Salzburg
Salzburg is a UNESCO-listed baroque old town beneath Hohensalzburg Fortress, with Mozart's birthplace and the Alps close enough for day trips.
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Salzburg is a city in western Austria, a short drive from the German border, on the Salzach River with the Alps rising to the south. Its old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, known for baroque churches, courtyards and narrow lanes. Mozart was born on Getreidegasse, and his birthplace is one of the city's best-known stops. Hohensalzburg Fortress sits on the hill above the roofs and can be reached on foot or by funicular from the center.
Most visitors come for the music, the architecture and the mountains around the city. The Salzburg Festival runs each summer and fills the city's halls and hotels, so book a room early if you travel in July or August. Hallstatt and the Salzkammergut lakes lie within a day trip by road or train. Allow one day for the old town and fortress, and a separate day if you head to the lakes.
Salzburg in five
- Ride the funicular to the fortressThe FestungsBahn climbs to Hohensalzburg in about a minute and is included in most fortress tickets. Walking up takes about 20 minutes.
- Price out the Salzburg CardIt bundles many main sights with city transport. It pays off if you see three or four paid sights a day; check the current list against your plan.
- Book festival dates months aheadThe Salzburg Festival fills most of July and August. Rooms in the old town go early and prices rise across the city.
- Take the bus from the airportCity trolleybuses run from the terminal to the center and the main station in about 20–25 minutes.
- Decide between the city and a valley baseSalzburg reaches the nearest lakes by bus, but Zell am See, the Gastein valley and the lake villages each suit a longer stay. The Salzburgerland guide compares the bases.Salzburg & Salzburgerland
Things to do in Salzburg
See all attractions in Salzburg
Need to know
- Airport
- Salzburg (SZG), about 20–25 min to the center by trolleybus
- Getting there
- Railjet from Vienna about 2.5 hours, from Munich about 1.5–2 hours
- Getting around
- On foot in the old town; trolleybuses to the station
- Best base
- Old town or Neustadt across the river, near the Mirabell Gardens
- Time needed
- 2 days
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Festival
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuarySnow15 rainy days7 snowy daysHigh4°Low-4°Cold, quietJanuarySnow
Poor
- High
- 4°
- Low
- -4°
- Precipitation
- 113 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 7
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- FebruaryRain13 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh7°Low-2°Cold, ski nearbyFebruaryRain
Mixed
- High
- 7°
- Low
- -2°
- Precipitation
- 92 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 3
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, ski nearby
- MarchRain13 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh10°Low0°Cool, wetMarchRain
Mixed
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 0°
- Precipitation
- 94 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 2
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, wet
- AprilRain13 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh14°Low3°Mild, fewer crowdsAprilRain
Good
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 99 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 2
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, fewer crowds
- MayRain18 rainy daysHigh18°Low7°Green, mildMayRain
Good
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 170 mm
- Rainy days
- 18
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Green, mild
- JuneRain16 rainy daysHigh23°Low12°Warm, some rainJuneRain
Best
- High
- 23°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 142 mm
- Rainy days
- 16
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, some rain
- JulyRain18 rainy daysHigh24°Low13°Festival startsJulyRain
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 182 mm
- Rainy days
- 18
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Festival starts
- AugustRain16 rainy daysHigh24°Low13°Festival, busyAugustRain
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 181 mm
- Rainy days
- 16
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Festival, busy
- SeptemberRain13 rainy daysHigh19°Low9°Mild, clearSeptemberRain
Best
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 147 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, clear
- OctoberRain13 rainy daysHigh15°Low6°Autumn colorOctoberRain
Good
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 108 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Autumn color
- NovemberRain12 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh9°Low1°Gray, quietNovemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 1°
- Precipitation
- 100 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 3
- Days with storms
- 0
Gray, quiet
- DecemberRain14 rainy days4 snowy daysHigh5°Low-2°Advent marketsDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 5°
- Low
- -2°
- Precipitation
- 104 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 4
- Days with storms
- 0
Advent markets
Average daily high and low in Salzburg, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Festivals: Jan Mozart Week · Mar Salzburg Easter Festival · Apr Salzburg Easter Festival · Jul Salzburg Festival · Aug Salzburg Festival
Right now in Salzburg
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
4
- Feels like
- 2°
- Humidity
- 93%
- Wind
- 4 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 20%
Salzburgerland
10:16 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today8°4°20%Monday: Fog. High 8°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 20%.
- Tue8°3°13%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 8°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 13%.
- Wed9°1°0%Wednesday: Fog. High 9°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu7°2°0%Thursday: Fog. High 7°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri5°2°0%Friday: Fog. High 5°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sat7°0°2%Saturday: Fog. High 7°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Sun9°-1°8%Sunday: Fog. High 9°, Low -1°. Chance of rain 8%.
Updated 06:14 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Every year
- JanMozart WeekSalzburg
- Mar–AprSalzburg Easter FestivalSalzburg
- Jul–AugSalzburg FestivalSalzburg
Day trips by train
- Hallstattabout 2–2.5 hours by bus or train and ferryThe lake village in the Salzkammergut. Go early or stay the night to miss the midday crowd.Read the guide
- Berchtesgadenabout 45 minutes by busAcross the German border, with the Königssee boats and the Kehlsteinhaus road open in summer.Read the guide
- Untersbergabout 30 minutes by bus to the cable carA cable car to a limestone summit with views over the city and the Alps.
Before you go to Salzburg
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Rules for Salzburg, checked
- The 2026 Salzburg Festival runs from 17 July to 30 August.Checked Oct 1, 2026 · Source
Plan around Salzburg
Cities, Alps, rail and entry rules
Read the guideSalzburg & SalzburgerlandCity or valley base: lakes, spas and Zell am See
Read the guideThe SalzkammergutSeven lake regions east of the city by bus 150 and 140
Read the guideHallstattLake village, best early or overnight
Read the guideZell am SeeLake town below the Schmittenhöhe, bus 260 via the airport
Read the guideBerchtesgadenKönigssee and Alpine Bavaria, about 45 minutes
Read the guideMunichBavaria's capital, about 1.5 to 2 hours by train
Read the guideRail pass or ticketsIs a Eurail pass worth it in Austria
Read the guideSalzburg FAQ
Is Salzburg worth a day trip from Vienna?
It is possible, since the train takes about 2.5 hours each way, but a night lets you see the old town before and after the day visitors.
Is the Salzburg Card worth it?
Yes if you plan the fortress, a museum or two and the Untersberg cable car in one day. For a slow day in the old town, single tickets cost less.
When is the Salzburg Festival?
It runs from mid-July to the end of August each year. Tickets go on sale months ahead, and rooms in the city cost most during those weeks.
How many days do you need in Salzburg?
Two days cover the old town, the fortress and a Mozart site at an easy pace. Add a day for Hallstatt or the Untersberg, or if the festival gives you evening performances.
Salzburg or Vienna for a first Austria trip?
Vienna for palaces, museums and big-city food; Salzburg for a compact baroque old town with the Alps and lakes nearby. With three or more days, take Vienna first and add Salzburg by train.