When is the best time to visit Austria?
Austria is a year-round destination with unforgettable experiences for every season.
In Austria, there are two high seasons (Summer and Winter). If you travel during shoulder seasons (Spring and fall), you will find it less crowded, and accommodations are less expensive.
In the cities, the Winter High Season is from December to January, and the Summer Season is from June to September.
In the Alpin resorts, the Winter Season is December to March, and the Summer Season is June to September. During the shoulder seasons, in non-glacier resorts you may find that some of the tourist facilities (gondolas, chair lifts etc) may be closed.
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The weather varies from the East, where there is low precipitation, hot summers, and moderately cold winters, to the Alpine Regions and to the south and west, which has a Mediterranean-influenced climate
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It is the best time to avoid city crowds and find cheaper accommodation while enjoying all the sights.
If you visit Vienna, this is one of the best times to see an Opera, the Vienna Boys Choir, or the Lipizzaner Stallions.
In the Alpine regions, you can still find glacier ski resorts open. But some mountain tourist facilities may remain closed- notably Ice Caves and the Groรglockner High Alpine Road- all open mid to late May, depending on the weather.
Spring Weather:ย In Spring, there is plenty of sunshine. Weather can still be cold and snowy in the Alpine regions. Typically, 6ยฐC (42.8ยฐF) to a high of 21ยฐC (70ยฐF).
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The busiest time of the year is during July and August. At this time, you’ll need to plan well ahead, with hotels often booked as far as a year in advance.
NOTE: Summer visitors should also be aware that the Vienna Boys’ Choir, The State Opera, the Wiener Philharmoniker, and Spanish Riding School, with the Lipizzaner stallions โ do not perform in July and August as they are on holidays.
Summer is excellent for experiencing outdoor pools, Prater Park in Vienna, lakes, and heading out into the Austrian Alpine regions for amazing views, hiking, and biking.
Most towns and villages in the countryside host Fest days, like mini-Oktoberfest celebrations.
Summer Weather:ย ย Summer months in Austria are typically hot and dry, with the sun setting after 20:00 (8 p.m.). July and August are the warmest months in Austria. 15ยฐC (59ยฐF) to over 30ยฐC (86ยฐF).ย The higher you go into the Alps, you will find fresher air with lower temperatures.
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September and October still have pleasant weather with fewer tourists and cheaper accommodation.
If you are visiting Vienna, this is also when you can see an Opera, the Vienna Philharmonic, the Vienna Boys Choir, or the Lipizzaner Stallions.
In Autumn, harvest festivals, such as the Almabtrieb cattle procession, occur in Alpine regions.
Autumn Weather:ย ย ย The temperature starts to drop, resulting in the vibrant autumn colours across the country. 8ยฐC (46.4ยฐF) and 21ยฐC (70ยฐF)
4. Winter: November to March
Starting mid-November, you can visit the Christmas markets in Vienna, Salzburg, and Innsbruck. Most towns and villages have a Christmas Market. Experience a traditional Austrian Christmas and go skiing in the Alps.
In the Alpins Ski resorts, Winter is a high season, and you can expect busy slopes, aprรจs-ski bars, and restaurants and high prices. Accommodations tend to be booked a year in advance.
Christmas is also High Season in the cities, with hundreds of thousands visiting the Christmas markets.
February is Ball season throughout all of Vienna. The most famous Ball is held at the Vienna State Opera House.
February is also when all of Europe has school ski holidays and descend on the Austrian Ski resorts, making it the busiest and most expensive period to go skiing in Austria (other than the Christmas/ New Year holiday period).
Winter Weather:ย ย The coldest months are January and February, with the largest snowfalls on average.
In Vienna you can expect range from 5ยฐC (41ยฐF) to -3ยฐC (23ยฐF)
In the Alpine regions, you can expect a range from 0ยฐC (41ยฐF) to -10 ยฐC (14ยฐF), and it can be colder at altitude.
Best Time for City Sightseeing
March to end of June OR September to end of November
If you want to visit Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck without the crowds – avoid High Season It is also theย best time toย find cheaper accommodation.
The weather is also perfect for walking around the cities- not too hot nor too cold.ย
If you visit Vienna, this is one of the best times to see an Opera, the Vienna Boys Choir, or the Lipizzaner Stallions.
Best Time for Mountain Hiking & Activities
End of May to End of October
If you are planning on doing any mountain activities such as hiking, visiting the Ice Caves in Werfen or Dachstein or driving the Groรglockner High Alpine Road- these activities are only available in late Spring to late Autumn once the snow has melted and the weather conditions are safe.ย ย
You will also find that many of the gondolas for summer activities are only open from the end of May to the end of October.ย The Gondolas of the seven Austrian Glaciers are open all year long.ย
Check the official websites of the mountain activities/gondolas to confirm opening hours.
Best Time for Skiing
Mid December to End of March
Austria has over 400 ski resorts and they generally open mid-December and close after the Easter long weekend- dependent on weather.ย
The ski resorts of the seven Austrian Glaciers have a longer season normally mid-October to early June.
Check the official Ski Resort websites to confirm opening dates and hours.
When to Visit Christmas Markets
End of November to December 23
There are Christmas Markets all over Austria- even the smallest village will have a Christkindlmarkt- for at least one weekend during Advent.
Most Christmas Markets in Austria tend to open from mid-November to December 23. Some markets in Vienna and Salzburg are open on Christmas Day, and some of theย Christmas Markets morph into Silvester (New Yearโs Eve) markets.
We recommend to plan your Austria Christmas Market Holidays from the last weekend in November (in 2024 from Friday November 22) to December 23.
The Essentials
About Austria
The Basics
Visas
Holidays
Events and Festivals
Other Austria Trip Planning Resources
Click on one of the topics below to continue planning your dream trip to Austria.
Austria Trip Planning Guide
Step-by-step guide on how to plan your trip to Austria.ย Click here to start planning.
How much does it cost to travel to Austria?
A guide of the main costs that you need to budget for when planning trip your to Austria.
The Essentials
About Austria, Money, Visas, When to Visit, Holidays and Events Calendarย …and more.ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
Accommodation
The Best Places to Stay, hints and advice.ย ย ย
Transport Guides
Planes, trains, trams- we have you covered.ย ย
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