Salzburg

May to September is warm and the busiest time. The Salzburg Festival runs in July and August and fills hotels early. December brings the Christmas markets below the fortress. Winter is cold, and snow makes the old town look its best. Rain is common all year, especially in summer, so bring a light jacket.

• Altstadt is the car-free baroque centre between the river and the cliffs. Allow time to wander the lanes and squares.
• Hohensalzburg Fortress is the large medieval fortress above the town. Walk up or take the funicular for the best city views.
• Mozart's Birthplace is the yellow house on Getreidegasse where Mozart was born. It is now a museum.
• Neue Residenz & Glockenspiel is the square building with the carillon bells, which play several times a day.
• Salzburger Dom is the baroque cathedral, with a large dome and three bronze doors.
• Mirabell Palace and Mirabellgarten are the palace and its formal garden. The garden is free to enter.
• Schloss Hellbrunn is a 17th-century summer palace south of the centre, known for its trick fountains.
• Mönchsberg is the wooded hill with walking paths and viewpoints over the old town.
• Stiftskirche Nonnberg is a convent church on the cliff below the fortress.
• Hangar 7 is a striking glass hangar near the airport with aircraft and an art exhibition.

• Take the funicular up to the fortress and walk the ramparts.
• Visit a Mozart concert in a palace or church venue.
• Walk or cycle along the Salzach to Schloss Hellbrunn.
• Join a Sound of Music tour of the city and nearby lakes.
• Climb the Mönchsberg or Kapuzinerberg for views.
• Visit a Christmas market in December.

• Hallstatt is the famous lakeside village, about 2 hours away by train and bus or about 1 hour 15 minutes by car.
• Bad Ischl is the former imperial spa town, about 1 hour 15 minutes by car or bus.
• Mondsee is a lake town where parts of The Sound of Music were filmed. It is about 30 minutes by car.
• St. Wolfgang sits on Lake Wolfgang and has a pilgrimage church and a historic steam railway.
• Berchtesgaden in Germany is about 30 minutes away by car or bus.
• Vienna is about 2 hours 30 minutes away by direct train.

• By air: Salzburg Airport is about 4 km from the centre. Bus 2 runs to the main station in about 20 minutes. Munich Airport is about 2 hours away by train or shuttle bus.
• By train: Salzburg is on the main line between Munich and Vienna. Trains from Munich take about 1 hour 30 minutes, from Vienna about 2 hours 30 minutes. Check times on ÖBB.
• By car: The A1 and A10 motorways meet near the city. Parking in the old town is limited, so use a garage on the edge.

The old town is small and best seen on foot. Buses and trolleybuses cover the rest of the city. The main station is about 15 minutes' walk from the old town. A Salzburg Card covers many sights and local transport. Cycling is easy along the river.

You do not need a car in the city. Use one for the lakes and the mountains around Salzburg. The old town has restricted traffic, and parking garages at Mönchsberg and on the edge are the easiest option. Motorways in Austria need a vignette, which you can buy online or at petrol stations.

Salzburg is known for Salzburger Nockerl, a sweet baked soufflé, and for Mozartkugeln, chocolate balls with pistachio and marzipan. Traditional inns serve schnitzel, dumplings and Kaiserschmarrn. Local beer is brewed at Augustiner Bräu in Mülln, where you buy a mug and fill it from the barrel. Coffee houses in the old town are a good place to sit with cake.

Salzburg is very safe. Watch for pickpockets in crowded areas in summer and at markets. Tap water is clean and safe to drink. The emergency number is 112. Mountain weather changes fast, so check forecasts before hiking.

Salzburg grew rich from salt and was ruled by prince-archbishops for over a thousand years. They built most of the baroque old town. The city joined Austria in 1816. Mozart was born here in 1756. The Salzburg Festival began in 1920 and today draws visitors from around the world.

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