Things to Do in Salzburg

The old market square with medieval arcades, a flower market, and the famous Heilbrunn fountain. A working market space, not a tourist set-piece.

🕐 Always open as a public square; market stalls: Mon–Fri 8:00–18:00, Sat 8:00–13:00

💡 Buy a slice of apricot strudel from the Konditorei Fürst bakery—the original Mozartkugel is invented here, but the strudel is cheaper and just as good. Markets run until 13:00 on Saturdays.

Contemporary art museum set in a glass cube on the Mönchsberg cliff, with rotating exhibitions of modern painting and sculpture. Entry is cheap (€8), and the terrace is free with views over the old town.

🕐 Tue–Sun, 10:00–18:00; Wed until 20:00

💡 On first Thursday of the month, entry is free from 18:00 to 21:00. The café on the terrace is reasonably priced for coffee and cake.

16th-century Baroque cathedral with a striking dome, marble columns, and a massive organ used by Mozart. The interior is open for quiet visits.

🕐 Mon–Sat, 9:00–17:00; Sun, 13:00–17:00

💡 Come for a weekday morning to avoid tour groups. The crypt is a few euros extra and worth it for the Romanesque foundations.

Walk up to the castle's outer courtyards and ramparts for panoramic city views. The fortress itself has a paid interior, but the grounds and some walls are free access.

🕐 Daily, 8:00–20:00 (gates close earlier in winter)

💡 Take the steep footpath from Festungsgasse instead of the funicular—it's a 15-minute climb, free, and gives you a sense of the fortress's defensive position.

Formal gardens laid out in the 17th century, with grand flower beds, statues, and views up to the Hohensalzburg fortress. The Pegasus fountain and the 'Sound of Music' backdrop make it a popular spot.

🕐 Daily, dawn to dusk

💡 Visit early morning when it's quiet—locals walk their dogs and the light is good for photos. The Dwarf Garden, with its quirky stone figures, is a fun detour.