Visiting Salzburg and contemplating what to do in Salzburg? Well, here’s a list of the best things to do in Salzburg to get you started! The list includes all the places that are must-see in Salzburg and some more.
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Salzburg, Austria
A little over 3-hours of scenic road journey from Vienna takes you to the world-famous city of music, Salzburg. Your list of things to see and do in Austria is incomplete without Salzburg on it.
Strolling the streets of Salzburg is magical. It’s almost like turning the pages of a storybook.
It’s what happens when you add a pinch of love, romance, music, and art to history. A perfect recipe!
Salzburg is often called the Rome of the North as the city’s skyline is still shaped by ancient baroque buildings inspired by papal Rome.
Mozart lived in Salzburg over 250 years ago but he’s still the most favorite son of Salzburg.
He’s practically everywhere, and thus, rightfully The City of Mozart.
The vivid history of the archbishops and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is an intense and tangible experience here.
Taking a walk through the original shooting locations of one of the most successful Hollywood movies of all time – “The Sound of Music” is another reason thousands of travelers flock here every year.
Salzburg is fuss-free and effortless. I mean, you get to do so much in no time. I’m serious.
We discovered the distinct sides of the city in just a day. There are endless experiences you can choose from to have in the cultural and musical city of Salzburg.
But, if you just have a day, it’s better to concentrate on the best places to visit in Salzburg, Austria.
Hope our practical guide to exploring the city of Salzburg in a day for an indelible and well-rounded experience helps you.
Check out our detailed itinerary for spending 1, 2, or 3 days in Salzburg!
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Best Things to do in Salzburg
Salzburg is quite a compact city and thus, you can easily explore it in a day or two.
We spent a day and could visit most of the worthwhile attractions without feeling hurried.
You can take a self-guided walking tour if you are a good planner or can book one of the popular and highly rated city tours with our trusted site Get Your Guide to enjoy without any hassle.
Note: For a Do-It-Yourself or Self-Guided Tour, follow the same sequence I have mentioned the attractions in – Start the exploration at Mirabell Palace and end at Mönchsberg or Hellbrunn.
1. Mirabell Palace and Gardens
An extravagant stroll in the baroque Mirabellgarten or Mirabell Gardens reminds you of famous scenes from an old Hollywood musical movie “Sound of Music” where Maria and the Van Trapp kids sing “Do, Re, Mi” while dancing around the Pegasus Fountain.
Schloss Mirabell, a baroque palace, is known as “The Taj Mahal of Salzburg” because it was built by Prince-Archbishop Wolf-Dietrich for the love of his life, Salomé Alt.
Mozart’s father Leopold and his kids Wolfgang and Nannerl performed in the Marble Hall of Schloss Mirabell.
Attend a concert at Schlosskonzerte Mirabell (Palace Concerts Mirabell) to recreate the magic of Mozart’s timeless pieces.
Today the palace houses the office of the Mayor of Salzburg and the municipal administration.
Admission to the Mirabell Palace and Gardens is FREE.
Not to Miss: The whimsical Dwarf Garden (Zwerglgarten) in the Mirabell Gardens displays nasty dwarf statues inspired by the dwarves who worked as entertainers in the court of the Prince Archbishops.
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2. Mozart Wohnhaus
Mozart Wohnhaus or Mozart’s Residence at No. 8 Markartplatz, opposite Mirabell Gardens, then home to Mozart is now home to a museum displaying the life and times of the Mozart family.
The admission ticket costs 11€ (per adult), and 3.50€ (per child aged 6-14 years.)
You can buy the combined tickets for Mozart’s Residence and Birthplace to save some Euros.
Admission is FREE with a Salzburg Card. It’s recommended to buy a Salzburg Card to get FREE access to all the main sights and attractions in Salzburg.
Pro-Tip: Try the original Sachertorte with a cup of coffee at Café Sacher Salzburg located just around the corner from Mozart Wohnhaus.
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3. Makartsteg Footbridge
Makartsteg Footbridge aka Love Locks Bridge Salzburg is a pedestrian bridge over the Salzach River that takes you to the Old Town of Salzburg (Altstadt or Historic Center of the City of Salzburg.)
The bridge is an attraction in itself.
The scores of colorful love locks on the bridge’s fencing instantly bring a feeling of love and commitment.
Plus the views of Salzburg Old Town with its acropolis as a backdrop from this bridge are to die for.
Good to Know: If you happen to be in Salzburg on Sunday, Shop your heart out at Salzach Galleries, the biggest open-air craft bazaar in Austria along the Salzach River.
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4. Salzburg Old Town
The Salzach River calmly curves through the pretty old town divided (read united) by a bridge embosomed by love, flecked with medieval and baroque buildings, a skyline defined by spires and domes, a baroque 900-year-old hilltop citadel as a backdrop, and the spirit of age-old music traditions; welcome to Salzburg Old Town, all things magical.
The UNESCO-protected historic old town comprises the majority of tourist attractions in Salzburg.
Getreidegasse
Getreidegasse with its high-end stores, snuggling medieval narrow houses, and restaurants, elaborately crafted wrought-iron guild signs on entryways, mystical alleyways, idyllic courtyards, and curved corridors is a work of art in itself.
Salzburg’s busiest and most famous shopping lane is a perfect introduction to Salzburg’s Old City.
Stopovers at Getreidegasse:
• Eisl Eis Salon for their organic sheep’s milk ice cream.
• Blume & Duft for quintessential Salzburg souvenirs of dried flowers and spice arrangements.
• Balkan Grill (signboard reads Bosna Grill) for the best sausages in Salzburg.
• Weiber Locksmith’s Shop for witnessing the way they make beautiful elaborate wrought-iron guild signs for shops at Getreidegasse
One of the medieval narrow houses at Getreidegasse is a canary-yellow House No. 9, Mozart Geburtshaus. This is where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born learned to play violin and piano and wrote his first composition.
Today the building houses a Mozart Museum. The exhibits – Mozart’s childhood music instruments, portraits, old letters, and collectibles reveal the heart and soul of Mozart’s life.
Interesting Fact: Mozart’s Requiem Mass in D Minor, an unfinished piece at the time of his death in 1791, was completed by his student Franz Xaver Süssmayr at the request of Constanze, Mozart’s wife.
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Altes Rathaus (Old City Hall)
The Old City Hall is located by the Kranzlmarkt at the crossing between Getreidegasse and Sigmund-Haffner-Gasse.
The bell tower can be spotted easily as it graces Salzburg’s skyline.
Grunmarkt
Walk a few steps from Mozart’s Birthplace towards University Square via Griesgasse and you reach the famous local farmer’s market in Salzburg, Grunmarkt.
From fresh fruits, and vegetables to local cheese, ham, and bread; the market is a one-stop shop for travelers who fancy fresh local and regional delicacies.
Please note, that Grunmarkt is closed on Sundays.
Our Picks: Right in the middle of Grünmarkt, Mayer Delikatessen sells huge pretzels and yummy sandwiches.
Alter Markt (Old Marketplace)
A few minutes ‘ stroll from the Mozart Museum is Alter Markt.
The square lays out pastel-tinged impressive baroque townhouses on all sides and the St. Florian Fountain in the center.
Once a venue for weekly markets, events, and celebrations, the square is now flanked by attractions like the old court pharmacy – Alte Fürsterzbischöfliche Hofapotheke, the oldest coffee house in Salzburg – Café Tomaselli, the smallest house in Salzburg – House no. 10A, the most famous chocolatier of Salzburg and the inventor of Mozart-Kugel (Mozart Balls) – Café-Konditorei Fürst.
You can buy the original hand-made, hand-wrapped, and extravagant Mozart Balls from Fürst as a sweet remembrance of Mozart’s city.
We picked up a Mozartkugel gift box with 12 pieces costing €21. Good things come with a price tag. Isn’t it?
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Toy Museum Salzburg
Around 700 meters from Alter Markt, fun awaits kids and kids-at-heart at the Toy Museum Salzburg (Spielzeugmuseum.)
Exhibits including wooden toys, clay toys, pewter toys, dollhouses, and educational toys are not only for kids to look at but to touch, play, and experience.
DomQuartier
Alongside Alter Markt lies the prince archbishop’s former seat of power, the DomQuartier Salzburg.
DomQuartier, the baroque architectural complex spans the Residenz, Salzburg Cathedral, and Benedictine St. Peter’s Abbey.
Salzburg Cathedral with its beautiful baroque dome and two towers is one of the high points of Salzburg. The cathedral is home to the world-famous 4,000 pipe organ and a Romanesque font where Mozart was christened.
With a single entrance ticket (€13 per adult and €5 per child,) you can catch sight of the splendid staterooms of Alte Residenz, the Residenz Gallery, the Cathedral Museum, and the Museum of St. Peter.
The highlight of the tour must be the imposing views from the two vantage points – Dombogenterrasse (Cathedral Archway Terrace) and the organ loft in the Salzburg Cathedral.
Admission to DomQuartier is FREE with a Salzburg Card.
ResidenzPlatz
Residence Square with its Residence Fountain encircled by Salzburg Cathedral, New Residence, and Old Residence is one of the most beautiful squares in the city.
It’s also one of the “Sound of Music” locations.
Mozartplatz
Adjacent to Residenzplatz is Mozart Square is famous for the statue of Mozart and house no. 8 where Mozart’s wife once lived.
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Kapitelplatz (Chapter Square)
Not far away from the cathedral is Kapitelplatz set apart by an idiosyncratic work of art by the German artist Stephan Balkenhol, Sphaera.
Kapitelschwemme (Chapter Fountain), a baroque horse pond is another attraction here.
Apart from that, it’s a quintessential spot to admire and capture in camera the centerpiece of Salzburg, hillside Fortress Hohensalzburg.
Fortress Hohensalzburg
Rising 400 feet above the Salzach River on Festungsberg cliff is Hohensalzburg bestriding Salzburg’s skyline.
The fortress remains one of Europe’s mightiest castles as it was never attacked or conquered by anyone. Salzburg surrendering to Napolean is a different story. It’s thought of as a wise move in history.
FestungsBahn (Fortress Funicular) departing from Festungsgasse takes you up to the fortress in no time (54 seconds!)
The basic funicular ticket includes admission to the fortress and its museums ( €12.90 per adult and €7.40 per child aged 6-14 years) regardless of whether you want to visit them or not.
Hiking up the castle can save you some euros plus the views are incredible. It can take up to 30 minutes to walk up so be sure you’ve enough time on your hands.
The best part of the fortress is its lookout point that offers awe-inspiring and other-worldly views of the city of Mozart, snow-capped Alps, and lush countryside.
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St Peter’s Abbey, Cemetery, and Catacombs
St. Peter’s monastery and church have been the spiritual center of Salzburg since the 7th century. The cemetery and catacombs are also famous as “The Sounds of Music” location.
St. Peter’s cemetery is counted as one of the oldest and most beautiful cemeteries in the world.
Carved into the little mountain of Salzburg, Mönchsberg is catacombs and two chapels – Gertrauden Chapel and Maximus Chapel.
The long gallery of St. Peter’s Abbey can be seen on a DomQuartier Tour.
Mönchsberg
Hey, Nature lovers and hikers, Salzburg has got you covered. They present Mönchsberg for you!
One of the five mountains in Salzburg, Mönchsberg is covered by a highland of lush meadows and forests.
Mönchsberg lift at Anton-Neumayr-Platz takes you up where nature lovers can spend time amidst nature and hikers can take one of the hiking routes to enjoy the panoramic views over Salzburg and around.
If contemporary art inspires you then indulge yourself at the Museum of Modern Art (Museum der Moderne) located on the Mönchsberg.
Mönchsberg lift ride ( €3.80 per adult and €1.90 per child aged 6-14 years for a roundtrip and €2.50 per adult and €1.30 per child aged 6-14 years for one way) and admission to the Museum der Moderne ( €8.00 per adult;€6.00 per child aged 6-18 years and €12.00 for a family ) are free with Salzburg Card.
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Schloss Hellbrunn (Hellbrunn Palace)
With no bedrooms, Hellbrunn served as a place to spend some idle hot summer days for the prince archbishop of Salzburg, Markus Sittikus with his friends.
Amid numerous attractions on the palace grounds – Hellbrunn Hall, Salzburg Zoo, Steintheater, Stone Theater, Monatsschlösschen; the trick fountains designed in Mannerist architecture remain the unique feature of Hellbrunn.
No point in guessing what happens when kids set foot in the adventure playground.
Pro-Tip: After a long sightseeing day, sit and relax at cozy Bärenwirt while having a traditional dinner. Try their Backhendle, Schnitzel, Kasnocken, and Kaiserschmarren. Complement food with beer from Augustiner Bräu (Salzburg’s oldest brewery).
Have you ever been to Salzburg? How do you like it? I’d love to know! And if this post helped you plan a beautiful trip to Salzburg, Austria, be a sport, and please share it with the world.
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Salzburg is such a lovely city!
I recently returned from a trip to Salzburg where I explored the city’s charming cobblestone streets, took in the stunning mountain views, and visited historic castles like the Salzburg Fortress and Hohensalzburg Castle. I also had the chance to try delicious traditional Austrian dishes and can’t wait to go back and explore more of the country in the future.
Thanks for the information. Can you please elaborate on why you refer to the dwarf statues as “nasty”?
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your thoughts. I realize my choice of words regarding the dwarf statues in Salzburg may have come across as negative, which was not my intention. I used “nasty” in a playful way to describe the dwarf statues’ quirky expressions, not to offend. They’re actually a charming part of Salzburg’s Mirabell Gardens.
When we went a year or so ago we ate at a restaurant in a building that contained a Mozart museum, with his instruments.
We also hiked up a hill with the stations of the cross with life like figures, to a church or monastery on a hill , overlooking all of Salzburg. ( It was on the opposite side of the river from the old city).