Season guide · Hallstatt · Austria
Hallstatt in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: C.Stadler/Bwag, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Snowy and quiet, with Advent events and nearby skiing, but short, shaded days and some attractions closed. Expect highs up to 4°C (39°F) and lows around -5°C (23°F), with about 36 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -5°C (23°F) to 4°C (39°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 36
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2°C (36°F) | -5°C (23°F) | 12 | 8.8 h | 2/5 |
| February | 4°C (39°F) | -4°C (25°F) | 11 | 10.2 h | 2/5 |
| December | 3°C (37°F) | -3°C (27°F) | 13 | 8.5 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 3°C (37°F) against a yearly 13°C (55°F), and 36 of the year's roughly 162 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- December: Advent markets in the Salzkammergut (usually December)
- December: Krampus runs in local towns (around 5 December)
Good choices for winter
Historic site · Lahn
Salzwelten Hallstatt salt mine
Take the first funicular of the day to beat tour groups and leave time for the Skywalk and the prehistoric burial ground on the way.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Kids
- History
- Rainy day
- Active
Religious site · Hallstatt Markt
Beinhaus (Charnel House)
In the small St.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
Museum · Hallstatt Markt
Museum Hallstatt
Visit before the salt mine to make sense of the archaeology you will see on the mountain.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Day trips in winter
- Salzburg (About 1.5 hours by car, 2.5 by bus) — Mozart's Baroque city has Hohensalzburg Fortress, the cathedral, Getreidegasse and the Mirabell Gardens, and can be covered in a long day.
- Gmunden and the Traunsee (About 1 hour by train) — Gmunden is known for its green-and-white ceramics and the Seeschloss Ort, a castle on an island in the Traunsee reached by a wooden bridge.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Hallstatt?
It is a trade-off: Snowy and quiet, with Advent events and nearby skiing, but short, shaded days and some attractions closed. The best months overall are May–June and September.
+What is the weather like in Hallstatt in winter?
Highs of up to 4°C (39°F) and lows around -5°C (23°F), with about 36 rainy days over the season.