Salzburg is, in our opinion, the most beautiful city in Austria (without wanting to detract from the beautiful Vienna) and one of the most beautiful in Europe. The birthplace of Mozart has all the typical elements of a Central European postcard city: castle on a small hill, baroque churches with picturesque bell towers, luxurious palaces with manicured gardens, wide pedestrian avenues, and, in the middle of it all, a photogenic river. There is a reason why its historic center was declared a World Heritage Site. In this post, we have selected some of the best places to see Salzburg.
What to see in Salzburg
- Hohensalzburg Fortress
If your travel plan is to see Salzburg in 1 day, then perhaps you should start by visiting the Hohensalzburg Fortress. Located in the heart of the city on a small promontory, this fortification was built in 1077, although its current appearance is due to extensions and improvements in 1500. Hohensalzburg, which could never be taken by the enemies of the principality, is today one of the largest and best-preserved fortresses in Europe.
Among the things to see in Hohensalzburg are the bastions, the princely apartments and halls (with their original decoration and furnishings intact), the old arsenal, the salt storehouse, the torture room, several museums (such as the history of the fortress or the puppet museum) and its fantastic viewpoints. To visit Hohensalzburg, you have to buy a ticket. The price may include a ride on the cogwheel train “Festungsbahn” for an extra charge.
- DomQuartier
The DomQuartier (Cathedral Quarter) is a huge area from which the prince-bishops of Salzburg once exercised their power and which today forms the heart of the UNESCO-protected Old Town. The complex, whose epicenter is the Residenzplatz, consists of the Cathedral, the Alte Residenz (Old Residenz), St. Peter’s Monastery, and the Franciscan Church. Most of DomQuartier’s visitable spaces are fee-paying, but all the buildings are interconnected and can be accessed with a single entrance.
The sightseeing tour includes 10 points of interest, including the ostentatious Baroque rooms of the Old Residence, its art collection, the Cathedral Museum, St. Peter’s Museum, the North Oratory, and the panoramic terrace. In addition, although with a separate ticket, you can explore the beautiful Gothic cemetery of St. Peter’s Monastery and its catacombs. Also in parallel is the award-winning Salzburg Museum, with various exhibitions on the past and present of the city, which can be combined with the adjoining Panorama Museum, where a gigantic 26m long circular painting of Salzburg is on display.
3. Mirabell Palace
Another must-see in Salzburg is the Mirabell Palace. Built-in 1606 by the prince-archbishop Wolf Dietrich, this magnificent baroque palace stands out for its beautiful gardens of 1690. With the Cathedral and castle as a backdrop, Mirabell is one of the most photogenic places in the city. In addition to the gardens, with their fountains, Orangerie, rose garden and even a theater, you can visit the famous Marble Hall (the scene of historic weddings and concerts) and the Staircase of Angels. Access to Mirabell and its gardens is free, although most areas are government-owned and closed to the public.
4. In Mozart’s footsteps
In the city where Mozart was born, a few monuments and museums dedicated to the great composer could not be missing. The most important is Mozart’s Birthplace, located at No. 9 Getreidegasse, one of Salzburg’s main avenues. There, on January 27, 1756, the genius of classical music was born. Today his former home (it was for almost two decades) is a museum dedicated to his life, full of personal documents, portraits, historical instruments, etc.
In 1773 Mozart and his family moved into an elegant building on Makartplatz, where the musician lived until 1781 when he moved to Vienna. This museum space, called the Mozart Residence, complements the previous visit, as they are managed by the same foundation. You can also contemplate his statue at Mozartplatz or listen to his music in numerous concert halls (including the concert in the fortress) or in the streets of the city. If you are interested in his figure, here you can find more traces.
- Hellbrunn Palace
If you are going to see Salzburg in 2 days or more, then you can not miss a visit to Hellbrunn. Although it is a bit far from the center (6 km south), it is worth going there. This Renaissance palace, completed in 1615, was the summer residence of Prince-Archbishop Markus Sittikus, who apparently had a great sense of humor judging by his famous “Water Games.” We will not reveal anything, but we anticipate that it is a very fun experience. You can also visit the interior of the palace and the splendid gardens.
- Haus der Natur
One of the most interesting places to visit in Salzburg with children is the Haus der Natur. Founded in 1924 and completely renovated in 2009, this popular science and nature museum offers visitors more than 80 exhibition rooms exploring a wide range of topics, from dinosaurs to space travel. Among its many attractions are the aquarium, giant dinosaur models, dioramas, the interactive “Science Center,” the reptile zoo, the human body exhibit, and more.
- Museum der Moderne
The Museum der Moderne, located on a small hill at 485 m above sea level, is a museum of modern and contemporary art with sculptures, paintings, photographs, and conceptual works of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. While you need an “open mind” to enjoy the exhibitions, the museum offers as an attraction its own architecture, which encompasses a modern building from 2004 and an old water tower from the 19th century, and the incredible views from its terrace.
To access the museum, you can use the Mönchsberg-Aufzug elevator, which takes you to the entrance of the Museum der Moderne in just 15 seconds. The price of the ride (€2.50 in 2019) is also included in the Salzburg Card.
- Spielzeug Museum
If you are visiting Salzburg with children, another place you have to visit is the Spielzeug Museum (Toy Museum). Moreover, we also recommend it to those adults who have not yet buried their childish side. We went in out of curiosity, taking advantage of the fact that it was included in the Salzburg Card, and we loved it. In addition to housing a large exhibition of toys, miniatures, model trains, etc., all the rooms are charming and usually hide many interactive surprises.
- Stiegl-Brault
Although at first sight not a must-see in Salzburg, brewers and the curious in general will love the Stiegl-Brauwelt experience. In the space of more than 5,000 m2, the Stiegl brewery, founded in 1492, offers an entertaining tour of its history and invites you to discover the brewing process through a huge 270° screen, various beautifully atmospheric exhibition rooms, and a walk through some of the production and bottling areas.
The general tour, which can be done in English or with an audio guide in Spanish, includes a souvenir and a beer tasting at the bar, where you can accompany your drink with a wide variety of typical Austrian dishes. In fact, its Bräustüberl (tavern) and its Biergarten (open-air beer garden) usually have quite an atmosphere beyond the occasional tourists.
- Untersbergbahn
In addition to walking up and down Getreidegasse, learning about Mozart’s life, and visiting the most interesting monuments and museums in the historic center, you may be interested in some of the best places to see near Salzburg. Our main recommendation is to take a short trip to the Untersberg mountain (1,776 m.). The ride up in the Untersbergbahn cable car is quite an experience. From the base to the top, a height of 1,320 m. is reached in an amazing ride of about 10′ of duration.
- Red Bull Hangar-7
One of the places we were left wanting to see due to lack of time was Red Bull Hangar 7, also just outside Salzburg, next to the airport. Anyway, we didn’t want to fail to mention it here, as we have very good references for this place. In a modern and unique 3,700 m2 exhibition space, visitors can see different models of vintage airplanes, helicopters, motorcycles, and racing cars, as well as some unusual objects from Felix Baumgartner’s stratospheric feat.
