by Andy Burrows

Within Salzburg, the main attractions like Wolfgang Mozart’s birthplace are a must and can be reached easily on foot, so too can many of the impressive baroque buildings that line the picturesque Salzach River which runs through the heart of the city. After seeing the main sights in Salzburg, there is skiing, mountain trekking, caves, beautiful lakes and plenty of historical sites to be found. All are within a short 90 minute drive of the city, which is what makes centrally located Salzburg so popular.

Photo by Gakuro/wikimedia

Just 20 minutes by car from the centre lays the historic town of Oberndorf, birthplace of one of the most famous Christmas carols ever composed, Silent Night. Every festive season, the Silent Night Memorial Chapel, said to be built on the exact spot where the song was conceived and first played, attracts huge crowds, especially during the special Christmas Eve service.

Within the vicinity of Salzburg are a number of great viewpoints and Untersberg, a 2,000-metre high mountain just 10 miles south, is one of the best. The long walk to the top is certainly strenuous, but there are easier routes to the summit, namely the very handy cable car that travels 1,300 meters from the base to the very top. On a clear day, the views over Salzburg are breathtaking.

Werfen Ice Cave Photo by Wildfeuer/wikimedia

A short drive less than 30 miles from Salzburg are extremely impressive ice caves. Located just outside of Werfen, a small village to the south. These expansive networks of caves are the largest network in the world. It remains below freezing for most of the year so it pays to bring warm clothes along, even in the height of summer. The caves and cable-car are open from 1 May to 26 October. Opening times: 9 am to 5.30 pm last guided tour in winter, 6:30 pm in the summer months. The tour lasts approximately 1 hour.

Eagles Nest Photo by Cezary/wikimedia.org

The Salzburg region is best known for its stunning scenery and Mozart memorabilia. But, there are also a number of WWII relics in the vicinity too, the most fascinating perhaps being the Eagle’s Nest. Just across the border into German Bavaria, north of Salzburg, this ordinary looking building used to be one of many residences belonging to the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. The drive here takes in stunning views right up to the top of the Kehlstein Mountain, roughly 1,800 metres high. This is where Hitler’s former residence was, and now a restaurant allows for decent food and views. Historians say that the wartime leader only visited the property on about 10 separate occasions, but it still makes a fascinating footnote in the history of WWII. The intriguing lift system that was bored into the top of the mountain was a marvel for its time.

South of Salzburg, the Alps in the Austrian heartland are one of the main draws for this scenic country. The destination attracts visitors from across Europe every winter. With a Salzburg Super Ski Card, it is possible to try out up to 23 different resorts, most of which are within a 90-minute drive of the city. Popular resorts like Obertauern, Saalbach and Zall am See are all included in the deal. It also makes sense to go for the nearer slopes at Postalm, Hintersee and Untersberg if time is limited. Salzburg online accommodation The Card can also be tailor-made to suit your holiday. Starting with a minimum duration of three days, up to the whole ski season for those that want to sample all of Salzburg’s impressive ski runs.

If you’re planning a trip to Salzburg in the summer, there are still plenty of opportunities to see the best of the surrounding Alps. If you hire a car, nearby Salzkammergut is a straightforward 1-hour drive from the city and well worth a trip. This UNESCO World Heritage site is a stunning landscape of mountains and crystal clear lakes with a huge range of outdoor sports on offer from trekking to golf and bathing.

Take trip to Wolfgangsee, one of the most-visited of all the region’s lakes, for some spectacular scenery – almost the entire lake is encircled by mountains rising up close to 2,000 metres. If trekking is not your thing, you can get to the top of mountains like Shafberg and Zwolferhorn by rack railway or cable car respectively. Bring the kids to ride the exciting Luge down one of the steep mountain slopes, and its fun for adults too. See who can get down the hill the quickest!

With so much to offer outside of Salzburg, the city makes an ideal base for exploring the surrounding central region of Austria by car, whether you travel here in the height of the ski season or in the summer. If you confine yourself to the city, you may just miss out on some of the most spectacular scenery in Austria.