Top Things To Do In Salzburg 2024

Many people associate Austria with Vienna or the Alps, but exploring the finest things to do in Salzburg will reveal a hidden gem among European towns. Salzburg is a lively and welcoming city with a rich history, culture, and surprisingly diverse food and drink scene.

You’ll find everything here, from vast beer halls serving hearty Austrian fare to elegant cocktail bars and a handful of Michelin-starred restaurants. The town is also bordered by some genuinely amazing landscape, which can be viewed from a few prime locations on the outside of the city or by taking a short drive into the neighboring Alpine area.

1. Mirabell Palace

Mirabell Palace is a stately palace surrounded by lush, colorful gardens that also happened to be where some important moments from ‘The Sound of Music’ were filmed, including the classic ‘Do-Re-Mi’ song.

After your tour, spend some time wandering through the ridiculously beautiful gardens and admiring the palace’s rich baroque architecture. It is a charming and gorgeous environment.

2. Augustiner Braü

As a classic historic beer house, Augustiner Brau makes its beer according to a formula perfected by the monks who built the brewery in 1621.

The beer is served in traditional steins and tapped from wooden barrels, which is unusual these days. It’s vibrant and boisterous, and there’s a large beer garden where you can drink outside in the summer. Bar snacks are supplied from food hall-style kiosks.

3. Hangar7

What is it? Dietrich Mateschitz, co-founder of Red Bull, has a super-slick airplane hangar full of eye-popping architecture and full-throttle enjoyment. Located in the Salzburg Airport.

Why go? Definitely not just for aviation enthusiasts, this giant glass dome has everything going on inside, from showy aircraft owned by the ‘Flying Bulls’ fleet to art exhibitions to Formula One cars to high-end culinary adventures at Ikarus (a restaurant led by a different top chef each month), plus two fancy cocktail bars.

4. 220 Grad

220 Grad is a contemporary coffee and brunch establishment with its own in-house roastery. There’s a small lunch and brunch menu, as well as some delicious cakes.

But most people come here for the coffee, which is among the best in town. This café, located in the old town but with an ultra-modern ambiance, brings Salzburg’s coffee house culture up to date. The coffee you sample can also be purchased and taken home.

5. Balkan Grill Walter

This take-away sausage business in the old town is a basic but wonderful operation. Visitors go up to the window, order a hot dog, and leave satisfied. Prices are fairly low for a great hot dog sausage in Salzburg, and it’s a memorable experience, but it’s crowded, so plan to wait.

The choices are limited, but you can’t go wrong with Balkan Grill Water’s original Bosna Sausage Sandwich. Ideal for grabbing lunch on the go.

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.

7. Stiftsbackerei St. Peter

This is Salzburg’s oldest bakery, located adjacent to a water mill, and it continues to bake organic bread in the same way it always has. The bread runs out quickly here, so Stiftsbackerei adheres to the old rule of selling some loaves only to children; otherwise, they would never be able to keep up with demand.

The sourdough is very delicious, but every loaf and roll here is made with care and stays fresher longer than you’d think.

8. Green Garden

Don’t like wiener schnitzel or have you gotten your fill of hefty dumplings? Go to Green Garden for a nutritious and pleasant meatless supper.

A small global menu includes vegan burgers, Indian thalis, tarte flambée, and beetroot medallions with miso. Vegan wines, specialty gins, and prosecco cocktails are among the beverage options.

9. Darwin’s Bar

This cozy pub in the new town, along the river, is ideal for cocktails in a relaxed atmosphere. On beautiful days, there’s plenty of outdoor seating, and it’s a great spot to have a coffee during the day.

There is a little meal menu available, however most people visit Darwin’s for the excellent drinks. The mixologists will make recommendations and mix you their favorite cocktails.

10. Rudolf Budja Gallery

The Rudolf Budja Gallery is more than just a gallery; it feels like you’re looking at a private collection in someone’s house. Salzburg features galleries that display a wide range of art, the majority of which is classical and beautiful.

This is an excellent alternative to typical galleries, especially if you enjoy modern art displays. You can see work by Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Margherita Marzotto, Keith Haring, and Shepard Fairey.

11. The Secret tunnels in Salzburg Museum

There are numerous reasons to visit Salzburg Museum, including a tour through the city’s history, an understanding of Salzburg’s changing culture over time, and a view of how Salzburg evolved into the city you see today, but walking through the Panorama Passage will reveal something even more interesting.

The Salzburg Museum, the Panorama Museum, and the Art Hall are all connected via a secret tunnel beneath the Neue Residenz courtyard.

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.

13. Meet 2 Eat

Don’t be turned off by the restaurant’s appearance from the outside. It may not look like much from the outside, but the food speaks for itself once inside. Meet 2 Eat is a traditional Austrian steakhouse with a modern twist.

Dishes are traditional at heart, yet presented in an artful manner, with vegetarian options available. The decor and environment are basic and welcoming, but you come here for the food.

14. Salzburg Marionette Theatre

A puppet theatre that performs professional performances of beloved operas, ballets, and Shakespeare plays. The Marionette Theatre is a stunning, historic structure, and the puppets employed are miniature works of art in their own right.

The show might include everything from ‘The Barber of Seville’ to ‘The Little Prince’ and ‘The Sound of Music’. If your German isn’t up to par, there are English subtitles.

15. Gastein

It’s worth venturing outside of the city to discover the region’s thermal baths. Bad Hofgastein ranks among the greatest. Bad Hofgastein, which has two major therme and spa complexes, Felsentherme and Alpentherme, is set in lovely surroundings. Once there, prepare to bathe outside in water that naturally keeps a consistent, warm temperature. Alternatively, treat yourself to a spa or yoga session with mountain views.