Where to stay · Salzburg · Austria
Where to stay in Salzburg
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Pixelcreatures2, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Altstadt (left-bank old town). Baroque squares, Getreidegasse shop signs and the cathedral beneath the fortress. Best alternatives — families: Andräviertel and Mirabell; budget: Andräviertel and Mirabell.
Key facts
- First visit
- Altstadt (left-bank old town)
- Families
- Andräviertel and Mirabell
- Budget
- Andräviertel and Mirabell
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Altstadt (left-bank old town) | Baroque squares, Getreidegasse shop signs and the cathedral beneath the fortress |
| Families | Andräviertel and Mirabell | Grid of 19th-century streets around Mirabell Gardens and the Thursday market |
| Couples | Altstadt (left-bank old town) | Baroque squares, Getreidegasse shop signs and the cathedral beneath the fortress |
| Budget | Andräviertel and Mirabell | Grid of 19th-century streets around Mirabell Gardens and the Thursday market |
| Luxury | Altstadt (left-bank old town) | Baroque squares, Getreidegasse shop signs and the cathedral beneath the fortress |
| Food lovers | Right-bank old town and Linzergasse | Steep Steingasse, a long shopping street and the Kapuzinerberg rising behind |
| Solo travellers | Hauptbahnhof and Elisabeth-Vorstadt | Station quarter with chain hotels, hostels and the main bus hub |
| Quiet stays | Mülln | Monastery brewery, church on a rock and quiet lanes at the foot of the Mönchsberg |
Salzburg neighbourhoods in detail
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, culture and luxury
Altstadt (left-bank old town)
The historic centre between the Salzach and the Mönchsberg holds the cathedral, the Residenz, St. Peter's Abbey, Mozart's birthplace and the Festival halls. Hotels are in old townhouses and fill early in festival season, but everything is a short walk away, including the funicular to the fortress.
- Good
- Every major sight within a few minutes' walk; Atmospheric at night after day visitors leave; Pedestrianised lanes
- Watch out
- Highest prices in the city; Crowded Getreidegasse by day; Few rooms with parking
- Nearby
- Salzburg Cathedral, Getreidegasse, Hohensalzburg Fortress, Residenzplatz
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples and food lovers
Right-bank old town and Linzergasse
Across the Makartsteg footbridge, the right-bank old town runs along Linzergasse, with independent shops, bakeries and St. Sebastian's Cemetery, and along the narrow medieval Steingasse beneath the Kapuzinerberg. It is slightly cheaper and calmer than the left bank and five minutes' walk from it.
- Good
- Short walk to everything; Local shops and cafés; Views of the fortress across the river
- Watch out
- Linzergasse can be busy with traffic at its upper end; Some steep lanes
- Nearby
- Kapuzinerberg, Makartsteg, Mozart Residence, Mirabell Gardens
$$ · Best for families, first-timers and budget
Andräviertel and Mirabell
North of the Mirabell Gardens, the Andräviertel is a residential quarter of apartment buildings around St. Andrew's Church, where the Schranne farmers' market sets up on Thursday mornings. It has mid-range hotels, everyday restaurants and an easy walk to both the old town and the main station.
- Good
- Between the station and the old town; Mirabell Gardens on the doorstep; Good-value hotels
- Watch out
- Less picturesque than the old town; Busy roads on the edges
- Nearby
- Mirabell Palace, Schrannenmarkt, Salzburg Hauptbahnhof
$$ · Best for food lovers, budget and quiet stays
Mülln
Mülln lies just north-west of the old town around the Augustinian church and its brewery, with the Augustiner Bräu beer hall and garden at its heart. Its steep lanes and riverside position make it a quiet, local base 10–15 minutes' walk from Getreidegasse.
- Good
- Local atmosphere; Beer hall and garden on the doorstep; Footpaths up the Mönchsberg
- Watch out
- Fewer hotels; Hilly streets
- Nearby
- Augustiner-Bräu, Mönchsberg, Getreidegasse
$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples and families
Nonntal
South-east of the old town, Nonntal spreads beneath Nonnberg Abbey and the fortress cliffs. It is mostly residential, with some guesthouses and university buildings, and a footpath climbs past the abbey straight up to Hohensalzburg.
- Good
- Calm at night; Walking path to the fortress; Close to the old town without its prices
- Watch out
- Few restaurants; Limited hotel choice
- Nearby
- Nonnberg Abbey, Hohensalzburg Fortress, Hellbrunner Allee
$ · Best for budget and solo travellers
Hauptbahnhof and Elisabeth-Vorstadt
The streets around Salzburg's main station have the widest choice of budget hotels and hostels, direct trains to Munich, Vienna and Innsbruck, and buses to the old town, the airport and Hallstatt connections. The old town is about 20 minutes' walk through the Mirabell Gardens.
- Good
- Lowest room prices; Ideal for day trips by train; Buses everywhere
- Watch out
- Little character; Some streets feel rough late at night
- Nearby
- Salzburg Hauptbahnhof, Mirabell Palace, Kaiserschützenstraße
$$$ · Best for quiet stays, families and luxury
Parsch and Aigen
East of the Kapuzinerberg, Parsch and Aigen are green residential districts with villa hotels, garden guesthouses and views back to the fortress. Buses and S-Bahn trains reach the centre in about 10–15 minutes, and walking trails lead up towards the Gaisberg.
- Good
- Peaceful and green; Space and parking; Walking trails nearby
- Watch out
- Bus or train needed for the centre; Few restaurants within walking distance
- Nearby
- Gaisberg, Kapuzinerberg, Salzach river
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Altstadt (left-bank old town) | $$$$ | Salzburg Cathedral, Getreidegasse, Hohensalzburg Fortress, Residenzplatz |
| Right-bank old town and Linzergasse | $$$ | Kapuzinerberg, Makartsteg, Mozart Residence, Mirabell Gardens |
| Andräviertel and Mirabell | $$ | Mirabell Palace, Schrannenmarkt, Salzburg Hauptbahnhof |
| Mülln | $$ | Augustiner-Bräu, Mönchsberg, Getreidegasse |
| Nonntal | $$ | Nonnberg Abbey, Hohensalzburg Fortress, Hellbrunner Allee |
| Hauptbahnhof and Elisabeth-Vorstadt | $ | Salzburg Hauptbahnhof, Mirabell Palace, Kaiserschützenstraße |
| Parsch and Aigen | $$$ | Gaisberg, Kapuzinerberg, Salzach river |
Getting to your hotel
Salzburg Airport is about 4 km from the centre; trolleybuses reach the old town and the main station in about 20–25 minutes, and a taxi takes about 15 minutes. Munich Airport is about 2 hours away by train via Munich or by direct coach.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Salzburg for first-time visitors?
Altstadt (left-bank old town). The historic centre between the Salzach and the Mönchsberg holds the cathedral, the Residenz, St.
+Where should families stay in Salzburg?
Andräviertel and Mirabell: Between the station and the old town.
+Which area of Salzburg is best for a budget stay?
Andräviertel and Mirabell ($$): Grid of 19th-century streets around Mirabell Gardens and the Thursday market.