A visit to Salzburg made sense for my trip to Austria. There are lots of places to see in the country but Salzburg had a lot to do and had that historic charm I always look for in a city, so I decided to make a stop there for a few days. Unfortunately there was some flooding for a day when I was there but I was still able to see a lot the city has to offer. It’s a cute place in a stunning setting.

A Short History of Salzburg

The area where Salzburg currently stands has been inhabited for thousands of years, and became a town during the Roman empire. It was called Iuvavum/Juvavum then but changed its name to Salzburg sometime before the mid 8th century. At the very end of the 7th century, St. Rupert established a cathedral and monastery at the current site of Salzburg Cathedral. He’s now the city’s patron saint and they have a festival to celebrate him each year (which I got to see set up but sadly missed by only a day!)

Salzburg Fortress was established in 1077 and the city flourished from its salt trade. “Salz” in German means “salt,” so the city’s name is actually a direct translation to “Salt Castle/Fortress.” This trade continued for centuries and garnished such wealth that in 1600-1700s, it was transformed into a fashionable Baroque city, which is what it remains most famous for today.

The historic center of Salzburg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Things to Do in Salzburg

Salzburg is famous for being the home of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He was born here in 1756 and lived there a majority of the time before 1780, when he relocated to Vienna. His presence in the city 250 years later is still quite strong.

Definitely do go to the Mozart’s Birthplace, where Mozart was born and where the family lived until 1773. It is an excellent museum dedicated to the early life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as well as his sister, Maria Anna “Nannerl,” and a bit about who his parents were. There are also personal effects of the Mozart family including some of Mozart’s clothing, instruments, hair, and more. It’s quite thorough and very helpful to learn about the composer and his family. It was a huge highlight of my trip.

You can see the home of the Mozart family called Mozart Residenz, where Wolfgang Amadeus lived from 1773-1780. However I found it to be super disappointing. The first room looks as it did in the 18th century and has some information on Mozart and his family, plus some personal affects such as instruments and letters. Then the rest of the home is a photography exhibit that has nothing to do with Mozart. Entry is discounted to €10 on a combined ticket which is way too high since it’s super underwhelming. If you’re a big Mozart fan than it may be worth it to see the few artefacts from the composer’s life but as someone hoping to learn more about him, it was incredible disappointing.

I also ventured to Mirabell Palace, built in 1606, and was quite disappointed to find it’s all administrative building and not open to the public. Only the Marble Hall is accessible to visitors. It’s quite pretty but I and a bunch of other individuals were wandering around, asking “where do we enter the palace? Where’s the rest of the palace?” “Mirabell Palace” is always listed as a top thing to see in Salzburg so clearly a lot of us thought it consisted of more than just a room and the staircase leading up to it.

The gardens of the palace are open to the public and are quite extensive. Worth looking in, especially since it’s free.

The Old Residenz Palace dates back to the 1100s but was rebuilt as it is today in the late 1500s. You can go on the “Domquartier” tour here, which is extensive and includes the beautiful state rooms, a few different art exhibitions, and a view from the upper levels of Salzburg Cathedral. I very much recommend a visit. It takes at least an hour, if not more, to see everything but they have a marvelous collection. The New Residenz was closed for construction when I visited.

You can also opt to visit Salzburg Cathedral from the ground level, which costs extra. It’s quite a beautiful Baroque cathedral and you can see aisles you can’t see from the Domquartier tour. I think it’s worth it for architecture lovers to see everything the cathedral has to offer.

There’s also the St Peter’s Abbey, which is beautiful but I particularly loved the grounds. The cemetery is so beautiful with the variety of Baroque stones, and it feels hugged and hidden by the surrounding buildings and dramatic stone hill. It’s very calming and was one of my favorite places in Salzburg. You can also see Wolfart’s sister’s, Nannerl’s, grave here.

I paid a few extra euros to go up to the catacombs, which I was very excited about, but there were no bones. You walk up several steps and get some nice views of the cemetery but the inside has no real appeal.

Of course you should also visit the dominating presence of Salzburg, the Hohensalzburg Fortress. There’s a funicular that can take you up and down. The grounds are quite steep and I felt uncomfortable going down such steep inclines when I decided to walk down instead of taking the funicular, so it’s something to keep in mind. At the top of the fortress, there are several different places to see. The main route will take you through the fortress, which has a ton of information on the history of the castle and objects that help show the history.

I felt the fortress does an excellent job at giving a comprehensive history, and it was quite enjoyable. The State Rooms are a few extra euros, and they’re quite pretty with lovely sculpting and gilding but only 3 rooms. But whether or not you choose to add the State Rooms, the Hohensalzburg Fortress is something you definitely must see.

Built in the early 17th century, Hellbrunn Palace was built as the summer estate of prince-archbishop Markus Sittikus. A lot of people flock here because it was where parts of The Sound of Music were filmed. It’s a bit out of the way from the main city but easily accessible via public transit. The gardens are extensive and very pretty. The palace itself has some beautiful frescoes and a collection of natural history but is otherwise a bit small.

Just walking the grounds can take hours, it’s so large. They also have a Folklore Museum which I didn’t visit. I think Hellbrunn Palace is definitely worth a visit but only if you have 2 or more days in Salzburg. For one day, it’s too far out and is not so spectacular it’s worth it. Well, maybe if you’re a die-hard Sound of Music fan. 🙂

I was so disappointed that I didn’t have time to see the open air museum, Freilichtmuseum, as I love them. With public transit it’s about an hour outside the city center, so it’s basically a half-day trip. There’s also the Stiegl Brewery which dates all the way back to 1492.

The part of town south of the river is quite pretty but also quite touristy. If you go north of the river, you’ll find a much more “local” atmosphere, or at least one that isn’t filled with souvenir shops.

I spent only a few nights in Salzburg and even on weeknights, it was difficult finding a place to eat without reservations. I don’t know why. I kept bouncing around restaurant to restaurant (mind you, well reviewed local restaurants) and kept getting turned away for lack of room. So if you want to eat somewhere nice, maybe get a reservation somewhere.

Salzburg is a city, and it’s busy but also feels quite small. I walked around a lot and after getting to know the streets, it definitely didn’t feel as large. A cosy place. What I particularly loved about the city is the pastel colors of the buildings and how dramatic it all looks against the tall alps. I visited during a lovely time in autumn but with snow still on the mountaintops, I imagine Salzburg is absolutely magical in winter.

I think people can “see” Salzburg in a day but it was definitely not enough to see what I wanted to. The two days I had was a good amount of time, even though I was quite busy each day. I think 3 days would’ve been better. If you’re into nature, Salzburg is quite close to other towns in Austria like St Gilgen, St Wolfgang, Hallstatt, etc. that are on lakes. I believe the city itself has some hikes nearby, which makes sense given the close proximity to the mountains. It would make a nice base to come home to.

What About the Salzburg Card?

I felt the Salzburg Card was a fantastic deal. It cost me €40 for 48 hours but it included public transportation and free admittance to many places. For the museums I saw alone it saved me about €15, not including all the times I used public transit. Always check prices before purchasing but the Salzburg Card is something to definitely look into.

I hope this guide has helped you plan your trip to Salzburg and that if you visit, you have a great trip and enjoy your time there.

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