2 Best Sights in Salzburg, Austria

Background Illustration for Sights

Getting to know Salzburg is not too difficult, because most of its sights are within a comparatively small area. The Altstadt (Old City) is a compact area between the jutting outcrop of the Mönchsberg and the Salzach River. The cathedral and interconnecting squares surrounding it form what used to be the religious center, around which the major churches and the old archbishops' residence are arranged (note that entrance into all Salzburg churches is free). The Mönchsberg cliffs emerge unexpectedly behind the Old City, crowned to the east by the Hohensalzburg Fortress. Across the river, in the small area between the cliffs of the Kapuzinerberg and the riverbank, is the Steingasse, a narrow medieval street where laborers, craftsmen, and traders served the salt-mining industry and travelers coming in and out of the region’s important mercantile hub. Northwest of the Kapuzinerberg lies Mirabell Palace and its manicured gardens.

It's best to begin by exploring the architectural and cultural riches of the Old City, then go on to the fortress. Afterward, cross the river to inspect the other bank. Ideally, you need two days to do it all. An alternative, if you enjoy exploring churches and castles, is to go directly up to the fortress, either on foot or by returning through the cemetery to the funicular railway.

Salzburg Museum

Fodor's Choice

Encompassing six different buildings, the Salzburg Museum's largest location is the 17th-century Neue Residenz. This building was Prince-Archbishop Wolf-Dietrich's "overflow" palace—he couldn't fit his entire archiepiscopal court into the main Residenz across the plaza—and as such, it features 10 state reception rooms that were among the first attempts at Renaissance-style design in the North. The permanent exhibition focuses on the city’s artistic, cultural, and historical development. The Mirror Hall contains an archaeological collection including remains of the town's ancient Roman ruins. The Panorama Passage, lined with archaeological excavations from the Neue Residenz, leads to the Panorama Museum, home to the spectacular Sattler Panorama. One of the few remaining 360-degree paintings in the world, it shows the city of Salzburg in the early 19th century. The Art Hall hosts three major special exhibitions a year.

Keltenmuseum

It's not all about salt: the town of Hallein is also home to one of the largest Celtic art and history museums in Europe, spread across three floors. The first (ground) floor has a fascinating permanent exhibition on the prehistory of Salzburg and the origins of Celts in Central Europe, with helpful English-language captions. The next two floors delve deeper into the town's salt history (okay, so it's mostly about salt), but most of these exhibits are in German only, with just the odd laminated sheet offering dry and truncated English-language information. Still, the whole museum is worth exploring for eye-catching visual exhibits like the creepy Bone Lab. Note that the museum is cash-only, and backpack-carriers will need a spare euro coin for a locker.