Salzburg Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & Location

The Salzburg Christmas Market (Salzburger Christkindlmarkt) runs from Thursday 19 November 2026 to Friday 1 January 2027 on Domplatz and Residenzplatz in Salzburg’s old town, according to christkindlmarkt.co.at, the organisers’ official site. Entry is free, and the market opens daily from 10:00 (09:00 at weekends) until 20:30 or 21:00.

This guide covers the confirmed 2026-2027 dates and hours for the main market and Salzburg’s other Christmas markets, the food and music to look for, and how to get there.

When does the Salzburg Christmas Market open in 2026?

The Salzburg Christmas Market on Domplatz and Residenzplatz opens on Thursday 19 November 2026 and closes on Friday 1 January 2027. The organisers fix the opening as the penultimate Thursday of November every year, and the market always runs until New Year’s Day. The opening hours are listed below.

Entry is free, and the market is barrier-free. Under the new market rules in force from 1 November 2026, dogs are allowed on a lead and with a muzzle.

Where is the Salzburg Christmas Market?

The Salzburg Christmas Market fills Domplatz, the square in front of Salzburg Cathedral, and Residenzplatz next to it, linked by the cathedral arches, in the centre of Salzburg’s UNESCO-listed old town. The ice rink on Mozartplatz, a few steps from Residenzplatz, belongs to the same organisers.

The current market has run in its present form since 1974, but it has much older roots. The organisers trace it to a “Tandlmarkt” in front of the cathedral in the late 15th century, which became the Nikolaimarkt in the 17th century and ran until 1932. Today almost a million visitors come each year, according to the organisers.

Which Christmas markets are there in Salzburg?

Salzburg has several Christmas markets beyond Domplatz and Residenzplatz, each with its own dates. The main ones are listed below.

Christkindlmarkt on Domplatz and Residenzplatz

The Christkindlmarkt on Domplatz and Residenzplatz is Salzburg’s main Christmas market, open from 19 November 2026 to 1 January 2027. Its stallholders are mostly long-standing exhibitors from Salzburg and the surrounding area, selling handcrafted goods in wood, metal and textiles, toys and regional food.

Hellbrunner Adventzauber at Hellbrunn Palace

The Hellbrunner Adventzauber runs from 19 November to 24 December 2026 in front of Hellbrunn Palace, on the southern edge of Salzburg. The palace facade turns into a giant Advent calendar with 24 windows, and a fairy-tale forest of more than 700 conifers, hung with 10,000 red baubles, fills the forecourt. It is the city’s main market for families, with a children’s area, a Christmas train and a Christmas post office for letters to the Christkind. Unlike the old-town markets, it charges an entry fee, paid at the gate on the day. In 2025 it was closed on Mondays and opened from 13:00 on weekdays and from 10:00 at weekends. Bus 25 runs from the city to Hellbrunn Palace.

Advent at Hohensalzburg Fortress

The Advent market at Hohensalzburg Fortress runs from 27 November to 20 December 2026 in the fortress courtyard, high above the old town. It opens on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and on 8 December from 11:00 to 19:00, and more than 100 Moravian stars light the Festungsgasse and the courtyard. Saying “Christmas Market” at the fortress ticket office gets you into the market free of charge.

Christmas market on Mirabellplatz

The Christmas market on Mirabellplatz runs from 19 November to 31 December 2026 in front of Mirabell Palace, on the walk from the main station to the old town. It is the smallest of the city-centre markets and opens from 10:00 to 20:00 Sunday to Thursday and until 21:00 on Friday and Saturday.

Sternadvent

The Sternadvent market runs from 19 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 in the Sternarkaden around the Sternbräu, between Getreidegasse and Griesgasse in the old town. It has a living nativity scene with sheep and rabbits and opens from 11:00 to 19:00 Sunday to Thursday and until 20:30 on Friday and Saturday.

What else happens at the Salzburg Christmas Market?

The Salzburg Christmas Market runs a daily folk-culture programme alongside the stalls, and the highlights are listed below.

1. Tower blowing (Turmblasen). Brass players perform Christmas music from 3 towers around Residenzplatz, a tradition founded in 1952 by Tobi Reiser. In 2026 it takes place at 18:30 on the Thursdays of 26 November and 3, 10 and 17 December, and on the Saturdays of 21 and 28 November and 5, 12 and 19 December, plus at the opening on 19 November at 18:00.
2. Young tower blowers. Youth ensembles from the Musikum Salzburg play on Domplatz on the Wednesdays of 25 November and 2, 9, 16 and 23 December 2026.
3. Choirs in front of the cathedral. Choirs sing in front of Salzburg Cathedral every day of the market.
4. Krampus and Perchten. Krampus, the horned figure who accompanies St Nicholas on 5 and 6 December, and the Perchten of the days between Christmas and 6 January appear in Salzburg’s Advent customs, and the market’s own site explains both.
5. Ice skating on Mozartplatz. The Eiszauber rink on Mozartplatz is open from 12 November 2026 to 31 January 2027, daily from 10:00 to 22:00. Entry costs €6.50 (about $8, £6) for adults and €4.50 (about $5, £4) for under-18s, with skate and helmet hire on site.

What food and drink can you buy at the Salzburg Christmas Market?

Mulled wine, punch and Feuerzangenbowle are the standard drinks at the Salzburg Christmas Market, alongside mulled cider and apple juice, according to the organisers’ own drinks list.

The foods and drinks to look for are listed below.

• Bosna. Salzburg’s own sausage snack, a grilled bratwurst in a bun with onions, mustard and curry powder.
• Roasted almonds and chestnuts. Sold hot at stalls across the old-town markets.
• Kaiserschmarrn. Shredded, caramelised pancake served with fruit compote, one of the classic dishes of Austrian food.
• Christmas cookies. Austrian Advent biscuits sold by the bag.
• Feuerzangenbowle. Mulled wine with a rum-soaked sugarloaf set alight over the mug.

What can you buy at the Salzburg Christmas Market?

The Salzburg Christmas Market sells traditional handcrafted goods, many made in the region, and the organisers describe its range as “typical for Salzburg”. The typical buys are listed below.

• Wooden toys and games. Largely made by hand or on conventional woodworking machines, according to one long-standing stallholder.
• Christmas decorations. Tree ornaments, Advent wreaths and nativity figures.
• Crafts. Blown glass, beeswax candles, needlework, hats and jewellery from local artisans.
• Regional food. Treats from Salzburg and the surrounding area to take home.

How do you get to the Salzburg Christmas Market?

You can reach the Salzburg Christmas Market by train and trolleybus, by Park and Ride or by car, and the organisers recommend public transport as the easiest option.

First, take the train to Salzburg Hauptbahnhof, then trolleybus 3, 5 or 6 to the Rathaus stop, a few steps from Residenzplatz across the Alter Markt. On the 4 Advent Saturdays (28 November and 5, 12 and 19 December 2026), buses and trains in Salzburg’s core zone are free. Before you travel, check train connections to Salzburg.

Second, use Park and Ride. The P+R combined ticket costs €15 (about $17, £13) and covers parking for one car plus a day ticket for up to 5 people in zone S. The car parks are at Salzburg Süd, the Messe, the Designer Outlet and the airport.

Third, drive in on the A1, A8 or A10, but expect full garages on Advent weekends. The Neutor tunnel is closed to cars and buses for construction from 14 September 2026, probably until spring 2027, so the old-town garages in the Mönchsberg are only reachable via Riedenburg or Maxglan. To explore the lakes and mountains around Salzburg, compare rental cars before you go.

Where to stay near the Salzburg Christmas Market?

The most convenient base is Salzburg’s old town, within walking distance of Domplatz, Residenzplatz and the Sternadvent, or the streets around Mirabellplatz across the river, which sit between the station and the old town. Rooms fill on Advent weekends, so compare hotels in Salzburg and the rest of Austria early. If you are flying in, compare flights to Salzburg.

Salzburg pairs well with Austria’s capital on a longer Advent trip, and our Vienna Christmas market guide covers its markets. For the cold, our list of what to pack for Austria in winter covers the layers you need.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the Salzburg Christmas Market last?

The Salzburg Christmas Market on Domplatz and Residenzplatz lasts 44 days in 2026-2027, from Thursday 19 November 2026 to Friday 1 January 2027. The Sternadvent stays open longer, until 6 January 2027.

Is the Salzburg Christmas Market open on Christmas Day?

The Salzburg Christmas Market is open on Christmas Day, Friday 25 December 2026, from 11:00 to 18:00. On Christmas Eve it closes at 15:00.

Is there an entry fee for the Salzburg Christmas Market?

The Salzburg Christmas Market on Domplatz and Residenzplatz is free to enter. The Hellbrunner Adventzauber at Hellbrunn Palace is the exception and charges admission at the gate.

Which Christmas market is better, Vienna or Salzburg?

Salzburg’s markets are smaller and closer together, with the main market, the Sternadvent and Mirabellplatz all walkable in one old town, while Vienna spreads many more markets across a much larger city. Salzburg suits a compact one- or two-day visit, and Vienna suits a longer stay.

Is the Salzburg Christmas Market worth it?

The Salzburg Christmas Market is worth visiting for its setting between the cathedral and the Residenz, its free entry and its folk traditions, such as the tower blowing from 3 towers above Residenzplatz. It also stays open until New Year’s Day, so it still works for a trip between Christmas and New Year.

WonderfulWanderings Pro Tips

The 4 tips below come from the organisers’ 2026 timetables and travel page.

1. Come on an Advent Saturday and ride the buses free. On 28 November and 5, 12 and 19 December 2026, buses and trains in Salzburg’s core zone cost nothing, so leave the car at the hotel.
2. Pick a Thursday if Saturday is too busy for the tower blowing. The brass music from the 3 towers above Residenzplatz plays at 18:30 on Thursdays as well as Saturdays, and the organisers point out that Thursday is the quieter choice.
3. Do not drive through the Neutor. The tunnel is closed to cars from 14 September 2026 until spring 2027, so approach the Mönchsberg garages via Riedenburg or Maxglan, or use Park and Ride.
4. Ask for the market at the fortress ticket office. Saying “Christmas Market” at the Hohensalzburg ticket office gets you into the fortress Advent market free, but it only opens from Friday to Sunday and on 8 December.

About the author. This guide is written and maintained by the Wonderful Wanderings editorial team. Wonderful Wanderings was founded in 2012 by Sofie Couwenbergh, and the team covers Austria for independent travellers, including the Christmas markets, hotels, tours and transport worth booking in Salzburg, and updates this page when prices, dates and rules change.