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15 things to do in Salzburg - from cable car to Mozart concert

In co-operation with the Austria Tourist Board

Today we're sharing 15 things to do in Salzburg, Austria. We've spent a few intense days in this beautiful city, doing everything from cable cars and castles to beer, shopping and a Mozart Candle Light Dinner. Here are our top tips for visiting this beautiful Austrian city!

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Things to see and do in Salzburg

Salzburg in Austria is a fantastic city and offers plenty to see and do, whether you prefer culture and history or great nature experiences. Here are our top 15 tips for things to do in Salzburg.

Bro Salzburg
Many have locked their love on this bridge in Salzburg.

1. get the Salzburg Card

We found it very affordable to get a Salzburg. Card. The card can be purchased for 24, 48 or 72 hours and gives free entry to many museums and attractions and allows you to travel on buses, cable cars, etc. at no extra cost. Moreover, with this card we were able to bypass queues several times!

Göra i Salzburg med Salzburg card
We benefited greatly from the Salzburg Card

2. join a guided tour

We like guided tours because you get a lot of interesting information in an easy way. We went on a two-hour guided city walk, which was very interesting. Other ways to discover the city include Hop On Hop Off buses, amphibious tours or City Cruises. You can read more on Salzburg info.

Salzburg gyllene kula
For example, our guide told us about this piece of art...

3. Visit Mozart's birthplace

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on 27 January 1756 in Salzburg, in the yellow house pictured here. He wrote his first piece of music for piano at the age of 3, and at the age of 6 he also started playing the violin. The prodigy Mozart produced over 600 works before he died in Vienna at the age of 35. Today you can visit both the birthplace and the Mozart Wohnhaus - the house Mozart lived in between 1773 and 1787.

Mozarts födelsehus Salzburg
Amadeus Mozart was born in this house.
Mozarts födelsehus
The kitchen when Mozart was little
Mozart Wohnhaus
The Mozart family lived here

4. See Salzburg in the past - on a panorama deck

If you have the Salzburg Card, and therefore free entry, it's worth checking out the Panorama Museum, which shows what Salzburg used to look like on a large panoramic canvas. The rest of the museum deals with the great fire that destroyed large parts of the city about 200 years ago.

Göra i salzburg museum
A small piece of the big panorama screen

5. Take the mountain railway to Hohensalzburg fortress

Fort Hohensalzburg is the largest fully preserved castle in Central Europe and sits high above the city of Salzburg. It was built in 1077 and reconstructed to its current appearance around 1500. You can walk up here if you want, or make it a little easier on yourself and take a nice ride up by cable car.

Bergbana Salzburg
You can see the funicular railway between the houses and the castle.

Up at Hohensalzburg, you can stroll around the courtyards, eat at one of the outdoor restaurants or perhaps visit one of the museums located here, such as the Puppet Museum.

Utsikt över Salzburg
View of Salzburg from Hohensalzburg
Dockteater
Marionette Museum in Hahensalzburg fortress

6. Visit Mirabell Gardens

Mirabell Castle was built in the 17th century and survived a major fire in the city. Today you can come here to stroll through the beautiful gardens, filled with flowers and fountains. There is also a stunningly beautiful staircase, the Angel Staircase, leading up to the marble hall. Here you can book yourself into various classical music concerts.

Mirabell slottsträdgård
Amazing castle garden!
marmortrappa
Don't miss the marble staircase!
Göra i Salzburg: konserter
Here you can listen to various concerts

7. Enter the catacombs of St Peter's cemetery

St Peter's Cemetery is a beautiful cemetery in the centre of Salzburg, where many famous Salzburgers are buried, such as Mozart's sister. There are also catacombs carved directly out of the rock, including a small chapel inside the rock chamber. It's fascinating that they built it this way!

St Peters kyrkogård i Salzburg
St Peter's Cemetery in Salzburg
Göra i Salzburg: krypta
A church room inside the mountain!

8. Walk along the Mönch mountain

The area around Mönch's mountain is lushly beautiful, and you can walk above the city with countless opportunities for great views. This is a great opportunity to get out of the city, experience nature and get away from the most touristy areas.

You can get to the Mönch mountain by walking up, near St Peter's cemetery, or by taking the lift at the Modern Museum. If you want, you can stop for a bite to eat, along with great views, at the Stadt Alm restaurant.

Göra i salzburg: Mönchs berg
A green walk in historic neighbourhoods
Utsikt över Salzburg
Amazing views of Salzburg!
Göra i salzburg: Stadt Alm
Maybe a break at Stadt Alm?

9. Travel in the footsteps of the Sound of Music

If you like the musical The Sound of Music, you should definitely travel to Salzburg. The Trapp family, the subject of the musical, once lived here, and the classic film was also shot here.

The visit to the Sound of Music museum wasn't really worth the money for us (you get a discount with the Salzburg Card, but it's not free), but it might be worth it for those with a keen interest in the film. If you want, you can also go on special guided tours that take you to the film's shooting locations.

Göra i Salzburg: Sound of Music-museet
The Sound of Music Museum in Salzburg

10. Shopping for clothes and chocolate

The Old Town (Altsadt) of Salzburg is full of shops selling Austrian clothing, such as lederhosen and the women's dress dirndl. The clothes come in all price ranges - from more expensive, good quality garments to slightly cheaper souvenirs. It is also an experience to walk on Getreidegasse, where all the shop signs are in the old traditional style.

Was there any shopping for us then? Yes, Peter actually went shopping with a black hat! Of course, you can also buy chocolates, like the classic Mozart balls, and if you want the real thing - the blue wrappers (labelled "original") are the way to go!

Österrikiska kläder
Peter tries on Austrian clothes
Ny hatt Österrike
A hat had to be taken back to the motorhome.
Drindl
No, there was no summer dirndl for me (Helena).
Göra i salzburg: Mozartkulor
The real Mozart chocolate is packaged in blue!

11. Hang out in the city's cafés

Salzburg is full of nice cafés and the city is also famous for several different sweets, including the dessert Nockerl (a sweet soufflé) and various pastries. We're not big on sweets, so for us it was a beer in a café instead ...

häst och vagn
Café in Salzburg - and a horse and carriage team
Café vid Mirabell Garden
Peter at a café near the Mirabell Garden

12. Drink beer at the Augustiner Bräu monastery

The brewery Augustiner Bräu is a cosy and relaxed brewery with a beer hall and biergarten. Here you get your beer filled in large mugs and you can buy simple food in a number of stalls. In the large indoor beer hall, the regulars have signs showing what time they booked which table. Outside there is a large garden where you can enjoy beer and food in a relaxed setting.

Bryggeri Österrike
Inside the brewery there are various food stalls.
Göra i Salzburg: öl
We are served beer at the Augustinerbräu
Biergarten
In summer you can sit outside, at the Biergarten.

13. Enjoy the Mozart Candle Light dinner

If you want to have a real Mozart experience, you can book a Mozart Dinner Concert, organised in the baroque hall of St Peter's Stiftskeller. We attended this one evening, and it was a special experience!

We were served a three-course dinner (based on historical recipes) and between each course we were treated to classical music and singing by musicians in traditional dress. A wonderful overall experience that took us to another time! We were also joined at the table by a young Australian couple who had been travelling around Europe for a number of weeks.

Mozart Dinner Salzburg
Candle Light dinner with live music
Göra i Salzburg: Mozart Candle Light Dinner
Like being in another time
Mozart konsert
Beautiful song!
Förrättssoppa med smak av citron
Starter soup with lemon flavour

14. Take the cable car to the top of the Untersberg.

On the outskirts of Salzbzurg is the Untersberg mountain and you can take a lift to the top for breathtaking views, and possibly for further hiking. Read more in our post about taking cable car to the top of the Untersberg.

Göra i Salzburg: Untersberg
The top of the Untersberg near Salzburg

15. Get to the world's largest ice cave

About half an hour south of Salzburg by car is the town of Werfen. Here you can visit the world's largest ice cave! Read more in our post about Ice giant world.

Världens största isgrotta
The entrance to the ice cave!

More things to do in Salzburg?

We have had several nice days in Salzburg, but of course we did not have time for all. In addition to what we have done, you can visit the castle. Hellbrunnen, see the city's fine theatres, climb the Kapuzinerberg mountain or perhaps visit the Stiegl beer brewery. Among other things.

Det finns mycket att göra i salzburg
Typical Salzburg: Stylish houses and horses

Living in Salzburg?

If you are travelling with a motorhome or caravan, we highly recommend Camping Panorama, located on the outskirts of Salzburg. This is a well-run campsite with good service and great views, and it's an easy bus ride into town.

Camping Panorama i Salzburg

If you come by plane, there are of course lots of different options. One interesting option that our guide told us about is the monastery of St Benedict's College. Here you live very centrally - without TV, but with a bible by the bedside.

Klostret St Benedikt
Monastery of St Benedict

See and do in Salzburg - a film

Peter has also put together a film from our visit to Salzburg. Please check it out!

All our top tips for Austria. Click on the image!

This post is written in co-operation with the Austria Tourist Board. The texts, images and opinions are, as usual, our own.

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