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ABOVE: Salzburg street festival in early June.
What to see
Your personal tastes and available time will dictate your choice of sightseeing
activities, but here are a few ideas to get you started:
Hohensalzburg. Parts of this castle date back to 1077, and the
prince-archbishops of Salzburgs lived here until the late 15th Century. The Festung
(fortress) is 120 meters or 400 feet above the river, so it provides great views of the
city. Admission tickets and guided tours are available year-round. You can reach the
Hohensalzburg via a funicular in the Festungsgasse, on foot from the Kapitelplatz, from
the Nonnberg Convent, or from paths along the top of the Mönchsberg (which is accessible
via an elevator to the Café Winkler, which you'll find in the Gstättengasse).
Domplatz and Cathedral. Salzburg's Dom was built in the 1600s. The
style is Italian Renaissance with an overlay of Baroque. Check the cathedral schedule for
musical performances; you may be able to enjoy a first-rate choir concert just be
attending a high mass.
St. Peter's Church and Cemetery. This handsome church dates back to the 12th
Century, although the layout and decor were updated during the Baroque era. The graveyard
next to the church is also worth a visit, and hourly Catacombs tours are scheduled from
May through September.
Mozart-Wohnhaus. The composer's birthplace and childhood home in the
Getreidegasse is an obligatory stop for Mozart fans; it's almost certain to be crowded
during high season.
Residenz. The prince-archbishops lived here after they gave up their digs in
the Hohensalzburg fortress. You can visit the art gallery, take a guided tour of the State
Rooms (in German), or buy a combination ticket for both.
Festspielhäuser. The Large Festival Hall, Small Festival Hall, and Felsenreitschule
(Rocky Riding School) are the primary venues for the Salzburg Festival. Concerts take
place in the indoor halls throughout the year. Visit the ticket office for schedules and
tours.
Trachtenmuseum. The term "Trachten" encompasses the
regional costumes worn in many parts of Austria. In Salzburg, Dirndl dresses and
men's traditional suits are still popular, and you'll see beautiful examples of the former
at local concerts and other events. The Costume Museum in the Grisgasse has examples of
Salzburg clothing from the 18th Century to the present day.
Spielzeug Museum (im Bürgerspital). The Salzburg Toy Museum, located in a
former hospital, is small but interesting. It has modern toys for the kids to play with
while the grown-ups ooh and aah over antique trains and dolls.
Hellbrunn Palace. You can reach this castle by bus #55 from the train station
or the eastern edge of the old city; get a map and directions from the Tourist Office. An
afternoon outing to Hellbrunn is pleasant in summertime, when you can enjoy the mechanical
theatre and trick fountains in the palace gardens. A zoo is next door.
TIPS:
You'll need a good city map to find your way around; the Michelin Green
Guide to Austria has a fairly decent map, and you can obtain a free map from the
tourist office.)
If you're pressed for time, stick to the Altstadt, or old town,
on the left bank of the Salzach River. Distances are short, the architecture is unspoiled,
and much of the area is a pedestrian zone. You could easily spend an entire day here,
visiting small shops and enjoying the various beer halls, restaurants, and pastry shops in
lieu of organized sightseeing.
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Durant
& Cheryl
Imboden's
