On the border of Austria and Germany lies Salzburg, Austria’s fourth biggest city. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Salzburg provides a mixture of old history as well as a modern social scene promoted by the many students that live their attending one of the city’s many universities. In order to get the best of the city on both sides of the river, here is what you need to see, eat and do.
Places to See
Hohensalzburg Castle — Sitting high on a hill, overlooking the city, stands Hohensalzburg Castle. Construction of this castle began back in 1077 and throughout history has functioned for all sorts of purposes. In recent history, the castle acted as a prison for Nazi activists and Italian prisoners of war prior to the Anschluss in 1938. Today, the castle is a tourist destination, and it only costs nine euros to go inside. However, the walk up to the castle from the city below is free and well worth the hike. The views from the different spots along the climb to the top are incredible. A series of walking paths can also be found behind the castle, and the residential feel of this area combined with the sight of the main city below are definitely memorable.
Salzburg Cathedral — One of the tallest and most prominent buildings in the city is the Salzburg Cathedral. After a fire, the church was completely rebuilt in the Baroque style during the 1600s. Once inside the church, one will be astonished as to how bright it is in comparison to other European churches. Be sure to check out the ceiling because the illustrations are spectacular. The church also offers limited access to its catacombs. One final fun fact, the Salzburg Cathedral is the location where Mozart was baptized.
Food to Eat
Café Tomaselli — Located in the heart of the city, Café Tomaselli claims itself as the oldest coffee shop in Austria, tracing its origins back to the eighteenth century. They also assert that even Mozart shared a close and personal relationship with the owner and drank coffee in the café. Now the café offers an assortment of coffees and other drinks, as well as small meals and incredible desserts. The experience of sitting inside the coffee shop with such a rich history is unforgettable and definitely worth a visit.
Urbankeller — On the other side of the river, you can find Urbankeller, a more modern restaurant that still offers great food. They specialize in locally sourced and organic food, and this only enhances the quality of the food served. After a long day of touring the city, this restaurant provides the perfect place to retreat, wind down, and enjoy a great meal. The entire atmosphere of the restaurant exudes charm and ease. It cannot be stressed enough how absolutely incredible the food tastes. Urbankeller is a must-visit restaurant for any visit to Salzburg.
Things to Do
Sound of Music Tour — Possibly one of the most touristy and expensive activities in Salzburg is the Sound of Music Tour, and it honestly should not be missed. As young travelers, we typically try to avoid places and activities that will demarcate us as tourists. The Sound of Music Tour takes you across the city to all the different places where the movie was filmed (providing the perfect opportunity for many good photo ops). However, the tour also takes you outside of the city to a little town called Mondsee where the wedding scene of the movie was filmed. This town and the views of the Alps from this town are amazing. The tour provides a quick way to see many highlights of the city as well as the ability to visit a small city few people go.
Mozart’s Birthplace — It only takes a few minutes in Salzburg to realize how absolutely obsessed they are with Mozart. Entire stores are dedicated to Mozart memorabilia which include his face on candy, t-shirts, and even music boxes. But one of the most special places you can visit to get your Mozart fix is the house where he was born. Known as Mozarts Geburtshaus in German, a tour inside this bright yellow building allows visitors to walk around Mozart’s childhood home while simultaneously getting an in-depth look into his life. Antiques such as his wallet and childhood violin are displayed, and copies of letters between him and his family are available for the public to read. In order to get an extensive look into the most famous man of Salzburg, stop by his birthplace located in the middle of the city.
Overall, Salzburg is an incredible city that is often overlooked when people plan trips to Europe or even Austria. The rich history combined with great location at the foothills of the Alps makes Salzburg a unique and fun destination even if you only stay for a short period of time.
