Salzburg – Destination Overview

 

Salzburg is  Breathtaking and Beautiful

Salzburg has so much to offer, the Birthplace of Mozart, the Von Trapp family and a History that suits the region’s beauty. You are sure to be enchanted by Salzburg as you visit and explore. It is so easy to get swept away by romance and history.

Salzburg has a tranquil, elegant feel, and the old town is so walkable, making exploring a pleasant and relaxing experience. The hills surrounding Salzburg are rich with salt, and the transport of this precious commodity is where the river (Salzach river) and the town (Salzburg = Salt castle) got their names.

 

Salzburg had been on my bucket list all my life; I grew up loving the sound of music and longed to visit the places of the movie. As an adult visiting Salzburg was as much about the romance and history as it was about Maria and her charges.

Location of Salzburg

Salzburg is a conveniently located city for trade, at the junction of the west-east running river and the north-south travelling highway.

An Austrian City, Salzburg is just an hour by train to the German city of Munich. Salzburg has a mix of medieval and baroque buildings in the pedestrian-friendly Altstadt (Old City) on its left bank. On its right, the 19th-century Neustadt (New City) has everything in easy reach to enjoy no matter where you stay.

Anyone familiar with the movie the Sound of Music knows that Salzburg is a beautiful city; let’s look at both sides of this enchanting city and what exactly is on offer.

Neustadt (New City)

Located on the right bank, the New City is where you arrive if travelling by train. The feel of the city here is more urban, with multi-story buildings, shopping malls, and major transport hubs. Don’t think these attributes make this side of the river not worth some of your time.

In the New City, you will find the Mirabell Palace with its impressive Gardens, restaurants and motels. In this area is Mozart’s Residence location, where Mozart spent his teen years when his fame was high. This is not his birthplace; we will get to that in the old town.

Mozart’s residence is now a museum, open daily 9 am – 5:30 pm
24 Dec.: 9 am-3 pm
(last admission 30 min. before closing)

cost: AdultsAdults € 12.00
Children (6-14 years) € 3.50
Youths (15-18 years) € 4.00

or combo – Birthplace and residence

Adults € 18.50
Children (6-14 years) € 5.00
Youths (15-18 years) € 6.00
Check the website for dates you are visiting to check changes.

The Mirabell Palace has so much to see. The gardens are a collection of outdoor rooms with themes to enchant, giggle at the whim and enjoy a beautiful picnic; with free entry, it is an absolute winner.

Around Mirabell Palace, many tours leave Fräulein Maria’s Bicycle Tours and Salzburg panoramic tours, to name a few. We loved seeing the city on the Fräulein Maria’s Bicycle Tour, and I would highly recommend it as a great way to see the city, not just the filming locations within this beautiful city.

The Salzach River

Getting between the two sides is easily achieved with 13 bridges crossing the Salzach river. The best (IMHO) is the pedestrian bridge Mozartsteg (Mozart bridge), you can get great photos of the Old City from the centre of this bridge. On both sides of the river are excellent bike paths,  making cycling and walking a comfortable experience.

Hohensalzburg

 

 

With a history spanning over 2000 years, the old city will keep you exploring for ages. Taking pride at the top of the hill rising out of the Old City is the fortress Hohensalzburg.

Dating back to 1077 with how it looks today, dating back to the 1500s, a fort built to protect the Archbishop and population, a defence so foreboding, it never saw an attack until WWll. There is much to see and do once you disembark the funicular or conquer the steep 15 min walk to the top. There are restaurants and a beer garden (with a fantastic View), and then you enter the halls of the stronghold, still laid out as in days of old there is much to learn just by walking the laneways and alleys; among the highlights to discover are the many museums of the fortress.

The fortress museum displays historical exhibits from the prince archbishop’s court life; the Marionette Museum, the soon-to-be-opened Alte Zeughaus (from June 2019) and the Rainer Regimental Museum also invite you to a journey into the past. On the third floor of the fortress, there are also the Prince’s Rooms, consisting of the Prince’s Hall, the Golden Room, and the Golden Hall.

Salzburg Altstadt (Old City)

The old city keeps giving, returning to the lower levels. The Reisidenzplatz home to the Palace of the Prince-archbishop, the New Resident, with its beautiful glockenspiel, topped the solar system in an upside-down heart; the glockenspiel chimes three times a day (7, 11 and 6). Inside is the Salzburg museum and the painting Salzburg Panorama from 1829.

Salzburg Cathedral also faces this square, built in the Italian Baroque style (started in 1614); Mozart was the organist for two years. The clean interior is a masterpiece of baroque simplicity. The light pouring in through the transparent windows creates a bright, well-lit interior, making it easy to explore and take in the art and four organ lofts.

Kapitelplatz is a relaxed square housing a man on an orb, cheese board and Neptune fountain (that screams Baroque influence). The water wheel is part of the canal system that serviced Salzburg, and at its height, there were as many as 100 water wheels in the design, and once a week, the street was flushed and cleaned.

For a bit of reflection, St Peter’s cemetery is worth a quiet visit. In the grounds of St Peter’s church and is home to a Gothic funeral chapel.
Just past the church on the other side of the cemetery, you’ll find the oldest restaurant in Europe, Stiftskeller St Peter’s restaurant (803AD); they have lovely Mozart Dinner concerts in their beautiful dining room.

Universitätsplatz hosts Salzburg’s liveliest open-air market (closed Sundays); Saturday is when the farmers are in attendance.

The Getreideasse

Let’s finish our glance at the Old town with a stroll down Getreideasse, lined with many buildings dating back to the 1500s and long known as the main shopping street; look up to see the great Wrought iron signs. You will also find Mozart’s birthplace, restaurants, cafes, and shops on this bustling street.

As you can see, Salzburg is a fascinating place with an abundance of discoveries to be made. Check out our video that showcases the beauty of this amazing Austrian city.

This article is also featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Salzburg.