10 Things to Do in Salzburg in Winter

During the cold months of the year, Salzburg is a magical place. The city blends a passion for classical music, a breathtaking winter landscape, and iconic cultural and leisure destinations. You will certainly find a wide range of activities to enjoy alone, with friends or with your family.

Among the best things to do in Salzburg in winter are visiting the Christmas markets, celebrating Mozart week and enjoying ice sports. You can also discover a different perspective of the city through a guided tour, among others.

If your trip to Salzburg is around January 27 and the first week of February, you can celebrate the anniversary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's birth. For one week the whole city pays tribute to the composer. You will see his name everywhere.

You can enjoy a real Mozart concert tour in Salzburg, organized annually by the Mozarteum Salzburg Foundation. You will find chamber music, theatrical performances, orchestral concerts, dance productions, concertante opera, among others.

The options for getting to know Mozart' s musical legacy are varied. For example, here are some places you can visit:

• Salzburg Cathedral Square. There, you will see some open-air performances.
• The Mozart House-Museum, with exhibits on the composer's daily life and his musical works.
• The Hohensalzburg Fortress, where some galas of the Mozarteum Orchestra are held.

Certainly, at any time of the year you can buy tickets for a Mozart concert in Salzburg, but nothing can match Mozart Week. This festival brings together the world's best artists to perform the compositions for wind and brass of the genius creator, Mozart.

Any time is the right time to take a stroll through Salzburg' s old town and discover all its hidden gems. However, if you want to avoid the annoying crowds, then the winter season is a convenient time for your visit, as it is a period of low tourist influx.

This is one of the best tours of Salzburg, which will allow you to walk through the narrow streets of the city center without haste. You will enjoy the medieval architecture, picturesque squares and the Salzach River that divides the city between the old and the new area.

You can take this tour on your own or connect with a guided tour of Salzburg. Whichever you choose, you will walk through must-see places in the city such as the following:

• Mirabell Palace and its imposing gardens, which in this season are sprinkled with snow and offer a nostalgic atmosphere.
• The Salzburg Cathedral, where Mozart was baptized.
• St. Peter's Abbey; this is a Benedictine monastery in rococo style.

Information of interest

• Price: the price of the tour starts at 159€ per person approximately.
• Duration: two to six hours.

Perhaps your visit of at least 1 day in Salzburg during the winter coincides with Valentine's Day on February 14. If so, you can take the opportunity to celebrate this date in a special way by leaving a love lock on the Makartsteg Bridge.

This bridge connects Salzburg' s old town with the new part of the city. You can approach this iconic structure at any time of the day and place a symbolic red padlock with your initials and those of your lover, so that your romance will last in time.

Also, if you go to the bridge at sunset you will be amazed by the romantic and nostalgic atmosphere of the place. You will see the last rays of the sun covering the snowy landscape of the city and generating a series of contrasts, brightness and shadows on it.

You will enjoy a different panoramic view of the Salzach River flowing under the bridge, the medieval architecture of the old town and the Austrian Alps, which guard the city from afar. Afterwards, you can complement this magical experience by attending a Mozart concert with dinner in Salzburg at the Hohensalzburg Fortress.

The arrival of winter in Salzburg from mid-December to mid-March is accompanied by low tourist traffic and therefore low prices on most goods and services. While you are in town, take advantage of the sales during the cold months and do some shopping.

This adventure can be done at your own pace. All you have to do is go to Getreidegasse, which is the main shopping street in the city. There, you will find everything from traditional stores to international chains. You can buy handicrafts, fashion, leather goods, jewelry, perfumes, antiques and more.

And, if you are in Salzburg in December, you can do some shopping at the Christmas markets, some of them being the following:

• The Christkindlmarkt, considered one of the oldest flea markets with a history dating back to the 15th century. You will enjoy a little more than 100 commercial stalls with mulled wine, roasted chestnuts, handicrafts, natural products, etc.
• The Mirabell Square flea market with a fairytale setting, due to its location next to the impressive Mirabell Gardens, usually incorporated in the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg.

Another thing you can do in Salzburg during the coldest months of the year is to be amazed by its amazing winter scenery. To do so, just visit a few local viewpoints on your own and get a different perspective of the city of Mozart.

The main viewpoints in the city include the following:

• Hohensalzburg Fortress, perched on the Festungsberg, which offers a 360° panorama of the city.
• The towers of the Salzburg Cathedral, with its particular early baroque style. From the top of these structures you will have a breathtaking view of the old town.
• The Capuchin Hill, from where you will see the rooftops of the city dotted with snow.
• The Museum of Modern Art, located on Mount Mönchsberg and with a privileged view from the terrace of the building.

These destinations are easily accessible, so you will have no problem getting to them. In fact, if you wish, you can take a tour on the tourist bus of Salzburg, since among its approximately 15 free stops, it incorporates these viewpoints.

The Winterfest takes place every year in the city of Salzburg. It is a circus show with more than 20 years of tradition in the region, which will transport you to a magical world, full of acrobatics and a somewhat extravagant humor.

The festival takes place during the month of December and until the first days of January in the gardens of the Volksgarten sports park in Salzburg. There, you will be amazed from the very first moment by the beautiful winter scenery surrounding the tent, which is illuminated by dozens of colorful lights.

During the show you will enjoy the performance of several international circus companies presenting their latest productions. You will be immersed in a series of amusing stories where acrobatics and poetry are the protagonists. All this, accompanied by a surround sound.

In addition, you will find a wide range of seasonal cuisine, which incorporates roasted chestnuts, mulled wine, among other preparations. You will be able to delight your palate and soothe the effect of the low temperatures of the coldest season of the year.

Information of interest

• Price: the cost of admission varies according to each year.
• Duration: about two hours.

There is nothing like a good mulled wine to warm you up during the winter in Salzburg. Therefore, if you are in the city of Mozart in the coldest season of the year, which runs from mid-December to mid-March, you can take part in a guided wine tasting in some of the city's bars.

This is an experience that you can do on your own, but it will be even more worthwhile if you take it in the company of a professional guide. You will have the opportunity to learn about the city's wine history, which dates back to Roman times.

Among the places that stand out as favorites for this type of activity are the wine shops Wine shop De Gustibus, WEIN & CO Salzburg Platzl, the Salzburg Tasting Studio, among others.

In any of these destinations you can taste a wide selection of Austrian wines, some of them sparkling and others non-alcoholic. All this, accompanied by an aperitif.

Information of interest

• Price: the average cost is 34€ per person.
• Duration: the experience lasts approximately 45 minutes.

The winter cold in Salzburg is not an impediment to enjoy the carnival in the city. Be part of this local tradition that has accompanied the Salzburgers since the mid-18th century and enjoy the colorful street performances and parades.

Throughout the week leading up to Ash Wednesday, i.e. around February 22, you will find an infectious atmosphere of celebration in the city. You will see musicians and dancers on Salzburg Cathedral Square and in some streets such as Getreidegasse, considered the main shopping street of the historic center.

Also, on the third day of the carnival celebration you will have the opportunity to watch the Parade of Fools. Thousands of people dressed in colorful costumes walk through the streets of the city, accompanied by floats , musical bands, acrobats and dancers.

If you are enthusiastic about ice skating, then during your 2-day trip in Salzburg or longer, you will have the opportunity to glide freely on the rink of the Eisarena Salzburg Sports Stadium. You will have a different and fun time.

When you arrive at this sports center where Salzburg' s professional field hockey team usually trains , you will find an outdoor ice rink available for the enjoyment of locals and tourists. Just rent a pair of skates and immediately start having fun on your own.

Also, if your trip coincides with the start of the winter season, i.e. from mid-December onwards, you will be surrounded by an atmosphere of celebration: Christmas carols, Christmas decorations, colorful lights. And, if you're lucky, you might even see Santa Claus gliding down the slope. Ideal if you still don't know what to do in Salzburg with children.

Useful information

• Price: admission can cost about 5€ per adult and about 4€ for children under 18.
• Opening hours: daily from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7:15 pm to 8:30 pm.
• Location: Hermann-Bahr-Promenade 2, 5020 Salzburg.

The start of Chinese New Year is a celebration that does not go unnoticed in Salzburg. Although Mozart's city does not have a Chinatown, this is not an impediment to celebrating oriental traditions. During the beginning of February, you will have the opportunity to discover part of the legacy of this culture.

You can enjoy traditional Chinese music in the Mozart House or in the Hohensalzburg Fortress, since on the occasion of the beginning of the New Year there is usually a chamber concert in some of these places.

You can also take a gastronomic tour of the Chinese restaurants in the city. Such is the case of Mr Wen Asia Food, An Bing, Rong Yao, among others. In this way, you can taste the famous rice balls, dumplings, fish, spring rolls, among other preparations that during the Chinese New Year promote prosperity and abundance.

In the so-called Mozart city of Salzburg, the winter months are usually not very busy. From mid-December to mid-March, low temperatures prevail, accompanied by rainy days and snowfall. For these reasons, you will not find crowds of tourists in the streets.

During this time prices drop significantly in terms of flights, accommodation and restaurants. Undoubtedly, a favorable aspect for your budget. In addition, during your stay you won't have to worry about waiting in long lines to access a concert, monument or attraction.

Winter in Salzburg is quite cold, with precipitation and snowfall. Therefore, during this season it will not be enough to wear warm clothes. Also, throughout the day you should consume some warm drinks and food in the local bars, restaurants and street markets. This way, you will maintain a good body temperature.

You should also include in your itinerary activities in closed places, to protect you from the rain and the cold. For example, buy tickets for the Magic Flute at the Salzburg Marionette Theater, or join one of the Hop on Hop off bus tours in Salzburg, among others.