Experiencing the Magic of SALZBURG, AUSTRIA 🇦🇹 at Christmastime

There’s truly nothing like Salzburg during Christmastime. Between the snow-dusted rooftops, baroque charm, and scent of roasted chestnuts filling the air, the city feels like a real-life Christmas card come to life.

We spent 3 magical days exploring the festive Christmas markets in Salzburg’s Old Town and at Hellbrunn Palace, witnessed the lively Krampuslauf - a centuries-old tradition where locals dressed as the mythical Krampus parade through the streets - took a scenic day trip to Hallstatt, joined a Sound of Music tour (how could we not!?), learn how to make a traditional Austrian apple strudel, and even enjoyed dinner at Europe’s oldest restaurant. To top it all off, we had breakfast at the breathtaking Leopoldskron Palace, famously featured in The Sound of Music.

From cozy market stalls to folklore-filled celebrations, Salzburg captures the magic and mystery of the season like nowhere else. Here’s how to make the most of this enchanting city during the holidays.

SALZBURG’S CHRISTMAS MARKETS

Let's start with the Christmas Markets. We hit up 3 of the markets in Old Town and the market at the Hellbrunn Palace which is about a 15 minute drive or bus ride from Salzburg's Old Town. If you only have time for a couple of markets, we'd definitely recommend the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt on Dom and Residenzplatz Square, and the Hellbrunner Adventzauber.

These are the 6 Christmas markets in Salzburg's Old Town:

1. Salzburg Christkindlmarkt on Dom and Residenzplatz Square (this is the main one)

2. Stern Advent and Winter Market

3. Christmas Wonder World at St Peter’s Stiftskulinarium

4. Christmas Market on Mirabellplatz

5. Charitable Advent Market at the Alter Markt

(Sadly, no pics as we didn't go to this market)

6. Advent at Salzburg Fortress

(Sadly, no pics as we didn't go to this market)

There are 3 additional markets nearby, but not directly in the old town:

1. Hellbrunner Adventzauber

2. Advent Market at Salzachsee

(Sadly, no pics as we didn't go to this market)

3. St. Leonhard Advent Market

(Sadly, no pics as we didn't go to this market)

2025 CHRISTMAS MARKET DATES

Salzburg Christkindlmarkt on Dom and Residenzplatz Square

November 20, 2025 - January 1, 2026 (Monday-Thursday: 10 AM - 8:30 PM / Friday: 10 AM - 9 PM / Saturday: 9 AM - 9 PM / Sunday + Holiday: 9 AM - 8:30 PM)

COST: FREE

Stern Advent and Winter Market

November 20, 2025 - January 6, 2026 (Sunday-Thursday: 11 AM - 7 PM / Friday-Saturday: 11 AM - 8:30 PM / December 24 + 31: 10 AM - 3 PM / January 1 - 6: 11 AM - 6 PM)

COST: FREE

Christmas Wonder World at St Peter’s Stiftskulinarium

November 13, 2025 - January 6, 2026 (Monday-Wednesday: 3 PM - 10 PM / Thursday-Sunday: 1 PM - 10 PM / December 24: 1 PM - 5 PM)

COST: FREE

Christmas Market on Mirabellplatz

November 20 - December 31 2025 (Sunday-Thursday: 10 AM - 8 PM / Friday-Saturday: 10 AM - 9 PM / December 24: 10 AM - 3 PM / December 25-26: 11 AM - 6 PM / December 27-30: 10 AM - 7 PM / December 31: 10 AM - 7 PM)

COST: FREE

Charitable Advent Market at the Alter Markt

November 21 - December 22, 2025 (Monday-Thursday: 3 PM - 9 PM / Friday: 1 PM - 9 PM / Saturday-Sunday + Holiday: 11 AM - 9 PM)

COST: FREE

Advent at Salzburg Fortress

November 21 - December 21, 2025 (only on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on Advent Weekends + Dec 8: 11 AM to 7 PM)

COST: FREE

Hellbrunner Adventzauber

November 20 - December 24, 2025 (Tuesday-Friday: 1 PM - 8 PM / Saturday, Sunday, Holiday: 10 AM - 8 PM / December 22: 1 PM - 8 PM / December 24: 10 AM - 2 PM)

COST: €8.00 per person (includes a hot drink in the admission) with free admission after 7 PM and free admission on Dec 24; children 6 & under are free.

Advent Market at Salzachsee

November 21 - December 21, 2025 (Fri, Sat, Sun only / Friday: 2 PM - 8 PM / Saturday,Sunday, Holiday: 11 AM - 8 PM)

COST: FREE

St. Leonhard Advent Market

November 29 to December 21, 2025 (Sat & Sun only + Dec 8 / Saturday: 2 PM - 7 PM / Sunday: 11 AM - 7 PM / December 8: 11 AM - 7 PM)

COST: FREE

Fore more Christmas Market information, refer to Salzburg's website here.

KRAMPUS RUN

The Salzburg Krampus Run, or Krampuslauf, is one of the most thrilling and uniquely Austrian traditions of the holiday season. Rooted in Alpine folklore, the event celebrates Krampus, a horned, devil-like creature said to accompany Saint Nicholas, punishing naughty children, while St. Nick rewards the good ones. During the run which is usually held in early December, locals dress in elaborate hand-carved wooden masks, fur costumes, and jingling chains, parading through the streets of Salzburg. The atmosphere is electric , equal parts festive and eerie. It’s a fascinating glimpse into Austria’s blend of myth, celebration, and community spirit, offering visitors a wild contrast to the serene charm of the city’s Christmas markets.

There are multiple Krampus runs throughout the area in the beginning of December every year. One of note is the Traditional Krampus Run at the Salzburg Christmas Market which is the one we attended.

This year's takes place on Friday, December 5, 2025, starting around 6:30 PM. From our experience last year, the Krampus started entering the main Old Town market area around 7:30 PM.

There was a lot of confusion when it would actually start and where they would enter. They enter from the back of the market, not where the stage is. Everyone gathers at the stage and it gets super crowded in that area.

My recommendation would be to stay towards the back, away from the crowd, and watch the Krampus as they enter from here. They will make their way through the market towards the stage.

For more information on the various Krampus Runs, refer to the city's website here.

AUSTRIAN STRUDEL COOKING CLASS

My mom loves taking cooking classes so we signed up for an apple strudel and Christmas cookie class with Edelweiss Cooking School. This included goulash soup lunch and is offered twice daily in November and December from 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM and from 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM.

We made an Austrian apple strudel and vanilla kipferl cookies. And these cookies are now my all-time favorite Christmas cookie! I couldn't get enough of them! The class was great, the instructors were super informative and friendly, and the lunch and baked goods were delicious. We opted to purchase a few glasses of wine and gluhwein to have while we baked.

Im my opinion, taking a cooking class (or food tour) in a country is one of the best ways to experience its culture firsthand, as you learn the stories, traditions, and flavors that connect its people through food.

SOUND OF MUSIC TOUR

I grew up watching The Sound of Music with my mom so when we finally made it to Salzburg, there was no question that we had to take the Sound of Music Tour! We booked the Original Sound of Music Tour via Viator. It felt surreal to see the real-life locations we’d only ever watched on screen - from the gardens where the von Trapp children danced to “Do-Re-Mi” to the gazebo from the "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" scene. Riding through the city with the soundtrack playing brought back so many memories. And sharing that experience with my mom made it all the more special. This was a MUST DO for us.

DAY TRIP TO HALLSTATT

One of the most magical day trips you can take from Salzburg is to the fairytale village of Hallstatt. Nestled between the lake and snow-covered mountains, this UNESCO World Heritage town looks like it’s been pulled straight from a Christmas card. We decided to drive from Salzburg, which takes about an hour and a half. If you’re short on time, a few hours is plenty to explore the village, enjoy lunch with a view, and take in the iconic photo spot across the lake.

Hallstatt may be small, but it leaves a lasting impression.Eespecially when dusted with snow and twinkling with Christmas lights.

The iconic viewpoint for the photo below which can be found here.

We drove to Hallstatt but quickly realized, in winter, it’s not the easiest option.

Parking in Hallstatt is extremely limited. The alpine roads can get icy and slippery when it snows.

Next time, we’d definitely take the bus instead. It’s affordable and drops you right near the village without the hassle of finding parking.

Whether you go by car or bus, the journey is breathtaking. But letting someone else do the driving means you can sit back, relax, and fully enjoy the mountain views along the way. And they are stunning!

WHERE TO STAY

We stayed at Hotel Villa Carlton which turned out to be a great option. It's reasonably priced, included complimentary breakfast and parking and was close enough to walk to everything on foot. It's about a 10 minute walk from the train station, a 10 minute walk to Mirabell Gardens, and a 15-20 minute walk to Old Town.

We would have loved to stay in the Old Town but prices during the Krampus Run were exorbitant.

However, the entire walk to the old town was a beautiful stroll right along the Salzach River.

Views on the walk from Hotel Villa Carlton to Old Town:

WHERE & WHAT TO EAT

We ate most of our meals at the markets. However, we did have two exceptional dining experiences at St. Peter Stiftskulinarium and Schloss Leopoldskron.

St. Peter Stiftskulinarium

St. Peter Stiftskulinarium claims to be Europe's oldest restaurant. I ordered the Tafelspitz, a traditional boiled organic Salzburg beef served in a copper pan, my mom got Pete’s roast beef, and we had to finish with the famous Salzburger Nockerl, which is a sweet, airy, local dessert.

NOTE: This takes 25 minutes to prepare. Make sure you let the staff know early on in your meal so they have time to prepare it.

Schloss Leopoldskron

Schloss Leopoldskron is one of filming locations for the classic movie, The Sound of Music. They used the backyard of the palace for the boating and canoe scenes in the movie.

The breakfast here was buffet style and was nothing to write home about. But what made this dining experience exceptional was where you were enjoying your meal. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

austrian foods to try

Tafelspitz (boiled beef)

Apple Strudel (apple pastry)

Vanilla Kipferl (Christmas cookies)

Sulzberger Nockerl (sweet soufflé)

Wiener Schnitzel (fried cutlet)

Kasespatzle (cheesy noodles)

Kaiserschmarrn (fluffy pancakes)

Sacher torte (chocolate cake)

Marillenknodel (apricot dumpling)

Krautfleckerl (cabbage and noodles)

Kiachl (fried dough topped with sauerkraut)

final thoughts

Visiting Salzburg at Christmastime feels like stepping straight into a holiday fairytale. The city sparkles under twinkling lights, the scent of roasted chestnuts and mulled wine fills the air, and music drifts through the cobblestone streets - fitting for the birthplace of Mozart and Silent Night. From wandering the magical Christmas markets in Old Town and Hellbrunn to watching the Krampus Run, taking a Sound of Music tour, and even day-tripping to snow-covered Hallstatt, every moment feels enchanted.

Salzburg truly captures the spirit of the season - a perfect blend of history, charm, and festive warmth that makes it one of Europe’s most unforgettable winter destinations.

If you would like to see what all of this looks like in video form, check out the YouTube video we made of our time in Salzburg ↓

If you got this far, thanks for reading and remember to STAY CLASSLESS 😉