Austria
Salzburg
Baroque old town and one of Austria's oldest Christmas markets; 2 nights. This guide pulls together 3 sights, 1 activity and 2 places to eat from our curated routes.
- Places
- 8
- Curated routes
- 1
- Best season
- Late Nov – early Jan
- Warmest month
- July
- Coolest month
- January
- Wettest month
- June
3 See · 1 Do · 2 Eat · 1 Drink · 1 Shop
Hallstatt, Salzburg & Vienna
from our route notes
24°C / 75°F avg high
3°C / 37°F avg high
about 158 mm rain
Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.
Things to do in Salzburg
8 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.
See
The landmarks we would not skip in Salzburg across Altstadt and Hellbrunn. All 3 are free to visit.
Photo: Salzburger Nockerl · CC BY-SA 4.0SeeSalzburger Christkindlmarkt
The market fills the Domplatz and Residenzplatz, with stalls of carved ornaments, Lebkuchen and hot punch.
Tip Advent singing is held on the Residenzplatz on many evenings.
- See
Salzburg Cathedral
Early baroque cathedral where Mozart was baptized; its facade forms the backdrop of the market.
Photo: User:MatthiasKabel · CC BY 2.5SeeHellbrunner Adventzauber
Advent market in the courtyard of Hellbrunn Palace, with hundreds of lit fir trees and the facade as a giant Advent calendar.
Tip About 20 minutes from the old town by bus 25.
Do
Hands-on ways to spend time in Salzburg in Festungsberg.
- Do
Hohensalzburg Fortress
One of Europe's largest medieval castles, on the Festungsberg above the old town, reached by funicular.
Tip The fortress hosts Advent concerts in its Golden Hall; book ahead.
Eat
2 places to eat in Altstadt, picked for groups who care about the food.
Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0EatCafé Tomaselli
Coffee house on the Alter Markt since the early 1700s; waitresses bring cakes round the room on trays.
- Eat
St. Peter Stiftskulinarium
Restaurant in the rock walls of St. Peter's Abbey, in business for more than a thousand years; hosts Mozart dinner concerts.
Drink
1 bar or café in Mülln for coffee, a round or a nightcap.
Photo: C.Stadler/Bwag · CC BY-SA 4.0DrinkAugustiner Bräu Mülln
Monastery brewery with vaulted beer halls; fill a stone mug from the barrel and buy food at the stalls in the hall.
Shop
1 shop in Altstadt for browsing and souvenirs.
- Shop
Getreidegasse
Narrow shopping street of wrought-iron guild signs, home to Mozart's birthplace at number 9.
How to fit Salzburg into a trip
Salzburg is stop 2 of 3 on our Hallstatt, Salzburg & Vienna route. Follow it as-is or lift Salzburg into your own plan.
Stop 2 of 3
Hallstatt, Salzburg & Vienna
Lake village snow to Vienna's New Year
- Trip length
- 7 days
- Best season
- Late Nov – early Jan
- Pace
- easy
Getting here and onward
- Hallstatt to SalzburgHallstatt is about 52 km / 33 mi away in a straight line
- Salzburg to ViennaVienna is about 252 km / 156 mi away in a straight line
Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.
Salzburg month by month
Average daily highs run from 3°C / 37°F in January to 24°C / 75°F in July. June is the wettest month, with about 158 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.
- Jan3° / 37°F average high, in our recommended season
- Feb4° / 39°F average high
- Mar9° / 48°F average high
- Apr15° / 58°F average high
- May19° / 66°F average high
- Jun22° / 72°F average high
- Jul24° / 75°F average high
- Aug24° / 75°F average high
- Sep19° / 66°F average high
- Oct15° / 58°F average high
- Nov8° / 47°F average high, in our recommended season
- Dec4° / 38°F average high, in our recommended season
Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. Salzburg weather and the best time to visit →
Near Salzburg
8 other destinations from our guides within about 250 km (155 mi), measured in a straight line.
Salzburg questions, answered
How many days do you need in Salzburg?
Our route notes suggest 2 nights in Salzburg. On our Hallstatt, Salzburg & Vienna route it is stop 2 of 3 in a 7-day trip. The listed visit times for our 8 places add up to roughly 11 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.
What is Salzburg best known for?
Baroque old town and one of Austria's oldest Christmas markets; 2 nights. Standouts on our list: Salzburger Christkindlmarkt (The market fills the Domplatz and Residenzplatz, with stalls of carved ornaments, Lebkuchen and hot punch); Salzburg Cathedral (Early baroque cathedral where Mozart was baptized; its facade forms the backdrop of the market); Hellbrunner Adventzauber (Advent market in the courtyard of Hellbrunn Palace, with hundreds of lit fir trees and the facade as a giant Advent calendar).
When is the best time to visit Salzburg?
Our Hallstatt, Salzburg & Vienna route is best Late Nov – early Jan. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in July (24°C / 75°F), the coolest in January (3°C / 37°F) and the most rain in June (about 158 mm).
What are the best things to do in Salzburg?
Start with Salzburger Christkindlmarkt, Salzburg Cathedral, Hohensalzburg Fortress and Hellbrunner Adventzauber. Our guide lists 8 places in all, from 3 sights, 1 activity, 2 places to eat, 1 bar or café and 1 shop.
Where should a group eat in Salzburg?
Our picks: Café Tomaselli (Altstadt); St. Peter Stiftskulinarium (Altstadt).
What is near Salzburg?
The closest destinations in our guides are Hallstatt (about 52 km / 33 mi), Munich (about 115 km / 72 mi) and Cortina d'Ampezzo (about 156 km / 97 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.
Plan Salzburg with your crew
Open the Hallstatt, Salzburg & Vienna route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 8 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.
Plan around Salzburg
More in Austria
- Vienna 18 places