View of the city of Salzburg from above. In the foreground is a large church complex with three towers with domes, bordered by many multi-storey, light-coloured buildings. A wide river winds through the centre of the city. Mountains are visible on the horizon.
View of the city of Salzburg from above. In the foreground is a large church complex with three towers with domes, bordered by many multi-storey, light-coloured buildings. A wide river winds through the centre of the city. Mountains are visible on the horizon.

Salzburg – The World-Famous City of Mozart

Published: 27 June 2024, 14:50

Salzburg is located in the heart of Austria, on the northern edge of the Alps, in what is known as the Salzburg Basin, a gently rolling landscape with many lakes. The Salzach flows through Austria’s fourth largest city. The city is also known as the “Rome of the North” because the ruling prince-bishops of Salzburg were so enamoured with the splendour of the Papal State of Rome that they transformed their city into a baroque gem.

The narrow streets of the old town and the extensive and magnificent squares are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Getreidegasse, one of the most famous streets, is lined with traditional craft shops, cute cafés and modern boutiques. Salzburg combines history, art and culture in a unique way and is worth visiting all year round. In winter, ski resorts such as Flachau and Obertauern attract slope enthusiasts. Those who prefer a cosy stroll can enjoy mulled wine and more at one of the many Christmas markets.

Numbers, data, facts

  • Time difference: none
  • Population: 158,040
  • Official language: German
  • Currency: EUR (Euro)

This is Salzburg

Baroque palace with a yellow front and grey roof in the background, a grey obelisk on the left with several green trees behind it. There is a green lawn in front of the palace and a red and white flowerbed at the front left of the picture.
The imperial pleasure palace Hellbrunn is known for its extensive gardens and impressive water features. Summer is the perfect time to visit. © mRGB/stock.adobe.com
View of a baroque, sand-coloured building with towers and green domes. The sky is streaked with clouds. In front of the building on the left is a huge golden sphere with a very small person standing on it.
The DomQuartier is a historical and cultural museum complex in Salzburg’s old town that combines baroque architecture, art collections and magnificent residence rooms. © arnaudmartinez/stock.adobe.com
Frontal view of a three-storey, light-coloured palace with a light green roof, in front of it, to the left and right, red and yellow flowerbeds, in the middle a path leading to the palace. In the foreground is a water basin with a fountain. The sky is blue on a sunny day.
The perfect place for a stroll: Mirabell Palace & Gardens with its beautiful parks and fountains. © mojolo/stock.adobe.com
A low-angle shot of the front of a building. A five-storey, old building with a yellow front and many windows can be seen in the centre. An elongated, narrow, red flag with a white stripe falls from top to bottom on the right side of the building. There is a beige house to the left and a grey one to the right.
Mozart was born in 1756 at Getreidegasse 9 in Salzburg. Today you can visit the house where he was born – it is one of Austria’s most popular museums. © Elena Odareeva/stock.adobe.com
On a hill in the background is a large castle complex consisting of several buildings with towers and fortress walls and numerous trees in between. A river flows along the valley in the foreground. There is a tree-lined promenade to the left and right of the shore.
Hohensalzburg Fortress – Salzburg’s landmark. Built in 1077, the medieval castle offers interesting insights into the history of the city. © TTstudio/stock.adobe.com
Woman in a short, black neoprene suit standing on a surfboard, holding a rope in her left hand, in the middle of a canal in which artificial waves are created.
Tip for sport enthusiasts: surfing fun in the city centre on an artificially created wave on the Almkanal. © Stadt:Salzburg - Johannes Killer
View into a narrow street, with building fronts on both sides adorned with historic metal trade signs.
An old town gem: the Getreidegasse, a historic shopping street, is known for its charming medieval buildings. © Noppasinw/stock.adobe.com
Bronze statue on a sand-coloured pedestal with the inscription “Mozart” surrounded by a small fence laid out as a square, standing on an empty square. Two light-coloured buildings can be seen in the background and there are mountains on the horizon.
Even in the old town: Mozart monument on Mozartplatz. © Anibal Trejo/stock.adobe.com
In the centre of the picture is a mountain surrounded by dense forest, with other forested mountains in the background. On the right in the foreground is a winding river with 4 bridges. On the left bank of the river is a promenade with a row of trees. A densely built-up city can be recognised to the left of the river.
The 640-metre-high Kapuzinerberg with dense forest around the summit is very popular with hikers and sport enthusiasts. © Ina Meer Sommer/stock.adobe.com
Deer with brown fur and white spots searching for food on a forest floor. It has large antlers on its head. There are some green plants in the background.
For those travelling with children, we recommend a visit to Salzburg Hellbrunn Zoo. © Udayafire/Wirestock Creators/stock.adobe.com

Things to do around Salzburg

In addition to the classic tourist attractions, Salzburg offers a variety of other excursion options that are both culturally and scenically thrilling as well as entertaining. Water and nature lovers should visit the marvellous Fuschlsee region or Lake Wolfgangsee – guaranteed wonderful hikes and relaxation opportunities. And if the weather is bad, you can visit the World of Ice Giants, which offers a breathtaking natural spectacle of ice formations. Mine fans will be in their elements at the Salzwelten salt mines and can learn more about the history of salt mining.

Salzburg’s surroundings

View from a hilly green landscape to a lake with crystal-blue water. The lake is situated in a mountainous landscape with forests, green meadows and individual buildings.
The picturesque Fuschlsee lake with its crystal-clear water is popular with swimmers and nature lovers. © naturenow/stock.adobe.com
View into a dark cave of brown rock and white-turquoise ice formations.
Fancy something cold and icy? The World of Ice Giants is the largest ice cave in the world and not only interesting for geologists. © ON-Photography/stock.adobe.com
View from a lake to a town on the shore. Behind it is a green meadow on a slope and wooded mountains.
Picture perfect: St. Wolfgang on Wolfgangsee lake in the Salzkammergut. There are regular concerts in summer for music lovers. © PixAchi/stock.adobe.com
The inside of a mine with a blue illuminated cavity on the left. On the right of the picture is a tunnel with a track bed, also illuminated by a light source.
“Salzwelten Salzburg”, the oldest visiting mine, provides its guests with exciting insights into the history of “white gold”. © Posztós János/stock.adobe.com
Green forest in the mountains. In the centre of the picture is a waterfall.
Gollinger waterfall – just a stone’s throw (30 km) from Salzburg. Impressive natural spectacle: the water plunges about 75 metres into the depths. © Michael/stock.adobe.com

Salzburg from BER

Aircraft shortly before touchdown on the runway

Eurowings 

Piktogramm Info-i

Salzburg Airport (SZG)

Five travel tips for ...

1. The Salzburg open-air museum shows rural life in the region over the centuries.

2. The toy museum houses an impressive collection of historical toys.

3. The Hangar-7 Museum is home to spectacular and historic aeroplanes, helicopters and Formula 1 racing cars.

4. At Stiegl-Brauwelt, you can take part in a guided tour with tasting or learn more about beer in the brewery cinema.

5. Contemporary and modern art is exhibited at the Museum der Moderne Salzburg.

1. Original Salzburg Mozartkugel: famous marzipan praline with pistachios, covered in nougat and dark chocolate

2. Erdäpfelnidei: fried potato dumplings served with sauerkraut

3. Salzburg beer soup: hearty soup made from beer, bacon and flour

4. Bosna: two long, thin pork sausages in a long white baguette

5. Salzburger Nockerln (also known as Nüdei): sweet, pyramid-shaped soufflé

1. Enjoy dancing and jazz concerts at Club Jazzit

2. Enjoy a drink and some hearty food at Augustiner Bräu, Austria’s largest pub.

3. All guests are welcome at the City Beats Club

4. Bar Roque: stylish ambience for a relaxed dinner

5. Special tip: numerous concerts and festivals take place during the Salzburg Festival in summer

Picture Source title:
© frank peters/stock.adobe.com 

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