Christmas Traditions and Events in Salzburg
I love the pre-Christmas season. No other time of year offers so many festivities and cultural events. On November 21, local politicians turn on the lights of the city's main Christmas tree on the Residenzplatz, kicking off six weeks of Christmas markets.
Each year, one of Salzburg's communities or private landlords donate their best hundred-year-old fir tree to the city, and children from one of the schools make the decorations. Most of the festivities take place around the Christmas markets. There are six in Salzburg: on the Mirabellplatz, in the courtyard of the Sternbräu Restaurant, on Altermarktplatz, in the Hohensalzburg Fortress, and my favorite, in the park of Hellbrunn Castle. The central market is located at Domplatz and Residenzplatz.
The last weekend of November marks the beginning of the four-week season of Advent. It is a time of repentance, reflection on our lives, and waiting for the birth of Christ. In the past, it was a time of strict fasting. However, the Church no longer requires fasting before Christmas, so the markets are full of food and hot drinks.
On the city's main squares, near the cathedral, there is a cozy Christmas market where locals and visitors stroll slowly to the sound of Christmas carols. Before the frost sets in, you can buy warm clothes, gifts for your friends and family, and a delicious and satisfying meal. Among the traditional dishes, you can try Salzburg potato soup in a bread pan (Kartoffelsuppe), yeast dough doughnuts with sauerkraut (Bauernkrapfen), various fried, boiled and smoked sausages, baked potatoes with sour cream and bacon, sandwiches with lard and onions, as well as a variety of sweets.
After washing down a hearty meal with mulled wine or non-alcoholic baby punch, it's time for some exercise to get rid of those extra calories. On Mozart Square, in front of the monument to the great composer, there is an ice rink with skates for hire. And right near the Mozart skating rink, you'll find the incredible Museum of Christmas! It's open all year round and is an absolute must-see!
To feast your eyes on the beautiful views of Salzburg, I recommend a hike up to Hohensalzburg Fortress. A leisurely walk takes about 30 minutes. From above, you will see the fabulous city of Salzburg and visit a fantastic Christmas market in the courtyard of the fortress.
At the end of November and the beginning of December, you can visit the processions of mummers in scary devil costumes in the streets of the city. These are the Krampuses, companions of St. Nicholas. Watching such processions is not for the faint-hearted. But there is also a children's version of the Krampus. Every year on St. Nicholas Day (December 6) at 16:00 on the Cathedral Square, Nikolo and Krampus come to children and give them gifts. Krampus behaves calmly so as not to scare anyone.
Read more about the Krampus tradition.
The Salzburger Adventsingen music festival takes place at the same time. On the weekends of Advent, a folk operetta is performed on the stage of the Festival Hall, based on the biblical story of Christmas. The Salzburg Folklore Choir accompanies the performance.
Just a few miles from Salzburg, in the small village of Oberndorf, the Christmas carol Silent Night, Holy Night, was first performed in 1818! During pre-Christmas time, many visitors flock to Oberndorf for its colorful Christmas market and the Nicholas Chapel to honor the song's authors, Josef Mohr and Franz Xavier Gruber. Read more: Silent Night, Holy Night - A Christmas Carol from Salzburg.
December 21, the winter solstice, is the feast day of St. Thomas (Thomastag), the calendar beginning of winter, the shortest day and the longest night. During the twelve-day period of the Rauhnächte or the Rough Nights, between December 21 and January 1 (in some regions, December 24 to January 5), many rituals are performed, especially in the rural areas. It is customary to burn incense in houses and barns. Scary Creatures Perchten run through the towns and villages to drive away winter's evil spirits. Masquerades and theme nights are organized in bars and entertainment venues. The Percht and Krampus traditions should not be confused, as they have different roots.
December is attractive for its sales and significant discounts in shops. In the Old Town, there are dozens of shops of every kind and price range. There are also three large shopping malls in Salzburg: Europark, McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Salzburg and Arena, which offer everything your heart desires. Employees of companies usually receive double salaries in December; employers organize a festive dinner for employees. Work colleagues meet for a get-together, giving each other a symbolic gift or participating in a Secret Santa game. 
On the eve of Christmas, December 24, family members gather around a festive table. Poultry or fish dishes are served; for dessert, baked apples with cinnamon, strudel, or Kaisersсhmarrn, a pancake-like dish. The most persistent go to church at midnight. After the service, people go home and spend the following two holidays with their loved ones. It is common to go skiing or sledding. Many leave the cities to visit their elderly relatives. December 26th is also a public holiday. In Austria, it is called Stephanitag, or St. Stephen's Day, to honor the first Christian martyr. Read more: Public holidays in Austria.
At the end of this article, I would like to give you some advice. Christmas is a family holiday. Therefore, December 24, 25 and 26 is not the best time to go to Austria for fun and loud festivities. A lot of places stay closed. Almost all exciting events take place before and after Christmas. Note that New Year's Eve in Salzburg is a fantastic event worth visiting. Read more: New Year's Eve in the Old Town of Salzburg.
Opening hours of the main Salzburg Christmas market on Domplatz and Residenzplatz in 2024:
November 21, 2024 - January 01, 2025
Monday - Thursday 10:00 - 20:30
Friday 10:00 - 21:00
Saturday 09:00 - 21:00
Sunday, Holidays 09:00 - 20:30
December 08, 09:00 - 20:30 or 21:00 if followed by Saturday or Sunday
December 24, 09:00 - 15:00
December 25, 11:00 - 18:00
December 26, 11:00 - 18:00
From December 27th to December 30th, the usual opening hours are
December 31, 10:00 - 18:00
January 01, 11:00 - 18:00
