For 2026, we confirmed 12 Christmas events for kids in Salzburg. The season opens on November 20 with Children's Christmas World at the Hellbrunn Advent Magic and runs until December 24 with Waiting for the Christkind with Anna Maria Mozart. Every listing links straight to the host. This page is part of our guide to Christmas events for kids in Austria.
The short version
- Kids’ Christmas events confirmed for 2026 in Salzburg: 12
- First: Children's Christmas World at the Hellbrunn Advent Magic, Salzburg, November 20
- Free events: None confirmed yet
Below is every event we could confirm, grouped by town, with the date, time, cost and the small things parents ask about (registration, ages, what is included).
At a glance: Christmas events for kids in Salzburg
- Kids’ Christmas events
- 12 confirmed for 2026
- Towns
- Salzburg
- Season
- November 20 to December 24
- Free events
- None confirmed yet
- Last checked
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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Salzburg
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Christmas lights
Children's Christmas World at the Hellbrunn Advent Magic
- When: Nov 20 to Dec 24, Tue to Fri 2 to 6 pm, Sat, Sun and holidays 11 am to 6 pm
- Where: Schloss Hellbrunn, Fürstenweg 37, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Cost: Admission €8 per person, children up to age 6 free, free on Dec 24
- Ages: For children
Expand to see the parent tip
The Hellbrunn Advent Magic (Hellbrunner Adventzauber) in front of the pleasure palace on the edge of town is popular with families above all for its Children's Christmas World. At the camp of the Müllner Scouts, children grill sausages, marshmallows and campfire bread (Stockbrot) over an open fire. In the Christmas post office they write a letter to the Christkind (the Christ Child, who brings gifts in Austria), in the face-painting parlor they get their faces painted, and there are also a small Christmas train and a petting zoo. Ten fairy-tale stations are hidden around the grounds, and the fairy-tale pass is available at the entrance.
The Children's Christmas World opens on Friday, Nov 20; on the opening weekend, Nov 21 and 22, children ride the Christmas train for free. The Christmas train and petting zoo are open Tuesday to Friday from 2 to 6 pm and on weekends from 11 am, while the post office and face-painting parlor are open only on weekends. On Dec 24 it is waiting for the Christkind from 10 am to 1 pm. Admission is €8 until 7 pm, and children up to age 6 are free.
Parent tip: The post office and face-painting parlor are open only on Saturdays and Sundays, and pony rides are no longer offered. Admission is free on Dec 24.
- Host
- Hellbrunner Adventzauber (Gassner Gastronomie) (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Schloss Hellbrunn, Fürstenweg 37, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 11 more Salzburg events researched for you.
- New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Salzburg.
- Exclusive access to free events Be first to hear about new free events in Salzburg.
- Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
- Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
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Christmas story time
Children's Reading & Visit from the Salzburg Christkind
- When: Wednesdays, Nov 25, Dec 2, 9, 16 and 23, 4 pm
- Where: Salzburger Christkindlmarkt, Infostand Nr. 95 beim Christbaum (info stand no. 95 by the Christmas tree), Residenzplatz 1, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price given
- Ages: For children
Expand to see the parent tip
At the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt there is a children's reading on the Wednesdays in Advent, and it is with the original Salzburg Christkind (the Christ Child, who brings gifts in Austria) herself. The meeting point at 4 pm is info stand no. 95 by the big Christmas tree on Residenzplatz. Under the motto “Schreib einen Brief an's Christkind” (Write a Letter to the Christkind), children can send their wishes right on the spot.
The opening is on Nov 25 with a children's reading by a little angel (Engerl), and then the Christkind reads on Dec 2, 9, 16 and 23. On Dec 9, the children's choir of the VS Viehhausen also sings, and on Dec 16 the children's choirs of the Köstendorf and Obertrum elementary schools. The market on Dom- und Residenzplatz is open daily from 10 am, so the reading combines well with a stroll through the market.
Parent tip: The meeting point is info stand no. 95 by the Christmas tree on Residenzplatz. On Dec 9 and 16, children's choirs sing at the reading. Expect the reading to be in German.
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Family Christmas event
On the Trail of the Christkind: Advent Tour for Children
- When: Advent Sundays, Nov 29, Dec 6, 13 and 20, 11 am
- Where: Festung Hohensalzburg, Infopoint Punkt A (Hohensalzburg Fortress, Info Point A), Mönchsberg 34, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Cost: €7.50 for adults, €4 per child
- Ages: Children accompanied by adults, families
Expand to see the parent tip
On this Advent tour at Hohensalzburg Fortress, children and their parents set out to look for the Christkind (the Christ Child, who brings gifts in Austria). Together they explore where she has already been on the fortress, perhaps in the bakery or the wine cellar. The tour lasts about 60 minutes and is for children accompanied by adults and families.
The dates are the four Advent Sundays, each at 11 am: Nov 29, Dec 6, 13 and 20. The meeting point is the info point, Point A. Adults pay €7.50 and children €4. You can register by phone at +43 662 842414 or by email at office@festung-hohensalzburg.at. A nice morning before heading down to the Christkindlmarkt later.
Parent tip: Register beforehand, by phone at +43 662 842414 or by email. The meeting point is Info Point A. Expect the tour to be in German.
- Host
- Festung Hohensalzburg (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Festung Hohensalzburg, Infopoint Punkt A (Hohensalzburg Fortress, Info Point A), Mönchsberg 34, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Registration
- Required
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Visit with Santa
Visit from the Salzburg Christkind
- When: Advent Sundays, Nov 29, Dec 6, 13 and 20, 4 pm
- Where: Salzburger Christkindlmarkt, Domplatz, Domplatz 1, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price given
- Ages: For children and families
Expand to see the parent tip
The Salzburg Christkind (the Christ Child, who brings gifts in Austria) belongs to the Christkindlmarkt on Dom- und Residenzplatz like the starry sky above the stalls. On the four Advent Sundays she arrives at 4 pm with her two angels on the Domplatz, the first time on Nov 29. For many children it is the moment they have been looking forward to during the whole market visit.
On Dec 6, the Christkind is greeted by Saint Nicholas (Nikolaus), and afterward they make separate rounds of the market. Further visits follow on Dec 13 and 20. The market opens at 9 am on Sundays, and on Wednesdays there are also children's readings with the Christkind by the Christmas tree on Residenzplatz. If you come with small children, it is best to find a spot on the Domplatz in good time. Around the market, the Christkind and angels are a popular photo subject for many families.
Parent tip: Be on the Domplatz in good time before 4 pm. On Dec 6 the Christkind and Saint Nicholas meet.
- Host
- Salzburger Christkindlmarkt (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Salzburger Christkindlmarkt, Domplatz, Domplatz 1, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Saint Nicholas visit
Krampus, Krimpus, Krikolo: Wo bleibt denn nur der Nikolo? (Where Can Saint Nicholas Be?)
- When: Sun, Dec 6, 4 pm
- Where: Domchorsaal (Cathedral Choir Hall), Kapitelplatz 3, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Cost: Price not given
- Ages: For children and families
Expand to see the parent tip
Waiting is hard, especially for children and most of all for the Krampus (a fearsome horned figure who traditionally accompanies Saint Nicholas) when he has to wait for his friend, Saint Nicholas (Nikolaus). Why that is so, and whether the gifts can be handed out in time, is what children find out at this family program on Saint Nicholas Day.
With songs, dance and play, the Salzburg Cathedral Choir boys and girls (Domkapellknaben und -mädchen), led by Gerrit Stadlbauer, shorten the wait. Laura Humphreys guides the audience through the musical, magical journey into an Advent night. The performance takes place on Sunday, Dec 6, at 4 pm in the Domchorsaal at Kapitelplatz 3, in the middle of the old town and only a few steps from the Christkindlmarkt. Tickets and more information are available through the Mozarteum Foundation. The same afternoon, Saint Nicholas is also a guest at the Christkindlmarkt next door.
Parent tip: The Domchorsaal is right next to the Christkindlmarkt, so a market visit fits in easily afterward. Expect it to be in German.
- Host
- Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Domchorsaal (Cathedral Choir Hall), Kapitelplatz 3, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Saint Nicholas visit
Nikolo & Kinderkrampus (Saint Nicholas and the Kids' Krampus)
- When: Sun, Dec 6, 3:30 pm
- Where: Salzburger Christkindlmarkt, Domplatz, Domplatz 1, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price given
- Ages: For children
Expand to see the parent tip
On Sunday, Dec 6, at 3:30 pm, Nikolo (Saint Nicholas) visits the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt on the Domplatz with the Kinderkrampus, a children's version of the Krampus, the horned figure who traditionally accompanies him, and mingles with the little market visitors. At 4 pm, Saint Nicholas then greets the Salzburg Christkind (the Christ Child, who brings gifts in Austria) and her angels, and afterward they make separate rounds of the market.
That way children can experience two highlights of the Salzburg Advent in one afternoon. The market on Dom- und Residenzplatz opens at 9 am on Sunday, so you can stroll through the market in peace beforehand. Good to know: the big Krampus run is a separate event the evening before, on Dec 5. For small children, it is a good idea to be on the Domplatz a bit before 3:30 pm so they can see well. Afterward you can round off the afternoon with a stroll between the stalls on Dom- und Residenzplatz.
Parent tip: The visit of the Christkind follows right at 4 pm, so it is worth staying on the Domplatz.
- Host
- Salzburger Christkindlmarkt (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Salzburger Christkindlmarkt, Domplatz, Domplatz 1, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Christmas show
Sing Along! Christmas Carol Singing Hour at the Hellbrunn Advent Magic
- When: Sun, Dec 13, 2 to 2:45 pm and 3 to 3:45 pm
- Where: Schlosskapelle Hellbrunn (Hellbrunn Palace Chapel), Fürstenweg 37, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Cost: Participation free, admission to the Advent Magic €8 (children up to 6 free)
- Ages: Everyone welcome, especially families with children
Expand to see the parent tip
Singing together is something special in Advent, and at the Hellbrunn Advent Magic there are dedicated singing hours in cooperation with the Salzburger VolksLiedWerk. Under the motto “Weihnachtslieder schenken” (Giving Christmas Songs), Eva Breckner invites you to the Hellbrunn Palace Chapel on Sunday, Dec 13. Familiar and new Advent and Christmas songs are sung in a cozy atmosphere.
Everyone is welcome, explicitly including families with children, and nobody needs prior experience. There are two rounds, from 2 to 2:45 pm and from 3 to 3:45 pm. Taking part itself is free, and you only pay the regular admission to the Advent Magic of €8, with children up to age 6 free. Afterward, a visit to the Children's Christmas World with its post office and Scout camp is a natural next step. The same day is also the Day of the Krampuses.
Parent tip: The same day at the Advent Magic is also the Day of the Krampuses, when children can try on masks and bells. Expect the singing to be in German.
- Host
- Hellbrunner Adventzauber mit dem Salzburger VolksLiedWerk (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Schlosskapelle Hellbrunn (Hellbrunn Palace Chapel), Fürstenweg 37, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Christmas show
Children's Ballet “Der Nussknacker” (The Nutcracker)
- When: Fri, Dec 18, 6:30 pm
- Where: SZENE Salzburg, Anton-Neumayr-Platz 2, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Cost: Price not given, children up to age 3 free
- Ages: For ballet fans and children, free admission up to age 3
Expand to see the parent tip
On Christmas Eve a miracle happens: Clara meets the brave Nutcracker, who protects her from the Mouse King, and together the two begin an enchanting journey through the Holy Night. The Munich Young Ballet brings this classic to Salzburg as a festive stage production, with professional ballet artists and young talents from German ballet schools.
For children who dance themselves, it is exciting to see peers on the big stage. The performance on Friday, Dec 18, begins at 6:30 pm at SZENE Salzburg at Anton-Neumayr-Platz 2. It lasts 90 minutes, plus a 30-minute intermission between the acts. Children up to age 3 get free admission, and tickets are available at the Neubaur box office in the Europark. A lovely evening shortly before Christmas for dance-loving children.
Parent tip: About two hours with the intermission. Wheelchair-accessible seats can only be booked directly through the organizer.
- Host
- Munich Young Ballet (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- SZENE Salzburg, Anton-Neumayr-Platz 2, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Christmas crafts
Christmas Crafts for Families at Mozart's Birthplace
- When: Sat, Dec 19, 3 pm (about 75 minutes)
- Where: Mozarts Geburtshaus (Mozart's Birthplace), Getreidegasse 9, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Cost: Price not given
- Ages: For families
Expand to see the parent tip
Christmas is near, and you still need gifts? At Mozart's Birthplace on Getreidegasse there is a creative craft workshop for families. Together you make homemade Christmas gifts for dear relatives and friends, in one of the best-known houses in Salzburg.
The workshop takes place on Saturday, Dec 19, at 3 pm and lasts about 75 minutes. Places are limited and registration is required, by email at museum.service@mozarteum.at or by phone at +43 662 844 313 91. If you want to come again on Christmas Eve, the same house offers the program “Warten aufs Christkind mit Anna Maria Mozart” (Waiting for the Christkind with Anna Maria Mozart) at 11 am. The house is in the middle of the old town, only a few steps from the Christmas markets, and a visit combines well with a stroll along Getreidegasse.
Parent tip: Registration required at museum.service@mozarteum.at or +43 662 844 313 91. Expect it to be in German.
- Host
- Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Mozarts Geburtshaus (Mozart's Birthplace), Getreidegasse 9, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Registration
- Required
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Christmas show
Family Concert: A Christmas Carol
- When: Sat, Dec 19, 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm and 5 pm; Sun, Dec 20, 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm
- Where: Große Universitätsaula (Great University Hall), Hofstallgasse 2-4, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Cost: Price not given, tickets through the Kinderfestspiele
- Ages: For young audiences and families
Expand to see the parent tip
Charles Dickens's “A Christmas Carol,” in German “Eine Weihnachtsgeschichte,” has been a classic of the Advent season since 1843. At this family concert by the Kinderfestspiele, Frederic Böhle and Katharina Gudmundsson take their young audience along on Scrooge's journey from bitter Christmas grouch to warmhearted, generous man. Of course the three mysterious Christmas ghosts play an important part too.
Baroque and film music accompany the story about compassion, friendship and love of one's neighbor. The performance lasts 60 minutes with no intermission, so it is manageable for smaller children. It is performed in the Große Universitätsaula on Hofstallgasse, on Saturday, Dec 19, at 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm and 5 pm and on Sunday, Dec 20, at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm. Tickets are available through the Kinderfestspiele box office.
Parent tip: 60 minutes with no intermission. Tickets from the Kinderfestspiele box office, tel. +43 650 5172030. Expect it to be in German.
- Host
- Kinderfestspiele Salzburg (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Große Universitätsaula (Great University Hall), Hofstallgasse 2-4, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Carol concert
Das klingende Museum: Weihnachten mit Wolferl (The Sounding Museum: Christmas with Wolferl)
- When: Sun, Dec 20, 11 am (about 60 minutes)
- Where: Mozart-Wohnhaus, Tanzmeistersaal (Mozart's Residence, Dance Master's Hall), Makartplatz 8, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Cost: Price not given, tickets at the Mozarteum Foundation box office
- Ages: For children ages 6 to 12
Expand to see the parent tip
“Drum lasst uns froh und munter sein” (So Let Us Be Merry and Cheerful) is the spirit in the festively decorated Dance Master's Hall of Mozart's Residence on Makartplatz. Music, dance and stories bring the Christmas season of the 18th century to life, when the holiday was celebrated quite differently from today. Along the way there are small glimpses into the life of the Mozart family.
Fernanda de Mattos leads the program, accompanied musically by Jacobo Mayo Ospina on clarinet and Utkan Alsan on guitar. It is intended for children ages 6 to 12, but is meant as a musical experience for the whole family. The performance on Sunday, Dec 20, begins at 11 am and lasts about 60 minutes. Tickets are available at the Mozarteum Foundation box office at Theatergasse 2.
Parent tip: Tickets at the Mozarteum Foundation box office, tel. +43 662 873154. Expect it to be in German.
- Host
- Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Mozart-Wohnhaus, Tanzmeistersaal (Mozart's Residence, Dance Master's Hall), Makartplatz 8, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Christmas story time
Waiting for the Christkind with Anna Maria Mozart
- When: Thu, Dec 24, 11 am (about 60 minutes)
- Where: Mozarts Geburtshaus (Mozart's Birthplace), Getreidegasse 9, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Cost: Included in museum admission
- Ages: For children and families
Expand to see the parent tip
A little time trip into Mozart's childhood: on Dec 24, Anna Maria Mozart, the mother of Wolfgang Amadeus, tells Christmas stories from the family at Mozart's Birthplace. She reports what little “Wolferl” and his big sister “Nannerl” did at Christmas back then.
The program begins at 11 am and lasts about 60 minutes, so the morning of Christmas Eve flies by for children. The tour is included in the museum admission price. Places are limited, however, so registration by email at museum.service@mozarteum.at is required. Mozart's Birthplace is at Getreidegasse 9, in the middle of the old town. Afterward there is still plenty of time to be home for the gift-giving, and the Christkindlmarkt on Domplatz is also open until 3 pm that day.
Parent tip: Register by email at museum.service@mozarteum.at, as places are limited. Expect it to be in German.
- Host
- Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Mozarts Geburtshaus (Mozart's Birthplace), Getreidegasse 9, 5020 Salzburg (opens in maps)
- Registration
- Required
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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More Christmas events for kids in Austria
- Christmas events for kids in Vienna
- Christmas events for kids in Linz
- Christmas events for kids in Graz
- Christmas events for kids in Innsbruck
- Christmas events for kids in Austria
A story for the trip home
Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents. It is a cozy story to share on the way home after a big day out.
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolor. Ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon.de (opens in a new tab)Christmas events for kids in Salzburg: questions parents ask
What are the 2026 Christmas events for kids in Salzburg?
For 2026, we confirmed 12 Christmas events for kids in Salzburg, each on its host’s own page: Children's Christmas World at the Hellbrunn Advent Magic, Nikolo & Kinderkrampus (Saint Nicholas and the Kids' Krampus), Krampus, Krimpus, Krikolo: Wo bleibt denn nur der Nikolo? (Where Can Saint Nicholas Be?) and 9 more. Each one is listed above with times, cost and a link to the host.
Where can kids see Santa this year in Salzburg?
Where to see Santa: Nikolo & Kinderkrampus (Saint Nicholas and the Kids' Krampus), Krampus, Krimpus, Krikolo: Wo bleibt denn nur der Nikolo? (Where Can Saint Nicholas Be?) and Visit from the Salzburg Christkind. Check the listings above for times and booking.
Where are there Christmas story times for kids in Salzburg?
Christmas story times on this page: Children's Reading & Visit from the Salzburg Christkind and Waiting for the Christkind with Anna Maria Mozart.
How do you confirm these events?
We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city, library or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on November 9, 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.
Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.
The story of Christmas in Salzburg
The Salzburg Christmas market can be traced back to 1491, when it was still called the Tandlmarkt, and the writer of the words to Silent Night was a Salzburg boy named Joseph Mohr. Today families meet the Christkind at the cathedral square, step into a palace turned into a giant advent calendar and hear Mozart's family Christmas stories. This guide explains the traditions and how the 2026 season is laid out.
How Salzburg celebrates Christmas, and what is different for a visiting family
Salzburg's Christmas market stands on the Domplatz and Residenzplatz in the old town, and nearly a million people visit it every year. Its roots go back to 1491, when it was called the Tandlmarkt. Later it was called the Nikolaimarkt, and sellers set up for 14 days before and 14 days after December 6. Since 1974 it has run regularly from late November until Christmas.
What makes Salzburg different for visiting families is how many Christmas stories come with the city's famous names. Children can meet the Salzburg Christkind at the market, follow Mozart's family through a Christmas Eve at his birthplace, and walk where Joseph Mohr, who wrote the words to Silent Night, lived as a toddler.
Music is part of the season too. The Salzburg Advent Singing began in 1946 with a singing evening led by the musician Tobias Reiser and has been held in the Great Festival Hall since 1960.
What a child will meet at a Salzburg Christmas: the Christkind, Nikolo and the Kinderkrampus
The Christkind, which means Christ Child, is the figure Austrian children write wish letters to and wait for on Christmas Eve. In Salzburg the Christkind is played by a person chosen through a public call, and comes to the market with two little angels, called Engerl. They help children write wish letters, read Christmas stories and even go ice skating with them.
Nikolo, or Saint Nicholas, is celebrated on December 6, and his companion Krampus is a helper character. On that day in 2026 a Nikolo and a child-friendly Kinderkrampus visit the market on the Domplatz, and then greet the Christkind.
There are special tastes at the market too. One of the first stalls sells gingerbread from Bad Aussee, a tradition that goes back to 1584.
At Hellbrunn Palace, the whole palace front becomes an advent calendar, with 24 windows. Around it, more than 700 evergreen trees hold 10,000 red baubles. There is a Christmas post office where children write to the Christkind, a Christmas train, face painting and sausages grilled over a campfire.
Planning a Christmas visit to Salzburg with kids
The events on this page start on November 20, 2026, when the children's Christmas world opens at Hellbrunn, and run to Christmas Eve. The Christkind readings begin on Wednesday, November 25, and the Christkind's Sunday visits on the Domplatz start on November 29.
A few events are free, such as the Hellbrunn children's Christmas world on December 24 and entry for children up to 6, and the carol singing hour in the Hellbrunn chapel, though the Advent Magic entry fee applies. Many others, like the Christkind visits and the Krampus show, list no price.
The mix is wide: market visits, a fortress tour, children's theater, family concerts, the Nutcracker for kids and several Mozart family programs. Most events are in German, so check with the host if you need English. The busiest day is Sunday, December 6, when Nikolo, the Kinderkrampus, the Christkind, the fortress tour and a children's musical all happen on the same day, so choose your stops ahead of time.
A boy from Salzburg, and a tree that spent the night on the road
Where Joseph Mohr was born is not known for sure. For a long time people believed it was the house at Steingasse 9, and in 1794 he lived as a toddler at Steingasse 31. As a boy he sang in choirs and played the violin. He wrote the words to Silent Night in 1816 in Mariapfarr, and the song was first sung at Christmas in 1818 in Oberndorf together with Franz Xaver Gruber.
The 2025 market tree had an adventure too. The 21 meter fir from a private garden in St. Jakob am Thurn was harvested two hours late, and then the truck convoy broke down with a damaged trailer near Puch bei Hallein. The tree spent the night on the road and arrived a day later than planned. It still shone with 1,000 LED lights. For 2026 a tree of about 25 meters is coming from Golling in the Tennengau.
Traditions today
- The Salzburg Christkindlmarkt on the Domplatz and Residenzplatz: A market with roots in 1491 that draws almost a million visitors a year. One of the first stalls sells Ausseer gingerbread, a tradition going back to 1584.
- The Salzburg Christkind and its angels: On the Domplatz the Christkind helps children with wish letters, reads Christmas stories and goes ice skating with them.
- The tree on the Residenzplatz: A big tree from the state of Salzburg arrives every year, in 2026 from Golling in the Tennengau. It shines with about 1,000 LED lights.
- Salzburg Advent Singing: Tobias Reiser's singing evening began in 1946, and the Advent Singing has been in the Great Festival Hall since 1960. Smaller events include the Advent in St. Andrä (since 1991) and the HirtenAdvent in the Great Aula (since 2006).
- Hellbrunn Advent Magic: In front of the palace there is face painting, a Christmas train, sausages grilled over a campfire and a Christmas post office where children write to the Christkind.
- In the footsteps of Joseph Mohr: Families can walk through the old town to the Steingasse, where Mohr lived as a toddler.
A fact for kids
At Hellbrunn Palace in Advent, the 24 windows of the palace front become the doors of a giant advent calendar.
Questions about Christmas in Salzburg
Is Salzburg worth visiting at Christmas with kids?
Yes. Children can meet the Christkind on the Domplatz, visit a palace that becomes an advent calendar and join family programs at Mozart's birthplace. The market is large, with almost a million visitors a year, and there are family concerts, a fortress tour and a children's Nutcracker ballet.
When does the Christmas market in Salzburg open?
In 2025 the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt ran from November 20 to January 1, 2026. The sources for this page do not state the 2026 opening date. The children's Christmas world at Hellbrunn opens on November 20, 2026, and the Christkind's visits start on November 29.
Where can kids meet Santa or Saint Nicholas in Salzburg?
On Sunday, December 6, 2026, Nikolo and a child-friendly Kinderkrampus visit the Christmas market on the Domplatz at 3:30 pm, and then greet the Christkind at 4 pm. The same day at 4 pm, a musical family hour about a Krampus waiting for Nikolo takes place in the Domchorsaal.
Are there free Christmas events in Salzburg?
A few. The Hellbrunn children's Christmas world is free on December 24, and children up to 6 are free every day. The carol singing hour in the Hellbrunn chapel on December 13 is free to join, but the Advent Magic entry of 8 euros applies. The Christkind visits and the Krampus show list no price.
Are Christmas events in Salzburg in English?
Most events are in German, the local language. Music, ballet and the palace lights do not need many words, but check with the host if you want English for readings, tours or workshops.
When can children meet the Salzburg Christkind in 2026?
On the Advent Sundays, November 29 and December 6, 13 and 20, at 4 pm on the Domplatz. There are also story readings at 4 pm on Wednesdays, November 25 and December 2, 9, 16 and 23, at info stand number 95 by the Christmas tree.
What does the Salzburg Christkind do with children?
Together with two angels, the Christkind helps children write wish letters, reads Christmas stories and goes ice skating with them. In 2025 they were at the market from the first Advent weekend, on November 30.
How does someone become the Salzburg Christkind?
The market looks for its Christkind through a public call. In 2025 applications were open until November 7, and no special skills were required. The person chosen spends the Advent weekends on the Domplatz reading to children and helping with wish letters.
Who is the Kinderkrampus?
Krampus is a helper character who goes with Nikolo, or Saint Nicholas. The Kinderkrampus is a child-friendly version who visits the Domplatz market on December 6, 2026 with Nikolo. In a children's musical the same afternoon, a Krampus waits for the Nikolo.
What is the children's Christmas world at Hellbrunn?
It is part of the Hellbrunn Advent Magic in front of the palace. It opens on November 20, 2026 and runs to December 24, Tuesday to Friday from 2 pm to 6 pm and on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 11 am to 6 pm, closed on Mondays. Entry is 8 euros, free for children up to 6 and on December 24, with a Christkind post office, a scout campfire, a petting zoo and a fairy-tale trail.
What is special about Hellbrunn Advent Magic?
The palace itself becomes an advent calendar, and its 24 windows are the doors. More than 700 evergreen trees around it hold 10,000 red baubles. It began in 2001 with six small huts, and 2026 is its 25th anniversary.
What can kids do at Hohensalzburg Fortress at Christmas?
There is a one hour Advent family tour called Dem Christkind auf der Spur, which means on the trail of the Christkind. It meets at the Punkt A info point on the Advent Sundays, November 29 and December 6, 13 and 20, 2026, at 11 am. It costs 4 euros per child and 7.50 euros for adults.
What Christmas programs for kids are there at Mozart's homes?
At Mozart's Birthplace there is a family workshop making Christmas gifts on December 19 at 3 pm, and on Christmas Eve at 11 am an actress as Anna Maria Mozart tells children how young Wolfgang and Nannerl celebrated Christmas, included with admission. At the Mozart Residence, the musical program Christmas with Wolferl on December 20 at 11 am is for ages 6 to 12.
Are there Christmas concerts for kids in Salzburg?
Yes. The Salzburg Kinderfestspiele play a one hour family concert of Dickens's A Christmas Carol, with baroque and film music, on December 19 and 20, 2026 at the Great University Aula. A carol singing hour, Sing mit, takes place on December 13 in the Hellbrunn chapel.
Is there a Nutcracker for kids in Salzburg?
Yes. A children's ballet production of The Nutcracker, danced by professionals and young ballet students, is at SZENE Salzburg on Friday, December 18, 2026, at 6:30 pm. Children up to 3 years get in free.
How old is the Salzburg Christmas market?
Its roots reach back to 1491, when it was called the Tandlmarkt. It was later the Nikolaimarkt, and since 1974 it has run regularly from late November until Christmas on the Domplatz and Residenzplatz. Nearly a million people visit each year.
Where does the Salzburg market Christmas tree come from in 2026?
From Golling on the Salzach river in the Tennengau. The Wimmer family is giving a spruce about 70 years old, about 25 meters tall and weighing about 6 tons. The fire department and the garden department harvest it in November and take it straight to the Residenzplatz.
Why was the Salzburg Christmas tree a day late in 2025?
The 21 meter fir from St. Jakob am Thurn was harvested two hours late. Then the convoy broke down near Puch bei Hallein with a damaged trailer. The tree spent the night on the way and was set up a day later than planned, and it still shone with 1,000 LED lights.
Was Silent Night written in the city of Salzburg?
Not quite. Joseph Mohr, who wrote the words, was born in the city of Salzburg in 1792 and went to school there. But he wrote the text in 1816 in Mariapfarr in the Lungau region. The song was first sung at Christmas in 1818 in Oberndorf, together with Franz Xaver Gruber.
Where did Joseph Mohr live as a child in Salzburg?
Nobody knows for sure where he was born. For a long time the house at Steingasse 9 was thought to be his birthplace, and records show that in 1794 he lived at Steingasse 31. As a boy he sang in choirs and played the violin. Families can walk the Steingasse to see where he lived.
Since when has there been Advent Singing in Salzburg?
Since 1946, when the Salzburg singer, musician and folk culture keeper Tobias Reiser held the first Christmas singing evening. It grew every year and moved to the Imperial Hall of the Residence in 1950, the Great Aula of the university in 1952 and the Great Festival Hall in 1960.
Which stall at the Salzburg Christmas market has the oldest tradition?
The stall with Ausseer gingerbread, which is among the first stalls at the market. The gingerbread tradition of Bad Aussee goes back to 1584. The market itself has roots in the Tandlmarkt of 1491.
Sources
- Salzburger Christkindlmarkt, SalzburgerLand Tourismus
- 70 Jahre alte Fichte aus Golling: Das ist der neue Baum für den Salzburger Christkindlmarkt, SALZBURG24
- Baum am Christkindlmarkt erstrahlt nach Transport-Fiasko in vollem Glanz, SALZBURG24
- Stadt Salzburg, Salzburger Stille Nacht Gesellschaft (stillenacht.at)
- Salzburger Adventsingen, Tourismus Salzburg (salzburg.info)
- Salzburger Christkindlmarkt 2025: Christkind gesucht, 1000things
- Hellbrunner Adventzauber, Tourismus Salzburg (salzburg.info)
- 25 Jahre Hellbrunner Adventzauber: ein Weihnachtsmärchen feiert Jubiläum, Tourismus Salzburg (salzburg.info)
- Joseph Mohr, Salzburger Stille Nacht Gesellschaft (stillenacht.at)