Vienna and Salzburg are two of the most iconic cities in Austria. Vienna is known for its beautiful architecture throughout the city and its palaces. Salzburg is known for its stunning setting near the mountains, the fortress overlooking the city, and its picturesque riverfront. If you are trying to pick between Vienna or Salzburg, here is the ultimate guide to help you decide which city to visit.
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Vienna or Salzburg Overview
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city in Austria with 1.9 million residents. It is best known for its beautiful architecture and world-renowned palaces. It quickly becomes obvious that Vienna was one of the wealthiest cities in the world for centuries. Vienna is often ranked for having the highest quality of living in the world. It is also regarded as the World’s Capital of Music due in part by the fact that Mozart, Beethoven, and Johann Straus called Vienna home. Vienna is located in the middle of Europe making smelting-pot for travelers from all over the world.
Salzburg
Salzburg is the 4th largest city in Austria with just over 150,000 people living there. It was founded in 696 and became wealthy from mining and trading salt. It is one of the most picturesque cities in all of Europe with the mountains to the south and southwest and the Hohensalzburg fortress looming over the city. The fortress is one of the largest and oldest medieval fortresses in Europe. Salzburg is the birthplace of Mozart, the famous composer. Salzburg is known for its Baroque city center which is one of the best-preserved city centers in Europe. The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city and surrounding areas are where The Sound of Music was filmed.
Places to See
Vienna
Schonbrunn Palace was the main summer residence for the Habsburg rulers. It has been open to tourists since the 1950s.
The Hofburg used to be the imperial residence of the Hofburg rulers. It is now the official residence and workplace of the President of Austria.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral is one of the biggest churches in Vienna and is the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna.
Belvedere Palace is another large palace within Vienna. It is known for its beautiful gardens.
The Austrian National Museum is the largest museum in Austria. It was established in 1368 and now has over 12 million items in the collection.
Salzburg
Fortress Hohensalzburg is one of the largest and oldest fortresses in Europe. It sits on a hill overlooking the city.
Mozart’s Birthplace is where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in 1756. It is now a museum about his life.
Mirabell Palace was built in 1606 and was featured in the film The Sound of Music.
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Salzburg is a beautiful Catholic church on the west side of the river.
Aussicht Kapuzinerberg is a look out area on the east side of the river that has panoramic views of the city with the mountains in the background.
Food
Vienna
One of Austria’s most famous dishes is Wiener Schnitzel. Wiener Schnitzel is breaded veal that is pan-fried in butter. Vienna Sausages are also known around the world. Vienna Sausages are traditionally made using pork and beef stuffed into sheeps’ intestine. When it comes to desserts, Apfelstrudel or apple strudel, is one of the most popular tasty treats to get in Vienna.
Salzburg
Salzburger Nockerl is a dish that originated in Salzburg. They are basically sweet dumplings served as a dessert. Kasnocken is another Austrian dish that is popular in Salzburg. It is sometimes referred to as Austrian Dumplings filled with cheese and onions. The dish is typically topped with caramelized onions. The Bosna is a type of sausage in Austria that is most commonly served as a fast-food meal. It supposedly originated in Salzburg as spread throughout the region.
Getting Around
Vienna
Vienna is known for having a great network of public transportation with the subway, train, tram, and bus systems. Some of Vienna’s biggest attractions are on the outskirts of the city so you will want to use public transportation during your time here. It all runs on the honor system so there are no ticket barriers on any form of transportation. Though it runs off the honor system, you should buy a ticket because random ticket checks are common and you could get a hefty fine without a ticket.
Salzburg is a very walkable city pretty much no matter where you stay. Almost every main sight or attraction can be walked to but if you want to save some energy, the city has a good system of buses and trams. The buses can take you to other towns in the area, like Berchtesgaden. If you want to go up to the fortress, you can either walk or take the funicular to the top. You should consider buying the Salzburg Card for your time here. The Salzburg Card will give you access to public transportation, free admission to all tourist attractions and museums, and discounts on excursions.
Nightlife
Vienna
Vienna was ranked as one of the best cities in the world for young adults so it is no wonder there is a thriving nightlife scene here. There are also over 200,000 university students in Vienna which ensure that the nightlife is alive and well. There are many bars here that have live music every night of the week. There are also quite a few nightclubs to choose from as well. Two of the best clubs are Volksgarten and Grelle Forelle.
Salzburg
Salzburg has a large student population so the nightlife can get pretty lively here, although not to the caliber of many larger European cities. The riverfront in the city center has dozens of bars lining it. There are also nightclubs you can hit up too if you want to dance the night away. The clubs here are typically on the smaller spectrum for a nightclub but they can get pretty wild. Some of the best clubs in the city are City Beats, Soda Club, and Rockhouse. Rockhouse is a larger venue that often has live music.
Day Trips
Vienna
Liechtenstein Castle is only 20 minutes from Vienna, making it a very easy journey.
Melk Abbey is a large Benedictine abbey that is perched on top of a hill in Melk. It is roughly 50 minutes from Vienna.
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia. The city is only an hour away from Vienna and would be excellent for exploring for a day or two.
Salzburg
Hallstatt is a picturesque village sitting on a lake in the middle of the mountains. Odds are you have seen pictures of it before.
Berchtesgaden and Eagles Nest is about 30 minutes by bus from Salzburg. Eagles Nest is Hitler’s mountain getaway.
Königssee, or King’s Lake, is a beautiful emerald lake in the mountains near Berchtesgaden.
If you are already in Salzburg, it might be worth making the short journey north to Munich. If you are in Vienna, Budapest is just 2.5 hours away and would be a fantastic option to explore.
Overall
Vienna and Salzburg are arguably the two most iconic cities in Austria. Both cities show signs of the generations of massive wealth in the past with grand buildings and landmarks. Vienna has beautiful architecture throughout the inner city and is known for its palaces. Salzburg is known for its stunning setting, the fortress overlooking the city, and its proximity to the mountains. Salzburg can be seen in 2 full days but you might want more than that so you can go to Königssee or Eagles Nest. You will want at least 3 full days in Vienna because it is so large and spread out with many things to see.