Here we introduce the five best-known Salzburg Christmas markets in detail, plus a few smaller Advent spots around the city of Salzburg. Most of them open on 19 November 2026, but their closing dates vary a lot: the market at Hohensalzburg Fortress closes as early as 20 December, Hellbrunn on 24 December, others not until January. We at the Salzburg Christmas market at Mirabellplatz have put together all the Salzburg Christmas markets for you, with opening times, locations and how to get there.
What are the Salzburg Christmas markets? The Salzburg Christmas markets are Advent markets (Christmas markets held during the four weeks before Christmas) in the city of Salzburg, open every year from mid/late November until Christmas or into the new year. The best known are the Christkindlmarkt – the Austrian name for a traditional Christmas market – on Domplatz and Residenzplatz, the Christmas market at Mirabellplatz, the Hellbrunner Adventzauber (Hellbrunn Advent Magic), the Sternadvent and the Advent market at Hohensalzburg Fortress.
Planning a visit to Mirabellplatz? You’ll find opening times and directions further down.
Salzburg Christmas markets 2026 at a glance
The five best-known markets compared. The details come from the markets’ official websites and from salzburg.info (as of 2 October 2026).
| Market | Location | Dates 2026 | Opening hours (regular) | What’s special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christkindlmarkt | Domplatz and Residenzplatz, Old Town | 19 Nov 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 | Mon–Thu 10 am–8.30 pm, Fri 10 am–9 pm, Sat 9 am–9 pm, Sun 9 am–8.30 pm | Large Old Town market, around 100 stalls |
| Christmas market at Mirabellplatz | In front of Schloss Mirabell, right bank of the Old Town | 19 Nov – 31 Dec 2026 | Sun–Thu 10 am–8 pm, Fri–Sat 10 am–9 pm | Small, close to the main station, open until New Year’s Eve |
| Hellbrunner Adventzauber | Courtyard of Schloss Hellbrunn, south of the city | 19 Nov – 24 Dec 2026 | Tue–Fri 1–8 pm, Sat/Sun/8 Dec 10 am–8 pm, closed Mondays (except 21 Dec) | Kinderweihnachtswelt (children’s Christmas world), entry fee |
| Sternadvent with winter market | Sternbräu courtyard between Getreidegasse and Griesgasse | 19 Nov 2026 – 6 Jan 2027 | Sun–Thu 11 am–7 pm, Fri–Sat 11 am–8.30 pm | Tucked away in a courtyard, open until Epiphany |
| Advent market at the fortress | Hohensalzburg Fortress | 27 Nov – 20 Dec 2026 | Fri–Sun and 7/8 Dec, 11 am–7 pm | View over the city, selected days only |
Only Hellbrunn charges an entry fee; all the other markets are free to enter. You can reach the fortress by the FestungsBahn funicular or on foot.
Christkindlmarkt on Domplatz and Residenzplatz
The Salzburg Christkindlmarkt is the big classic in the heart of the Old Town. Around 100 stalls stand between the cathedral and the Residenz palace, and the market has existed in its current form since 1974. It opens on 19 November 2026 and stays open until 1 January 2027, until 6 pm on New Year’s Eve.
If you’re after the Old Town backdrop, the Turmblasen (brass music played from the city’s towers) and plenty of choice, this is the place for you.
Christmas market at Mirabellplatz (Mirabell Square)
Our market stands in front of Schloss Mirabell, opposite St. Andrew’s Church (Andräkirche), on the right bank of the Salzach river. It’s open from 19 November to 31 December 2026, usually from 10 am, and entry is free. From the main station it’s a walk of around 10 to 15 minutes, and trolleybus (O-Bus) lines 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 14 stop right at Mirabellplatz.
We’re a small market with hand-picked exhibitors, many of them from the Salzburg region. At Christl-Alm you can smell fresh Bauernkrapfen (traditional fried dough pastries): the Neureiter family has been a fixture at Mirabellplatz for more than 35 years and bakes Bauernkrapfen and Pofesen (fried bread slices filled with plum jam); at Reisinger you’ll find Salzburger Brezen (Salzburg-style pretzels), and at Rettenbacher hot Speckbrot (bread topped with Austrian bacon) and Kaspressknödel (fried cheese dumplings). If you’re looking for something to take home, there’s ceramics from La Poterie de Taizé, incense from Wirnsberger, herbs and tea from the Eichenauer family’s St. Wolfganger Kräuterhaus and Christmas tree decorations – we introduce every hut on our exhibitors page.
During Advent, brass ensembles play in front of the palace, and there’s also the lighting of the Christmas tree and a visit from St. Nicholas and Krampus – a horned, fur-clad figure from Alpine folklore who accompanies St. Nicholas. The exact dates for 2026 will follow on our programme page. The whole market is level, so it’s easy to get around with a wheelchair or pushchair, and dogs on a lead are welcome.
Opening hours & getting here
All opening times for 2026, getting here by bus and train, parking and accessibility – everything for your visit to Mirabellplatz.
Hellbrunner Adventzauber
The Hellbrunner Adventzauber takes place in the courtyard of Schloss Hellbrunn in the south of the city and celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2026. It’s open from 19 November to 24 December 2026, Tuesday to Friday from 1 pm, at weekends and on 8 December from 10 am; it’s closed on Mondays, except on 21 December. Hellbrunn charges an entry fee. Entry is free from 7 pm, on 24 December and for children up to 6.
With its Kinderweihnachtswelt, Hellbrunn is aimed especially at families with younger children. From the main station, bus line 25 runs via Rathaus to the stop “Schloss Hellbrunn”.
Sternadvent with winter market
The Sternadvent takes place in the courtyard of the Sternbräu, between Getreidegasse and Griesgasse. It’s open from 19 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, Sunday to Thursday from 11 am to 7 pm, Friday and Saturday until 8.30 pm. If you don’t know it’s there, it’s easy to walk past – the courtyard is a little hidden in the middle of the Old Town.
Advent market at Hohensalzburg Fortress
The Advent market takes place up at Hohensalzburg Fortress, with a view over the rooftops of the city. In 2026 it’s open from 27 November to 20 December, but only Friday to Sunday and on 7 and 8 December, each day from 11 am to 7 pm. There’s a programme for children from 2 to 5 pm. You can get up there by the FestungsBahn or on foot.
More Advent spots: St. Peter and Stiegl-Keller
Two places aren’t classic markets with exhibitors, but they fit well into a day of Advent sightseeing. At St. Peter there’s the “Winterwunderwald” (winter wonder forest) from 11 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, and the Stiegl-Keller hosts its “Winterzauber” (winter magic) from 11 November to 23 December 2026. For both, it’s worth checking the operators’ websites before you set off.
Which Christmas market suits you?
A quick guide by what you’re looking for:
- Lots of choice and an Old Town backdrop: the Christkindlmarkt on Domplatz and Residenzplatz.
- Smaller, quieter and close to the main station: the Christmas market at Mirabellplatz.
- With small children: the Hellbrunner Adventzauber with its Kinderweihnachtswelt.
- A view at the weekend: the Advent market at the fortress.
- Christmas atmosphere after New Year’s Eve: Sternadvent and Christkindlmarkt (until 6 and 1 January respectively).
Between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, Mirabellplatz, Domplatz/Residenzplatz and Sternadvent are open; Hellbrunn and the fortress are not.
From Salzburg train station to the Christmas markets
If you arrive by train, Mirabellplatz is the first market on your way into the Old Town. A route for an afternoon and evening:
- Mirabellplatz: around 10 to 15 minutes’ walk from the main station. A Bauernkrapfen to start, a look into the Mirabell Gardens.
- Across the Salzach into the Old Town: to the Sternadvent between Getreidegasse and Griesgasse.
- On the fortress’s opening days: up by the FestungsBahn to the Advent market (until 7 pm).
- Domplatz and Residenzplatz: to the Christkindlmarkt, ideally in the early evening.
For Hellbrunn, it’s better to plan a separate half-day, as the market is outside the Old Town.
Our exhibitors
Who’s in which hut? Meet our exhibitors – from Bauernkrapfen to ceramics from Taizé.
Frequently asked questions
Most Salzburg Christmas markets open on 19 November 2026: the Christkindlmarkt on Domplatz and Residenzplatz, the Christmas market at Mirabellplatz, the Hellbrunner Adventzauber and the Sternadvent. The Advent market at Hohensalzburg Fortress starts on 27 November and is open Friday to Sunday and on 7 and 8 December.
After 24 December, the Christmas market at Mirabellplatz (until 31 December), the Christkindlmarkt on Domplatz and Residenzplatz (until 1 January) and the Sternadvent (until 6 January) are open. Hellbrunn closes on 24 December, the fortress as early as 20 December.
On Christmas Eve the markets are open until early afternoon; the fortress is closed. Mirabellplatz is open from 10 am to 3 pm, Domplatz and Residenzplatz from 9 am to 3 pm, Hellbrunn from 10 am to 2 pm and the Sternadvent from 10 am to 3 pm.
Only the Hellbrunner Adventzauber charges an entry fee; it’s free from 7 pm, on 24 December and for children up to 6. You can visit all the other markets in the city without paying entry. For the fortress you’ll need a ticket for the FestungsBahn unless you walk up.
Of the five best-known markets, the Christmas market at Mirabellplatz is the closest to Salzburg main station (Hauptbahnhof) – it’s a walk of around 10 to 15 minutes. Trolleybus lines 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 14 stop right at Mirabellplatz.
The Hellbrunner Adventzauber with its Kinderweihnachtswelt is designed for small children, and the fortress has a children’s programme on its opening days. At Mirabellplatz, St. Nicholas and Krampus visit the market, and the level square is easy to get around with a pushchair.
Sources
All details retrieved on 2 October 2026: Christkindlmarkt Salzburg · Hellbrunner Adventzauber · Sternadvent · Hohensalzburg Fortress · St. Peter · Stiegl-Keller · Salzburg Tourism