By rail
Salzburg Hauptbahnhof, ~2.5 h from Vienna
Europe · Austria
Salzburg, Austria
Mozart's baroque city under the Alps
Getting there
By air
Salzburg (SZG), ~4 km
Best time to visit
May to September; the festival runs July and August
Don't miss
The Hohensalzburg Fortress
The Mirabell Gardens
The Getreidegasse
Salzburg Cathedral
Things to do
The Hohensalzburg Fortress
Mozart's birthplace
A Sound of Music tour
The Salzburg Festival
Where to eat
What to pack
Layers, a rain jacket
A quieter corner
The Mönchsberg's cliff-top walk
Questions travellers ask
When is the Salzburg Festival?
July and August. May to September is the time to visit — pack layers and a rain jacket.
What's worth seeing in Salzburg?
The Hohensalzburg Fortress, the Mirabell Gardens, the Getreidegasse and Salzburg Cathedral, plus Mozart's birthplace. Or join a Sound of Music tour.
How do I get to Salzburg from Vienna?
By train to Salzburg Hauptbahnhof, about 2.5 hours. Salzburg (SZG) airport is about 4 km away.
What local specialities should I try in Salzburg?
Salzburger Nockerl and Mozartkugeln. Walk them off on the Mönchsberg's cliff-top walk.
About Salzburg
- Riverside
- Mountains
Where it is
Salzburg is the capital of the Austrian state of the same name, on both banks of the Salzach river at the northern edge of the Alps, close to the border with Bavaria in Germany.
History
Salzburg stands on the site of the Roman town of Iuvavum, and for centuries it was ruled by prince-archbishops whose wealth came from the salt trade that gave the city its name. They rebuilt its centre in Italian baroque style in the 17th century, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born here in 1756. The archbishops' state was dissolved in 1803, and Salzburg passed to Austria in the early 19th century.
People
Salzburgers speak German with an Austro-Bavarian accent, and music runs through the city's year, from the summer festival to Advent concerts. Traditional dress, the dirndl and lederhosen, is worn on festive days, and Christmas markets fill the old squares in Advent.
Known for
- Mozart's birthplace on the Getreidegasse
- The Hohensalzburg Fortress
- The Salzburg Festival each summer
- Locations from The Sound of Music
- Salzburger Nockerl and Mozartkugeln
Did you know?
Silent Night was first performed on Christmas Eve 1818 in Oberndorf, a village north of Salzburg, with words by Joseph Mohr and music by Franz Xaver Gruber.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.