Salzburg is a capital of culture. Festivals are not only held on stage, but also in glasses. Elisabeth Eder from Salzburg reveals her insider tips for great enjoyment with wine.
Mozart - Festival - Everyman. Salzburg, Austria's fourth largest city with a population of 157,000, is a world-famous tourist destination. The birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart attracts many visitors who crowd through the Getreidegasse and the historic centre, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. In the shadow of Hohensalzburg Fortress, however, there are also plenty of attractions for locals and initiated wine fans. As a centre of business, culture, tourism and the jet set, Salzburg has plenty of room for innovative, unusual gastronomy concepts, wine bars and wine shops.
Yes, there is viticulture in Salzburg, albeit very little, but still! The most famous vineyards are located on the slopes of Hohensalzburg Fortress: the "Paris-Lodron-Zwinger" is cultivated by the Salzburg Scouts and is planted with Frühroter Veltliner. The yield is low, around 500 bottles of wine are produced annually. Mönchsberg Sparkling Rosé is produced in another privately owned vineyard. In addition, the small Reiterhaindlhof winery in Großgmain, just outside the town, is run by winemaker Marianne Witzko. And in Michaelbeuern, the Benedictine Abbey of Michaelbeuern vinifies Grüner Veltliner, Gelber Muskateller and Zweigelt on the "Alm" vineyard.
The amount of wine produced by Salzburg's winegrowers is nowhere near enough to meet the city's demand. In the city's wine bars and vinotheques, locals and guests celebrate the enjoyment of wine with bottles from all over the world.
The Sporer manufactory has existed since 1903 and became famous for its orange punch and homemade herbal liqueurs. The wine range is tight, changes with the season and is limited to Austrian wines. In addition to the manageable range of wines, you can also sample the homemade range of liqueurs and punch. Sporer has also been making vermouth for a few years now. You should try it: It is unique and has a very individual flavour. At Christmas time, Sporer's orange punch is a must in every Salzburg household!
Extra tip: The Paris-Lodron-Zwinger and the Sparkling Mönchsberg are available here.
Getreidegasse 15, 5020 Salzburg
Azwanger at the Grünmarkt
Wednesday to Friday 11am - 7pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
A Salzburg institution since 1400. The wide range of wines in the delicatessen in Getreidegasse includes wines from Austria as well as international bottles. If you walk through the passageway from Getreidegasse to Grünmarkt, you come to the Azwanger wine bar on Grünmarkt, where you can sample a variety of seasonal wines. There are also fresh delicacies from Austria, Spain, France and Italy. The Azwanger wine bar is the "place to be" on Saturdays. Enjoy a glass of wine or champagne and watch the hustle and bustle on the Grünmarkt - a Saturday morning in the city of Salzburg can be so relaxing.
Extra tip: you can also choose wines from the delicatessen and have them chilled.
If you walk through the old town, past the cathedral to Mozartplatz in the direction of Kaigasse, you will end up at Iberico in Chiemseegasse. This is where musician Christoph Filip has realised his Iberian dream. The Iberico is a day bar with a shop. Wine, sparkling wine and Iberian tapas are available to take away or enjoy on the spot. A glass of Spanish or Portuguese wine and a few tapas immediately put me in a Mediterranean holiday mood with lots of memories of trips to these countries.
Extra tip: The shop also sells typical ceramic tiles from Portugal (azulejos), spices and much more.
The Coquette wine bar is located in Bergstraße. The ambience is reminiscent of a cosy living room and invites you to enjoy Austrian and international wines. Verena and Philip prepare small snacks for the small appetite. The Coquette opens at 5 pm and is therefore a meeting place for after-work wine fans or early night owls.
Extra tip: The Coquette is the perfect meeting place for casual wine fans and cool connoisseurs.
If you walk to Platzl and turn into Steingasse, Fridrich is not far away. Since 1986, the bar has been a fixture for wine lovers in Salzburg. Many guests have come to listen to music and found their way to wine this way. The charming, fine bar offers exquisite wines from Austria and Italy. In addition to champagne, sparkling wines include vintner's sparkling wines and Prosecco. The wines by the glass vary according to the season. Gourmet platters with ham, salami and cheese are offered to accompany the wine. And if you fancy a cocktail after enjoying the wine, the Fridrich is the place for you.
Extra tip: The Fridrich is worth a visit at any time of day. I love enjoying my last glass of wine with great people in the bar before heading home.
If you follow Steingasse out of town, at the corner of the Paracelsus bookshop you will come to Flavour, a sophisticated wine bar and restaurant with a modern yet timeless ambience. The wine list comprises around 50 items, with a focus on Austria, Italy, Spain, France and Germany. The seasonally changing selection is served by the glass and offers a good cross-section of Austria's most important wine-growing regions. Around 20 wines are available by the glass.
Extra tip: The food and wine selection is particularly well coordinated. Finally, I like to choose one of the 17 gin and tonics.
The Wein.Loft in Bayerhamerstrasse in the Schallmoos district is around 20 minutes' walk from the Platzl and has been a popular meeting place for wine connoisseurs for many years. Since 2023, the Wein.Loft has been renamed Delivino Wein.Loft (Delicatessen & Wine), offering wines, sparkling wines, spirits, antipasti and delicacies to take away or enjoy on site.
Extra tip: The wine bar in the Loft has a metropolitan feel. I often forget that I'm in Salzburg, which is a manageably large city.
The Delivino Wein.Boutique in Schwarzstrasse, close to the Landestheater and the Mozarteum, is brand new. The vinotheque offers the same range of wines as the Delivino Wein.Loft. Guests can also order a lunch menu to take away or enjoy on site.
Extra tip: If you fancy a picnic, you can put together your own platter of ham, cheese and antipasti, choose a bottle of wine and then enjoy it on the banks of the Salzach or in the nearby Mirabell Gardens.
Magazin, about a ten-minute walk from the city centre in the Mülln district, combines a bistro, event rooms, wine bar, vinotheque with various wines from Austria, Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, Germany and the New World as well as alimentari and selected accessories in Augustinergasse. In summer, the cosy inner courtyard invites you to linger and enjoy.
Extra tip: I love strolling through the wine shop and accessories with a glass of wine in my hand. There's something about it!