Things to do in Salzburg – 14 attractions and experiences

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: September 2026 | What to see and do in Salzburg? We have visited the beautiful Austrian city twice and have had time to experience everything from Mozart's Salzburg and the mighty Hohensalzburg Castle to classic cafes, beer halls and magnificent natural experiences.

Salzburg

Salzburg in Austria is a fantastic city and offers plenty to see and do, whether you prefer culture and history or wonderful natural experiences. Salzburg is known for its well-preserved old town, its connection to Mozart, the mighty Hohensalzburg Castle and the beautiful alpine landscapes around the city.

1. strolling in the Altstadt

Salzburg's Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with historic buildings, beautiful squares and charming alleys. Here you can stroll between sights, cafes, shops and some of the city's most famous churches.

2. Visit Hohensalzburg

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.

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.

3. Stroll on Getreidegasse

Getreidegasse in Salzburg is full of shops selling Austrian clothes, such as lederhosen and the women's dirndl dress. The clothes are available in all price ranges – everything from more expensive garments of good quality to slightly cheaper souvenirs. It is also an experience to walk on Getreidegasse, where all the shop signs are in the old traditional style. Did we do any shopping then? Yes, Peter actually bought a black hat!

4. Visit Mozart's birthplace

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on January 27, 1756 in Salzburg, in the yellow house in the picture. He wrote his first piece of music for the piano at the age of 3, and at the age of 6 he also began playing the violin. The child prodigy Mozart managed to produce over 600 works before he died in Vienna, aged just 35.

Those who want to learn even more about Mozart can also visit the Mozart Wohnhaus on the other side of the Salzach River. The Mozart family moved here in 1773 and Wolfgang Amadeus lived here until 1781, when he moved to Vienna. Today, the house is also a museum about Mozart and his family.

5. Stroll through the Mirabell Gardens

Mirabell Palace was built in the early 17th century and is today best known for its beautiful Baroque gardens. Here you can stroll among flowers, fountains and sculptures, with classic views of Hohensalzburg.

There is also a fantastically beautiful staircase, the ”Angel Staircase”, which leads up to the marble hall. Here you can book yourself into various concerts of classical music.

6. Visit St. Peter's Cemetery and Catacombs

St. Peter's Cemetery is a very beautiful cemetery in the middle 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. Fascinating that it was built this way!

7. Hike on Mönchsberg

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.

8. Discover the Panorama Museum

The Panorama Museum is best known for the large Sattler Panorama, an impressive circular painting depicting Salzburg and its surroundings in the 19th century. The painting is a full 26 meters in circumference and provides a fascinating picture of what the city and landscape looked like in the past. The museum is now located in the Orangery at Mirabell and also features exhibitions related to Salzburg's historic city center and the World Heritage Site.

9. Follow in the footsteps of the Sound of Music

Salzburg is of course also strongly associated with The Sound of Music. The real-life von Trapp family lived in Salzburg, and many scenes in the classic film were filmed in and around the city. Famous filming locations include Mirabell Gardens, where parts of the song ”Do-Re-Mi” were recorded.

For those who are particularly interested, there are guided tours. Sound of Musictours that take visitors to various filming locations in and outside Salzburg. Hellbrunn is also home to the famous pavilion from the film.

10. Experience a 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.

11. Drink beer at Augustiner Bräu

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

12. Visit a classic café in Salzburg

Salzburg is full of nice cafes and the city is also known for several different sweets, including the dessert Nockerl (a sweet soufflé) and various pastries. We are not much for sweets, so for our part we had a beer in a cafe instead.

13. Taste the original Mozartkugel

Salzburg and Mozartkugels are of course a close match. The chocolate praline was created in Salzburg in the late 19th century and today many different varieties are sold. If you want to try the original, look for Original Salzburger Mozartkugel from the Fürst patisserie, where the Mozartkugel is still made by hand.

14. Visit Hellbrunn Palace

Hellbrunn is an elegant pleasure palace from the early 17th century located just outside Salzburg. The palace is best known for its famous ”Trick Fountains”, where hidden fountains surprise visitors with playful jets of water. The beautiful gardens and historic setting make this a popular excursion destination from the city center.

Excursions from Salzburg

Untersberg

Just south of Salzburg lies Untersberg, where the Untersbergbahn cable car takes you up to an altitude of 1,776 meters. Here, magnificent views of Salzburg, the Alps and the surrounding landscape await, and those who wish can continue along the hiking trails on the mountain.

We went up ourselves on a glorious summer day. Peter enjoyed the view and filmed to the fullest, while I (Helena), who is afraid of heights, spent most of the cable car ride studying the floor. Once up, I could also enjoy the views!

READ MORE: By cable car to the top of Untersberg

Ice giant world

About 40 minutes south of Salzburg lies Werfen and the spectacular Eisriesenwelt ice cave. Just getting there is an experience, with hiking and cable car rides through a magnificent Alpine landscape. Inside the cave, enormous halls, ice formations and mighty ice pillars await. Keep in mind that the temperature is around 0 degrees even in summer, so warm clothes are needed.

READ MORE: Eisriesenwel in Austria – the world's largest ice cave

Where to stay in Salzburg?

Salzburg is a relatively compact city, and if you live centrally you can walk to many of the main attractions. Which area is best depends mainly on whether you want to live in the middle of the historic environment, close to restaurants and nightlife, or a little quieter with easy transportation.

Do you want to stay centrally? Old town centre and the area around Mirabell convenient options as many attractions are within walking distance.

If you are travelling with a motorhome or caravan, we highly recommend Camping Panorama on the outskirts of Salzburg. We have stayed here ourselves and found the campsite to be well-maintained, had good service and offered a nice view. From the campsite it is easy to take the bus into the city centre, which means you can leave your camper van and not have to look for parking in Salzburg.

Se och göra i Salzburg – Peters film

Read also – more experiences nearby

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• Things to do in Innsbruck
• Austrian food