History · Salzburg · Austria
8 historic sites to see in Salzburg
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Snotty, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Hohensalzburg Fortress, Mozart's Birthplace and Salzburg Cathedral. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 10–13 hours across 4 areas; 2 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 10–13 hours
- Areas
- Festungsberg, Altstadt and Right-bank old town
Historic sites in Salzburg
Castle · Festungsberg
1.Hohensalzburg Fortress
Inside are the richly decorated princely apartments with the Golden Hall, a marionette museum and ramparts with views over the city and the Alps. The Festungsbahn funicular, running since 1892, climbs up from Festungsgasse in about a minute.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- History
- Kids
Museum · Altstadt
2.Mozart's Birthplace
The rooms display his childhood violin, a clavichord, family portraits and letters.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Rainy day
Religious site · Altstadt
3.Salzburg Cathedral
Its three bronze doors date from the 20th century and represent faith, hope and charity, and the square in front is the stage for the festival's Jedermann.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
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Museum · Right-bank old town
4.Mozart Residence
The museum focuses on his life and works, with his fortepiano and an audio guide with musical excerpts.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
Palace · Altstadt
5.DomQuartier and the Residenz
Peter's Abbey.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Street · Altstadt
6.Getreidegasse
Covered passageways (Durchhäuser) run through the buildings to Universitätsplatz, where the Grünmarkt sells produce and snacks.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- History
- Photo spot
Religious site · Altstadt
7.St. Peter's Abbey and Cemetery
Peter's is one of the oldest monasteries in the German-speaking world. Its small cemetery, enclosed by wrought-iron grave chapels against the cliff, inspired a scene in The Sound of Music, and early Christian catacombs are carved into the rock face above.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Photo spot
Palace · Hellbrunn
8.Hellbrunn Palace and Trick Fountains
The park also holds The Sound of Music gazebo, and the palace is open from spring to autumn.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- History
- Outdoors
- Couples
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Festungsberg | Hohensalzburg Fortress | 2–3 hours |
| Altstadt | Mozart's Birthplace, Salzburg Cathedral, DomQuartier and the Residenz, Getreidegasse and St. Peter's Abbey and Cemetery | 1 hour + 45 minutes + 2–3 hours + 45 minutes + 45 minutes |
| Right-bank old town | Mozart Residence | 1 hour |
| Hellbrunn | Hellbrunn Palace and Trick Fountains | 2–3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 2 free, 1 low cost, 5 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Hohensalzburg Fortress; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Festungsberg and Altstadt): Hohensalzburg Fortress → Mozart's Birthplace → Salzburg Cathedral, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Altstadt): DomQuartier and the Residenz → Getreidegasse → St. Peter's Abbey and Cemetery, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Right-bank old town and Hellbrunn): Mozart Residence → Hellbrunn Palace and Trick Fountains, at least 3 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- February: highs of 5°C (41°F), about 10 rainy days, quiet crowds. One of the quietest months, with low prices and skiing within an hour's drive.
- January: highs of 3°C (37°F), about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cold and often grey with occasional snow; quiet streets apart from Mozart Week around the composer's birthday.
- March: highs of 10°C (50°F), about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds. Changeable spring weather; Easter markets and the Easter Festival bring visitors back.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Altstadt (left-bank old town) — Baroque squares, Getreidegasse shop signs and the cathedral beneath the fortress
- Right-bank old town and Linzergasse — Steep Steingasse, a long shopping street and the Kapuzinerberg rising behind
- Mülln — Monastery brewery, church on a rock and quiet lanes at the foot of the Mönchsberg
- Nonntal — Quiet residential streets below the fortress and Nonnberg Abbey
More of Salzburg
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Salzburg?
Hohensalzburg Fortress. Begun in 1077 and expanded by successive prince-archbishops, the fortress crowns the Festungsberg above the old town.
+Which of these are free in Salzburg?
Getreidegasse and St. Peter's Abbey and Cemetery.