7-Day Austria Christmas Market Itinerary: Highlights of Vienna, Salzburg & Innsbruck

Experience the festive magic of Austria with our 7-Day Austria Christmas Market Itinerary, a perfect route through Vienna, Salzburg, and Innsbruck.

This itinerary is designed to provide a well-rounded holiday, combining the sparkle of Austria’s most famous Christmas Markets with cultural highlights and unforgettable Alpine scenery—a festive journey that captures the essence of Austria like nowhere else.

Whether it’s wandering Vienna’s grand palaces, exploring Salzburg’s historic streets, or soaking up Innsbruck’s alpine charm, this guide will help you make the most of a week in Austria during the holiday season.

🎄Schönbrunn Palace Christmas Market. 

Set against the stunning yellow palace, this Christmas market is perfect for everyone, and families will find many activities.

Combine it with a Guided or Audio guide Tour of Schönbrunn Palace, or stroll the Schönbrunn Gardens light trail in the evening for an extra magical experience.
Don’t miss Tiergarten Schönbrunn (Schönbrunn Zoo), the world’s oldest zoo, and the interactive Children’s Museum.

🎄 Rathausplatz Christkindlmarkt: Vienna’s most famous market with over 100 stalls of crafts, gifts, and festive treats is a must-visit.
Explore the Winterwanderland park or take a spin on the ice skating rink.

🎄Weihnachtsdorf Stephansplatz: A charming Christmas village at St. Stephen’s Square, selling gifts, souvenirs and traditional Austrian food.

Combine your visit with St. Stephen’s Cathedral, where you can enter for free or buy the  Stephansdom ticket for a more in-depth visit which includes an audio guide, the Dom Museum, a catacombs tour, and tower climbs with panoramic city views.

🎄 Art Advent at Karlsplatz: Focused on handcrafted Austrian arts, crafts, and seasonal delights. While here, visit the Karlskirche (St Charles Church), including the balcony with panoramic views, and the Wien Museum (free entry, closed Mondays).

🎄 Belvedere Palace Christmas Market: Enjoy the festive market and see Klimt masterpieces in the Belvedere Palace Museum.

🎄 Spittelberg Christmas Market: Wander narrow lanes and courtyards for artisan crafts and local foods. Nearby, the MuseumsQuartier and Leopold Museum  showcase important Austrian art, including Egon Schiele.

And the local favourites🎄 Christmas Market Am Hof and 🎄 Alt Wiener Christma Market offer a quieter, authentic experience.

Other Vienna Cultural Highlights:

Split your days between Christmas Markets and Vienna’s rich cultural offerings and impressive grandeur.

Wander around the cobble-stone pedestrian streets of the Innenstadt (Old City), seeing the lights of the Graben, Kohlmarkt and Kärntner Strasse.
Explore the Hofburg Imperial Palace, Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments, Imperial Treasury, or wander through the National Library .
Museums like the Kunsthistorisches Museum, home to the Habsburgs’ 16th-to 18th-century masterpieces, and the Albertina Museum, (with the Batliner Collection, featuring Monet to Picasso) are perfect for art lovers.

For more ideas, see our Top 30 Things to See and Do in Vienna and our Vienna Tour and Tickets Guide.

Evening Activities:
Round out your day with a classical concert, such as Vivaldi’s Four Seasons by Orchestra 1756  at Karlskirche, a Christmas Concert in Stephansdom, or Christmas performances at Anne’s Church , Minoriten Church, St Peter’s , or Capuchin Church.  

For a full breakdown of Vienna’s Christmas Markets, see our Vienna Christmas Market Guide

Accommodation Tip: Stay close to the markets for convenience — see our Vienna Christmas Market hotel recommendations.

For complete itineraries and city details, check the Austria Christmas Market Itinerary and the 14-Day Austria Christmas Market Itinerary.

🎄Start at the Dom and Residenzplatz Christkindlmarkt, Salzburg’s largest and most historic market, with origins dating back to the 15th century.

Browse over 100 stalls filled with decorations, gifts, and traditional Austrian Christmas treats (read more in our guide).

While there, don’t miss a guided tour of Salzburg Cathedral (Dom), to see its Baroque interior. You can hear the Salzburg Cathedral’s organ during a Salzburg Dom Afternoon Organ Concert.

Or going skating at the nearby Mozartplatz skating rink.

If you’re visiting Friday through Sunday, be ride the funicular up to Hohensalzburg Fortress to see the 🎄 Hohensalzburg Christkindlmarkt (Fortress Market), nestled in the fortress courtyard.

While there, or during Monday to Thursday, take a tour of Festung Hohensalzburg (Fortress), Salzburg’s most famous 900-year-old landmark and consider attending the Best of Mozart Fortress Concert or the Dinner & Mozart Concert option.

Wander along the pedestrian Getreidegasse, visit Mozart’s Birth house /museum, and explore the 🎄 SternAdvent Winter Market in the Sternbräu courtyard.

Cross the Salzach River to stroll through Mirabell Gardens, famous from The Sound of Music, and enjoy the charming 🎄 Mirabellplatz Christkindlmarkt.

Don’t miss the fabulous🎄Hellbrunn Adventzauber (Hellbrunn Palace) set in the courtyards of  Hellbrunn Palace. 
One of Salzburg’s most popular Christmas Markets is well known for offering traditional Austrian crafts, gifts, and food.
The Hellbrunn Adventzauber is especially popular with families for its children’s activities.   

Salzburg’s cultural highlights extend beyond markets.

One of the most popular experiences is the 4–5 hour famous Panorama Sound of Music Bus Tours, visiting iconic filming locations and the scenic Mondsee in the Salzkammergut (Read our Sound of Music Bus Tour Review.

No visit to Salzburg is complete without a musical performance, whether attending the Salzburg Mozart Concert at Mirabell Palace,  or experiencing a unique puppet theatre rendition of The Magic Flute at the Salzburg Marionette Theatre for The Magic Flute.

Accommodation Tip: For convenience, stay near the Christmas markets in Salzburg’s Altstadt or Neustadt. Check out our recommended Salzburg Hotels.

For more information, read our Best Salzburg Christmas Markets Guide

For further inspiration and planning, check out our Top 30 Things to See and Do in Salzburg and the Salzburg Tour and Tickets Guide.

Begin your festive visit in the Old Town, where the 🎄Old Town Christmas Market sits beneath the iconic Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl). Cobblestone streets are lined with stalls offering gifts, ornaments, and festive treats.

Be sure to try the traditional Tyrolean Kiachln, a doughut-style pastry served sweet or savoury with sauerkraut.

Next, wander along 🎄Maria-Theresien-Strasse, Innsbruck’s main shopping street, which is beautifully decorated with festive market stalls.

Then make your way to the River Inn, where the 🎄Advent at Marktplatz brings a Tyrolean village to life, complete with a 14-meter-high Swarovski crystal tree, carousel, games, and children’s entertainment.

For breathtaking alpine views, take the Nordkettenbahn (Nordkette Cable Car) to 2,334 meters at the “Top of Innsbruck” .

Here you’ll find a small Christmas Market at Hungerburg, perfect for soaking in panoramic vistas.

While there, visit the Alpenzoo Innsbruck, Europe’s highest-elevation zoo, home to over 2,000 alpine animals.
A  combined Top of Innsbruck/Alpen zoo ticket.

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