Moving along in our Austria itinerary, Salzburg was high on my wish list both for its Sound of Music filming locations and it’s beautiful Christmas Markets.
The main Christmas Market in Salzburg is located in front of Salzburg Cathedral at the foot of the Hohensalzburg Fortress. With around 100 market stands and a full schedule of events, there’s sure to be something for everyone at this market! Most of the vendor stalls spiral out from a central Christmas tree in front of the Salzburg Cathedral, with the rest spilling out into nearby squares with hundreds of Christmas trees lining the way. There are maps of the market and a schedule of events posted at most entrances, so use it to make a game plan, or otherwise just wander! While there are plenty of food and treats to try, we found our knowledge of the German language to be tested but the menu and the lines were too long to be shouting questions at the poor swamped vendors. For those with dietary difficulties like myself, do some research before hand to limit any issues.
Dates: November 17, 2022- January 1, 2023
Times: 10am-8:30pm (with some variation for weekends)
Size: Large
Just a short walk down the street from the Salzburg Market, the Sternadvent market is a cute bundle of stalls tucked into a small square between shops. We stumbled on this one almost by accident, but just look out for alleyways decorated with pretty baubles and boughs. This market is a welcome breath of calm away from the busy Salzburg Market, but still offers a wide range of shopping options. I found this market to have more knitwear like gloves and hats than other markets. This did close fairly early, so make sure to plan accordingly!
Dates: November 17, 2022- January 6, 2023
Times: 10:30am-7pm
Size: Small
Conveniently close to the bus stop, the Christmas Market on Mirabell Square was a tiny little strip of market stalls with a great atmosphere. I was caught off guard by it on my way to city center, but was pleased to check it out on my return. The market was super laid back- if Sternadvent was small, this one was even smaller- but it was a nice place to grab a mug of mulled wine or hot cider and enjoy a calm Christmas atmosphere.
Dates: November 17, 2022- December 24, 2022
While we had made our way over to Hellbrun Palace for other- more Sound of Music related- reasons, we were excited to see the Hellbrunner Adventzauber being set up. Just a 20 minute bus ride from Mirabell Palace, this advent market is set up in the Hellbrunn Palace courtyard, with beautiful decorations creating a gorgeous winter wonderland. The trees both within and outside the courtyard are decorated with thousands of red Christmas balls and christmas lights. While we were too early to see it, the castle windows are transformed into an Advent calendar at night.
Dates: November 17, 2022- December 24, 2022
Times: Wednesday- Friday 1pm-8pm, Saturday & Sunday- 10am-8pm
Size: Medium
Although we were a few days too early for this one, it was a fun surprise to see the makings of a holiday market in the courtyard of the Hohensalzburg Fortress. At this point it was starting to feel like we’d find a market no matter where we went! There are two options to summit the Fortress- a walk or a funicular. The walk is free, but definitely a workout. Although there is typically an entrance fee to enter the Fortress, it is waived for the event. The basic entrance ticket does include a funicular ride down the hill. Even a few days early as we were, we could see the bones of what was sure to be an excellent market, with hundreds of traditional herrnhut stars lighting up the surroundings. Salzburg’s official website for the event makes mention of fresh tart flambees cooked in the fortress’s historic bakery, which sound mouth watering! The incredible view of Salzburg from the Fortress walls alone makes this market worth a visit.
Dates: November 25, 2022- December 18, 2022
Times: 11am- 7pm
Size: Medium
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