Adventure ToursAustria becomes a winter wonderland from December to March, with snow-covered Alps perfect for skiing and other fun activities. While skiing is popular visitors can also enjoy sledding, walking with special snow shoes, or taking peaceful winter walks through snowy forests. The country offers much more than just snow sports. You can explore beautiful old cities visit famous museums, and enjoy classical music concerts in historic buildings. Many tourists choose winter for their Austrian trip because hotels are cheaper and tourist spots are less crowded than in summer.
Austria’s winter charm includes cozy coffee houses where you can warm up with hot chocolate, Christmas markets filled with twinkling lights in December, and stunning mountain views from heated cable cars. Whether you love outdoor adventures or prefer indoor cultural activities, Austria’s winter season offers something for everyone. The mix of snowy mountains, rich history, and indoor attractions makes Austria an excellent winter destination especially if you want to avoid tourist crowds and save money while experiencing this beautiful country.
Hit the Slopes in Austria
Austria is famous for skiing and it’s practically the country’s favorite sport. Whether you like skiing down mountains or across flat snowy terrain Austria has amazing options for everyone. The ski resort of Kitzbühel stands out with its impressive 105 miles of ski slopes and 54 lifts to carry people up the mountains. It offers routes for beginners to experts. For those who want challenging, high-mountain skiing St.
Anton in the Arlberg region is perfect, especially for going off the marked trails. Rich and famous people, including royal family members, prefer skiing in the towns of Lech-Zürs, which have fancy hotels and perfectly groomed slopes. Sölden is another great choice because its nearby glaciers keep the snow in excellent condition until late spring. A fun tradition happens every March on Feuerkogel mountain.
As winter ends, people join the “Nostalgia Ski Race” wearing old-fashioned clothes from the early 1900s. They ski down the mountain just like people did 100 years ago. The celebration continues after dark, when everyone, including kids, can ski under the night sky.
Journey Through Austria’s Royal Past
Austria’s old castles look amazing all year round, but they’re extra special in winter when covered in snow. You can visit these historic buildings even during cold months, and you’ll find fewer tourists around while exploring the beautiful gardens and rooms inside. Near Vienna, you’ll find Burg Kreuzenstein, one of Austria’s prettiest castles, known for its tall towers. Another stunning castle is Burg Hochosterwitz, which has 14 strong gates to protect it.
If you want easy-to-reach castles, many are right in the big cities. In Salzburg the Hohensalzburg Fortress sits on top of a hill overlooking the city. Built in the 1000s it’s one of the biggest old fortresses in Europe. Just a 40-minute trip from Salzburg, you can visit Werfen Castle. This famous castle has been in many movies & TV shows, including The Sound of Music and The Man in the High Castle & even appears in the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops III.
Discover Austria on Snowshoes and Trails
Austria’s mountains are perfect for winter activities even if you don’t ski. You can walk or snowshoe through beautiful snowy landscapes & see amazing views. The country has many marked paths through snow-covered woods, near glaciers & in mountain valleys. In Salzburg, you can take a lift up to Mauterndorf where you’ll find great snowshoe paths at the mountain top.
The nearby Rauris Valley is also worth visiting with its tall mountains and chances to spot local animals. The Tannheimer Tal Valley in Tirol is another excellent spot for snowshoeing, with gentle hills & clear winter skies. It’s easy to follow the paths here. Don’t worry if you don’t have your own snowshoes – most hotels rent them out. If you prefer regular walking, you can go winter hiking instead.
This is best done on paths near towns where snow is regularly cleared, and you won’t need any special gear.
Holiday Concerts You Can’t Miss
Music fills Vienna with magic during Christmas and New Year. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra puts on special holiday shows that people love so much, they buy tickets many months early. Their New Year’s Concert is the most popular of all. You can enjoy holiday music at the beautiful Kursalon building on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve. Mozart’s old home, now called Mozarthaus, hosts special Christmas concerts in December – right where the great composer created his best music.
All across Austria, local bands and singers bring holiday cheer to the streets. In the western part of Austria the Tyrol Symphony Orchestra gives a fantastic New Year’s Day show that locals and visitors really enjoy. The Tyrol area offers more musical treats too. The Winter Festival in Erl combines opera with Christmas music. And if you’re lucky enough to get tickets you can hear the famous Wilten Boys’ Choir sing Christmas songs in the historic Court Church.
Join the Magic of an Austrian Ball
Austria’s ball season runs from November to April with around 500 formal dance events. Most happen in Vienna during January and February. These elegant parties follow old traditions, including formal dress rules, waltz dancing, delicious food, and begin when someone shouts “Alles Walzer!” (meaning “Everyone Waltz!”). Getting into these balls can be tricky & expensive. Two of the most popular ones are the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Ball at the Musikverein concert hall and the Physicians’ Ball at the Imperial Palace.
Both are very hard to get tickets for. In the city of Graz the most important ball takes place at the Opera House. This event brings together the city’s orchestra, ballet dancers, and opera singers for an amazing opening show. Don’t know how to waltz? No problem!
You can take quick dance lessons at local schools before the ball. They’ll teach you the basic steps so you can dance confidently at these special events.
Alpine Villages: A Winter Fairytale
Winter in Austria’s mountain villages feels like stepping into a fairy tale. Snow transforms these small towns into magical places where old streets & historic buildings look extra special under a white blanket. Take Hallstatt, one of Austria’s most beautiful villages. It sits next to a peaceful lake with tall mountains in the background. The village is famous for its old salt mine & stunning views.
The Tyrol region makes it easy to explore its mountain towns by train. You can hop off at Kufstein to see its old castle & pretty wooden houses. Or visit Seefeld, a lovely town tucked between two big mountain ranges. For the best winter experience, stay at a mountain hotel.
You’ll wake up to snowy peaks outside your window and can warm up by a cozy fireplace after a day of exploring. These traditional fireplaces made with beautiful tiles, are perfect for relaxing on cold evenings.
Adventurous Rides on Austria’s Slopes
Sledding is a beloved winter activity in Austria that both kids and adults can enjoy. Many mountain lodges & ski areas let you rent sleds, making it easy for visitors to join in the fun. In Austria’s Tyrol area, you’ll find many sledding tracks. Most are easy to reach by taking a ski lift up the mountain. For example, the Glampweg track starts at the top of a ski lift and gives you an exciting 4-mile ride down.
Some tracks, like Bernhardseck and Brettlalm, need you to walk up snowy paths first – sometimes wearing special snow boots called snowshoes. Anyone can try sledding – you don’t need special training. But some tracks are trickier than others. On these tracks you might zoom down at speeds up to 28 miles per hour and there are sharp corners to navigate.
It’s thrilling but safe when you follow the basic rules.
Soak in the Charm of Holiday Markets
Austria’s Christmas markets bring magic to winter, especially in its capital city Vienna. You’ll find markets all over Vienna, but two stand out: the big market by City Hall and another one at the beautiful Belvedere Palace. These places come alive with Christmas lights, local sellers, and church choirs singing Christmas songs. In the mountain city of Innsbruck, snow covers the peaks all around while Christmas stalls fill the streets below.
The best market sits in the Old Town where local people sell handmade gifts, Christmas tree decorations, and tasty winter snacks. Two more special markets worth visiting are in different cities. Salzburg has a very old market called Christkindl that started over 600 years ago. In Graz, the Glockenspielplatz market is famous for its special theme days and local crafts made by hand. Each market has its own special feel but they all share the same warm Christmas spirit that Austria is known for.
Thermal Spas: The Perfect Winter Escape
When winter comes to Austria, people love going to special outdoor pools. These aren’t regular swimming pools – they’re warm pools filled with natural hot water from deep underground & they’re surrounded by snowy mountains. The best-known hot spring pool is at the Aqua Dome Hotel & Spa. It sits in a valley called Ötztal and looks like something from the future. It has 12 pools that seem to float in the air, filled with special healing water that comes from deep in the earth – about as deep as 20 football fields!
There are also seven steam rooms and saunas, a big swimming pool, and places to get massages and treatments. You can swim there until midnight & look at the stars while staying warm in the hot water. Another great place is Bad Gastein, a town nestled among tall mountains. Long ago, an Austrian queen named Elisabeth loved coming here to use the healing waters.
If you want even more options, there’s Bad Häring in the Tyrol region where you can try 50 different health treatments using special mineral water and sulfur baths.
Discover Attractions Among the Clouds
Austria’s mountains offer much more than skiing and snowboarding. The country has several amazing spots high up in the mountains that you won’t find anywhere else. If you’re a James Bond fan, visit the 007 ELEMENTS museum, which sits 3,000 meters high on Gaislachkogel mountain. This is the exact spot where they filmed parts of the movie “Spectre.” Want to have coffee in the clouds? Take a cable car to Café 3.440, the highest coffee shop in Austria.
To get there, you’ll ride on Austria’s fastest and highest mountain train up the Pitztal Glacier. At the top, you can see mountains in every direction. For thrill-seekers Austria has several glass viewing platforms that hang over deep valleys. On the Dachstein mountains you can walk on the “Stairway to Nothingness” platform & look straight down at the glacier below.
There’s also a 100-meter bridge that hangs 400 meters above the rocky mountain walls. Another amazing spot is the Summit World 3000 platform on Kitzsteinhorn Mountain sitting 3,029 meters high in the sky. From here, you can see endless mountain peaks stretching into the distance.
A Culinary Journey Through Austria
After skiing & sledding all day you’ll love the hearty winter food Austria offers. In mountain restaurants & cafes you can enjoy Kaiserschmarrn – shredded pancakes served with sweet berry sauce and nuts. It’s perfect for dessert or a snack break. When you need a hot lunch, try the Austrian take on macaroni & cheese called Käsespätzle. It’s made with local cheese & topped with crispy onions.
Another filling option is knödel – round potato dumplings seasoned with nutmeg. These come in two styles: savory with herbs and butter, or sweet with apricot filling. Just check which type you’re ordering! For dessert lovers, don’t miss the famous apple strudel (flaky pastry filled with apples) or Vienna’s special Sachertorte – a rich chocolate cake layered with apricot jam.
While exploring the streets, look for vendors selling hot roasted chestnuts. They’re served in paper bags – a perfect warm snack for cold days.
Outdoor Ice Skating Adventures Await
Austria offers amazing ice skating experiences, both indoors and outdoors. While indoor rinks are common, skating outside in nature is truly special. In cold regions like Tirol, many lakes freeze solid in winter, letting people skate while looking at beautiful snow-covered mountains. Every Austrian city has outdoor skating rinks. One of the best is in Vienna, right in front of City Hall at Rathausplatz.
During winter this rink becomes magical with Christmas decorations & a huge lit-up tree. The most exciting skating happens on natural ice. Sometimes, when winters are very cold people can skate on the famous Danube River. Another natural spot is Lake Weissensee in Carinthia.
When frozen, this lake turns into a massive skating path that’s 25 kilometers long, making it perfect for long skating trips. These outdoor rinks and frozen lakes let visitors enjoy winter sports while taking in Austria’s beautiful scenery. It’s a fun winter activity that both locals and tourists love.
Experience the Excitement of an Alpine Ride
Mountain coasters are a big hit in Europe, especially in ski areas. Think of them as fun roller coasters built right on mountain slopes instead of in theme parks. These rides are pretty cool – they use special pulleys to pull your cart up the mountain, & you can control how fast you go on the way down. Some people zoom down at speeds up to 25 miles per hour! You sit in a small cart and ride down tracks that curve & twist along the mountainside.
Austria is full of these exciting rides and they’re open all year. Riding in winter is extra special – you feel the cold wind on your face while snow covers everything around you. The Lauser Sauser is a famous one in Alpbach. Its track is nearly a mile long and sits 60 feet high – the highest in Austria!
While riding, you get amazing views of the valley and forests below. The Arena Coaster at Zell am Ziller is another must-try. It’s known for its sharp turns and drops, plus a super exciting full circle turn that spins you around one and a half times. The mountain views while riding are incredible!
Get Up Close with Huskies
Dogsledding is an exciting winter activity where trained dogs pull you in a sled across snowy landscapes. You sit comfortably wrapped in warm blankets while a team of strong huskies guides you through beautiful snow-covered valleys and past tall forests. These friendly dogs truly love running in the snow and pulling sleds – you can see the joy in their faces as they work! Austria offers many places to try dogsledding, especially in the Tirol mountains. You can visit husky farms to meet the dogs, learn how to drive a sled, or take guided tours.
Some places offer special nighttime rides under the moon & stars, with stops to warm up by a cozy fire. You can even go hiking with huskies if you prefer walking to sledding. If you’re looking to try this fun winter sport you’ll also find great dogsledding spots in the Kleinwalsertal Valley and throughout the Waldviertel area. These places have perfect winter conditions and experienced guides to help you enjoy this unforgettable adventure.
