Sights And Attractions

Dominating the skyline above the city the fortress (Festung). Located on top of a mountain, the Festung offers breath-taking views of Salzburg and the Alps. Inside the fortress is a museum of medieval weapons, life on the fortress, and torture instruments.

The center of the old town the twin squares of the Mozart and Residenz together form the hub of the city's major sights.  A bronze of Mozart stands in the square that bears his name, looking benignly down on the cafés and small shops that surround the square. The vast Residenzplatz meanwhile contains a massive ornate fountain, featuring four larger than life horses. Much photographed by tourists the locals studiously ignore this charming centerpiece.

Schloss Mirabell: Located right next to the Salzach river and the Mozarteum University of Music and Arts lies a beautiful castle with gardens, built by an archbishop for his beloved courtesan. Watch out for the "Garden of Dwarfs" and the Garden of Roses. Inside, you find the marble stairs of Raffael Donner, and the world's most beautiful wedding hall, the Marble Hall.

Schloss Hellbrunn, just outside of Salzburg, Once the summer palace of the Archbishops of Salzburg it has lots of clever fountains and pretty gardens.
Tip: The Museum of Natural History is a great place to spend a couple of hours with kids on a rainy day. It’s right downtown and offers a wide variety of exhibitions, enough to thrill kids at any age.

Popular Austian Sightseeing Tours

Shopping

Mozartkugeln (Mozart balls) are a chocolate candy inspired by the famous composer, Salzburg's most famous son, Mozart. Try the original version at Café Fürst; be aware, though, they are rather expensive, with a small box costing as much as €7. The more widespread Mirabell brand is sold in many tourist shops, but they are also available at most local grocery stores for a lot less. The Getreidegasse that cuts through the center of the old town is one of the most famous shopping streets in Europe. High-class boutiques rub shoulders with souvenir shops and international chains. All have something in common though, and that's the wrought iron signs above each door. Famously, even the golden arches of a popular international restaurant chain had to be rendered tastefully in iron before the company was allowed a place on the street.

Food

Eating in Salzburg is one of the undoubted highlights of a stay in the city. The majorities of restaurants offer hearty Austrian food, but don't neglect to explore the bierstuben if you want to taste the flavors of the locale - many of them offer a menu at least as extensive as some hotels.

The Stieglkeller is a famous beer hall offering the local Stiegl Beer. The Keller is something of a tourist haunt, but locals drink here too, and its one of the places in the city where you can try Stiegl's full roster of specialist lagers. There's a great hearty menu as well, check out the ham shanks on the rotisserie.

Location

Hotels

View the 41 hotels listed in Salzburg, Austria

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