Salzburg can be explored through a variety of interests: the historic centre preserves much of its cityscape and street layout, while museums, historic buildings and urban paths offer their own insights. When planning your trip, it helps to first consider whether you are primarily interested in the city’s history, Mozart’s life, or walks and scenery.
Baroque city history and its landmarks
The city owes much of the Baroque appearance of its historic centre to the Italian architects Vincenzo Scamozzi and Santino Solari. The historic cityscape and street layout have also been largely preserved. At the DomQuartier, you can learn about Salzburg’s history as a centre of political and ecclesiastical power: the tour presents 1,300 years of Salzburg’s history of rule, as well as art, music and architecture. The Residenz area comprises 15 state rooms spanning more than 200 years of history and styles of rule.
Another way to explore the city’s history is through individual houses and collections. Mozart’s Birthplace at Getreidegasse 9 is the house where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in 1756. On display are original documents, letters and mementos, as well as historical instruments, including Mozart’s childhood violin and clavichord. A one-hour tour takes you through the original living quarters and a reconstructed 18th-century middle-class apartment. The Haus der Natur in Salzburg’s Old Town covers more than 7,000 m²; this size gives visitors a concrete point of reference when deciding whether to include the museum in their city itinerary.
The fortress and Hellbrunn
Hohensalzburg Fortress stands on the Festungsberg hill above the rooftops of the Baroque Old Town. Construction began around 1077 under Archbishop Gebhard. This provides another historical focus, distinct from the rooms and collections of the DomQuartier: here, the fortress and its long history of construction take centre stage.
Hellbrunn Palace was built between 1612 and 1615 as a summer residence. The permanent exhibition “SchauLust” allows visitors to explore the rooms and learn about the history of the estate. The tour of Hellbrunn’s trick fountains uses an audio guide with 21 stops, which also explains the historic Mechanical Theatre. The grounds include a water parterre in the Italian Renaissance style, with ponds, statues and flower arrangements, areas for walking, and a large adventure playground for children.
Urban walks, views and nature
Those wishing to include walks in their stay will find meadows, groves and viewpoints on the Mönchsberg. Rising within Salzburg’s Old Town, the hill is a local recreational area with easy walking paths and varied routes for urban hikes. On the Kapuzinerberg, the Basteiweg runs along the southern side and offers views of Salzburg’s Old Town from several points. The Kapuzinerberg is also home to eleven Calvary chapels, a popular expression of 18th-century religious devotion.
The Almkanal also brings together different aspects of the cityscape: it has been preserved and protected as a cultural monument unique in Europe. Its stands of willows are also an important habitat for wildlife; rare small animals live in the trees, especially species of beetles that are relics of primeval forests. The Salzach flows through the middle of Salzburg, dividing the city into the historic Old Town and the more modern New Town. Salzburg also has more than 180 kilometres of cycle paths, most of which run along the Salzach and through the city’s parks and tree-lined avenues.
Summer programme and practical information
For more than 100 years, the Salzburg Festival has brought opera, theatre and concerts to Salzburg every summer. Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s play “Jedermann” has been performed outdoors in Domplatz, against the backdrop of the Baroque setting, since the festival began. If you are travelling in summer, this recurring programme can be a focus of your visit; check event dates when planning your trip.
Public transport includes electric trolleybuses and bus routes. During the day, trolleybuses run every 10, 15 or 20 minutes; most bus routes run every 15 minutes. Since service intervals may change, it is advisable to check the timetable for your planned visit.
These areas of interest offer different ways to plan your visit without prescribing a particular itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Siezenheim, Niederalm, Plain, Mattsee, Elsbethen, Habach, Bürmoos, Faistenau.
For the regional travel overview: Salzburg-Flachgau.
