanging wrought-iron signs.
Address: Salzburg, Austria
From $ 17