Salzburg is compact enough to see thoroughly in two or three days, a Baroque old town squeezed between the Salzach River and the fortress-topped hill above, with Mozart's birth house, a functioning marionette theatre, and the Alps rising immediately beyond the city limits.
The Fortress and Old Town
Hohensalzburg Fortress, one of the largest medieval castles in Europe still fully intact, is reached by funicular and offers a complete panorama of the old town's domes and spires with the mountains behind, go at golden hour for the best light on the rooftops.
Getreidegasse, the main shopping street, retains its wrought-iron guild signs (including Mozart's birth house, marked only by a discreet plaque), duck into the courtyards behind the street for a quieter, less commercial version of the same architecture.
Mozart and Mirabell Gardens
Salzburg takes its most famous son seriously, a Mozart concert in a genuine period setting, such as the Marble Hall at Mirabell Palace, is worth the ticket price for the acoustics and setting alone, distinct from anything staged for tourists elsewhere.
Mirabell Gardens, the formal gardens featuring in The Sound of Music's "Do-Re-Mi" sequence, are free to wander and offer one of the best views back across the river to the fortress, arrive early morning for the emptiest photos.
Recommended Stay · Salzburg · Old Town
Hotel Sacher Salzburg
The Salzburg outpost of Vienna's famous hotel, directly on the Salzach River with the fortress in view, traditional, formal, and a short walk from Mozart's birth house.
