With kids · Salzburg · Austria
Salzburg with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Nicholas Even (own work), CC BY 2.5
Quick answer
Salzburg is very manageable with children: the fortress funicular, Hellbrunn's trick fountains, the marionette theatre and the zoo are all hits, and salt mines with slides are a short trip away. The compact old town keeps walking distances short. Top picks: Hohensalzburg Fortress, Hellbrunn Palace and Trick Fountains and Haus der Natur. Families usually base themselves in Andräviertel and Mirabell.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 6
- Best area for families
- Andräviertel and Mirabell
- Rainy-day options
- 3
- Busiest months
- July–August
Best things to do with kids
Castle · Festungsberg
1.Hohensalzburg Fortress
Begun in 1077 and expanded by successive prince-archbishops, the fortress crowns the Festungsberg above the old town. 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.
Walk up the path from Nonnberg or the Mönchsberg to avoid the funicular queue, and ride down instead.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- History
- Kids
Palace · Hellbrunn
2.Hellbrunn Palace and Trick Fountains
Prince-Archbishop Markus Sittikus built this summer palace in the early 17th century with a garden of hidden jets designed to soak unsuspecting guests, still demonstrated on guided tours. The park also holds The Sound of Music gazebo, and the palace is open from spring to autumn.
Bring a change of top for children; the guides make sure someone gets wet on every tour.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- History
- Outdoors
- Couples
Museum · Altstadt
3.Haus der Natur
A large natural history and science museum on the edge of the old town, with an aquarium, a reptile zoo, dinosaur and space halls and a hands-on science centre. It is the go-to rainy-day option for families.
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
Experience · Andräviertel
4.Salzburg Marionette Theatre
Since 1913 this theatre has staged full Mozart operas and The Sound of Music with hand-carved marionettes and recorded music. Performances are surprisingly moving and an easy introduction to opera.
Check the programme before you travel; performances are not daily.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Book ahead for summer and Christmas performances, which often sell out.
- Kids
- Rainy day
- After dark
- Art
Garden · Andräviertel
5.Mirabell Palace and Gardens
Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich built the palace in 1606, and its formal Baroque gardens frame a classic view of the cathedral and fortress. The Pegasus Fountain and steps featured in The Sound of Music's 'Do-Re-Mi' scene, and the dwarf garden holds grotesque marble figures. The gardens are free.
Peek into the palace's Marble Hall staircase, decorated with putti, and look out for chamber concerts held there.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Kids
Museum · Airport
6.Hangar-7
Red Bull's glass-and-steel hangar beside Salzburg Airport displays historic aircraft, helicopters and racing cars, with free entry and bars and a restaurant on site.
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
Rainy-day ideas
- Salzburg Marionette Theatre — Check the programme before you travel; performances are not daily.
- Haus der Natur — Head first for the science centre upstairs, where children can test experiments themselves.
- Hangar-7 — Combine it with an airport arrival or departure; it is next to the terminal.
Where families should stay
$$ · 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
Family travel tips
- Salzburg Zoo is next to Hellbrunn Palace, making an easy full day with the trick fountains.
- Strollers struggle on the fortress paths and cobbles; use the funicular and a carrier.
- The Salzburg Card is usually cheaper for children, and many museums are free for young kids.
- The Hallein and Berchtesgaden salt mines, with underground slides and train rides, are among the best family trips in the region.
- Pack rain gear: Haus der Natur and the marionette theatre are the best options on wet days.
Day trips for families
- Berchtesgaden and Königssee (About 45–60 minutes by bus) — Across the border in Bavaria, Berchtesgaden has a salt mine with underground slides, and the emerald Königssee lake is explored by quiet electric boats to the onion-domed church of St.
- Werfen: Eisriesenwelt and Hohenwerfen (About 40 minutes by train, then shuttle bus) — The Eisriesenwelt is the largest ice cave in the world, with ice formations lit by carbide lamps on guided tours; it opens from spring to autumn and needs warm clothes.
- Hallein Salt Mine (About 25 minutes by S-Bahn, then bus) — Miners' overalls, a mine train, wooden slides and a raft across an underground salt lake make this salt mine tour popular with families; the Celtic museum in Hallein's old town adds context.
- St. Wolfgang and Lake Wolfgang (About 1 hour 15 minutes by bus) — Lake Wolfgang's villages of St.
When to go with children
The best months overall are May–June and September. July–August are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Salzburg good for kids?
Salzburg is very manageable with children: the fortress funicular, Hellbrunn's trick fountains, the marionette theatre and the zoo are all hits, and salt mines with slides are a short trip away. The compact old town keeps walking distances short.
+What can kids do in Salzburg?
Hohensalzburg Fortress, Hellbrunn Palace and Trick Fountains, Haus der Natur, Salzburg Marionette Theatre and Mirabell Palace and Gardens.
+Where should families stay in Salzburg?
Andräviertel and Mirabell: Grid of 19th-century streets around Mirabell Gardens and the Thursday market.