Hellbrunn Palace
Hellbrunn Palace, located in the southernmost part of Salzburg, is a villa built in the baroque style. Hellbrunn Palace was built in the early 17th century by Prince Archbishop Markus Sittikus von Hohenems.
This building was mostly used as a daily residence during the summer months. The Archbishop would come here, spend his time and return to his home in Salzburg in the evening. For this reason, it is said that there were no bedrooms in Hellbrunn Palace. It was built more for celebrations than for residence.
Surrounded by a lush garden, Hellbrunn Palace is one of Austria’s most popular tourist attractions. On the back of the €10 Austrian coin issued in 2004, there is a drawing of Hellbrunn Palace with the Salzburg mountains behind it. What makes the palace famous are its ingenious fountains and fountains. Many visitors come here to see these water games. Because the area is designed for entertainment as it is. Since you are accompanied by a guide, you have to follow the guide’s instructions. As such, unexpected surprises can come out of the fountains and you can get wet. I recommend you to protect your camera from the water. There are many details here such as the water gushing out of the underground while sitting at the royal table, the use of small and moving toys as water vending machines, mechanical theater, decorated fountains with animal looks, Sound of Music Gazebo, one of the places where the Sound of Music musical takes place.
The interior of the palace is also filled with ornate rooms, mostly with paintings and sculptures of animals. If you can’t join the fountain tours, you can see some of the fountains from inside the palace.
What are Hellbrunn Palace entrance fee and visiting hours?
It is possible to visit the palace with tours. You need to keep an eye on the tour times and arrive at the palace accordingly. The entrance fee is €12.50 and includes a tour of the palace and a tour of the fountain. If you have a Vienna Pass card, you can join this watery tour, which lasts about 40 minutes, for free. Joining the tours means getting a little wet. The opening hours of the palace vary according to the season. It opens at 09:00 all months, closing time is 16:30 in April and October, 17:30 in May, June and September, 21:00 in July and August. In winter, the parking lot is open but the fountain tours are closed.
Where is Hellbrunn Palace and how to get there?
Hellbrunn Palace is best visited early in the morning, when it is not crowded with tourists. You can reach the palace in 25 minutes by bus number 25 from Salzburg train station. If you come with your private car, there is a parking lot at the entrance of the palace. You can park your car in the parking lot for €2 for the first two hours and €0.80 for every hour thereafter.
Salzburg Zoo
Salzburg Zoo in the south of Salzburg is a close zoo that you can visit during your visit to Hellbrunn Palace. It is located just south of the palace. The entrance fee is 11,50€, you can buy a combined ticket for 22,50€ with the palace activities. But it is free if you have a SalzburgCard.
The zoo starts at the southern end of the palace and continues along the adjacent Hellbrunner Berg all the way to the south of the hill. It is 1 km long in total. Visiting hours are the same as the opening hours of the palace. You should spend about two hours here.
