Salzburg in summer is truly a fairytale. The city comes alive with events and celebrations as the temperatures soar and the sun beams down upon us. Sometimes, mountain summer storms crash down and it seems as though a year's worth of rain will fall in a day, but the inevitable summer heat will always return, wild and intense. This is my third summer living in Salzburg now and during this time, I have tried to experience as much as this little mountain city has to offer.
So, if you're visiting Salzburg in the summer months or you're a local and you're on the hunt for new ideas, I hope you enjoy this curated list of everything I've done in Salzburg in the summer:
1. Jump in the Almkanal
The Almkanal is perhaps my favourite local swimming spot in Salzburg, an icy-cold fast-moving canal with plenty of spots to park your bike and plop down waterside with a picnic and a book. I come as often as I can in the summer to laze along the riverbank and swim in on hot days. The Almkanal is about 18km long so there are loads of options to choose from but here is where I like to go.
2. Have a picnic on the Salzach
By far one of the most popular summer activities in the city is to sit yourself down somewhere along the River Salzach and have a picnic. On a warm day, the grassy riverbanks are likely to be full of people enjoying the sun, having a snooze, sharing a meal, reading a book...
3. Walk along the Monchsberg
The Monchsberg is one of the best little walks to do in Salzburg, with countless beautiful viewpoints looking at various angles of Salzburg, starting with my all-time favourite from just below the Festung Hohensalzburg and then all the way along the Monchsberg, following along the Salzach River below.
4. Hang out at Waldbad Anif
Waldbad Anif is a manmade lake just south of Salzburg in Rif. It is a pretty little spot to hang out on a hot summer day, featuring a small cafe and, if the weather is good, summer dance parties on Sundays, the legendary Sonntagstanz - keep an eye on their Instagram to see when the next one is!
5. Head a little further out of the city to spend a day lakeside
Salzburg is right on the border with Germany, in the middle of Austria. It is surrounded by mountains, making it seriously stunning when it comes to nature, access to adventure and pretty little lakes to discover. I've put together a complete guide with twenty of my favourite lakes near to Salzburg that I absolutely adore visiting - and they're all great for a day trip on a hot summer day.
Check out my guide to the best lakes to visit near Salzburg!
Mondsee
Attersee
6. Go on a day trip to Hallstatt
Hallstatt is Austria's truly quintessential fairytale town. The moment you arrive, you feel as though you've stepped into a picture-perfect postcard, where idyllic streets, quaint houses and absolutely breathtaking landscapes make you feel as though there's a touch of magic around every corner. If you're visiting Salzburg in the summer, you must add on a day to visit Hallstatt!
7. Visit the Katakombs above Petersfriedhof
For just €2, you can visit the ancient Katakomben built into the rockwall overlooking Petersfriedhof, the famous baroque noble cemetery. They also filmed the scene here in the Sound of Music where the Von Trapp family hide in the cemetery from the Nazis. The Katakomben date back to the 12th century and show early signs of Christianity, plus feature some of the most photoworthy views.
8. Check out all the best viewpoints in Salzburg
Being a mountain city, Salzburg seems to be in abundance of beautiful viewpoints from the many bergs across the city in all different directions. I've put together a complete guide with 16 of my favourite viewpoints in Salzburg that I love and visit often.
Viewpoint on the Kapuzinerberg
9. Visit the Festung Hohensalzburg
The most iconic building on Salzburg's skyline, towering high above the city and along the river, is the impressive Fortress Hohensalzburg - a fortress that claims to never have been conquered (although they did hand it over to Napoleon's army at one point). Built in the 11th century, this massive complex offers museums, panoramic views and a great story of the history of Salzburg and the salt that made the city rich.
You can hike up to the top from the Kapitelplatz or you can take the much quicker and easier FestungsBahn! You can buy tickets in advance or on site when you get there.
Festung Hohensalzburg seen from the Salzach
Festung Hohensalzburg seen from the Kapuzinerberg
View from the Festung Hohensalzburg over the city
Festung Hohensalzburg from Kapitelplatz
10. Watch outdoor cinema at the Sternenkino
Every June for ten days in the Kapitelplatz, the Sternenkino comes to Salzburg where free films are shown every day at 8pm. Food trucks are present on site so you can grab a delicious dinner and then settle into one of the many chairs for a night under the stars (and, they play no matter the weather!).
11. Attend the world famous annual Festspiele (or watch reruns at Siemens)
Salzburg is famous for its annual Festspiele, held at the Festspielehaus, bringing world-class performances to the stage. Running for six weeks every summer, you'll see people dressed to the nines for some of the best in performing arts.
Otherwise, you can watch reruns of previous years' performances for free on the big screen in the Kapitelplatz at the Siemens Festival!
12. Go out dancing!
Many people complain that Salzburg nightlife is non-existent. And sure, it doesn't compete with big cities, but I actually love our small night life because it doesn't get outrageously loud and unruly and there are a few really wicked clubs to go dancing in and really... a few good ones is all you need. My favourite is definitely reggaeton at Pepe's Club, and there are plenty of other choices in that same neighbourhood. Start your night with drinks at Mentor's (they do some really great virgin cocktails, too!) and then head out.
Pepe's
13. Go hiking
The mountains around Salzburg - both across northern Austria and in Bavaria across the border in southern Germany - are seriously otherwordly. Probably my absolute favourite summer activity of all is to be out hiking in the mountains.
Check out all my Austrian hiking guides and my German hiking guides!
Schafbergspitze above Wolfgangsee, Austria
Königssee in Berchtesgaden National Park, Germany
14. FIND THE PAVILION AT SCHLOSS HELLBRUNN
This little pavilion at Schlosspark Hellbrunn is most famous for being the filming location where Liesl sang her "I am 16, Going on 17" song in The Sound of Music. They actually only used this pavilion for the outdoor shots as they need a more open and larger one to get the right angles for the indoor shots, but it's still fun to twirl around it.
15. Wander through the Mirabell Gardens
I visited Salzburg just once before I moved here, on a day trip with my parents in 2001 when I was five years old. My mum and I have a photo together in front of the fountain in the heart of the Mirabell Gardens and it remains a dear memory.
Mirabell, along with the Palace at the end of it, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Palace features the Marmorsaal where Mozart used to perform and where you can go watch live performances to reminisce on what it might have been like.
The gardens were also famously used as the filming location for the scene in the Sound of Music where the Von Trapp family and Maria sing "Do-Re-Mi" in their clothes converted from curtains.
16. It's the season for outdoor dining!
I shared lots of outdoor lunch and cafe spots in my spring Salzburg guide, but now that summer is here, it is the perfect season to dine outdoors and enjoy the warmth of the day over a delicious meal late into the evening. Salzburg has some amazing restaurants with outdoor terraces just right for the occasion.
Cafe San Marco
Waldbad Anif
Steinterasse
Vegitalian
Superstanza
Tula Bistro
Spicy Spices
Kombu
17. Cool down with an ice cream
When it's boiling hot out, there is simply nothing for it but to beeline it to the nearest ice cream shop for a cold treat. My favourite is Moritz Eis at the end of the iconic Getreidegasse, the big shopping street in the heart of the Altstadt.
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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
