The Steinterrasse is the rooftop terrace bar atop Hotel Stein on Giselakai, with panoramic views of the Altstadt, the Salzach, Hohensalzburg Fortress, and the Mönchsberg. It is one of the most sought-after outdoor drinking spots in Salzburg, and many visitors come for it without ever staying at the hotel.
The Story
Salzburg has several rooftop bars, but the Steinterrasse has an edge: it sits on the right bank of the Salzach, which means the view looks directly across the water toward the Altstadt and up at the fortress. The angle is slightly different from the hill viewpoints and completely different from the street level. On a warm evening with the city lit up and the fortress on the hill behind it, it is one of the more beautiful views available in Salzburg without buying a concert ticket.
The terrace sits on the seventh floor of Hotel Stein, Giselakai 3-5. It reopened in its current form in May 2020 under the concept "Steinterrasse Inspired by Senns," a collaboration with Salzburg chef Andreas Senn, who holds two Michelin stars at his main restaurant elsewhere in the city. The food menu here is casual and sharing-oriented, with Asian-influenced dishes alongside local options. Drinks cover cocktails, wine, and local beers. The Falstaff guide named it Rooftop Bar of the Year in 2024.
The terrace holds 90 outdoor seats and 80 indoor; a lift provides barrier-free access. Opening hours run from breakfast through late night, with the kitchen stopping at 21:30. The bar stays open until midnight on weekdays and until 01:00 on weekends. Two weeks in January are the only regular closure.
The core advice is simple: come for sunset, come early. On warm evenings the outdoor seats fill quickly, and standing at the railing watching the fortress turn gold is not the same as sitting down with a drink and doing it properly.
Visiting
- Address: Hotel Stein, Giselakai 3-5, 5020 Salzburg (right bank)
- Hours: Daily from approximately 07:00; until midnight weekdays, until 01:00 weekends; closed two weeks in January
- Cost: Cocktails EUR 10-15; beers from EUR 5
- Book ahead: Not needed, but arrive early for terrace seats at sunset
- Combine with: Linzer Gasse, Steingasse, walk along the right bank