Mirabell Palace
a garden with Salzburg in view

Patterned flowerbeds, a central fountain and clipped hedges give the garden its shape. The old town towers and fortress continue the view beyond. Walk up to the Rosenhügel steps to see the full garden axis, then explore the sides as well: past the Pegasus Fountain and into the rose garden beside the pale palace façade.

Look back towards the palace as you walk. It’s a different view from the familiar scene facing the fortress. If you know The Sound of Music, the Pegasus Fountain and Rosenhügel steps may look familiar: parts of the ‘Do-Re-Mi’ scene were filmed here. They make two easy stops on the same garden walk.

We suggest about an hour for the gardens, Angel Staircase and a look inside the Marble Hall. A garden-only visit can be shorter, while a concert or a longer pause calls for extra time.

The long, pale façade is quite restrained. Inside, the Angel Staircase leads past figures along its stone balustrade to a hall of columns, stucco and gilded details. Look at the patterned floor and the high doors as well as the ceiling.

The staircase and hall survived the 1818 city fire, while the rest of the palace was rebuilt in a simpler form. Today it houses the city administration, so you visit selected areas rather than a complete suite of palace rooms.

Weddings and concerts take place in the Marble Hall. When it is in use, sightseeing is not possible. If seeing it matters to you, plan around its visiting hours and fit the gardens before or afterwards. An evening concert is a separate visit requiring its own ticket.

For colourful planting, choose the warmer months. Spring flowers give way to tulips and daffodils, followed by summer planting and roses beside the palace. The garden changes through the year; the full summer displays in the photographs are seasonal.

In winter, the paths, hedges and view of the old town become the main reason to visit. The main garden remains accessible, while the Dwarf Garden and Hedge Theatre close. A shorter garden walk works well with a palace visit when the hall is open.

You don’t need a ticket or a Salzburg Card for the gardens and normally accessible palace areas. Concerts and other paid attractions in the city are separate.

Leave towards Makartplatz, opposite Mozart’s Residence, and continue towards the Salzach. Café Bazar at Schwarzstraße 3 is a good place for coffee and cake with the old town opposite, from the terrace in suitable weather.

Cross the Makartsteg footbridge and head towards Getreidegasse, then wander through the passages towards Alter Markt and the cathedral squares. If you’d like to add Hohensalzburg Fortress, allow another two to three hours and check the funicular operation. In Advent, the Christmas markets lead you on to the stalls around Domplatz and Residenzplatz.

Mirabell Palace is at Mirabellplatz 4 on the right bank of the Salzach. From Lampllehen, allow around twenty minutes by car to Salzburg, plus parking and the walk to the garden.

The garden and palace have accessible entrances. You can enjoy the garden without using the Rosenhügel steps; the Angel Staircase itself is a historic staircase. On Sundays, the garden is still a good outing, but the palace, staircase and Marble Hall are closed to visitors.