How to Find Luxury Hotels in Salzburg, Austria

Most visitors to Salzburg probably dream of "The Sound of Music" and singing in the hills, but the birthplace of Mozart offers a variety of historical and cultural attractions to explore. As a gateway to Austria, especially to the great skiing in the South, Salzburg stays busy as charter flights bring in visitors.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer with Internet access for making reservations

Prepare for Your Trip to Salzburg, Austria

1. Get a feel for the lay of the land. Salzburg is at the northern border of the Alps and the southern border of rolling plains, offering contrasting landscapes. The city is closer to Munich, Germany, than it is to Vienna, the capital of Austria.
2. Pack an umbrella. It rains frequently in Salzburg, meaning the summers are quite humid and the winters bring snow.
3. Exchange your money into euros at the Hauptbahnhof on Sudtirolerplatz, which is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Find Luxury Accommodations in Salzburg, Austria

4. Book a room at one of Salzburg's eight 5-star hotels for extreme luxury or at one of its 42 4-star hotels for upscale accommodations. To book any accommodations, contact Tourismus Salzburg GmbH at 011 ([phone] or visit their Web site (see Resources, below).
5. Try one of the new luxury spas in Salzburg, which offer a warm retreat on a cold day and great accommodations for a relaxing overnight.
6. Sleep like a queen or king. There are several castle hotels in and around Salzburg offering luxury accommodations. For a more private getaway, consider renting one of the many available private castle estates.
7. Explore alternative accommodations like bed and breakfasts and inns that do not normally offer luxury accommodations. Many of the historic inns in Salzburg date back to the early 19th century and offer traditional upscale amenities.
8. Reserve your accommodations early for the Salzburg Festival. The festival offers opera, ballet, symphony and theater each August and September.

Organize Transportation for Salzburg, Austria

9. Travel to Salzburg by train or plane from Vienna, Munich or Zurich. While the Salzburg airport has regular connections to many European cities, most of the air traffic is charter flight.
10. Ride the S-Bahn metro system, which consists of four lines and will get you to the city center from any of the suburbs and the airport. Trolleys and buses serve the downtown area.
11. Pick up a Salzburg Card at your hotel's front desk. Choose from a card or watch design that offers free use of public transportation, entry into museums and discounts on other attractions.

Tips & Warnings

• The official language of Austria is German.
• The quality of hotels in Salzburg is world-renowned, so luxury accommodations are easy to come by.
• All phone numbers include the international prefix "011." When calling internationally but not from the United States or Canada, substitute that "011" with "00." All country codes are within parentheses and begin with a "+" sign.
• Accommodations fill up early for the Salzburg Festival in July and August, so reserve early if you plan to attend.