We spent three nights in Salzburg, Austria in the summer of 2026, as part of an 8-night trip to Austria and Bavaria, Germany. Hellbrunn can be nearly a full-day excursion if you include dining, all of the museums, and the adjacent Salzburg Zoo. The bus ride from the old town was 25 minutes. The experience at the Salzburg Zoo was nearly identical to our visit in 2010, down to our attempt to capture the same photo of this specie of monkey chilling in the alps. We spent two hours at the zoo, starting at the main entrance near the bus stop, and exiting on the north side of the zoo near Hellbrunn Palace.

Hellbrunn Palace, Salzburg, Austria, 2026

Visiting Hellbrunn

Hellbrunn Palace was designed by Italian Architect Santino Solari during the rule of Royal Archbishop Markus Sittikus. Hellbrunn is smaller and less regal than many of the other summer residences of the royals that we visited throughout Bavaria and the Austrian Alps. It has grown over the years since it was first built to incorporate French Baroque and English Garden elements popular during the time of each redesign. The unique history and interactive elements make it equally enjoyable as larger and more ornate residences.

Hoffburg Insbruck

The must-do at Hellbrunn is the trick fountains tour. A guide started the show with a demonstration of the first of many fountain tricks, used for the palace’s host, originally Royal Archbishop Marus Sittikus, to essentially playfully “troll” his guests.

Much of our time in the fountain gardens was through a self-guided audio tour. For families with children, this Salzburg stop will be the most memorable, especially if visiting on a hot summer day. The water-driven Mechanical Theater, added in the mid-eighteenth century, is also a highlight for families.

Inside the Palace

Schloss Hellbrunn was built as a summer escape, and as a “pleasure palace” the exhibits reflect the music, festivities and storytelling that fill its history.

Folklore & Hellbrun

We didn’t have time to visit the Folklore Museum that was also on property, but this theme was evident throughout the palace and grounds. One of our favorite rooms featured sculptures and paintings of fantastic creatures, some real and some imagined.

Palace Grounds

The expansive palace grounds could fill an entire warm-weather day, with fishponds, playgrounds, gardens and the historic Stone Theater. The famous “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” gazebo from The Sound of Music film is also now also located on the palace grounds.

Salzburg Zoo

The Salzburg Zoo still remains one of our favorite zoos in the world, even 16 years after our first visit in 2010. The expansive habitats for animals from around the world against the backdrop of the Austrian Alps make for unique photo opportunities. We spent a large portion of our most recent trip trying to recreate a photo of a monkey that we took in 2010.

The restaurant offered both indoor and outdoor seating, a café with full meals, and a bar for coffee, wine and beer.

We spent much of our time watching animals we don’t find often in other zoos, including mongooses, a wolverine, Finnish forest reindeer, and four-eyed fish. The goat play yard with a slide as an entrance option was also a first for our family.

Four-eyed Fish, Salzburg Zoo, Austria, 2026

Our 8-day Itinerary for Salzburg & Innsbruck, Austria & Bavaria, Germany

Day 2- Full Day in Munich, Germany

Marienplatz

Munich Residence

English Garden
Day 2- Full Day in Munich, Germany

Deutsches Museum

Nymphenburg Palace

Botanical Garden Munich-Nymphenburg
Day 3- Munich to Salzburg, Austria

Friedhof St. Peter, Salzburg

Fortress Hohensalzburg

Stiegl, Old Town, Salzburg
Day 4- Salzburg, Austria

Residenz, Salzburg

Salzburg Zoo Hellbrunn

Hellbrunn Palace
Day 5-Day trip to Königssee and Berchtesgaden, Germany from Salzburg

Lake Königssee, Germany

Berchtesgaden, Germany

Mirabell Gardens, Salzburg, Austria
Day 6-Salzburg to Innsbruck, Austria

Hause Dur Natur, Salzburg

Tyrolean evening with the Gundolf family, Innsbruck

Train Station, Innsbruck
Day 7- Innsbruck & Wattens, Austria

Nordkette, Top of Innsbruck

Alpenzoo, Innsbruck

Swarovski Kristallwelten, Wattens
Day 8- Innsbruck & return to Munich

The City Tower,

Old Town

The Court Church