The beautiful Austrian city of Salzburg is famous for all things Mozart, its summer festival, baroque architecture and much more. Are there still places to discover? Come with us on a walk.
Let's start above the city. All three of Salzburg's mountains, which also form the sweet hills of the Salzburger Nockerln, offer extraordinary views all the way into the SalzburgerLand. If you climb the Kapuziner mountain, which is not quite as well known, you can not only hike in a forest, but also get to see chamois. At an altitude of only 640 metres, the Kapuzinerberg is not exactly high alpine, yet a small herd of chamois lives here all year round, something that makes the city unique.
The man on the golden sphere on Kapitelplatz is known to just about everyone who visits Salzburg, and in many pictures he is something of a landmark of the new Salzburg. Salzburgers also affectionately call him the "Balkenhol Mozartkugel". What isn't widely known is that the work of art by the German sculptor Stephan Balkenhol also has a female counterpart. Balkenhol also created a woman for the famous man, and she can be found in a rock niche in the Toscaninihof, above the entrance to the underground car park. She wears a red dress, but at a height of 1.40 metres she is clearly smaller than the nine-metre tall man.
As breathtakingly new as many of the city's works of art are, its craftsmanship is steeped in tradition. New things are combined with the very old, and even around the traditional costume hype there are cool ideas that establish just such traditions.
One of these new craftsmen is the knifemaker Richard Kappeller, who has his workshop outside the Old Town and a shop in the middle of a beautiful Getreidegassen passage house.
"To revive an old tradition, to refine it further and to inspire people with very individually made knives, that is my profession and my vocation," he says. All his knives are unique pieces, handcrafted and made according to individual wishes. Mother-of-pearl, the finest types of wood, or even bear bones can be used in the knife of your dreams. You can have jewellery inserted or wood from your own walnut tree. These extraordinary cutting tools are suitable for hunting and in the kitchen.
If you want to go hunting with such a noble knife or just to the Rupertikirchtag or to a beautiful alpine pasture in the SalzburgerLand, you will find a rich selection in the many traditional costume shops in the old town. Special traditional costumes have been brought to town by Mothwurf and Kinga Mathe. Getreidegasse is the home of the family business Mothwurf, which has been associated with textiles since 1770. The company motto could also apply to the new spirit in the city's traditional costume fashion: fashion between origin and zeitgeist. The fashion-conscious traditional costumes for men and women by Kinga Mathe can be found at Trachten Forstenlechner, and other places.
If you're hungry after a stroll through the city, there's a new exotic place to eat in the festival district. Naya Kitchen & Bar has moved into the former Universum and offers Asian food in a flowery, urban setting with a view of the festival halls. The sharing principle is special: all dishes are placed in the middle of the table to be shared. Yuen is not new to the city; in fact it is the oldest Chinese restaurant in Salzburg and is located in the Getreidegasse, at least in the building facing the Salzach. The family's grandfather took over the restaurant in 1967 and generations of Salzburgers have had their first "Asian experience" here. Now, two generations down, Philip and his sister Vany have taken over the restaurant and given the menu a great makeover. The focus is on authentic Cantonese vegetarian and vegan dishes, which you can also enjoy in the cosy courtyard, away from the hustle and bustle of Getreidegassen.
For dessert, you can wander into a different building and feel like you're in culinary ice cream heaven with Eisl-Eis/1. Schafmilcheis-Salon. Ice cream here is made from sheep's milk in many delicious varieties, 100% organic ingredients, the milk from the shop's own sheep from Lake Wolfgang, the fruit regional. Nibbling on ice cream is the perfecct way to wander through alleys and across squares admiring works of art from all eras and beautiful fountains.
Something that is perhaps hardly noticeable is the stone bread loaf at the beautiful and recently restored collegiate church of St. Peter. The church not only houses the tomb of Salzburg's first bishop and patron saint, St. Rupert, but it also has this curiosity on display. Right at the entrance, a large loaf of bread made of stone hangs on a heavy iron chain on the wall. This was presented to the abbot of St. Peter's in the 17th century together with a strange story. According to this story, there was a farmer's wife who, instead of going to church on Sundays and holidays, preferred to do housework and bake bread. When she simply dismissed the admonitions of her neighbours, twelve loaves of bread turned to stone while still in the oven. One of them still admonishes the faithful in Salzburg to Sunday rest. Outside of this Sunday rest, it is worth buying fresh St. Peter's bread in the Abbey Bakery, which is also well worth seeing.
Summer in Salzburg is always also a time for enjoying a restaurant garden, and here you are spoilt for choice. Mediterranean herbs and olive trees await the city flâneur in the wonderful guest garden of Blaue Gans. Here, and this is especially perfect during festival times, there is cuisine from noon to midnight. In the centuries-old wine archive you can dine family style at a long table.
Next door, the traditional Goldener Hirsch has also had a garden for some time. Its little sister, Restaurant Herzl, also has a garden, and everything you need for a perfect day in Salzburg is there, from a cosy lunch to an evening snack.
Many places of enjoyment can now be found outside the Old Town zone, but as Salzburg is a manageable size, they are not far away. It is definitely worth taking a look at the Leica Galerie, where the famous camera manufacturer also stages extraordinary exhibitions in Salzburg.
Enjoying art makes you hungry, and this hunger is deliciously satisfied in the new Prosecco by Aigner. Here Lizzy and Jakob Aigner, both of whom come from Ikarus-Schmiede, have brought the cuisine up to a high level. Italy meets France and Spain, perfectly charming service and a beautiful garden are included. From here it is not far to a special café-épicerie concept-store. Chez Aurélie combines France with Denmark, pleasure with design.
Did you know that Ladislaus Almásy, who was the inspiration for the famous film The English Patient, is buried in Salzburg? The pilot and Sahara explorer died in 1951 in the Wehrle Sanatorium. Almásy's adventurous life was the model for Michael Ondaatje's novel, which was filmed with Ralph Fiennes in the leading role.
A very special Salzburg location that can be deliciously combined is a visit to Zum Buberlgut, where you can immerse yourself in history at one of the city's top culinary addresses. Would you like another place for exceptional cuisine? Ueberfuhr Boutique Gasthof scores with interesting kitchen ideas and top quality. A look at the menu: soft shell crab with ponzu-chilli mayo and a highly praised Wiener schnitzel. The old inn has become a young place, but they always had one of the nicest guest gardens in town – Salzach lounge meets beer garden. Even the rooms are cool now. Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart was born here and, in addition to its beauty, made the city famous. This is still the case today, because Salzburg is always in season.
Blaue Gans
A synthesis of the arts of pleasure, culture and hospitality. Good restaurant, beautiful hotel. Wonderful Mediterranean guest garden for fine time-outs.
Getreidegasse 41-43. 5020 Salzburg
T: +43 662 842491
blauegans.at
Chez Aurélie
A charming liaison of delicatessen, design and bistro. Art of living and enjoyment from 'Muuto Dots' to special French delicacies.
Nonntaler Hauptstraße 75, 5020 Salzburg
T: +43 660 1413130
chez-aurelie.com
Goldener Hirsch Restaurant
This traditional house is pure Salzburg and fits in well with the city and the festival. In the restaurant or bar you can enjoy yourself in style.
Getreidegasse 37, 5020 Salzburg
T: +43 662 8084886
goldenerhirsch.com
Restaurant Herzl
Traditional inn with a good selection of dishes in the Old Town, part of the Goldener Hirschen.
it has a beautiful guest garden for hot Salzburg summer days and evenings.
Getreidegasse 37, 5020 Salzburg
T: +43 662 8084889
restaurantherzl.at
Yuen
A fresh wind is blowing through the city's oldest Chinese restaurant. Best Cantonese food, beautiful courtyard, warm service. Wonderful.
Getreidegasse 24, 5020 Salzburg
T: +43 662 843770
yuen.at
Naya Kitchen & Bar
Julia Tschurtschenthaler-Spatt brings exotic cuisine to the festival district. In the flowery
ambience or under the arcades, fine Asian cuisine is served.
Hofstallgasse 2-4, 5020 Salzburg
T: +43 662 804477900,
naya-kitchen.at
Prosecco by Aigner
New, pure and Mediterranean. Lizzy and Jakob Aigner bring a breath of fresh air to the well-known restaurant. Best cuisine, best service for a southern time-out in Nonntal.
Nonntaler Hauptstraße 55, 5020 Salzburg
T: +43 662 834017
proseccobyaigner.at
Ueberfuhr. Boutique Gasthof
Culinary trends meet wonderful inn cuisine. Classics meet trendy interpretations. Salzach lounge meets traditional beer garden. Simply good.
Ignaz-Rieder-Kai 43,5026 Salzburg
T: +43 662 231094
ueberfuhr.at
Zum Buberlgut
Mediterranean delicacies and fish dishes finely cooked and served in a 400-year-old farmhouse. Beautiful, southern-style guest garden.
Gneiser Straße 31, 5020 Salzburg
T: +43 662 826866
bubergut.at
1. Bio-Schafmilch-Ice Cream Parlour
Sheep in the city? At least in the form of Eisl's delicious sheep's milk ice cream, extravagant varieties, the best basic products – pure summer in Salzburg!
Getreidegasse 22 (Passageway), 5020 Salzburg
T: +43 670 686212
seegut-eisl.at
Stiftsbäckerei St. Peter
More than 700 years of baking tradition. Wonderful brown bread, fine milk bread and spicy buns come out of the wood-fired oven. Regional ingredients guaranteed.
Kapitelplatz 8, 5020 Salzburg
T: +43 662 847898
stiftsbaeckerei.at
Messermacher Kappeller
Richard Kappeller loves knives. He also loves his craft and tradition. You can see and feel this in his individual fine products of knife art.
Getreidegasse 25, 5020 Salzburg
T: +43 676 3970328
messermacher.at
Mothwurf Austrian Couture
Getreidegasse is the home to the Austrian family business Mothwurf. 250 years of traditions combine with cool new elements.
Getreidegasse 42, 5020 Salzburg
T: +43 662 841887
mothwurf.com
Trachten Forstenlechner
They have been selling traditional costumes here since 1953. Modern influences, a love of tradition and the best quality. Also includes the beautiful collections of Kinga Mathe.
Mozartplatz 3, 5020 Salzburg
T: +43 662 843766
salzburg-trachtenmode.at
Leica Gallery/Boutique
A platform for artistic and documentary photography, a place of inspiration for photographers and Leica users.
Gaisbergstraße 12, 5020 Salzburg
T: +43 662 875254
leica-galerie-salzburg.com
St. Peter's Church & Abbey
The collegiate church of St. Peter is one of the most beautiful places of worship in the city, with some surprising discoveries. i
stift-st.peter.at
Walk of Modern Art
An art project in hidden places where one does not expect to encounter art.
salzburgfoundation.at
