Hellbrunn concert, reviewed: in the palace
The only way to sit inside Hellbrunn Palace for music, rated 4.6 on a base of nineteen ratings, which is small and should be read as such. Forty-five minutes on an afternoon: Baroque works and soprano arias from Mozart’s operas on a historical harpsichord or spinet, with a short explanation of the instrument afterwards. The ticket is the concert only. Admission to the palace exhibition and the trick fountains is a separate ticket, sold at the entrance, and the two fit into one afternoon.
Going without a car?The boat trip includes the palace ticket, the Salzburg Card covers admission and the bus, and every option cancels free up to 24 hours before. Reserve the date now, decide later.
Check availabilityWhat the listing itself says
Included, as the listing writes it
- Entry ticket to the 45-minute concert
Not included, as the listing writes it
- Palace and trick-fountain admission
- Food and drinks (not allowed)
One line in, two out, and the first exclusion is the one to plan around: the concert ticket does not open the fountains or the exhibition. Those are the palace’s own ticket, about sixteen and a half euros for an adult, sold at the entrance and included in the boat trip and the Salzburg Card; tickets, in detail. The listing excludes food and drink and says they are not allowed, rules out children under six and party groups, and gives a value sub-score of 5.0. One reviewer attended on a Monday afternoon at three. The fountains are open until half past five, half past six or seven depending on the month, with last admission an hour before, so a three o’clock concert leaves time for the fountains before or after in every month of the season; the hours, month by month. The concert, in full.
What reviewers found
Nineteen ratings is a small base for any average, and the written reviews are few. What they describe is consistent: the instrument, the singer and the room.
The singer, performing arias from Mozart's operas, and the harpsichordist, playing works from the 17th and 18th centuries, were exceptional.
The concert was performed on a historical instrument, a spinet, and the repertoire included vocal arias as well as solo pieces specific to the era.
The authentic performance with period instruments and the wonderful singing brought the music to life in an impressive way.
Lara and Cosmin between them give the programme: arias from Mozart’s operas and solo works of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries on a spinet, an instrument most people have never heard in a room built the same century. Sanna names what the others repeat, the period instrument and the singing. Jürg (Switzerland): “Great concert at Hellbrunn Palace, fantastic atmosphere, fine Baroque music” Tommaso (Italy): “Beautiful concert in a picturesque setting, excellent musicians, and great organization” Sonja (Austria): “the setting is wonderful.” and Giuseppina (Italy): “The female musicians were exceptional” No reviewer complains, and no reviewer says much about the practical side, so take the listing’s notes as the practical side. The palace itself was a summer day residence with no bedroom, built from 1613 for a prince-archbishop who liked to surprise his guests; Markus Sittikus and the villa.
Verdict
Book it if you want to hear Mozart on a harpsichord in a seventeenth-century room and have an afternoon to pair it with the fountains. The written reviews are unanimous and the value sub-score is 5.0, but the base is nineteen ratings, so the average is a smaller claim than the ones elsewhere on this site. Buy the palace ticket separately at the entrance, or bring the Salzburg Card.
Who it suits
- Anyone pairing an afternoon at the fountains with forty-five minutes of music inside the palace
- Travellers who want a harpsichord or spinet, not an orchestra
- Salzburg Card holders: the card discounts concerts and covers the palace ticket
- Anyone who wants to see the palace interior seated rather than on the thirty-minute audio walk
Who it does not suit
- Families with children under six: not admitted
- Anyone expecting the ticket to include the fountains or the exhibition: it does not
- Anyone looking for an evening: the slots are afternoon
- Party groups: the listing rules them out
Other tours to consider
The fountains and the palace with the ticket included, on a boat and a vintage bus, is the boat trip. The admission plus bus 25 and a discount on this concert is the Salzburg Card. The film route with a singing coach is the Sound of Music tour.
Boat & busTicket includedSalzburg: Boat Ride to Hellbrunn and Palace Visit
Best valueAdmission includedSalzburg Card: Free Admission and Free Rides
Top ratedSalzburg: Original Sound of Music Tour
Frequently asked questions
Does the concert ticket include the trick fountains?
No. Palace and trick-fountain admission is on the exclusion list. The palace ticket is sold at the entrance and is included in the boat trip and the Salzburg Card; the card also discounts the concert.
How long is the Hellbrunn Palace concert?
Forty-five minutes, with a short explanation of the instrument afterwards. With the fountains at about fifty minutes and the exhibition at about thirty, the whole afternoon is under three hours. How long the visit takes.
Can children come to the concert?
Not under six, by the listing. Older children are admitted; the fountains next door are the part they will remember. Hellbrunn with kids.
Why does the page keep mentioning nineteen ratings?
Because a 4.6 from nineteen is a smaller claim than the 4.6 from over a thousand on the Salzburg Card. The written reviews are unanimous, and the value sub-score is 5.0, but the base is small and this site says so wherever the average appears. The concert page.