Austria Christmas Markets 2026: Dates, Hours & Best Picks

Frohe Weihnachten! merry Christmas

Updated October 2026. Dates and hours are for the 2026/27 season.

We live in a small German village near the Austrian border, so Austria is basically our backyard. Innsbruck and Salzburg are easy day trips, and Vienna is the big one we save up for. Every year people ask me which Austrian markets are worth the trip, and when they actually open. So I went through the official organizer and tourism sites for 2026 and put everything in one place.

Austria Christmas markets 2026 at a glance

Hours are as published by the organizers in October 2026, and the special hours for Christmas Eve and holidays are in each section below. Check the official site before you go.

Vienna: six markets, one city

Full guide: Vienna Christmas markets 2026.

Vienna is the place to go if you want the full imperial Christmas experience. The markets are close enough together that you can do two or three in an evening on the U-Bahn and trams.

Vienna Christmas Market on Rathausplatz (13 Nov – 26 Dec, daily 10:00–22:00, Christmas Eve 10:00–18:30). This is the big one, in front of the City Hall. The Rathauspark behind it turns into an ice-skating path (Eistraum, open until 6 January), and there’s a kids’ area with a reindeer train, a nativity trail and a 12-meter carousel. Get there on U2 to Rathaus or trams 1, 71 or D.

Christmas Market at Schönbrunn Palace (6 Nov – 6 Jan 2027). About 90 huts in the main courtyard of the palace, plus curling lanes and a small free skating area for kids. Daily 10:00–21:00 until 23 December, Christmas Eve 10:00–16:00, then 10:00–19:00 from 25 December. Entry is free. If you can only fit in one Vienna market with kids, this is a strong choice, because you get the palace too.

K&K Christmas Market at Belvedere (20 Nov – 31 Dec). Smaller, with a maximum of 35 huts in front of the Upper Belvedere, themed on the old imperial days. Mon–Fri 11:00–21:00, weekends and holidays 10:00–21:00, 24 and 31 December 11:00–17:00.

Spittelberg (13 Nov – 23 Dec). Stalls in the narrow old lanes of the 7th district, with lots of crafts and a kids’ program. Mon–Fri 14:00–21:30, weekends 11:00–21:30.

Art Advent at Karlsplatz (13 Nov – 23 Dec, daily 12:00–20:00). The arts-and-crafts market in front of St. Charles Church. All the food and drink is certified organic, and there’s a straw play area for little ones.

Old Viennese Christmas Market at the Freyung (14 Nov – 23 Dec, daily 10:00–21:00). Traditional and central, with music and puppet shows on its own stage.

Salzburg: the cathedral, the fortress and a palace

Full guide: Salzburg Christmas market 2026.

Salzburg Christkindlmarkt on Domplatz and Residenzplatz (19 Nov 2026 – 1 Jan 2027). Mon–Thu 10:00–20:30, Fri 10:00–21:00, Sat 09:00–21:00, Sundays and holidays 09:00–20:30. Christmas Eve 09:00–15:00, 25 and 26 December 11:00–18:00, New Year’s Day 11:00–18:00. Entry is free and dogs are allowed. With the cathedral on one side and the fortress lit up above you, the setting is hard to beat.

Hellbrunn Advent Magic (19 Nov – 24 Dec). On the south side of town at Hellbrunn Palace. Tue–Fri 13:00–20:00, weekends and holidays 10:00–20:00, Christmas Eve 10:00–14:00. Closed on Mondays, except 21 December.

Fortress Advent at Hohensalzburg (27 Nov – 20 Dec). Only on Advent weekends (Friday to Sunday) plus 7 and 8 December, 11:00–19:00. Walk up and say “Advent market” at the ticket desk and the market is free; the funicular costs extra.

Innsbruck: seven markets within walking distance

Full guide: Innsbruck Christmas markets 2026.

Innsbruck has seven markets close together, so it works well for a day trip. Here are six of them. The small Wilten market’s 2026 dates didn’t match across the official pages when I checked, so look at innsbruck.info before you go.

• Old Town (13 Nov – 23 Dec, daily 11:00–21:00): right in front of the Golden Roof, with about 65 stalls and a 20-meter tree. The tower musicians play from the Golden Roof every day at 17:00.
• Marktplatz (13 Nov – 23 Dec, daily 11:00–21:00): the family market by the Inn River, with a carousel, puppet theater and a Swarovski crystal tree.
• Maria-Theresien-Straße (25 Nov – 6 Jan 2027, daily 11:00–21:00): the modern one, with food from around the world and the Nordkette mountains behind it.
• Hungerburg (20 Nov – 6 Jan 2027): the highest market, with a view over the city. Mon–Fri 13:00–19:00, weekends 12:00–19:00, shorter on 24 and 31 December and after Christmas.
• Bergisel (13 Nov – 20 Dec): quiet, next to the ski jump. Fridays 14:00–20:00, weekends 11:00–20:00, plus 7 and 8 December.
• St. Nikolaus (20 Nov – 23 Dec, daily 16:00–21:00): small and calm, across the river.

Our corner of Tyrol: Kufstein, Rattenberg, Kitzbühel, Hall, Seefeld

These are the small-town markets, and they’re the ones I’d point families to first.

Kufstein town park market (20 Nov – 20 Dec). Wednesday to Friday from 16:00, weekends from 13:00, and also on 8 December. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Kufstein is a small town on the Inn River with a huge fortress on the rock above it.

Christmas Magic at Kufstein Fortress (Advent weekends only: 28/29 Nov, 5/6 Dec, 12/13 Dec, 19/20 Dec, 11:00–19:00, last entry 18:00). Not open on 8 December. This one has paid entry: €7 for adults, €5 for students aged 12 to 24, €16.50 for a family.

Rattenberg Advent (20 Nov – 20 Dec, Fridays to Sundays plus 8 December). Rattenberg is a tiny medieval glass-making town, and during Advent it mostly does without electric light. It uses candles, torches and open fires instead. The main Saturday program starts at 17:00. Entry is free.

Kitzbühel Advent (18 Nov – 27 Dec). In the Hinterstadt and the town park. Wednesday to Sunday 14:00–20:00, plus 8, 21, 22 and 25 to 27 December. Christmas Eve 10:00–14:00. Kids can write their wish lists at the Christkindl post office.

Hall in Tirol (20 Nov – 24 Dec). On the Oberer Stadtplatz in Hall’s old town, just east of Innsbruck. Mon–Fri 15:00–20:00, Saturday 11:00–20:00, Sunday 13:00–20:00.

Seefeld (20 Nov – 6 Jan 2027, daily 14:00–21:00). Log-cabin huts in the pedestrian zone up on the plateau above Innsbruck. On Christmas Eve each stall decides its own hours.

Salzkammergut: Wolfgangsee and Hallstatt

Wolfgangsee Advent (20 Nov – 20 Dec) is shared by three lakeside villages: St. Wolfgang, St. Gilgen and Strobl. It’s open Wednesday to Sunday: Wed 13:00–19:30, Thu and Fri 11:00–19:30, weekends 10:00–19:30, plus 7 and 8 December 10:00–19:30. On Wednesdays St. Gilgen only has a small offer on the lake promenade. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Hallstatt Christmas Market is a one-day market on 8 December 2026, 10:00–18:00 on the Marktplatz, with crafts, local food, a nativity scene and a big lit tree. Entry is free. Hallstatt is a tiny village and gets very crowded, so if 8 December doesn’t fit your trip, think of Hallstatt in winter as a sightseeing stop rather than a market day.

Linz, Steyr, Graz, Mariazell and Klagenfurt

• Linz (21 Nov – 23 Dec): the Hauptplatz and Volksgarten markets are both open daily 10:00–21:00. There’s also Advent at the Cathedral (Tue–Sun 11:00–20:00), a quieter winter market at Pfarrplatz (daily 11:00–21:00), and a paid one at the Stiegl-Klosterhof (€5 with a hot drink included). On Advent weekends a free hop-on hop-off Christmas train links them.
• Steyr (13 Nov – 24 Dec): an Advent village along the town square, daily 13:00–21:00. All stalls are open Wednesday to Sunday, but only a few on Mondays and Tuesdays.
• Graz (20 Nov – 24 Dec): the market on Hauptplatz in front of the town hall. Stalls are open 10:00–20:00 and food stands until 22:00. The ice nativity scene in the Landhaushof opens on 28 November.
• Mariazell (19 Nov – 20 Dec): a large traditional market in front of the basilica, open on five long weekends (19–22 Nov, 26–29 Nov, 3–8 Dec, 10–13 Dec, 17–20 Dec).
• Klagenfurt (14 Nov – 24 Dec): Neuer Platz, daily 11:00–20:00, with food until 23:00. Nikolo and the Krampus visit on 6 December at 17:00.

Krampus and Perchten runs at Austrian markets

If your kids are brave (or you are), plan around a Krampus run. Some dates for 2026:

• Salzburg: the Krampus run at the Christkindlmarkt is on 5 December, starting around 19:00, with a kids’ Krampus walk on 6 December at 15:30 and a Perchten run on 21 December at 19:00.
• Tyrol: Igls on 29 November, Innsbruck on 3 and 4 December, Seefeld on 4 December (18:00 in the village center), Lienz on 3 to 6 December, Kundl on 5 December and Rattenberg on 6 December.
• Linz: the Linz Krampus run is at the Stiegl-Klosterhof on 7 December at 17:30.

The masks and bells are loud and very real, so little ones may want to watch from a parent’s shoulders or from the back. Our Krampus runs in Austria 2026 guide has every confirmed date and tips for kids.

Getting there and getting around

From Bavaria by train: The Bayern-Ticket (€34 for one adult in 2026, plus €10 for each extra adult) covers regional trains as far as Salzburg Hbf and Kufstein. A Deutschland-Ticket also gets you to Salzburg Hbf and Kufstein on regional trains, but it doesn’t cover trips inside Austria.

Inside Austria: ÖBB trains link Vienna, Linz, Salzburg and Innsbruck. The KlimaTicket Ö is an annual pass (€1,400 for adults in 2026), so it only pays off for people who live here or travel a lot. For a holiday, regular ÖBB tickets are the way to go.

By car: You need a vignette for Austrian motorways. From 2027 the vignette is digital only (the sticker is gone), and it’s linked to your license plate. In 2026 a car vignette costs €9.60 for one day, €12.80 for 10 days or €106.80 for the year. A 1-day or 10-day vignette bought online can start right away. Buy it only from the official ASFINAG shop or app.

8 December is a public holiday in Austria (Immaculate Conception). Many markets open extra hours that day, and Hallstatt’s market is that day only, so expect crowds.

Tips from just over the border

• Go early in the week and early in the evening. Weekends after dark are the busiest time in Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck.
• Watch the closing days. Several of the smaller markets (Kufstein, Rattenberg, Kitzbühel, Wolfgangsee, Mariazell) are not open every day, so check the table before you drive.
• Dress warm. Innsbruck, Seefeld and the Salzkammergut are in the mountains, and evenings get cold.
• Mix a city and a village. Salzburg plus Hellbrunn, or Innsbruck plus Hall or Rattenberg, makes a good weekend.

We also cover the Bavarian side of the border on our sister site: Christmas markets near Munich: 5 day trips by train, including Kufstein and Salzburg.

Pfiat di (take care),
Brian

Notes and sources

Checked 19–21 October 2026 against the official organizer and tourism sites: christkindlmarkt.at, weihnachtsmarkt-schoenbrunn.at, kkweihnachtsmarkt.at, spittelberg.at, karlsplatz.org, altwiener-markt.at, christkindlmarkt.co.at, hellbrunneradventzauber.at, salzburg.info, christkindlmarkt.cc, innsbruck.info, kufstein.at, festung.kufstein.at, alpbachtal.at, kitzbuehel.com, advent-hall-tirol.at, seefeld.com, tirol.at (Krampus runs), wolfgangseer-advent.at, dachstein.salzkammergut.at, linztourismus.at, adventdorf-steyr.at, graztourismus.at, mariazeller-advent.at, visitklagenfurt.at, asfinag.at (vignette), klimaticket.at and bahn.de (Bayern-Ticket). Graz: the official page lists two sets of hours; I used the detailed ones (stalls 10:00–20:00, food to 22:00).