Christmas in Salzburg

The Red Bull Hangar is fun, especially if you have a rainy day. And it’s free.

In Salzburg, the Christmas markets will be open, even on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day just with reduced hours.

You might take a drive over to Berchtesgaden. The town is lovely and the salt mine tour is fun.

I would actually guess most restaurants should be open on Christmas Day (25th). The more important day in German speaking countries is Christmas Eve (24th), where everything will be closed from early afternoon onwards - except restaurants run by immigrants maybe (Turks, Arabs, Asians).
Be sure to make a reservation in advance for the 25th - asap would be best.
Chances are that at least some museums and other leisure activities will be open as well - except again for the second half of the 24th.

Edelweiss Cooking School is open. www.edelweiss-cooking.com

Thank you all! Knowing that things are more likely to be closed on the 24th is helpful. We can just visit the groceries and bakeries ahead of time and get cozy in our apartment for the afternoon through Christmas morning!

I am not familiar with Teisendorf, but I would immediately make reservation for Mittagessen (11:30-13:00) 25 or 26 December, both German holidays. Maybe a local tourist office can help. Chances are everything is booked. I don't know how you are travelling, but go south into Austria for snow. Großarltal, Oertauern etc.

will you be driving into Austria? Except for a very short stretch near Salzburg you'll need an Austrian Vignette on any Austrian motorway... cameras watch.

We won't have a car, but we'll be taking the train into Salzburg each day. We're staying in Teisendorf instead of Salzburg only because it is cheaper that way with the size of our family!

While not particularly cheap, on a good day I love a ride on the Koenigsee boat. It’s a little over an hour by bus from Salzburg and is open on the 25th. And the Eidelweiss cooking school in Salzburg is also fun - we made strudel and Salzburg Nockerl, then ate it after goulash (so it was a whole meal plus activity). So maybe the 24th is the day of cooking at home.

Keep in mind stores will close by 8 every day and maybe earlier at this time of year. Austria is also a little more cash oriented than some European countries, so be sure to have an emergency stash of euros as a just in case fund.

Salzburg is a good place to spend Christmas. But you should plan to have reservations by now for meals on 24 and 25 Dec. Check with the local restaurants. Some will be open, but only with reservations. Often it's only a fixed menu. But you can always eat at the market.

Do go up the hill to the fortress and look down on the city.

https://christkindlmarkt.co.at/

Thats a long time for Salzburg when things are open and the weather is warmer, ... but okay we all march to different drummers. (Look at renting a car for a day or two)

In Teisendorf, if its anything like the very few smaller towns in the south of Germany that I have visited will be heavily cash only. At least for food. But looks like a cute place.

Merry Christmas!

Thank you all so much for all your help!

I am kind of an Austrian Christmas expert - you will have such a lovely time.

I can highly recommend that you go to Schloss Hellbrunn for the Christmas Market - it is probably the best market I have ever been to, especially for children (https://www.hellbrunneradventzauber.at/en/). It runs until Dec. 24. Otherwise, the Christmas Market in Salzburg at Dom- and Residenzplatz Square is equally fabulous and runs until Jan. 1.

I think you very unfortunately are likely to miss the best Christmas experience of them all - Wolfgangsee - which ends of Dec. 21. If, however, you arrive early on Dec. 21 and feel up for it, then you must do this. I did a separate post on it which you can search and read.

As shared above, Austrian celebrate Christmas on Dec. 24 when the Christkind visits homes and leaves presents in the evening. Christmas Day is not as big of a deal. Also as shared, you will find food at the markets. If you are cooking at home, please keep in mind that grocery stores will close early on Dec. 24 and will remain closed on Dec. 25 and Dec. 26.

In Salzburg, I recommend a visit to the fortress, which I am sure is already on your list. It is open throughout your stay - https://www.festung-hohensalzburg.at/en/your-visit/opening-hours. You may also want to consider a visit to Berchtesgaden and its Christmas Market - https://www.berchtesgaden.de/en/top-experiences/berchtesgaden-christmas-market - which is open during your stay. Another fun idea is the salt mine in Hallein - https://www.salzwelten.at/en/salzburg/prices-opening-hours - which seems to be open throughout the holidays.

I am kind of an Austrian Christmas expert - you will have such a
lovely time.

And I believe that completely.

"I am kind of an Austrian Christmas expert - you will have such a lovely time."

This was wonderful! Thank you so much!

Be a little careful with TexasTravelMom, she acts like she is everyone's aunt. A little too overly protective and she tends to hide the good stuff for herself. To that point, if you are going to be in Vienna this will be your one life chance to visit Budapest. It just isn't close to anything else. Oh, the point about TexasTravelMom hiding the good stuff she comes here at least twice a year. Music, well a couple of the venues in Vienna are workd renowned and you and 1376 other tourists can appreciate what experts spend a life time learning to appreciate or you can go to the old commie city where the arts belonged to the working man. Here are the venues https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/hungary/concerts-in-budapest

Mr. Ẽ, You. Are. A. Mess.

TTM, is why you are special. G-d Bless and travel safely.

MEG, your aunt is one of life's blessings. But dont tell her I said that.