Things to Do in Salzburg
Prices, opening hours, best times to visit and the stuff nobody tells you, everything you need for a first trip to Salzburg, Austria, plus one pigeon's opinions on all of it.
Right, Salzburg. Try not to burst into song, I mean it, I've seen it happen, Mozart's birthplace, the setting for one of the most famous musical films ever made, and home to a hilltop fortress that was never once successfully besieged. This is the proper, no-nonsense guide to things to do in Salzburg: what things actually cost, when to go, what to skip, and which bits are worth the queue. Three main stops below, plus a quiz elsewhere on this site to see if you were paying attention.
Mozart's Birthplace
Salzburg is the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, born in the city in 1756, worth booking ahead if you'd rather not stand in the queue, the museum covers his early life and career with original instruments, letters, and family portraits, a good introduction before exploring the wider city that shaped him.
Mozart's Residence, the family's later, larger home, is a separate site worth visiting too, worth deciding whether to prioritise one or see both depending on how deep your interest in the composer runs.
Hours Daily, roughly 9am–5.30pm
Address Mozart's Birthplace, Getreidegasse, Salzburg
The Sound of Music Filming Locations
The Sound of Music, a 1965 musical film set partly in Salzburg, features the von Trapp family and remains a major draw for tourist tours today, several locations used in the movie, Mirabell Gardens, the lake at Hellbrunn Palace, and the surrounding countryside, are covered by dedicated tour operators.
It's worth booking a proper tour if you're a fan of the film, worth simply visiting Mirabell Gardens independently otherwise, a beautiful formal garden regardless of any cinematic connection.
Hours Mirabell Gardens daily, dawn to dusk
Address Mirabell Gardens, Salzburg
Hohensalzburg Fortress
A grand fortress, one of the largest medieval castles in Europe, overlooks Salzburg from a hilltop, Hohensalzburg Fortress, an excellent defensive position, worth the funicular ride up, sweeping views over the whole old town and surrounding mountains from the fortress walls.
The interior includes a museum covering the fortress's history and the region's rulers, worth a proper couple of hours, this is one of the most complete medieval fortresses in Europe and rewards a thorough visit rather than a quick photo stop.
Hours Daily, roughly 9am–5pm, longer in summer
Address Hohensalzburg Fortress, Salzburg
Best time to visit Salzburg
May through September gives the most comfortable weather for the amount of walking this list involves, mild without winter's cold.
Salzburg's Christmas markets, particularly atmospheric against the old town's architecture, are worth timing a visit around if your trip lines up with late November through December.
Getting around Salzburg
Central Salzburg, including Mozart's Birthplace and the old town, is walkable. Buses cover destinations further out, and the funicular handles the climb up to Hohensalzburg Fortress.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Salzburg worth visiting?
- Yes, easily, Mozart's birthplace, the fortress, and the Sound of Music connections together make it one of Austria's most distinctive small cities.
- How many days do you need in Salzburg?
- Two days covers Mozart's Birthplace, Hohensalzburg Fortress, and Mirabell Gardens comfortably.
- Is Salzburg expensive?
- Moderate, comparable to other major Austrian cities, though generally cheaper than Vienna for accommodation.
- What is Salzburg famous for?
- Being the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, serving as a filming location for The Sound of Music, and Hohensalzburg Fortress, one of the largest medieval castles in Europe.
That's everything I've got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government's latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
