Austria
Salzburg in December
🧥 WinterCold and some showers.
🎒 Pack: winter coat, gloves & hat
Why December scores 7.6What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort6.4
- !Cold (4°C highs / -2°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point -1°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~72 mm rain)
- Air quality7.4
- ✓Moderate (PM2.5 ~22 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline9.0
- ·Normal precautions
| Dec | Sep | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 7.6 Very good | 9.2 Excellent |
| Season | 🧥 Winter | 🍂 Autumn |
| High / low | 4° / -2° | 20° / 10° |
| Rain | 72 mm | 112 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt -1° | dew pt 11° |
| PM2.5 | 22 µg/m³ | 7 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Salzburg Airport weather-station normals. Rainfall: Salzburg Airport weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Christmas Day 25–27 Dec · 3 days off in a row
Other public holidays: Immaculate Conception (8 Dec)
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Nature calendarBlossoms, leaves & seasons in Salzburg
- Snowy daysIn DecemberTypical datesSnow likely Nov–Mar (most in Jan: ~15 days)
Average number of days with snowfall at Salzburg Airport. About 20 cm of snow falls in an average Jan.
Source: Salzburg Airport weather-station normals (national weather service, via Wikipedia climate table)
Explore SalzburgEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyAustrian city on the Salzach River, Mozart's birthplace, known for its baroque old town, Hohensalzburg Fortress and a world-famous summer music festival.
Salzburg ChristkindlmarktDate variesUsually late November to 26 December
A traditional Christmas market with crafts, mulled wine and choirs.
Why go: Very busy at weekends.
Where: Domplatz and Residenzplatz
Coming up later
Mozart Week (Mozartwoche)Date variesUsually late January to early February, around Mozart's birthday on 27 January
A festival focused on Mozart's music.
Why go: Book concerts ahead.
Where: Mozarteum and other concert halls
Easter Festival (Osterfestspiele)Date variesAround Easter — March or April, date moves each year
A festival of opera and orchestral concerts.
Why go: Book ahead.
Where: Grosses Festspielhaus
Salzburg FestivalDate variesUsually late July to the end of August
One of the world's leading festivals of opera, theatre and classical music, including the play 'Jedermann' in front of the cathedral.
Why go: Tickets for major performances sell out months ahead; hotels are expensive.
Where: Festival halls and Domplatz
Hohensalzburg Fortress
One of the largest medieval castles in Central Europe, above the old town and reached by funicular or on foot.
Mozart's Birthplace
The house at Getreidegasse 9 where Mozart was born in 1756, now a museum.
Mirabell Palace and Gardens
Formal baroque gardens with views of the fortress, used in 'The Sound of Music'.
Salzburg Cathedral
A baroque cathedral where Mozart was baptised.
Hellbrunn Palace trick fountains
A 17th-century pleasure palace with hidden water jets built to surprise guests.
💡 The fountains operate in the warmer half of the year; expect to get splashed.
Getreidegasse
A narrow old-town shopping street known for its wrought-iron guild signs.
Salzburger Nockerl
A sweet baked soufflé shaped into three peaks to represent the hills around the city.
💡 Traditional restaurants
Mozartkugel
Chocolate-covered balls of pistachio marzipan and nougat, first made in Salzburg in 1890.
💡 Café Konditorei Fürst, the original maker, and confectioners
Bosna
A Salzburg snack of grilled sausage in a bun with onions and curry powder.
💡 Sausage stands in the old town
Kasnocken
Small dumplings baked with mountain cheese and topped with fried onions.
💡 Traditional inns
Beer
Salzburg has a long brewing tradition, from the Stiegl brewery to monastery-style beer halls.
💡 Augustiner Bräu Mülln beer hall and garden
Mozartkugeln
The city's famous chocolates, in many brands.
💡 Confectioners and supermarkets
Trachten
Traditional Alpine clothing such as dirndls and loden jackets.
💡 Specialist Trachten shops
Christmas decorations
Hand-painted ornaments and wooden figures.
💡 Christmas market and craft shops
Airport transfer Kiwitaxi
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