The Salzburger Christkindlmarkt on Domplatz and Residenzplatz runs from 19 November 2026 to 1 January 2027. It is open Monday to Thursday 10:00 to 20:30, Friday 10:00 to 21:00, Saturday 9:00 to 21:00, and Sundays and holidays 9:00 to 20:30. Around it, Salzburg has several smaller markets: the Advent market in the courtyard of Hohensalzburg Fortress (weekends only), the Hellbrunn Advent Magic at Hellbrunn Palace (19 November to 24 December), the market on Mirabellplatz (19 November to 31 December), and the Sternadvent (19 November 2026 to 6 January 2027).
Salzburg's markets are smaller than Vienna's, and the city's Advent has a few things Vienna doesn't: brass players on the terraces above Residenzplatz, Krampus runs through the old town in early December, and a short trip north to Oberndorf, where "Silent Night" was first sung in 1818. This guide covers the dates, opening hours and how to reach each one.
The Christkindlmarkt on Domplatz and Residenzplatz
The main market fills the two squares on either side of Salzburg Cathedral, with stalls running under the arches between them. On Domplatz the stalls face the cathedral's Baroque front; on Residenzplatz they ring the fountain in front of the Residenz. The market in its current form dates from 1974, according to its organisers.
Stalls on Domplatz, decorated with fir garlands. Image: Eweht, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Expect Christmas decorations, woodcarving, candles, glass, gingerbread and sweets, and plenty of food and drink stalls serving Glühwein and Punsch. It is busiest on Saturday afternoons and December weekends; weekday mornings are the calmest time to browse.
A sweet stall at the Domplatz market. Image: Eweht, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Practical info: Domplatz and Residenzplatz, Salzburg old town (Altstadt), 19 November 2026 to 1 January 2027. Monday to Thursday 10:00 to 20:30; Friday 10:00 to 21:00; Saturday 9:00 to 21:00; Sundays and holidays 9:00 to 20:30. 24 December: 9:00 to 15:00. 25 and 26 December: 11:00 to 18:00. 31 December: craft stalls open until at least 18:00, selected food and drink stalls until 1:00. 1 January 2027: 11:00 to 18:00. The old town is largely pedestrianised; it is a short bus ride or a longer walk from the main station.
Turmblasen: brass music above Residenzplatz
The Salzburger Turmblasen is the market's best free event. Brass groups from across the province play from three high points around Residenzplatz: the terrace above the cathedral arches, the terrace of the Christmas Museum and the Glockenspiel tower. The tradition of playing Advent music from the Glockenspiel tower began in 1950; since 2008 the market's organisers have run it.
Woodcarvings and Christmas pyramids at a Residenzplatz stall. Image: Eweht, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Groups play on Thursday and Saturday evenings, and the "young tower brass players" perform on Wednesdays in front of the cathedral. The official calendar lists performances from 19 November to 23 December 2026, most at 18:30 and the Wednesday sessions at 18:00. Stand in the middle of Residenzplatz to hear them best.
Practical info: Residenzplatz and Domplatz. Free. Check the exact day and time on the Christkindlmarkt or Salzburg tourism event calendar, as the schedule varies by week.
Krampus runs in early December
Krampus is the horned, fur-covered companion of St. Nicholas in Alpine folklore, and the days around 5 December (Krampus Night, the eve of St. Nicholas Day) are when the Krampus and Perchten groups come out. They are loud, they rattle chains and bells, and small children may find them frightening.
Krampus figures at the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt. Image: ByteBros, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The local news site Salzburg24 lists these old-town runs for 2026 (the organisers may still change times):
- 5 December, 13:00: Krampus run at the Christkindlmarkt.
- 5 December, 13:30: Krampus run in Getreidegasse.
- 5 December, 17:00: Krampus run in Linzer Gasse.
- 6 December, 15:30: St. Nicholas and children's Krampus at the Christkindlmarkt.
- 21 December, 19:00: Perchten run at the Christkindlmarkt.
Practical info: Stand behind barriers where there are any, keep a hand on young children, and don't provoke the runners. Several suburbs and villages around Salzburg hold their own runs from mid-November to mid-December.
Hellbrunn Advent Magic
South of the city, the courtyard of Hellbrunn Palace becomes one of the region's most popular Advent markets. The palace façade, with its 24 windows, is turned into a giant Advent calendar, and the grounds have a Krampus area and a children's Christmas world with animals to watch. In the evening the trees and statues are lit, which makes it a better visit after dark than in daylight.
The Hellbrunn Advent market in the palace forecourt at night. Image: MatthiasKabel, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
A lit statue in the grounds of Hellbrunn Palace during the Advent market. Image: Werner100359, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Practical info: Schloss Hellbrunn, Fürstenweg 37, Salzburg. 19 November to 24 December 2026. Tuesday to Friday 13:00 to 20:00; Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 10:00 to 20:00; 24 December 10:00 to 14:00. Closed on Mondays, except Monday 21 December (13:00 to 20:00). Bus 25 runs from the main station, Mirabellplatz and Rudolfskai to the Schloss Hellbrunn stop; the organisers say it runs every 10 minutes on weekend afternoons. Check the Hellbrunn website for admission.
The Fortress, Mirabellplatz and Sternadvent
The Advent market at Hohensalzburg Fortress sits in the courtyard of the castle above the old town and is open only on certain days: Friday to Sunday from 27 November to 20 December 2026, plus 7 and 8 December. Combine it with the funicular ride up and the view over the rooftops at dusk.
The Christmas market on Mirabellplatz, in front of Mirabell Palace on the other side of the river, runs from 19 November to 31 December 2026. It is a more local market, a short walk from the main station.
Stalls of the Christmas market on Mirabellplatz. Image: Eweht, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The Sternadvent with its winter market runs from 19 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, so like the Christkindlmarkt it stays open into the new year.
Practical info: Dates for 2026 from Austria's national tourism board; the fortress market's opening hours were not yet published at the time of writing.
Oberndorf: where "Silent Night" began
"Silent Night" ("Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht") was first performed on 24 December 1818 in the St. Nikola church in Oberndorf, a small town on the Salzach north of Salzburg. Joseph Mohr wrote the words and Franz Xaver Gruber the music. The church no longer stands; a small memorial chapel, the Stille-Nacht-Kapelle, marks the site, and the Stille-Nacht-Museum nearby tells the song's story.
The Silent Night Chapel in Oberndorf, on the site of the church where the carol was first sung. Image: High Contrast, CC BY 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons.
Every year on 24 December at 17:00 there is a commemoration in front of the Gruber-Mohr monument. It draws visitors from all over the world, so arrive early.
Oberndorf also holds a small Christmas market by the chapel, with wood carvings, handmade decorations, mulled wine and roasted chestnuts; Austria's tourism board lists it as open daily from 8:30 to 18:00 in the season.
Practical info: The Salzburger Lokalbahn regional train (S1 or S11) takes about 25 minutes from Salzburg main station to Oberndorf. Check the Stille Nacht Oberndorf and Lokalbahn websites for 24 December arrangements and museum hours.
Day trips: Advent beyond the city
The province of Salzburg has dozens of village markets, many open only at weekends. These are the easiest to combine with a stay in the city (2026 dates from Austria's tourism board):
- Wolfgangseer Advent in St. Wolfgang, St. Gilgen and Strobl around Lake Wolfgang: 20 November to 20 December.
- Advent of the Villages in six villages of the Fuschlsee region: 28 November 2026 to 1 January 2027, Wednesday to Sunday plus 7 and 8 December.
- Advent market at Hohenwerfen Castle, south of the city: 28 and 29 November, 5 and 6 December, and 8 December.
- Advent in Bad Hofgastein, combined with the spa town's thermal baths: 27 November to 20 December, weekends plus 7 and 8 December.
- Salzburg Mountain Advent in the Grossarl valley: 20 November to 20 December.
A day at Salzburg's Advent
Start mid-morning at the Christkindlmarkt on Domplatz, before the crowds, and walk through the arches to Residenzplatz. After lunch, take the funicular up to the fortress if its Advent market is open that day (Friday to Sunday), or bus 25 out to Hellbrunn for the afternoon (it opens at 13:00 on weekdays). Be back on Residenzplatz for the Turmblasen at 18:30 on a Thursday or Saturday, then cross the river to Mirabellplatz for a last Glühwein near the main station. On 5 December, plan the day around the Krampus runs instead.
Which market should you choose?
- One evening only: the Christkindlmarkt on Domplatz and Residenzplatz, timed for a Turmblasen performance.
- With children: Hellbrunn (Advent calendar façade, animals, Krampus area) on a weekend afternoon.
- For a view: the fortress Advent market on a Friday to Sunday.
- Between Christmas and New Year: the Christkindlmarkt (until 1 January), Mirabellplatz (until 31 December) and the Sternadvent (until 6 January).
- On Christmas Eve: the Christkindlmarkt until 15:00, then the 17:00 commemoration in Oberndorf.
Tips for visiting
- Weather: December in Salzburg is cold and often damp, with snow some years. The squares are cobbled and slippery when wet; wear boots.
- Food and drink: Glühwein, Punsch, roasted chestnuts and roasted almonds are the classics. Hot drinks usually come in a mug with a deposit that you get back when you return it.
- Where to stay: The old town (left bank) puts you on the Christkindlmarkt's doorstep. The right bank around Linzer Gasse and Mirabellplatz is a few minutes' walk away and closer to the main station.
- Crowds: Weekends in late November and December are busy, especially around 8 December, a public holiday in Austria. Visit on a weekday if you can.
- Dates change: All dates and hours above come from the market organisers and Austria's tourism board. Check the official sites before you travel.
