Salzburg Travel Guide 2026: Mozart, Fortress & Prices

Started in 1077 by Archbishop Gebhard and expanded for 600 years, it is one of the largest fully preserved medieval castles in Central Europe and was never taken by force. Inside are the Golden Hall and Golden Chamber of the archbishops, a marionette museum and terraces with a 360° view of the city and the Alps. The FestungsBahn funicular takes you up in about a minute.

Price: about €17–21 with the funicular (included in the Salzburg Card) · Time needed: 2 hours · Tip: walk up the path from Festungsgasse in 15 minutes and save the funicular for the way down.

The narrow old shopping street is famous for its wrought-iron shop signs, even McDonald's has one. At number 9 is the yellow house where Mozart was born on 27 January 1756; it is now a museum with his childhood violin and family letters. His later home, the Mozart Residence, is across the river on Makartplatz.

Price: Birthplace about €15 (included in the Salzburg Card) · Time needed: 1 hour.

Rebuilt in the early baroque style and consecrated in 1628 after a fire. Mozart was baptised here and later worked as the court organist. It has five organs and a beautiful white and gold interior.

Price: small donation/fee · Time needed: 30 minutes.

Built in 1606 by Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich for his partner Salome Alt and their 15 children. The geometric gardens, with the Pegasus fountain and the dwarf garden, appear in The Sound of Music ("Do-Re-Mi").

Price: gardens free · Tip: the classic photo of the gardens with the fortress behind is from the top of the steps.

A summer palace built in the 1610s by Archbishop Markus Sittikus, who loved jokes. The guided tour of his water games includes hidden jets that spray visitors when they least expect it. In the park is the gazebo from The Sound of Music.

Price: about €15 (included in the Salzburg Card) · Season: April to early November · Tip: keep your phone in your bag on the tour.

The cliff behind the old town, with forest paths, the Museum of Modern Art and views over the domes. Take the Mönchsberg lift from Gstättengasse or walk up the stairs.

Price: lift a few euros · Tip: walk along the top to the fortress.

Austria's largest beer hall, brewed by monks since 1621. You take a stone mug from the shelf, pay, rinse it at the fountain and get it filled straight from a wooden barrel. Food comes from small stalls inside.

Price: about €5–7 per half litre · Tip: eat in the garden under the chestnut trees.

Founded around 696, one of the oldest monasteries in the German-speaking world. The cemetery has catacombs carved into the Mönchsberg cliff, and St Peter Stiftskeller next door claims to be the oldest restaurant in Europe (mentioned in 803).

Price: cemetery free; catacombs a small fee.

A cable car to 1,853 m, with hiking trails and views over Salzburg and Bavaria.

Price: included in the Salzburg Card · Getting there: bus 25 from the city, about 30 minutes.

A mountain house in Germany built for Hitler in 1938, now a restaurant with a dramatic view. Special buses run up the mountain road from the Obersalzberg Documentation Centre.

Season: May to October · Getting there: about 1 hour; not included in the Salzburg Card.

About 2 hours by bus. See the Hallstatt guide.