Salzburg
Salzburg, set against the backdrop of the Eastern Alps, is a city steeped in baroque beauty and musical heritage. The UNESCO-listed Old Town is one of the best-preserved city centres in Europe, where ornate domes and spires rise above cobbled streets and elegant squares. Highlights include the towering Salzburg Cathedral, the lavish Residenz Palace, and the imposing Hohensalzburg Fortress, which overlooks the city from its hilltop perch. This compact city is best explored on foot, with each turn offering views of architectural charm and centuries of history.
Music is deeply woven into Salzburg’s cultural fabric, as the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and home to the world-renowned Salzburg Festival. Classical concerts are held year-round in historic venues, from opulent concert halls to candlelit chapels. The city’s museums celebrate both its musical roots and artistic identity, with the Mozarteum and the Mozart Residence offering insight into the composer’s life. Modern galleries such as Museum der Moderne balance out the historic narrative with contemporary art exhibitions that attract a growing creative community.
Salzburg’s culinary scene reflects both Austrian tradition and Alpine influence. Cosy inns serve hearty fare like schnitzel, käsespätzle and tafelspitz, often accompanied by local beers or Austrian wines. Cafés in the Old Town dish up decadent slices of sachertorte and apple strudel, and the city’s markets are full of regional produce, cheeses and sausages. In winter, festive Christmas markets line the squares with spiced punch and roasted chestnuts, while warmer months offer al fresco dining with views over the Salzach River or the surrounding mountains.
Highlights of Salzburg
Our Favourite Hotels in Salzburg
Sacher Salzburg
This grand, stylish hotel stands on the banks of the Salzach River and faces the Old Town (just five minutes’ walk away). Under the same family ownership as the Sacher Hotel in Vienna, the Sacher Salzburg offers turn of the century elegance; spacious public areas and 109 individually furnished bedrooms (all recently renovated yet retaining the style of a bygone era). Enjoy gracious dining in the main restaurant (or on the terrace in summer) with wonderful castle and river views, and traditional hospitality in the Zirbelzimmer (open during festival season and advent weekends only). Delicious coffee and pastries are served in the ‘Café Sacher’, cocktails in the piano bar. The famous service makes this our favourite hotel in Salzburg.
Goldgasse
Nestled in a mediaeval cobbled backstreet of the old town, this former 16th century coppersmith’s has been converted into a charming boutique hotel with an original stone staircase and flagstone floors along with frescos and wooden beams overhead. Each of the 16 rooms is dedicated to an opera from Salzburg’s summer festival with striking scenes decorating their walls and touches of copper as a reminder of the building’s 800 year history. Guests can enjoy meals in a cosy setting with wood-panelled walls and vaulted ceilings at the ‘Gasthof Goldgasse’ which offers seasonal and regional recipes drawing inspiration from an original cookbook dating back to 1719.
Goldener Hirsch
Located in a delightful 15th century building on the famous Getreidgasse, this luxurious hotel is just steps away from Mozart’s birthplace and five minutes’ walk from the river. Richly decorated throughout with wonderful antiques from the collection of Countess Walderdorff, the hotel has the feel of an elegant private house. There are 70 traditionally furnished bedrooms, an excellent fine-dining restaurant and the historic ‘Herzl’ tavern which serves informal meals in a characterful, rustic setting.
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We would be delighted to talk about your holiday arrangements over the phone. You can contact us between 8am and 10pm every day (outside of office hours may not be immediate).
01442 879787
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