On 19 November the lights come on again for the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt 2026 – Christkindlmarkt is the Austrian name for a traditional Christmas market – between the cathedral on Domplatz (Cathedral Square) and the Residenz palace, and the Old Town smells of Glühwein (hot mulled wine, spiced with cinnamon, cloves and orange) and Lebkuchen (gingerbread). We’re the Christmas market at Mirabellplatz on the other side of the Salzach, a market in its own right with its own association, and we’re happy to recommend the Christkindlmarkt to you: for us, it’s part of Advent in Salzburg. Here you’ll find everything you need for 2026, and how to stop by at our place on Mirabellplatz on your way there or back.
What is the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt? The Salzburg Christkindlmarkt is the large Advent market on Domplatz and Residenzplatz in Salzburg’s Old Town. In 2026 it’s open from 19 November to 1 January 2027, with around 100 stalls and a programme of Turmblasen (brass music played from the city’s towers), choirs and a Krampus run – Krampus being a horned, fur-clad figure from Alpine folklore who accompanies St. Nicholas.
How to combine Domplatz and Mirabellplatz in one day is further down.
When is the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt 2026?
The Christkindlmarkt is open from Thursday 19 November 2026 to Friday 1 January 2027. On the first day the stalls open at 10 am, and the opening ceremony with the lighting of the Christmas tree starts at 6 pm.
The Christkindlmarkt has existed in its current form since 1974, and today it stands on both Domplatz and Residenzplatz.
Opening times (hours) 2026 – including public holidays
On regular days, these are the Christkindlmarkt’s opening hours:
| Day | Opening times |
|---|---|
| Monday to Thursday | 10 am – 8.30 pm |
| Friday | 10 am – 9 pm |
| Saturday | 9 am – 9 pm |
| Sunday and public holidays | 9 am – 8.30 pm |
These days have their own times:
| Date | Opening times |
|---|---|
| Mon 7 December | 10 am – 9 pm |
| Tue 8 December (public holiday) | 9 am – 8.30 pm |
| Thu 24 December | 9 am – 3 pm |
| 25 and 26 December | 11 am – 6 pm |
| 27 to 30 December | regular times |
| Thu 31 December | stalls selling goods until at least 6 pm, selected food and drink stalls until 1 am |
| Fri 1 January | 11 am – 6 pm |
On 24 December the rule is: come early. All stalls close at 3 pm.
Schedule 2026: Turmblasen, Krampus run and the Christkind
The programme on Domplatz and Residenzplatz according to the organiser (as of 23 October 2026):
| What | When | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Junges Turmblasen (“young Turmblasen”) | Wed 25 Nov and 2, 9, 16, 23 Dec, 6 pm | Domplatz |
| Traditional Turmblasen | Sat 21 Nov, 28 Nov, 5, 12, 19 Dec and Thu 19 Nov, 26 Nov, 3, 10, 17 Dec, each at 6.30 pm | Residenzplatz |
| Sing along! (“Sing mit!”) | Tue 24 Nov and 1, 8, 15, 22 Dec, 6–8 pm | Christkindlmarkt |
| Choirs | Mon–Fri 5 pm, Sat and Sun 3 pm and 5 pm, children’s choirs on Fridays at 2 pm | Christkindlmarkt |
| Children’s reading (on 25 Nov with an Engerl, a little angel; from 2 Dec with the Christkind (Christ Child), who brings the presents in Austria) | Wed 25 Nov and 2, 9, 16, 23 Dec, 4 pm | Info stand by the Christmas tree |
| Christkind walkabout (“Christkind-Rundgang”) | Sun 29 Nov and 6, 13, 20 Dec, 4 pm | Domplatz |
| Krampus run (“Lauf der Krampusse”) | Sat 5 Dec, expected at 7 pm | Domplatz |
| St. Nicholas and the Kinderkrampus (children’s Krampus) | Sun 6 Dec, 3.30 pm | Christkindlmarkt |
| Perchten run for the first Rauhnacht – Perchten are fur-clad, masked figures from Alpine winter folklore, and the Rauhnächte are the traditional “rough nights” of midwinter | Mon 21 Dec, 7 pm | Domplatz |
According to the organiser, the musicians at the traditional Turmblasen play from three towers around Residenzplatz. Exact times may change, so check the organiser’s website again on the day itself.
If you’d like to hear more brass music in the evening: in front of Schloss Mirabell (Mirabell Palace) our Advent music usually starts as early as 5.15 pm – so on Saturdays it begins before the Turmblasen on Residenzplatz. All dates are on our programme page.
Christmas programme
Brass players perform in front of Schloss Mirabell during Advent, the Christmas tree lights up on 25 November and St. Nicholas and Krampus visit on 2 December. All dates for 2026 at a glance.
Getting there in 2026: Neutor closure, trolleybus, parking and coaches
The most important thing first: the Neutor tunnel has been closed to cars, motorbikes and buses since 14 September 2026, probably until spring 2027. You can still walk through. So if you’re driving into the Old Town from the west, you’ll need to plan a different route.
By train and trolleybus: from the main station, take trolleybus (Obus) line 3, 5 or 6 to the Rathaus stop and walk from there across Alter Markt to Domplatz. Because of the Neutor closure, lines 1, 8, 10 and 22 run on a diversion; the Mönchsbergaufzug and Herbert-von-Karajan-Platz stops are not served, and the next stop is Ferdinand-Hanusch-Platz.
Free on Advent Saturdays: on 28 November and on 5, 12 and 19 December 2026, buses and trains of the Salzburger Verkehrsverbund (the regional transport network) are free for everyone within the core zone of the city of Salzburg. This was decided by the City of Salzburg. Outside the core zone, regular fares apply.
By car: the most relaxed option is to park on the edge of the city and continue by trolleybus:
- Park & Ride Süd (south): trolleybus 3 to Rathaus (line 8 also goes there)
- Park & Ride Messe (exhibition centre): trolleybus 1 or 8 to Ferdinand-Hanusch-Platz
- Designer Outlet and Airport: trolleybus 2 or 10
Because of the Neutor closure, you can only reach the Old Town car parks A and B (Altstadtgaragen) via Riedenburg and Maxglan, and they may be full at weekends in Advent. In the short-stay parking zone (Kurzparkzone), parking is chargeable Monday to Friday from 9 am to 7 pm; on Saturdays from 9 am to 4 pm it’s free with a parking disc, for a maximum of three hours.
By coach (tour bus): coaches can only drop off and pick up after booking through the online system of Salzburg Tourism, at the Nonntal and Paris-Lodron-Straße terminals.
On the way there or back: the Christmas market at Mirabellplatz (Mirabell Square)
The Christkindlmarkt and our Christmas market at Mirabellplatz are two separate markets that go well together. Between Domplatz and Mirabellplatz it’s a walk of around a quarter of an hour, across the Salzach and through the part of the Old Town on the right bank.
- On the way there: if you’re coming by train, Mirabellplatz is right on your way. From the main station it’s a 10 to 15-minute walk to us, then on across the Salzach to Domplatz.
- On the way back: heading from Domplatz back to the station, you’ll pass by our market again – for one last Glühwein or a pretzel for the journey home.
Our market in front of Schloss Mirabell is the small Christkindlmarkt on the other side of the river. It has stayed intimate and personal, and plenty of locals like to come here.
We’re open from 19 November to 31 December 2026, usually from 10 am, and entry is free. You’ll find the exact times and all public holidays on our info page.
A few of the stalls you’ll find at our market:
- Christl-Alm bakes Bauernkrapfen (traditional fried dough pastries) and serves Glühwein made to Grandpa Sepp’s secret recipe. It has been a fixture at our market for more than 35 years.
- At Alexander Reisinger you’ll find Salzburger Brezen (Salzburg-style pretzels) in twelve different varieties, handmade in Salzburg.
- Alexandra Wirnsberger sells frankincense and other incense. New this year: incense sticks and cones with Swiss stone pine (Zirbe).
What else there is to eat and drink at our market is in our article on food and drink at Mirabellplatz. And there’s plenty going on at our place in Advent too: on Wednesday 25 November at 6 pm the Christmas tree in front of the palace lights up for the first time, and on Wednesday 2 December at 6 pm St. Nicholas and Krampus hand out sweets to the children.
You’ll find all the other markets in the city, from the Sternadvent to Hellbrunn, in our comparison of all the Salzburg Christmas markets.
Opening hours & getting here
Our small Christmas market in front of Schloss Mirabell, a 10 to 15-minute walk from the main station, free entry. Find opening times and directions here.
Frequently asked questions
The Christkindlmarkt on Domplatz and Residenzplatz opens on Thursday 19 November 2026 at 10 am. The opening ceremony with the lighting of the Christmas tree starts at 6 pm on the same day.
The market is open until 1 January 2027. On weekdays it closes at 8.30 pm, on Fridays and Saturdays at 9 pm. On 24 December it closes at 3 pm, and on 25 and 26 December and 1 January it’s open from 11 am to 6 pm.
Yes. On 31 December the stalls selling goods are open until at least 6 pm, and selected food and drink stalls until 1 am. On 1 January the market opens once more from 11 am to 6 pm.
The Krampus run on Domplatz is on Saturday 5 December 2026, expected to start at 7 pm. On Monday 21 December at 7 pm it’s followed by the Perchten run for the first Rauhnacht. For young children, St. Nicholas and the Kinderkrampus come on Sunday 6 December at 3.30 pm. All Krampus dates in the city are in our article on Krampus in Salzburg 2026.
Ideally at a Park & Ride on the edge of the city, such as Süd or Messe, and then continue by trolleybus. In 2026, because of the Neutor closure, you can only reach the Old Town car parks via Riedenburg and Maxglan, and they may be full at weekends in Advent. On the four Advent Saturdays, buses and trains in the core zone are free.
No. They’re two separate markets, each with its own association, and you can easily combine them in one day. The Christmas market at Mirabellplatz stands in front of Schloss Mirabell on the other side of the Salzach, on the way between the main station and the Old Town. It’s open from 19 November to 31 December 2026; you’ll find the times on our info page.
Sources
All details retrieved on 23 October 2026: organiser of the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt, pages “Öffnungszeiten” (opening times), “Wichtige Termine” (important dates), “Anreise” (getting there) (as of 16 October 2026) and “Tradition” · Salzburg Tourism: Salzburger Christkindlmarkt · City of Salzburg: special network map for the Neutor closure · City of Salzburg: press release of 4 May 2026 (free public transport on Advent Saturdays)