The Golden Room
Blue stars and gold of 1500 — the prince-archbishops' splendour.
C.Stadler/Bwag — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Matthias Süßen — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Matthias Süßen — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Matthias Süßen — CC BY-SA 4.0
Hohensalzburg is central Europe's largest fully preserved castle — Salzburg's never-taken crown: nine hundred years on the Mönchsberg rock without a single storming, leaving its golden princely chambers of around 1500 as decorated — the Golden Room under blue stars, medieval craft in its museums. Ascent is half a minute by the 1892 funicular (ticket included) or a quarter-hour footpath — and above: the old town's green domes below you as a living map, the Alps a southern wall, the fortress courts a whole village with cafés. It is Salzburg's obligatory beginning: from here the prince-archbishops' city explains its geography before you descend into her lanes — allow two hours, no less.
Blue stars and gold of 1500 — the prince-archbishops' splendour.
Green domes and Alps in one sweep.
A vertical half-minute from the railways' first age.
Mönchsberg 34, 5020 Salzburg
Fortress MuseumA museum inside the Hohensalzburg fortress above Salzburg, covering the history 1 minute walk4.3
Salzburg CathedralSalzburg Cathedral is the first great baroque north of the Alps: rebuilt by Ital4 minutes walk4.6
Cathedral MuseumA museum inside Salzburg cathedral showing the archdiocese's treasures and holdi4 minutes walk4.8
DomQuartierThe DomQuartier is Salzburg's palace of power opened as one circuit: since 2014 4 minutes walk4.7
St Peter's Abbey and CemeteryA Benedictine abbey in old central Salzburg, founded in the seventh century and 4 minutes walk4.9Two hours at base: ascent, princely chambers with audio guide, museums and terraces. Thoroughly family-fit — running courts and a marionette museum — the funicular erasing small legs' toil. Descending on foot via Nonnberg is the loveliest exit.