The story of Salzburg
Salzburg means "salt fortress", the archbishops who ruled it grew princely on tolls from Salzach river barges hauling "white gold" from nearby mines. Their wealth built an Italianate baroque city on the northern side of the Alps, crowned by the Hohensalzburg, one of Europe's largest fully preserved medieval fortresses (never once taken by siege).
In 1756 the city's most profitable export was born on Getreidegasse: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who spent his youth composing for an archbishop he loathed. The Salzburg Festival, founded 1920, still turns the whole town into a stage each summer.
Curiosities: The Sound of Music was filmed here, drawing pilgrims to fountains most locals cheerfully ignore, the film was long barely known in Austria; "Silent Night" was first sung in 1818 in Oberndorf, just downriver; and the Getreidegasse's wrought-iron guild signs include one for McDonald's.
What it does best
Mozart's birthplace and the DomQuartier.
Beer-garden dumplings under chestnut trees.
The Hohensalzburg fortress above the baroque old town.
The Salzkammergut lakes, a short drive away.
Weather, month by month
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 3 | 5 | 10 | 14 | 19 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 19 | 14 | 7 | 4 |
| Low °C | -5 | -4 | -1 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 5 | 0 | -3 |
| Rain mm | 60 | 55 | 80 | 85 | 110 | 155 | 160 | 150 | 105 | 75 | 70 | 70 |
What's on
A century of world-class opera and Mozart in his own hometown.
Recurring annually; exact dates move around, check locally before planning a trip around one. More on the events calendar.
Budget
hostels, markets, free sights
3★ hotels, restaurants, museums
4–5★, tasting menus, taxis
Rough per-person estimates including lodging, food, sights, and local transport. Compare with other cities.
Pair it with
Build a trip around Salzburg →
Photo: Jorge Franganillo · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · all credits
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