Christmas Markets in Austria 2026

We’ve spent Christmas season in several parts of Austria, including Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck and Graz, and the markets are very different depending on the city. Vienna has dozens spread across the city, Salzburg feels much more traditional and Innsbruck is one of the easiest places to combine Christmas markets with a mountain trip.

Below are the 2026 dates for some of Austria’s best-known Christmas markets, along with what to expect from each one.

Vienna: November 13 – December 26

Vienna has Christmas markets all over the city, so I wouldn’t treat it as one single market. Rathausplatz is the biggest and best known, but Spittelberg, Belvedere and Schönbrunn all feel different enough to be worth seeing if you have time.

We’ve been to Vienna at Christmas and would definitely plan for more than one market. Read our full Vienna Travel Guide and Where to Stay in Vienna guide for more.

Salzburg: November 22 – December 26

Salzburg’s main Christkindlmarkt is held around Domplatz and Residenzplatz, right in the historic center below the fortress. It’s easy to combine with sightseeing because you’re already in the middle of the old town.

If you’re staying overnight, see our Where to Stay in Salzburg guide.

Innsbruck: November 13 – January 6

Innsbruck has several Christmas markets rather than one main event. The Old Town market sits beneath the Golden Roof, while Maria-Theresien-Straße has a larger city-center market and some of the smaller markets continue later into the season.

Innsbruck works especially well if you want Christmas markets and mountain scenery on the same trip.

Where to Stay in Innsbruck →

Graz: November 20 – December 24

Graz spreads its Advent markets across several squares in the center, so you end up seeing a lot of the old town while moving between them. One of the better-known stops is the ice nativity, which is carved from ice and displayed each year in the city center.

We’ve love Graz and you can read our full Graz Travel Guide and Where to Stay in Graz guide for more.

Linz: November 21 – December 24

Linz’s main Christmas market is held at Hauptplatz, with additional seasonal events around the city center. It’s a smaller stop than Vienna or Salzburg and makes more sense as part of a broader Austria trip than as a Christmas destination on its own.

Hallstatt: December 8 only

Hallstatt’s Christmas market is different from the others on this list because it runs for just one day. If you’re planning a trip specifically for it, check the date carefully before booking because you don’t have the same flexibility you do with the larger city markets.

Kitzbühel: November 18 – December 27

Kitzbühel’s Advent market is held through the historic center and works best if you’re already planning a winter trip to the Tyrol. It’s an easy one to combine with skiing rather than planning a separate Christmas-market trip around it.

St. Wolfgang and the Salzkammergut Lakes: November 20 – December 20

St. Wolfgang, St. Gilgen and Strobl each hold their own Advent markets around Wolfgangsee, with ferry connections between the villages during the season. This is a good option if you want to combine several smaller markets rather than stay in one larger city.

Travel Tips for Austrian Christmas Markets

• Carry some cash. Card payment is common, but smaller stalls may still be cash-only.
• Dress for real winter weather. Innsbruck and the Alpine towns can be much colder than Vienna or Graz.
• Go on a weekday if you can. Vienna and Salzburg can get very busy on December weekends.
• Try the regional food. What you find in Tyrol will be different from what you see in Vienna or Styria.
• Book hotels early in the bigger Christmas cities. Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck can fill quickly for December weekends.
• Use the train between major cities. Austria is easy to move around by rail, especially between Vienna, Salzburg, Linz, Graz and Innsbruck.
• Check exact closing dates. Some markets finish before Christmas while others continue through Christmas or into January.

Continue Planning Your European Christmas Trip

Best Christmas Markets in Europe – our full 19-market guide with itineraries
Christmas Markets in Germany – cathedral squares and fairy lights across the country
Christmas Markets in France – from Alsace villages to Paris lights