Salzburg Old Town & Fortress

About this guide

Salzburg's historic centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996. Above it stands the Hohensalzburg Fortress, grown since the 11th century into one of the largest castle complexes in Central Europe. Mozart was born at Getreidegasse 9 on 27 January 1756; the house is now a museum.

Salzburg Tourism's "UNESCO World Heritage" city walk starts at the cathedral and climbs via Mozartplatz and Nonnberg to the fortress. It continues past St. Peter's Abbey, the festival halls and Mozart's birthplace, crosses the Salzach to Linzer Gasse, St. Sebastian's cemetery and the Mirabell Garden, and ends at the Augustiner Bräu in Mülln.

Difficulty: A city walk on streets and paths; the climb to the fortress is on foot or by the FestungsBahn funicular.
Season: All year. Fortress open daily, May–September 8.30–20.00, January–April and October–December 9.30–17.00. Closed 9–13 November 2026. Salzburg Festival 16 July – 29 August 2027.
Getting there: By train to Salzburg Hauptbahnhof; the walk starts at the cathedral in the old town. Since 1 July 2026 the old town has been largely closed to regular traffic, with car access only in exceptional cases (tourist board).
Food & drink: The Augustiner Bräu in Mülln, a monastery brewery since 1621: Mon–Fri 15.00–23.00, Sat, Sun and holidays 14.30–23.00.