Here’s our Salzburg Anti-Tourist Guide to make sure you take the best of it while feeling like a local

Ditch the typical sightseeing spots and get a real feeling for what it’s like to live in Mozart’s birthplace and, Salzburg. Whether you’re here in summer for the Salzburger Festspiele or in winter for skiing, you’ll be blown away by the beauty of this baroque city and its surrounding nature. This UNESCO World Heritage city is known for its outstanding music, culture, and architecture. I spent eight summers in a row as a child hiking in the Salzburg area, and every year my family and I visited the city at least twice! Even though it’s small, we could never get enough of it. So, I hope I can pass that love for the city on to you. Let this anti-tourist guide lead you through Salzburg ’s lesser-known museums, little cafés, and the endless surprises waiting around every corner.

By the end, you’ll be wrapped around the finger by the charm of the city just like I was. Let’s answer the most important questions about traveling to Salzburg so you can have the most amazing experience!

How many days should I save to visit Salzburg?

Tricky question! You could easily spend weeks discovering all the restaurants, monuments, and museums in Salzburg, just like in many European cities. However, if you’re backpacking or Interrailing and your travel time is limited, two to three days are enough to visit all the must-see spots and most of the anti-tourist locations in Salzburg. I recommend making YoHo Hostel your home base. Its location between the Old Town and the central station makes it perfect for both day trips and exploring the city itself. Speaking of day trips: if you’d like to experience the stunning nature nearby, make sure to add a few extra days. It’s absolutely worth it. You’ll be rewarded with gorgeous lakes, mountains, and hiking trails.

Now that we’ve covered this, let’s move on to our handpicked anti-tourist attractions in Salzburg! 

What is Salzburg known for? 

As I said before, Salzburg is rich in history and has a lot to offer. Although our focus here is on the anti-tourist locations, make sure not to miss the following attractions once you’re in Salzburg. They are popular for a good reason! ;) 

Everything regarded to Mozart 

Mozart is the pride and joy of the city. He was born at Getreidegasse 9 in 1756 and spent many formative years in Salzburg. And despite his frequent quarrels with the archbishop, he deeply adored this city. That’s why I highly encourage you to check out the following attractions:

All the beautiful areas I might have seen are – in my opinion – very little compared to Salzburg’s heavenly natural beauty – Mozart

Mozart’s Birthplace

Mozart’s Birthplace is one of the most visited museums in all of Austria and a must-see when you’re in Salzburg. It opened its doors to the public in the 1880s and has continued to expand and modernise ever since. The official website says it takes about an hour to explore, but as far as I remember, I spent much longer there (maybe because I played the violin and was weirdly obsessed with Mozart as a child!). The exhibition is interactive and includes many original artifacts like the composer’s own violin.

Mozart’s Residence

In 1773, the Mozart family moved to a larger apartment, and Mozart lived there until he left Salzburg for good in 1780. In my opinion, how much you enjoy this museum really depends on the temporary exhibitions. If you only have time for one museum, I’d recommend the Birthplace. But the Residence is still fascinating, offering a glimpse into the period when Mozart had already outgrown his “Wunderkind” (child prodigy) reputation, yet had not quite reached the global fame he would later earn with masterpieces like The Magic Flute and Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. If you want to visit both museums within two days, make sure to buy a combined ticket to save a bit of money.

Mozartkugel

This iconic chocolate confection, made of pistachio, nougat, and marzipan, has been an Austrian classic since the 1890s. There are three main “brands” and quite a few imitators. The original was created by the Fürst confectionery, but Mirabell and Reber are also popular. I recommend trying all three and deciding for yourself which one steals your heart!

Must-see fortresses and attractions 

These might be the most common tourist spots in Salzburg, but honestly, you just can’t miss them!

Schloss Hellbrunn

This early Baroque villa lies just south of Salzburg’s city center and is home to the famous Jeux d’eau (trick fountains). Prepare to get a little surprise… maybe even a little wet!

Fortress Hohensalzburg

This majestic medieval fortress towers over the Old Town at more than 500 meters above sea level. The views from the top? Absolutely unbeatable.

Mirabell Palace & Gardens

Gorgeous, iconic, and a must for every Sound of Music fan. You might just find yourself humming “Do-Re-Mi” as you wander through the perfectly manicured gardens. 

But now that we’ve covered this, let’s finally move on to our anti-tourist gems of Salzburg! 

Haus der Natur

You could easily spend hours here, between the temporary and permanent exhibitions, discovering the secrets of the universe. The museum includes both an aquarium and a zoo, but the most fascinating part, in my opinion, is the Science Center. Hands-on experiments bring topics like energy and lifting, acoustics and music, physics and technology, and even the human body and fitness to life. It’s a fun, curious playground for both kids and adults alike!

Ice caves in Werfen 

Did you know that the Eisriesenwelt in Werfen is actually the largest ice cave in the entire world? And the best part: it’s open to the public! You can witness this unbelievable natural phenomenon with your own eyes. The cave system stretches more than 42 km deep into the mountain, and the first kilometers already reveal breathtaking ice formations. It’s a truly magical experience, unlike anything I’ve ever seen. You feel so small and humbled by the power of nature.

Tickets may be a bit pricey, but the visit is definitely worth it and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Just remember to be mindful of your surroundings. Preserving this natural wonder and its fragile ecosystem is part of the adventure.

Day trips 

You might feel overwhelmed by the number of day trips and hiking trails to choose from since the Salzburg region has so much to offer. One of my personal favorites is hiking the plateau of Winklmoos-Alm. There are several routes available, no matter your level of experience (click here to find out more). You’ll walk along the border between Austria and Germany and enjoy some of the most picturesque views in all of Europe. If you’re traveling by car, it takes about an hour to get there.

Bonus tip for additional anti-tourist attractions beyond Salzburg

Salzburg is fully connected to other bustling cities all around Europe. In fact, thanks to its central location, you can get anywhere in Europe within a day. Whether you are planning your following trip or where to go next, we have a gift for you. Famous Hostels is on a journey to promote sustainable tourism, pushing train and bus travel as opposed to flying.

For that, we partnered with Flixbus & Eurail and created a calculator that compares your carbon emissions if you are traveling by train or bus versus plane and converts it into a direct discount at over 54 hostels in Europe.

Discounts go from 5% to 20% based on the distance you go.

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