Salzburg, Austria
Written by Jinxiang
This article has been featured on HotelTravel.com.
The visit of Salzburg, Austria was one of the highlights of my Eastern Europe tour in the early summer of 2009. A comfortable and scenic train ride brought me from Munich to Salzburg Hauptbahnhof (meaning: main train-station) in about two hours.
Salzburg’s Old Town has been conferred the title of an Unesco World Heritage Site due to its well-preserved baroque architecture and strong cultural history. As it was once the birthplace of the late composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as well as the setting for the now classic musical film Sound of Music, the city also exudes a strong musical identity evident from the many musicians plying their trade on the streets. The public is generally appreciative and supportive of such talents.
The legacy of the legendary Mozart can be seen in many ways, from tourist attractions such as Mozart’s Birthplace and Mozart’s Residence, to the huge variety of merchandise in his name. The most famous merchandise to bear his name must be the Mozart chocolate, which one will observe, is ubiquitous in Salzburg. However, it must be noted that the prices of the Mozart chocolate are often lower at the airports.
Salzburg city is a tourist-friendly area which allows for a cheerful and fuss-free holiday. The language barrier is almost non-existent and I could comfortably get around using English. Travel within the Salzburg area is very convenient as the major tourist routes are well-served by the public transportation. The locals are extremely friendly towards visitors, as can be seen from the fact that looking at a map in Salzburg is often a cue for them to volunteer help.
An updated map of Salzburg is essential to a rewarding self-guided tour of the city as it would contain the details of the various bus routes and the locations of the tourist attractions. It is highly recommended for a new visitor to the city to make a trip to the Tourist Information Centre which is conveniently located within the Old Town. The personnel-in-charge is the best person to advise you how to plan your day, or days in Salzburg by suggesting a rough itinerary to explore the various attractions based on geographical considerations as well as their operating hours.
In addition to the general services, you will be able to purchase a Salzburg Card which in my opinion is highly value for money if you intend to explore a few of the tourist sites. A Salzburg Card costs €22 and is valid for 24 hours after its first use. With the card, entry to most, if not all the tourist attractions within Salzburg is free. In addition, it allows for free commute on the public transportation which is hugely convenient. A brochure of the Salzburg Card will be provided at the Tourist Information Centre and one will be able to compare the price of the Salzburg Card with the total price of the attractions that he or she is prepared to pay otherwise. As a rough guide, I spent a full day in Salzburg, from 12 pm to 12 pm on the next day and cost of visiting the attractions is closer to €70 if I did not have the Salzburg Card.
Salzburg Old Town is home to a variety of tourist destinations, most of which pay homage to the strong cultural and historical values of the place. Many of them are popular and renowned but it is not the aim of this review to elucidate the complete history of each attraction. Instead, a brief description of the most popular tourist destinations in Salzburg will be presented and the reader is advised to consult other sources for a more detailed writeup of a particular place.
Therefore, in my opinion, I feel that the more popular tourist attractions in Salzburg (not ranked in any order) are as follows:
1) Salzburg Fortress (Hohensalzburg Fortress)
On the edge of the Old Town stands the imposing structure of the Salzburg Fortress. It sits above the city of Salzburg and with a length of over 250 m, the medieval castle is easily the most recognizable feature in the city. At the top, the castle offers visitor a stunning view of Salzburg Old Town. Also, visitors will be able to learn about the history of the castles via a series of audio-guided tours. This is one of the must-go places in Salzburg for a tourist.
2) Salzburg Cathedral (Dom)
It is a baroque Cathedral built in 1600s but the site of the Cathedral itself may have its own illustrious history as a Christian place of worship since the 8th century.
3) Salzburg Residence (Residenz)
The Residenz is home to the Archbishop since the 11th century. Visitors are able to view historical artworks dating back to the 17th century at the Residenz Art Gallery and visit the two renowned halls, Carabinierisall and the Rittersaal.
4) Stiegl Brauwelt
This is an operational beer brewery and it allows visitors the opportunity to see how beer is made. The beer museum is very huge and there are many exhibits that will interest not only the beer lovers, but also the general public. At the end of the tour, one will be able to sample numerous samples of beer and take home souvenirs (a choice of a Stiegl cup or a bottle of Stiegl beer per visitor) of the 500 yr old brewery.
5) Mozart’s Birthplace
As the name suggests, this is Mozart’s birthplace and today, it has been converted to a museum where one can view many aspects of his life through the years.
6) Mozart’s Residence
This was Mozart’s home in Salzburg after the home where he was born became too small for his family. This has also been converted to a museum displaying original works by Mozart as well as the items and furniture used by him.
7) Salzburg Cruise
It has been said that the best way to see Salzburg, is to hop on a cruise along the Salzburg river that divides the Old Town and the newer part of the city.
8) Schloss Hellbrunn (Hellbrunn Palace)
This is a 400 yr old summer palace located just on the outskirts of the Old Town. It is renowned for its water fountains that prank on the unsuspecting visitor. The trick is therefore to follow the dry grounds during the guided tour. However, it was raining when I was there and therefore, there was no dry track to follow. In this case, stand very closely to the tour guide if you do not intend to get drenched.
8) Untersberg
This is a mountain located about 10 miles south of the Salzburg Old Town and it is easily accessible by public buses. The peak stands at 1972 m and the cable car will take you up to 1776 m in a few minutes. The top offers a stunning view of the surrounding mountains and therefore, is not a place to be missed for an avid photographer, hiker or nature lover.
9) Mirabell Palace and Gardens
This is located on the newer part of Salzburg, across the river from the Old Town. The garden is open to the public and the flowers are best seen during summer when they are in full bloom. The city of Salzburg, and in particularly the compounds of Mirabell, is synonymous with the classic film Sound of Music as parts of the movie was filmed here.
The list presented above is non-exhaustive and visitors to Salzburg are encouraged to read widely and beyond the attractions presented here in order to better plan their stay in Salzburg.
To conclude, Salzburg is a wonderful city of which one can truly enjoy the clean air by virtue of its proximity to the Alps and the cool weather during early summer further enhances the travel experience. There is not a bad thing to say about Salzburg based on my experiences and I would highly recommend the city to anyone who seeks a holiday retreat filled with rich musical, cultural and historical influences.
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This is a user-submitted travel review. Please email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you wish to share your travel experiences.
For a more detailed description of the mentioned attractions, one can send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , to request for the author’s personal notes on Salzburg. In addition to the detailed description, the notes also contain the buses that serve the tourist destinations as well as their entry price. This information, obtained from the various online sources prior to the author’s trip, is for personal use only and is available for free upon request.
Disclaimer: Neither the author, nor www.studee.com.sg shall be held liable for any unmemorable holiday experience in Salzburg after reading this review.
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