Woohooo finally summer arrived and mostly we are spending our time outside in the nature. But no only in the stunning surroundings, also in the city center of Salzburg you’ll find the perfect – cooling down – summer activities. If hiking in gorges, swimming in beautiful cristal clear mountain lakes, do some river surfing, a boat trip or exploring fascinating caves in the underground – check this for 30 stunning activities in Salzburg.
Playgrounds and cool places in the city of Salzburg
In and around the city of Salzburg, there are a number of ways to cool off even without swimwear – please note: clothing is still mandatory in most cases. 😉 An overview of Salzburg’s most beautiful playgrounds can be found here.
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1. Check out the fountains in Linzergasse
The fountains embedded in the ground in Linzergasse, Cornelius-Reitsamer-Platz and the gully in Richard-Mayr-Straße are the perfect way to cool off on hot summer days in the city. The water channel is particularly popular with young and old in summer – it flows directly past several guest gardens and is usually enriched with colorful plastic balls in summer – perfect for a water polo race among (new) friends, while mum and dad have time for one another have coffee direct hit.
2. The world famous trick fountains in Hellbrunn
The trick fountains in Hellbrunn are another highlight for hot days, but very different. For 400 years they have been astonishing and cooling off guests of the pleasure palace. From water squirt traps to water-powered figures and jukeboxes, an incredible and incredibly fun collection of toys for kids big and small.
3. Salzburgs largest open air museum “Freilichtmuseum” in Großgmain
The open-air museum not only scores with its unique museum houses, but also offers a wide range for children. In addition to the museum railway and goat enclosure, the adventure playground with its water stations for pumping and conveying is interesting on hot days. The natural Kneipp facility offers refreshment for all guests with its Kneipp basin, watering hose and fountain.
4. Chilling in the central Volksgarten park
The Salzburg Volksgarten is a very central place for relaxation, sport and, again and again, for events. Slacklines, summer cinema, the “Minisalzburg” children’s town, fitness course, table tennis and the newly designed Volksgarten pond with sunbathing areas and seating steps on the bank, a large water playground and the “Salzbeach”, Salzburg’s only sandy beach, make the Volksgarten an attractive destination even on summer days.
5. Wagrainis Grafenberg
A little further away from the city, the mountain adventure world in Wagrain offers a cool change on hot days. Wagraini’s Grafenberg is known for its trick fountains, water playgrounds, the Grafenbergsee, which can be conquered on a raft, and many other attractions for young and old. you can go on a raft or over the suspension bridge to the bee trail and continue over the Hachau slide to the low ropes course. There, skill and coordination are required on different courses with swing ropes and balancing elements.
Hiking along refreshing mountain waters
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6. Along old mills to stunning waterfall “Winnerfall” in Scheffau
Along the Schwarzbach on the so called Herzerlweg and Mühlenweg, a short, varied hike leads to the Schwarzenbachfall. After rain and after the snow has melted, you can also continue to the imposing Winnerfall, a sensational spectacle when the masses of water appear to emerge from a cave out of nowhere. You can read all information and details about the hike here.
7. Salzburgs unique gorge “Glasenbachklamm”
The gorge close to the city is a popular place of refuge for the people of Salzburg on hot days, because it always scores with pleasant temperatures in midsummer. In addition, you can bathe in the cool Klausbach in a wonderfully natural way and splash in its pools. All details about the popular Glasenbachklamm can be found here.
8. Almbachklamm
This fantastically beautiful gorge is no longer in Salzburg, but in Marktschellenberg, Bavaria. Nevertheless, it is only a stone’s throw away from the city and is definitely worth a visit. All information about various hiking tours through the gorge can be found here.
9. Mühlenweg Ebenau and it’s natural monument Plötz Wasserfall
The pleasantly shady Mühlenweg in Ebenau leads through a shady circular hike along seven mills and the Plötz natural monument, a 50 m high waterfall. You can also cool down in the meandering Rettenbach.
10. Visiting famous Gollinger Wasserfall
The gigantic Gollinger waterfall is not one of the most famous natural monuments in the Salzburg region for nothing. The roaring masses of water shoot down more than 75 meters. The hiking trail there leads entirely through the forest and is also nice for children to walk on.
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11. Lammerklamm
The Lammerklamm in Scheffau is one of the coolest corners you can visit in Salzburg. The Lammer ovens are really impressive and perfect for hot days. You walk over secured paths along the rock faces over the roaring floods of the Lammer. The brave can also conquer the gorge up close on the water in a canoe, rafting boat or tube (guided tours)
Go underground! Conquer Salzburg’s hidden worlds
12. Eisriesenwelt Werfen
The 42 km long cave system is unique and thus the largest ice cave in the world. Not least because of this, it is one of the most popular sights in Salzburg AND is also one of the coolest places you can find on hot days.
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13. Gigantic Cave Lamprechtshöhle
The 42 km long cave system is unique and thus the largest ice cave in the world. Not least because of this, it is one of the most popular sights in Salzburg AND is also one of the coolest places you can find on hot days.
14. Salt mine Hallein
Here you can also go inside the mountain, more precisely the Dürrnberg near Hallein. Not far from Salzburg you can take a journey through the history of mining and salt production. It’s adventurous with a mine train over slides deeper and deeper into the cool inner mine. The Salzburg Salt Worlds are an experience for the whole family (children from 4 years of age).
Out and about on, in and under the water
15. Boat trip Salzach-Panoramafahrt
On the Amadeus Salzburg you can visit the city from the cool Salzach and get a different perspective of Salzburg. Different boat trips are always offered from March to October.
16 Canyoning Strubklamm
The Strubklamm offers all the conditions for a very special canyoning experience for adrenaline junkies. The Strubklamm is an almost undeveloped, extremely deep gorge that is particularly fascinating. For safety reasons, this experience is only possible for excellent swimmers.
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17. River surfing on Salzburgs Almkanal
If you can’t get to the sea, just stay in Salzburg and practice your surfing skills on the standing wave in gneiss. River surfing is possible here all year round, but is most fun in the summer. It is also free to use and can be used by both beginners and experienced surfers.
18 Flying fox over the Salzachöfen
The adventure gorge Salzachklamm is best suited to discover the element of water in a spectacular way and due to its location it also offers a pleasantly cool climate. If you like it more exciting, you can also swing over the thundering gorge with the Flying Fox. You can read details about the Salzachöfen and a short hike here.
19. Kayaking, paddling, pedal boating
With so many lakes and rivers around, one thing is clear: all kinds of paddling sports can be practiced around Salzburg. Whether white water or pleasure paddling, there are enough offers, tours and rentals for every taste. Whether paddling on the Salzach in a canoe in the direction of Oberndorf, conquering the Alm Canal in a rubber dinghy, taking a leisurely paddle boat ride on the lake or learning stand-up paddling – look for your personal challenge.
20 The spectacular Krimml Waterfalls
Water in every form can be found in this unique world of experience. In addition to the unique Krimml Waterfalls, which rush 380m down and impress people all over the world, there is also water here as a unique all-round experience.
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Off to the water! Swimming in Salzburg.
Yes, it is the most obvious of all activities on hot summer days and in Salzburg you can indulge in the classic summer program perfectly: splashing about, fries, worshiping the sun. Regardless of whether you are looking for a decent cool down in the middle of the city and go for a nice swim, prefer natural bathing lakes or fearlessly cool off in the Almkanal, there is something for everyone here.
21. Salzburg swimming area Volksgartenbad
The oldest outdoor pool in Salzburg offers two pools, a children’s pool with a slide and a paddling pool for the little ones. There is also a beach volleyball court, table tennis tables and a children’s playground.
22 Salzburg swimming area Aya Bad
The outdoor pool in the Alpenstraße is barrier-free, has a swimmers’ pool, a children’s pool and a non-swimmers’ pool, a water playground, a beach volleyball court and a slackline.
23 Salzburg swimming area “Lepi” (Freibad Leopoldskron)
The Leopoldskoner outdoor pool is the largest in Salzburg and has five pools, two water slides and an attractive children’s area. In addition to the large, shady lawn, there is a children’s playground, table tennis, mini golf, billiards and a beach volleyball court.
24. swimming in the Almkanal
The Almkanal in the city is ideal for all those who prefer “wild bathing” close to nature. The canal is fed by the ice-cold Königssee Ache and flows straight from Grödig in the direction of the city of Salzburg, where it flows into the Salzach.
25 Salzburgs artificial lake “Waldbad”
A good place for natural bathing is also the forest pool in Anif, which borders to the south of the city. The Waldbad is also fed with the crystal-clear, ice-cold water of the Königsseeache, but is more of a standing body of water with a great infrastructure, climbing garden, restaurant and kiosk, various events, some with live music and even has its own wakeboard facility.
26 Explore Salzburg’s world of mountain lakes
Salzburg is known for the large number of crystal-clear and beautiful mountain lakes that can be found in the immediate vicinity of the city. We have already prepared the most beautiful bathing beaches in a separate article.
27. Discover the most delicious ice cream in Salzburg
Eating ice cream is definitely one of the things you should do on hot days in Salzburg. There are some great ice cream parlors with diverse and sometimes unusual varieties that you should definitely try. The (in our opinion) best ice cream parlors in town:
- ALPZ Cafe Eissalon am Platzl, Linzergasse
- Café Habakuk; Linzergasse
- Café Tiziana, Franz-Josef-Straße
- Eisgreissler; Linzergasse
- Eisgrotte, Getreidegasse & Rainerstraße
- Eisl Bio-Eis, Getreidegasse
- Eiswerk Bioeismanufaktur, Universitätsplatz
- Höfinger Bio-Eis, Kapitelplatz
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Action-packed activities for the summer in Salzburg
28 Hallein summer toboggan run
Tobogganing is not a winter sport for you? Well then off to Hallein, here you can zoom down over 2.2 km from the summit of the Dürrnberg. If you like to combine that with a bit of exercise, the best way is to combine the summer toboggan run with the Wichtelwanderweg. All information about the tour can be found here.
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29 Mountainbike park Leogang
Do you prefer to travel on two wheels? Then let the wind cool you down on the downhill trails of the Bikepark Leogang. Whether you are a beginner or a pro, perfect conditions await you here on the unbelievable 80 km of trails and 9 mountain railways on 7 mountains. If you like it a little more leisurely, you can also choose one of the numerous valley cycle paths here or on one of the many cycle paths in the state.
30 Paragliding on the Gaisberg or in Werfenweng
Have you always wanted to soar through the air like a bird? Then a tandem flight is the right activity for you. At cooler altitudes you can, for example, from the Gaisberg/Salzburg, the 12erHorn/St. Gilgen or start from Bischling/Wefenweng.
How do you like our list? Leave a comment and share your experiences!!
