Salzburg in 2026: celebrating 270 years of Mozart’s genius

This year, Salzburg welcomes music lovers and cultural travellers to a truly extraordinary celebration: the 270th anniversary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s birth. The city, steeped in baroque splendour and set against the dramatic backdrop of the Fortress Hohensalzburg, invites visitors to experience the life, music, and enduring legacy of its most famous son in an immersive, vibrant way

Salzburg’s charm is inseparable from its connection to Mozart. From the bustling Getreidegasse, where he was born, to his later residence at Makartplatz, the city’s streets, squares, and historic buildings tell the story of a musical prodigy whose influence has transcended centuries. This year, the streets, concert halls, and theatres of Salzburg are alive with special events, commemorative programmes, and themed experiences designed to honour Mozart’s genius.

In Salzburg’s 2026 jubilee, the Mozartwoche festival shines under the theme “Mozart: lux æterna”, anchored by a dazzling new production of Die Zauberflöte, staged by Rolando Villazón and conducted by Roberto González-Monjas with the Mozarteumorchester. Throughout the festival, nearly 70 events feature luminaries such as Igor Levit, Renaud Capuçon, María Dueñas and Philippe Jaroussky, alongside world premieres and chamber music treasures.

In June, the Camerata Salzburg honours pianist Rudolf Buchbinder’s 80th birthday with a three-part Mozart celebration in the Mozarteum’s Great Hall, performing concertos KV 271, 466 and 503 under Buchbinder’s baton and with violinist Giovanni Guzzo. Meanwhile, the beloved Salzburg Marionettentheater brings The Magic Flute to life with hand-crafted puppets and live orchestral accompaniment; its afternoon and evening performances enchant families in a tradition recognised as intangible cultural heritage.

Immersive experiences for every visitor

Visiting Salzburg in 2026 is not simply a sightseeing trip; it is an invitation to step into Mozart’s world. The city offers countless ways to experience the composer’s legacy in an interactive and memorable way.

Visitors can follow Mozart’s footsteps across Salzburg, from his birthplace in the narrow Getreidegasse—where the prodigy first held a violin—to the spacious Mozart Residence on Makartplatz, now home to the world’s largest audiovisual Mozart archive and rare autographs. The legendary Magic Flute House in its courtyard recalls the stories surrounding the creation of his final opera.

Whether you are exploring on foot or enjoying guided tours that trace Mozart’s footsteps, the city encourages a leisurely pace. Pause in Mozartplatz to admire the statue of the composer, wander through quiet side streets, and let the baroque architecture transport you to another era. Salzburg’s cafés and restaurants provide further immersion, offering the perfect pause to enjoy a coffee as the strains of a Mozart sonata drift from a nearby hall. Even today, places like Café Tomaselli—where Mozart once enjoyed almond milk—keep his spirit alive throughout the city.

In 2026, the city offers rich cultural highlights: a special exhibition on The Magic Flute at the Museum der Moderne, the “Cosmos Zauberflöte” exhibition at the Mozart Residence, and guided tours revealing Mozart’s favourite spots and family anecdotes.

For those enchanted by music, there are concerts in historic settings throughout the city. The Date with Mozart programme offers 45-minute chamber music recitals in the opulent rooms of the Residenz Salzburg. These intimate performances allow visitors to hear Mozart’s compositions as they might have sounded in his own time.

In the evenings, the Mozart Dinner Concerts at Stiftskulinarium St. Peter, the oldest restaurant in Central Europe, combine baroque music, period ambience, and cuisine from Mozart’s time for an unforgettable cultural dining experience.

High above the city, the Fortress Concerts in the medieval Hohensalzburg keep Mozart’s spirit alive nightly, pairing panoramic views with intimate performances of his most cherished works. And in the Mirabell Gardens, the Mirabell Palace Concerts in the storied Marble Hall—one of Europe’s most exquisite historic chambers—offer evenings that echo with the same elegance once reserved for Salzburg’s prince-archbishops. Together, these experiences weave a citywide homage to Mozart, where every venue resonates with the composer’s enduring brilliance.

Mozart’s presence can also be tasted: visitors can still enjoy Stiegl beer, a heritage brew Mozart himself knew, and savour Leberknödel (liver dumplings), one of his favourite dishes, in traditional restaurants he once frequented. For those with a sweet tooth, Salzburger Nockerl—a warm, airy soufflé shaped like the city’s three snow-capped hills—remain a signature dessert, celebrating Salzburg’s charm in culinary form. Families and chocolate lovers alike can indulge in a Mozartkugel workshop, crafting the city’s iconic praline while learning about the sweet story behind its creation. Together, these experiences create a citywide homage where music, history and taste continue to echo Mozart’s enduring spirit.

Mozart lives on

Rooted in 1841 and formally established in 1880, the International Mozarteum Foundation continues to preserve, study, and share Mozart’s legacy. Its work rests on three pillars—museums and archives, research and digital innovation, and education and outreach—making Salzburg the world’s leading centre for Mozart scholarship.

While cities from Vienna to Prague honour their own Mozart connections, nowhere is his heritage so comprehensively curated and academically anchored. The Foundation’s ongoing research and digitisation efforts include Mozart’s works, letters, autographs and the ever-evolving Köchel Catalogue, now available in a modern, interactive digital form. Its collections hold priceless treasures: original manuscripts, instruments, an extensive family correspondence and the renowned Bibliotheca Mozartiana, the most extensive Mozart library in existence.

The beauty of Salzburg lies not only in its historic architecture and landscapes but in the living connection to Mozart. For visitors in 2026, Salzburg becomes more than a destination; it becomes a place to experience Mozart’s genius firsthand, from the intimate to the grand, from playful theatre to the soaring crescendos of his orchestral works. Whether it is your first visit or a return journey, the magic of Mozart awaits, and the city itself becomes a stage for a celebration that you will carry with you long after the music fades.

Further information
Produced with support from the Salzburg Tourist Office. To find out more about Salzburg’s 2026 Mozart anniversary, visit www.salzburg.info/en

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