Why Salzburg is the perfect city for a winter break

Expert guide to Salzburg

1. Overview

2. Hotels

3. Attractions

4. Restaurants

5. Nightlife

6. Itineraries

Sophie Butler suggests taking a winter break in Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and renowned for its Christmas cheer.

Go now

As an often snowy winter takes hold, Salzburg’s wide city squares fill with festive Christmas stalls and the aromas of spicy apple punch, mulled wine and roasting chestnuts. The Christkindlmarkt is one of the most attractive in Europe and runs from Nov 23 to Dec 26 daily from 10am to mid-evening. There are connections from the UK with BA (britishairways.com), Air Berlin (airberlin.com), easyJet (easyjet.com), Jet2 (jet2.com), Flybe (flybe.com) and Ryanair (ryanair.com). 

Stay here

Commanding a riverside location, the Hotel Sacher Salzburg (1) was refurbished to celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2016. Rooms are luxurious, some with good views of the Old Town; from £216. Or opt for the Hotel Goldgasse (2) with its intimate restaurant. Doubles from £90.

Walk here

Start at the formal Mirabell Gardens (3), as seen in the film The Sound of Music, then walk past the Mozart Residence on Makartplatz (4), home to the composer from 1773 to 1781. Cross the pedestrianised Makartsteg bridge spanning the Salzach River and enter the Old Town, turning left at the top of Griesgasse, past the Festspielhaus concert hall, to reach St Peter’s peaceful monastery and cemetery catacombs (5). Turn left through Kapitelplatz to the Baroque cathedral and drop into the Residenz Palace (6) with its elegant state rooms, where the young Mozart performed concerts. As dusk falls, return to the main Christmas markets of Cathedral Square and Mirabellplatz to soak up the magical atmosphere. 

See this

Mozart’s Birthplace (mozarteum.at), the smaller but more evocative of the two Mozartian museums, is on the third floor of the Hagenauer House (7) on Getreidegasse. Exhibits include his silk wallet and his first violin, which he played as a six-year-old in 1762. Admission €11 (£10).

Try this

Climb the hill, on foot or by funicular, to the Hohenfestung (8), the fortress which overlooks the city, for panoramic views. Open year-round. Online tickets from €11.50. (salzburg-burgen.at)

Shop here

Take a stroll down Getreidegasse (9), the city’s main shopping street and a Unesco World Heritage Site, where traditional wrought-iron signs hang from medieval shop fronts. 

Drink here

Try traditional beers in the convivial drinking halls at Sternbräu (sternbrau.com) at 23 Griesgasse (10).

Eat here

Zwettler’s Stiftskeller (zwettlers.com) at 3 Kaigasse (11) is a good place to sample local dishes such as ragouts, dumplings, sausages and Wiener schnitzel. Expect to pay around €25 per person, including wine.

Off the map

Soak up the atmosphere in the quiet, cloistered cemetery of St Sebastian off Linzer Gasse, where Mozart’s father, Leopold, and his wife Constanze lie.