From Mozart to The Sound of Music, Salzburg is a city with an abundance of history to explore. It’s a well-known city for a number of reasons and easily appeals to a wide range of interests. Music enthusiasts will enjoy exploring the birthplace of Mozart, one of the world’s most famous composers. Those with an interest in medieval history can explore one of the largest fully preserved castles in central Europe. Fans of movie history can also explore the filming locations of one of the most famous musicals of all time, The Sound of Music. In this city, there’s plenty of great activities to fill your days with and below I’ve listed 10 Historical Things to do in Salzburg.
1. Visit Mozart’s Birthplace.
Salzburg is known for many things, but one of the most popular reasons tourists visit is to see the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Widely regarded as one of the world’s best classical composers, it was in Salzburg that Mozart was born and began his lifelong journey with music. His birthplace, known as the “Museum Mozarts Geburthaus”, is located in Salzburg’s Old Town and open for the public to explore. The Mozart family lived in an apartment on the third floor of the building for 26 years and it was on 27 January 1756 that Mozart himself was born here. The museum is also historical itself, as it first opened to the public in 1880!
Today, visitors are able to walk through the original apartment rooms, which have been designed to look as they would have during the 18th century. You can also see different artifacts, including Mozart’s violin! Overall, the museum is a great experience and a must-see for fans of classical music.
Visit here to learn more about visiting Mozart’s Birthplace.
2. Explore the medieval Hohensalzburg Fortress, the largest fully preserved castle in central Europe.
One of the most impressive sites in Salzburg is the Hohensalzburg Fortress. Perched high above the city on the Festungsberg, it is one of the most iconic locations in the city. The original fortress was built in the 11th century, with the structure we see today being completed around the year 1500. Its main role throughout history was protecting the prince archbishops (and their territory) from attack, but has also been an army training camp and prison. It is also the largest fully preserved castle in central Europe, making it a must-see for history-lovers.
The fortress can either be reached by foot (which I have to warn is a bit of a climb!) or by taking the funicular up to the top. Once inside you can explore the Fortress Museum, the Marionette Museum and the Museum of the Rainer Regiment. You can also wander through the Princes’ Chambers, which have been largely unchanged since the 1500s! The views from the fortress are also breathtaking… so make sure to bring your camera!
Visit here to learn more about visiting Hohensalzburg Fortress.
3. Have a traditional meal at one of the many historic Salzburg restaurants.
One thing I love about Austria is the food and in Salzburg there are plenty of traditional restaurants to check out. One of my favourites was Zwettler’s Wirtshaus, whose menu features fresh, local food made with traditional recipes. It’s also got a great beer selection and a wonderful atmosphere. I also enjoyed The Sternbrau, whose history as a brewery and restaurant dates back to the year 1542! They offer a great mix of a modern dining experience and tradition and also offer specialties such as the Sternbräu Bratwurst and Wiener Schnitzel. If you don’t eat meat (like myself) there’s also some great local vegetarian options including fresh cheese and dumplings.
4. Visit Nonnberg Abbey, the oldest nunnery still in existence in the German-speaking world.
Nonnberg Abbey sits in a peaceful setting high above the city of Salzburg. The Benedictine abbey was originally founded in the 8th century and is the oldest nunnery in the German-speaking world that still exists today. Nonnberg Abbey might also look familiar to fans of “The Sound of Music”, as it features in the film. The real Maria von Trapp (at the time Maria Auguste Kutschera) was a novice and governess at the abbey in the 1920s, before being sent to look after the von Trapp children. It’s also where the real Maria and Georg von Trapp married in 1927.
Today, visitors are able to explore the outside grounds of the abbey as well as the church. It’s a bit of a hike up to the abbey, but it’s worth it for the views alone! You’ll also be able to visit the inside of the church as long as there are no services taking place.
5. Enjoy a classical music concert at Mirabell Palace.
Mirabell Palace is a historic 17th century building that is also a UNESCO world heritage site. The palace was built in 1606 by Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau for his mistress but in the 17th century was remodelled into the Baroque palace we see today. The gardens of Mirabell Palace might also look familiar, as they were made famous by the 1965 film, “The Sound of Music” as they feature in the song “Do Re Mi”.
Mirabell Palace also has another musical connection, as the Mozart family, including Mozart himself, used to perform at the palace for the Salzburg royalty. Visitors today can also attend a concert in the Marble Hall, which is really a unique experience!
Visit here to learn more about attending a concert at Mirabell Palace.
6. Explore the cemetery and catacombs at St. Peter’s Abbey.
St. Peter’s Abbey was founded in the year 696 and until the year 1100 was where the archbishop of Salzburg lived. The founding monastic order still exists today, making it the oldest in the German-speaking world. Within St. Peter’s are two fascinating sites: St. Peter’s cemetery and the catacombs. The cemetery contains the graves of many famous Salzburg residents, including Mozart’s sister Nannerl. It was also the inspiration for the cemetery in “The Sound of Music” where the von Trapps escape from the Nazis near the end of the film.
But in my opinion the real highlight of St. Peter’s is the catacombs, that are carved into the rock beside the cemetery. Visitors can climb the steps to see the Gertrauden Chapel, which is believed to date back to the 12th century, as well as the Maximus Chapel, which is possibly even older. Exploring the catacombs is a really special experience, just make sure to wear the proper shoes, as there are quite a few narrow steps!
See the full article on visiting St. Peter’s Cemetery, Abbey and Catacombs here.
7. See the filming locations of “The Sound of Music”.
As you can probably tell, Salzburg is well known for its place in showbiz history as the filming location for the 1965 movie “The Sound of Music“. Starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, the musical tells the story of a governess named Maria, and the von Trapp family in the years leading up to World War II. Much of the movie was filmed in Salzburg and visitors can explore many of the film’s locations including Nonnberg Abbey, the exterior of the von Trapp house, the gazebo from “Sixteen Going On Seventeen“, the gardens from “Do, Re, Mi“ and many other places located throughout the city. You can also discover the story of the real von Trapp family, on which the film was based.
8. Enjoy a fantastic meal at Austria’s oldest wheat beer brewery.
One of my favourite places in Austria was Die Weisse, Austria’s oldest wheat beer brewery. The brewery was founded in Salzburg in 1901 by a German-born brewer named Adelbert Behr. It was here, outside of the back of his inn, that he brewed a light-style wheat beer and the traditional recipe is still used today. Die Weisse is not only a great place to go for a beer, but the food is also outstanding. It is located about a 15-minute walk from Salzburg’s Old Town, but it’s definitely worth it… I can still taste the spinach-ricotta dumplings!
9. Tour the Salzburg Festival Hall.
Salzburg is known world-wide as a musical city and the Salzburg Festival has taken place here for over 100 years. The first festival was held in 1920 and today is known globally as one of the world’s most prestigious music festivals. Visitors travel from around the world to experience the many concerts, operas and theatre performances. Throughout the years, many famous musicians have performed at the Salzburg Festival, including the Trapp Family Singers, who inspired the musical, “The Sound of Music”.
Visitors to Salzburg can tour the venues on the Salzburg Festival Halls tour, which is open to the public daily. On the tour you’ll see a few different venues, including the Summer Riding School, an open-air venue that is actually carved into the cliffside. An important thing to note for this tour is that tickets go on sale at the Salzburg Festival shop 15 minutes before the tour and cost around €7. The number of tickets are limited to make sure you get there in plenty of time!
10. Take in the views over the historic city.
As you’ll have seen from my other “Historical Things to do” lists, one of the best things I think you can do in any city, is walk around the historic area. And in a city as old and beautiful as Salzburg, I also recommend taking some time to wander around and take in the sights. One of the best views in all of Salzburg is on the hike up to or down from Nonnberg Abbey. The views over the city, as well as out to the mountains, are really stunning and make for great photo opportunities. It is quite a hike, so I also recommend taking the funicular up to Hohensalzburg Fortress and then walking back down.
Further information on visiting Salzburg, Austria:
If you’re looking for a destination with the perfect mix of history, music, scenery and wonderful food and drink, then I would highly recommend a trip to Salzburg. Before going, I would check out the Salzburg tourism website, as they have a fantastic amount of information and resources to plan your trip at any time of the year.
Looking to explore another Austrian city? Check out 10 Historical Things to do in Vienna.
This article’s information was last updated in August 2022.