Rainy day · Salzburg · Austria
7 things to do in Salzburg when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Andrew Bossi, CC BY-SA 2.5
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Quick answer
Start with Mozart's Birthplace, Salzburg Cathedral and Mozart Residence. Together the 7 picks below take roughly 10–12 hours across 4 areas; 1 is free. June is usually the wettest month, with about 15 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 7
- Free entry
- 1
- Time to see them all
- 10–12 hours
- Areas
- Altstadt, Right-bank old town and Andräviertel
Salzburg on a rainy day
Museum · Altstadt
1.Mozart's Birthplace
Buy a combined ticket with the Mozart Residence across the river, and visit early to avoid tour-group crowds in the small rooms.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Rainy day
Religious site · Altstadt
2.Salzburg Cathedral
Listen for the noon organ recitals or Sunday mass music, a free way to hear the cathedral's organs.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Right-bank old town
3.Mozart Residence
It is less crowded than the birthplace, so allow time for the audio guide.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
Palace · Altstadt
4.DomQuartier and the Residenz
Allow at least two hours; the route is long and one-way.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Experience · Andräviertel
5.Salzburg Marionette Theatre
Check the programme before you travel; performances are not daily.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- After dark
- Art
Museum · Altstadt
6.Haus der Natur
Head first for the science centre upstairs, where children can test experiments themselves.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Museum · Airport
7.Hangar-7
Combine it with an airport arrival or departure; it is next to the terminal.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Altstadt | Mozart's Birthplace, Salzburg Cathedral, DomQuartier and the Residenz and Haus der Natur | 1 hour + 45 minutes + 2–3 hours + 2–3 hours |
| Right-bank old town | Mozart Residence | 1 hour |
| Andräviertel | Salzburg Marionette Theatre | 2 hours |
| Airport | Hangar-7 | 1 hour |
Booking and timing
Of these 7, 1 free, 1 low cost, 5 mid-priced. Book ahead for Salzburg Marionette Theatre. The longest visit is DomQuartier and the Residenz; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Salzburg Marionette Theatre: Book ahead for summer and Christmas performances, which often sell out.
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 (Altstadt): Mozart's Birthplace → Salzburg Cathedral → DomQuartier and the Residenz, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Altstadt and Right-bank old town): Haus der Natur → Mozart Residence, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Andräviertel and Airport): Salzburg Marionette Theatre → Hangar-7, at least 3 hours.
The wettest months
- June: highs of 23°C (73°F), about 15 rainy days, busy crowds. Warm and long days, though afternoon thunderstorms are common; a good month for the lakes before peak season.
- July: highs of 25°C (77°F), about 15 rainy days, very busy crowds. Peak season; the Salzburg Festival begins in the second half of the month and hotel prices jump.
- May: highs of 20°C (68°F), about 14 rainy days, moderate crowds. Green and mild, with beer gardens open and good conditions for the Untersberg and lake trips.
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
More of Salzburg
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Salzburg?
Mozart's Birthplace. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in 1756 in the third-floor apartment of this yellow house at Getreidegasse 9 and lived here until 1773.
+Which of these are free in Salzburg?
Hangar-7.