For many people, Austria equals Vienna or hitting the slopes out in the Alps, but tackling the best things to do in Salzburg will highlight a quiet treasure when it comes to European cities. Salzburg is an energetic and friendly place, filled with history, culture and a surprisingly rich food and drink scene.
Here, you’ll find everything from vast beer halls filled with hearty Austrian fare to sleek cocktail bars and a clutch of Michelin-starred restaurants. The town is also surrounded by some truly incredible scenery, which you can gaze at from a few choice spots on the edges of the city, or by making a short journey into the surrounding Alpine countryside. Here are the best things to do in Salzburg.
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Samantha Priestly is a UK-based writer who travels extensively in Salzburg. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.
Best things to do in Salzburg
Photograph: Shutterstock
1. Mirabell Palace
Mirabell Palace is a grand palace surrounded by lush, colourful gardens that also happens to be where some big scenes from ‘The Sound of Music’ were filmed, including the famous ‘Do-Re-Mi’ number. After visiting, take time to wander around the ridiculously pretty gardens and admire the lavish baroque architecture of the palace. It’s a romantic and beautiful setting.
Why go? To run around the fountain like the von Trapp children, belting out ‘Doe, a deer, a female deer’ – don’t pretend you’re not going to.
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2. Augustiner Braü
As a traditional old beer house, Augustiner Brau brews its beer using a recipe perfected by the monks who founded the brewery in 1621. Served in traditional steins, the beer is tapped from wooden barrels, something you don’t often see anymore. It’s lively and loud and there’s a huge beer garden for drinking al fresco in summer. Bar snacks are served from food hall type kiosks.
Why go? For an authentic Austrian beer experience, complete with hefty steins that hold a lot of beer.
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Helge Kirchberger Photography / Red Bull Hangar-7
3. Hangar7
What is it? A super-slick aircraft hangar owned by Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz, full of eye-popping architecture and all kinds of full-throttle fun. Located at Salzburg Airport.
Why go? Definitely not just for aviation addicts, this giant glass dome has all sorts going on inside, from showy aircraft owned by the ‘Flying Bulls’ fleet to art exhibitions to Formula 1 cars to high-end culinary adventures at Ikarus (a restaurant led by a different top chef each month), plus two fancy cocktail bars.
220 Grad
4. 220 Grad
220 Grad is a modern coffee and brunch spot with its own in-house roastery. There’s a small lunch and brunch menu, plus some excellent cakes. But most people come here for the coffee, which is some of the best in town. Located in the old town, but with an ultra modern vibe, this café brings coffee house culture in Salzburg right up to date. The coffee you taste is also available to buy and take home with you.
Why go? To enjoy quality coffee in a modern café and roastery where all the cool Austrians go.
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5. Balkan Grill Walter
At this take-away sausage shop in the old town, it’s a simple yet perfect affair. Visitors walk up to the window, order a hot dog, and walk away happy. Prices are very reasonable for a superior hot dog sausage in Salzburg, and it’s a memorable experience, but it’s popular so expect to queue. The options are short, but you can’t go wrong with Balkan Grill Water’s original Bosna Sausage Sandwich. Perfect for grabbing lunch on the go.
Why go? For a unique hot dog in Salzburg, and to experience the secret spices in these now famous hot dogs.
Photograph: Shutterstock
6. St Peter’s Abbey and Catacombs
Not only is St Peter’s Abbey itself free to enter and an interesting place to have a mooch about in, the graveyard that accompanies it is the oldest graveyard in Salzburg and it feels kinda creepy. Many of the graves are overgrown with moss and weather beaten, so they’re hard to read, but head down into the catacombs and you’ll really get a sense of the dead here. Located at the grave of Mozart’s sister, Namnnerl, most people miss this, meaning you could have them to yourself.
Why go? To get totally creeped out and to see how the important people of Salzburg were once buried.
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7. Stiftsbackerei St. Peter
Set in a charming location next to a water mill, this is the oldest bakery in Salzburg and still bakes organic bread just as it always has. The bread runs out fast here, so Stiftsbackerei sticks to the old rule of selling some of the loaves only to children, otherwise they’d never keep up with demand. The sourdough is especially good, but every loaf and roll here is baked with love and stays fresh longer than you’d expect.
Why go? For traditionally baked bread in a historic setting, and for a peek into the bakehouse where the magic happens.
Green Garden
8. Green Garden
Not into wiener schnitzel or had your fill of all those heavy dumplings? Head to Green Garden for a healthy and memorable meat-free meal. There’s a small globe-spanning menu, including vegan burgers, Indian thalis, tarte flambée, and beetroot medallions with miso. Drinks include vegan wines, speciality gins and prosecco cocktails.
Why go? For a top quality vegan meal. Salzburg has a few vegan eateries, but this is one of the best.
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Photograph: @darwins_salzburg / Instagram
9. Darwin’s Bar
This cosy bar in the new town, close to the river, is an especially good spot for cocktails with a laid back atmosphere. There’s plenty of outdoor seating on fine days, and it’s a nice place to stop for a coffee during the day. There is a small food menu too, but most people come to Darwin’s for the great cocktails. The mixologists will recommend cocktails to you and mix you up their favourites.
Why go? For the tasty drinks and the relaxed vibe. Sit back and make your way through the cocktail menu.
Rufolf Budja Gallery
10. Rudolf Budja Gallery
The Rudolf Budja Gallery isn’t just another gallery, it feels like you’re viewing a private collection in someone’s home. Salzburg has galleries showing art of all kinds, but mostly classical and fine art. This is a great alternative to the regular galleries, especially if you’re into modern art exhibitions. You can catch work by Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Margherita Marzotto, Keith Haring or street artist Shepard Fairey.
Why go? To discover local artists, both long gone, and young and making art today. The gallery makes a point of championing new artists from Salzburg.
Photograph: Shutterstock
11. The Secret tunnels in Salzburg Museum
There are many reasons to visit Salzburg Museum – walk through the history of the city, understand the altering culture of Salzburg through the ages, and see how Salzburg developed into the city you see today – but walk through the Panorama Passage and you’ll find something even more interesting. A secret tunnel connects the Salzburg Museum to the Panorama Museum and the Art Hall under the courtyard of the Neue Residenz.
Why go? To experience a piece of history no museum can show you in a display, and to literally get under the skin of the city.
Photograph: Shutterstock
12. Mönchsberg
Not many cities have their own mountain in the centre of town, but Salzburg does. Monchsberg is a small mountain in the city that boasts incredible views across Salzburg and the surrounding mountainous landscape. Once at the top you’ll also find Salzburg’s Museum of Modern Art, a restaurant and bar and the sprawling Hohensalzburg Castle. Walk up to the top if you’re feeling energetic, or hop in the lift, which takes just 30 seconds.
Why go? For some quiet time for peaceful contemplation away from the city, while still being in the city. And for those views.
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13. Meet 2 Eat
Don’t be put off by the appearance of this restaurant from the outside. It might not look like much, but once inside, the food does the talking. Meet 2 Eat is a classic Austrian steakhouse with a modern slant. Dishes are authentic at heart, but presented in an artsy way and with veggie alternatives available. The layout and atmosphere is simple and warm, but if you go here, you go for the food.
Why go? For the steaks, but especially for the burger. This isn’t a regular burger patty, but strips of steak, so a steak sandwich crossed with a burger.
Photograph: Shutterstock
14. Salzburg Marionette Theatre
A puppet theatre staging professional productions of much-loved operas, ballets, and Shakespeare classics. The Marionette Theatre itself is a beautiful, historic building and the puppets used are little works of art in themselves. The programme might feature anything from ‘The Barber of Seville’ to children’s classic ‘The Little Prince’, and ‘The Sound of Music’. And if your German’s not up to scratch, there are English subtitles.
Why go? For the show, but also to appreciate the artistry that goes into a choreographed puppet performance like this.
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Alpentherme Gastein/Fotoatelier Wolkersdorfer
15. Gastein
It’s worth making the journey out of the city to explore the wider region’s thermal spas. One of the best is Bad Hofgastein. Featuring two key therme and wellness complexes, Felsentherme and Alpentherme, Bad Hofgastein is found amid beautiful scenery. Once there, get ready to bathe alfresco in water that naturally maintains a constant, warm temperature. Or treat yourself to a spa or yoga session with mountainside views.
Why go? To relax in healing thermal spas, and to take a dip while enjoying the mountain views.
