Salzburg: top attractions & road trip guide
Salzburg is the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the setting for much of The Sound of Music, a compact Baroque city wedged between the Salzach River and the forested Mönchsberg hill. Its old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is dominated by the hilltop Hohensalzburg Fortress and a skyline of church domes and spires.
On a road trip, Salzburg sits near the German border in western Austria, making it a common first or last stop between Munich and the Austrian Alps. The old town is pedestrian-only, so cars are typically left in one of the riverside garages while visitors explore on foot before continuing toward Hallstatt or Innsbruck.
Top attractions
Hohensalzburg Fortress
One of the largest fully preserved medieval castles in Europe, perched on the Festungsberg hill and reachable by funicular.
Mozart's Birthplace
The yellow townhouse on Getreidegasse where Mozart was born in 1756, now a museum of his childhood instruments and letters.
Mirabell Palace and Gardens
A 17th-century palace with formal Baroque gardens, fountains, and statuary that appeared in scenes from The Sound of Music.
Salzburg Cathedral
A twin-towered Baroque cathedral where Mozart was baptized, rebuilt in its current form after a 17th-century fire.
Hellbrunn Palace and Trick Fountains
A 17th-century pleasure palace just south of the city known for hidden water jokes built into its garden fountains and grottoes.
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