Salzburg Travel Essentials - Salzburg, Austria

Salzburg is in western Austria, and it's the capital of the state of Salzburg. Salzburg is two hours from Munich by train. Geographically, its coordinates are 47.81 degrees north, 13.04 degrees east.

The population of the city of Salzburg is around 145,000 people. The federal state of Salzburg is composed of over 520,000 people. Salzburg is Austria's fourth largest city.

Salzburg's Airport, the W. A. Mozart Airport, is located 2 km from the German border and 4 km away from Salzburg city center. To get there by car, take the "Flughafen" (airport) exit. You can get to the airport by train from the Salzburg Hauptbahnhof in 15-20 minutes. There is also a bus from the train station to the airport every 15 minutes (30 on Sundays and holidays). A taxi to the city will cost 8-12 Euros.

Salzburg's main station is called the Salzburg Hauptbahnhof. It's located in the north on the right bank of the Salzach River at Südtirolerplatz. It is a 20 minute walk to the old city.

The service is good. Get a route map at the tourist office or your hotel. The fare was 1.45 Euro for adults at time of writing. The Salzburg Card gets you free transportation and free admission to some attractions, see the Salzburg Ticket Office link.

The main tourist office is located at Auerspergstrasse 7. Phone: +43 (0) 662 889 870

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Salzburg is a city to be enjoyed throughout the year. Salzburg is most popular during the Salzburg festival in the summer, but it's a great place to go in the shoulder season, and there are, of course, winter sports and Christmas markets to consider. To see graphs of historic temperatures and rainfall in Salzburg, see Salzburg, Austria Travel Weather.

Hotels can get scarce in summer during the festival. You can find user rated hotels in Salzburg at Venere: Salzburg Hotels (Book Direct).

For the traveler, Salzburg is certainly one of the most interesting cities in Austria. Home of the Salzburg Festival featuring Opera, Drama and Musical Concerts at various venues in the summer. Salzburg is the birthplace of Mozart, and you'll know it just by walking through the streets and plazas.

What to Visit

Festung Hohensalzburg - The Salzburg Fortress, built in the 11th century, is a must, if only for the spectacular view of the city and the alpine peaks surrounding it. You can walk from the old town or take the funicular. There's lots to see inside the fortress, including torture chambers and a couple of museums.

Take a stroll around the Old Town - Salzburg was declared a UNESCO World heritage site in 1996, and the old town is a joy.

Stiftskerch St. Peter - Check out the catacombs behind the abbey built in 847.

Mozart's House - Visit the Mozart-Wohnhaus at Makartplatz 8 where he lived from 1773 to 1787.

The Sound of Music Tour - Ok, it's not something that interests everyone, but at even the Savvy Traveler took a liking to it while reviewing it for their Bad Taste Tour section. You'll get a glimpse of the beautiful countryside, as explained in this personal review.

The Natural History Museum is world famous including a 40 tank aquarium and a 200 animal reptile house.

Schloss Hellbrunn - Hellbrunn Palace is four miles outside of Salzburg, and is known for its Baroque gardens and most famously for its trick fountains--watch out or you'll get blasted. A tour of the palace and water gardens will run you about 7.5 Euros.

Hellbrunn Zoo where animals are held in pretty natural surroundings.

The Salzburg Open-Air Museum is 10 km south west of Salzburg. It records the rural way of life in Salzburg from the 16th to the 20th Century.

Ready to see what all the fuss is about? Want some spectacular views? See our Salzburg Pictures.