Winter 2025/26 Events in Salzburg: Christmas Markets, Krampus Runs, Festivals & More Winter Fun
Best Things to do in Salzburg Winter 2025/26
While Salzburg may not be as grand as its Imperial sister Vienna, the alpine backdrop and charming old town provide a classic Old World Christmas atmosphere. Whether you’re coming down from the ski slopes or making a tour of Christmas markets, Salzburg has a winter program to delight you. Keep reading for our top tips on things to do in Salzburg for winter 2025/26.
Salzburg Christmas Markets
Being a relatively small city, Salzburg has a more charming scale for Christmas markets. Vendors huddle in huts garlanded with evergreen wreaths and lights, some with bubbling vats of Glühwein and others sizzling sausages. You’ll find hand-knitted winter wear such as hats and mittens, and hear trumpets blaring out Christmas tunes or the gentle voices of choir singers. Here’s what you can expect at Salzburg’s main Christmas markets.
Salzburger Christkindlmarkt – November 20, 2025 – January 1, 2026
Located in the heart of the Old City, at the Dom and Residenzplatz, this is one of the world’s oldest Christmas markets, dating back to the 15th century. While the Christmas market’s wares and aesthetics may have changed (thanks to the evolving cultural traditions and the advent of electric light), the spirit of trade and good cheer has endured through the ages. With around 100 market stands, this Christmas market is also the largest in Salzburg.
Hellbrunner Adventzauber – November 20 – December 24, 2025
While it may be known more as a summertime destination, Hellbrunn Palace has decked out for the Christmas season for more than 20 years. With trees wrapped with lights and beautified with ornaments, the entire park transforms into a Christmas wonderland for a full month. Traditional crafts are on sale in addition to the usual Christmas market treats. Snack on some roasted chestnuts or enjoy the traditional savory sausage. The Hellbrunner Adventzauber is especially popular for families, with its dedicated children’s area, where kids ride the Christmas train, grill sausages, write a letter to Christkind, and go on a treasure hunt.
Note that this special Christmas market costs 7 euro to enter – though this does include a hot drink.
Other Christmas markets worth visiting include the market at Hohensalzburg Fortress, Mirabell Square, and St. Leonhard.
Take a Tour with Insight Cities
If it’s your first time exploring Salzburg, why not get to know the city with a local expert? Insight Cities’ Introduction to Salzburg tour takes you around the city’s old town and introduces you to the fascinating musical history that put Salzburg on the map in the classical music world. Your guide is not only an expert but also personable and friendly, engaging visitors of all knowledge levels with their home city, both past and present. Contact us and book your Salzburg tour today!
Christmas in Salzburg
Nestled at the foot of the Alps, Salzburg is perfectly poised for the ideal Christmas atmosphere, and hosts a plethora of unique holiday experiences. In addition to Christmas markets, here are some Christmassy destinations and events to take part in:
Christmas Museum – open daily November 30–December 31, 2025, open Wednesday–Sunday until February 1, 2026
Located above Cafe Glockenspiel, this little museum exhibits collections of Christmas decorations, nativity scenes, and postcards from throughout the history of Central European Christmas. One special exhibition covers the period of 1840 to 1940, in which many of our modern depictions of Christmas developed. The unique collection of Christmas decorations is a must for any Christmas enthusiast all year round, but especially so during the Christmas season. Tickets are 9 euros for adults, 5 euros for children, and 8 euros for students and seniors.
Stillenacht Museum – all year round, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Fans of Christmas carols may want to make the trek to Oberndorf – about an hour by public transit and 40 minutes by car – where you can visit the museum dedicated to the writers of the famous Christmas carol “Silent Night” and the time in which they lived, with immersive exhibitions and thoughtful reflections. You can also visit the Stillenacht Chapel, a memorial chapel erected at the site where the carol was first performed.
Krampus run – December 4, 5, & 21,2025
Other parts of Central Europe celebrate St. Nicholas in early December, but in Austria, particularly in smaller cities such as Salzburg, you’re more likely to encounter Krampus, a horned demon who according to legend accompanies St. Nicholas to scare children into being good. All throughout Austria are “Krampus runs,” parades where people dress as the creature and run, walk or dance to amuse and scare spectators.
Hellbrunner Adventzauber has a Krampus run on December 4, while Krampuses will be running through Old Town and the main Christmas market on December 5. However, some runs take place long after St. Nichloas Day, for the season for Krampus and his family of demons, known as Perchten, is said to be from the winter solstice to January 6. A traditional Perchten run will take place on the date of the Winter Solstice, December 21, at Mozartplatz this year.
New Year’s Eve in Salzburg
On New Year’s Eve, the Christmas markets in Salzburg transform into festival grounds, with live music performed on stage and giant screens showcasing New Year’s fireworks around the globe on display. At midnight, the bells of Salzburg Cathedral ring in the New Year, and fireworks shoot off around the fortress. Visit the main Christmas market in Old Town if you prefer to be in the thick of things, or find a place with a nice view of the fortress if you’d rather sit back and watch the display from afar.
If you prefer to ring in the New Year with the sounds of classical orchestras, Salzburg has concerts at Hohensalzburg Fortress, the Large Festival Hall, and the Mozarteum. This year, the Large Festival Hall’s New Year’s Eve program caps off Johann Strauss II’s bicentennial birthday celebration with a repertoire of his and his father’s notable dance works with music from five female composers featured alongside. SZENE Salzburg puts on a New Year’s Eve gala with the theme, “The Night is Not Just for Sleeping,” featuring the Ballaststofforchester, who performs popular jazz hits and show tunes from the 1920s and 1930s. Meanwhile, the Mozarteum ‘s New Year’s concerts include a mix of classical and contemporary, featuring renowned pianist Hayato Sumino. The concert at Hohensalzburg Fortress sticks with the classics, including Salzburg’s own Mozart, with the option to enjoy a three-course meal at Panorama Restaurant to complete the evening.
Special Events
Winterfest – November 26, 2025 – January 6, 2026
Winterfest, the biggest circus festival in the German-speaking world, has achieved international fame in the contemporary circus world for the fantastic acts that perform there. Prepare to be amazed by world-class acrobats, contortionists, jugglers, and dancers performing incredible feats and gravity-defying stunts. This year’s headliners include French circus acts Cirque Le roux, Akoreacro, and Canadian company Cirque Éloize, premiering productions not yet performed in Austria.
Mozart Week – January 22 – February 1, 2026
All throughout the week of Mozart’s birthday (January 27), Salzburg celebrates every year with an internationally renowned concert series. Ever since 1956, the 200th anniversary of Mozart’s birth, the city becomes even more alive with music: orchestral, solo, and chamber performances of Mozart’s works, as well as classical and contemporary composers, take place all over Salzburg. The 2026 edition marks not only Mozart’s 270th birthday but also the 70th anniversary of the festival. The theme of lux æterna emphasizes the enduring legacy of Mozart’s works, with a new production of Mozart’s most famous opera, The Magic Flute, among the main events taking place.
Performances
Die Fledermaus at Salzburg Marionette Theater – December 31, 2025 & January 2, 2026
This marionette adaptation of Strauss’s renowned operetta brings a bit of whimsy and fun to the performance. Colorful and intricately detailed puppets sing, dance, and even fly on the tiny stage as they retell a tale of last chances and petty grievances among Austria’s upper class. With the region’s long tradition of marionette theater, this rendition of Die Fledermaus is bound to be special!
The Sound of Music at the Salzburg State Theater — December 12, 22, & 27, 2025
Rogers and Hammerstein’s blockbuster musical “come home” to Salzburg this Christmas season with a German-language adaptation in celebration of the film’s 60th anniversary. See the Trapp family’s story of love, music, and harrowing escape play out in the language in which they would have spoken at the time, with English subtitles to help follow along with the story.
The Old Tree, or Franzi’s Journey to the End of the World at Salzburg Marionette Theater – various dates, January 2026
Performed as part of Mozart Week, this marionette-performed production includes music inspired by Mozart arrangements while telling a very modern story. The story follows Franzi, who believes that trees are protective bundles of energy and strength that must be preserved and not cut down in the city center, and her fight to protect the trees from removal for urban development. Suitable for everyone over the age of eight.
Exhibitions
EveryBody! The Stories Bodies Tell at the Museum Moderne – November 7, 2025 to February 15, 2026
This exhibition of photography and media art from 1945 to the present showcases the many ways in which people express themselves and move around the world with their bodies. The range of expressions revealed in this exhibition examines the body as a primary mode of expression, communication, and connection, the language of the body comprehensible across cultures and time. This exhibition is especially recommended to those interested in photography and humans as social subjects.
Cosmos Magic Flute: Mozart’s Masterpiece for Humanity at Mozart’s Residence – opens January 16, 2026
The exhibition gives new insight into Mozart’s operatic masterpiece, showing objects from Munich collector Dr. Günther Gerisch and his wife Rosmarie’s private collection focused on Mozart. In addition to exclusive pieces centering around The Magic Flute, there will also be objects detailing the Freemasonry movement during Mozart’s time. One of the items from this collections is the extremely rare libretto from the 1791 premiere featuring Emanuel Schikaneder as Papageno.
Outdoor Fun
Ski trip out of town
If you’re going to be *this* close to the Alps in winter, you need to plan at least one skip trip nearby! Salzburg may be located in the foothills rather than the peaks, but both novice and experienced skiers can find places to ski just a short drive away. Visit Flachau, Wagrain, or St. Johann – Alpendorf, all an hour’s drive from Salzburg and each with trails suitable for all skill levels.
Ice skating
And it’s not winter in Europe until the outdoor ice skating rinks are set up! In Salzburg, you can skate on the Eiszauber rink erected on Mozartplatz from November 13 to January 31, with the unique backdrop of the Neueresidenz and the Cathedral.
To get to know this Christmassy city even better, contact us at Insight Cities and arrange a tour with us today! We have a team of knowledgeable and personable guides to show you around and take you on a journey through Salzburg’s long and varied history.