What to do, where to stay, and where to eat in Salzburg

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Magical Salzburg

The off-peak winter season is a wonderful time to explore Austria’s second most traveled city. Only a relative few of its 6.9 million annual visitors will be in town, and yet there will still be hundreds of cultural events around which to plan an itinerary. As repeat visitors know, Salzburg offers much more than The Sound of Music—though the movie tour does draw its share of visitors. Here we revisit some of our favorite haunts along with a brief refresher on Salzburg’s must-see attractions.

A first visit to Salzburg is not complete without stops at these historic sights:

• Dominating the city from on high is the Hohensalzburg, the largest, fully-preserved fortress in central Europe.
• The huge Dom (cathedral) is the first early Baroque church built north of the Alps. Completed in 1655, it succeeds two other cathedrals built on the site, the first in 774.
• Surrounding Mirabell Palace are the lovely Mirabell Gardens, originally designed in 1690, with statues depicting the four elements from Greek mythology: fire, air, earth, and water.
• St. Peter’s Cemetery is one of the oldest and most beautiful in the world.
• Archbishop Wolf Dietrich’s ostentatious tomb in the St. Sebastian Cemetery. (Mozart’s wife and father are also here.)
• Mozart Geburtshaus: At 9 Getreidegasse, in the heart of Salzburg’s Altstadt, is the apartment where the great man was born and lived for several years. On display are family pictures, correspondence, and several of the instruments he used.

Remember, for admission to virtually all Salzburg attractions and unlimited public transportation, the Salzburg Card is a worthwhile investment. A 24-hour card is €23, the 48-hour version is €29, and the 72-hour card costs €34. With it comes the Salzburg Guide containing a city map and useful information. Hotel packages for the area also available. For more information and bookings contact: cards@salzburg.info, tel. +43/662/88987-454.

For more information about what to do in Salzburg, visit the Salzburg tourist office online at www.salzburg.info.