Salzburg is the second-largest city in Austria. It has a population of 150,000 people. It is a picturesque city with narrow streets, wide squares, colorful houses, castles, palaces, churches, gardens, and fountains. It lies between tall mountains and the Salzach River flows through it, laying out a beautiful backdrop for a beautiful city of baroque-style buildings with towers and spires. Thanks to its incredible architecture, the old center of the city have been declared a UNESCO world heritage site. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the city archbishops hired the best artists and craftsmen to design the city in a style similar to Rome, so Italian influence can be seen in the city. Salzburg isn’t nicknamed Rome of the North for anything.
Salzburg is close to the border with Germany, so it also serves as a good starting point for trips to south Germany.
The city centre is small and compact, allowing one to walk on foot between the city’s famous tourist attractions.
Salzburg is also famous as the birthplace of the famous classical composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
You will find things related to Mozart in every corner (besides the delicious chocolates named after him): Mozart square (Mozartplatz), with a statue of the composer at its centre; Mozarteum music academy; the house where he grew up; and of course, the Mozart museum. His music serves as a core component of almost every musical event that takes place in the city, which is known for its many music festivals. The most famous of its festivals is the Salzburger Festspiele, which started in 1920 and has been attracting music fans from all over the world since.Another important musical event for which the city is famous is the musical The Sound of Music, one of the most-viewed movies in history. Many scenes in the movie were filmed in Salzburg. Today you can take a guided tour through the city around sites relevant to the movie, watch a dinner show based on songs from the movie, or watch a marionette show of The Sound of Music (details later in the article).
Alongside its rich history and classic culture, Salzburg is also a lively modern city known for its excellent coffee shops, its many restaurants, and its great clubs, shops, theatres, galleries, and museums.
The most famous street in the city, also known as a successful shopping area, is the pedestrian mall of Getreidegasse. This is a beautifully designed narrow street where every little detail is wonderfully stylised. Even the McDonalds sign is stylised appropriately. This street is considered one of the most beautiful shopping areas in Austria. Even if you don’t like shopping, I recommend wandering through here. The buildings in this street are tall, narrow and crowded together. Between the buildings are roofed passageways (mostly full of shops and galleries) and lovely courtyards. Building number 9 on the street is the house Mozart grew up in, which nowadays houses the Mozart museum (more on this later).
Here’s a list of the 5 best things to do in Salzburg (Austria), along with famous landmarks, museums, and other points of interest.
Mirabell Palace and Gardens
The Mirabell Palace and Gardens were built in the 17th century and are some of the most romantic sites in all of Europe.
The highlight of the splendid palace is the Marble Hall, which is often considered the most beautiful wedding hall in the world and served as the stage for famous musicians like Mozart.
Possibly even more impressive are the fantastic adjacent gardens which are a typical example of Baroque pleasure gardens featuring clearly recognizable geometrical forms.
Both the palace and the gardens should not be missed when coming to this part of Austria and are symbols of Salzburg.
Salzburg Cathedral
Salzburg’s Cathedral is one of the most significant religious buildings in all of Europe and is known for its marvelous twin-tower design and its mighty dome.
The cathedral is so large and impressive that since its construction in 1614 it has become a big part of Salzburg’s skyline and can be seen from many places in the city.
Along with the Mirabell Palace, it is one of the city’s must-visits as there is so much to discover, including the fantastic baptismal font, the crypt, and the cathedral’s many treasures.There is also a museum to be explored here that is very interesting. Due to the volume of interesting artifacts and architectural details it makes sense to take part in a guided tour around this glorious sight.
Mozart’s Birthplace
The famous Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg and his birthplace is today one of the main attractions of the city. The house in which he spent years of his childhood is today a museum offering a collection of Mozart’s first instruments and personal artifacts.This museum is most of all a great place to learn about this great artist and understand what made his work so special.
Salzburg Fortress
Hohensalzburg Fortress is another highlight of Salzburg and sits on top of a mountain rising to 506 meters above sea level overlooking the city and its surroundings.
The fortress is a time capsule back into medieval times and is extremely well conserved attracting a huge number of visitors every day. Many hours can be spent here, enjoying the mysterious insides of the castle as well the beautiful courtyards within its thick walls.
There are many interesting chapels, fortification towers, and exhibitions to be explored at the Hohensalzburg Fortress but the panorama from up here is worth a visit alone.
The fortress is a time capsule back into medieval times and is extremely well conserved attracting a huge number of visitors every day. Many hours can be spent here, enjoying the mysterious insides of the castle as well the beautiful courtyards within its thick walls.
Schloss Hellbrunn
Heilbrunn Palace is a fantastic Baroque residence built in the 17th century. It is named after the spring located here and was initially meant as a summer day-time residence for the Archbishop.
What the Schloss Heilbrunn is most famous for are its beautiful fountains and water games. The gardens of the villa are characterized by beautiful ponds and it’s especially relaxing here during the summer months.
Explore the Lake District
he Original Sound of Music Tour
During this four-hour tour of Salzburg and its surrounding areas, you will visit many iconic sites with a focus on locations that were featured in the celebrated film The Sound of Music.
You will admire beautiful views and hear songs from the original movie soundtrack while your well-informed local guide points out notable landmarks. Leopoldskron Palace, Nonnberg Abbey, Lake Fuschl, Mondsee Cathedral, and Mirabell Gardens are just some of the places you will see that were featured in the film.
