Month guide · Salzburg · Austria
Salzburg in January
What January is really like in Salzburg: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Snotty, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
January is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 3°C (37°F), lows of -4°C (25°F), about 11 rainy days and roughly 8.8 hours of daylight. Cold and often grey with occasional snow; quiet streets apart from Mozart Week around the composer's birthday.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 3°C (37°F) / -4°C (25°F)
- Rainy days
- About 11
- Daylight
- About 8.8 hours
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in January
January is the 11th-warmest month in Salzburg: days average 3°C (37°F) against a yearly average high of 14°C (57°F), and nights fall to about -4°C (25°F). Rain falls on roughly 11 of its 31 days. Compared with December (3°C (37°F)), January is about as warm; by February highs climb to around 5°C (41°F).
- Sunrise (15 January)
- About 07:52
- Sunset (15 January)
- About 16:42
- Daylight
- About 8.8 hours
Winter (December–February). Christmas markets and Advent concerts in December, then cold, quiet weeks with low prices, Mozart Week and nearby skiing.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, January rates 2 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in July). That makes January one of the better-value months to book.
Events in January
- Mozart Week — concerts around Mozart's birthday (usually late January)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in January
With cold days, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Museum · Altstadt
Mozart's Birthplace
Buy a combined ticket with the Mozart Residence across the river, and visit early to avoid tour-group crowds in the small rooms.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Rainy day
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Museum · Right-bank old town
Mozart Residence
In 1773 the Mozart family moved to a larger apartment in the Tanzmeisterhaus on Makartplatz, where Wolfgang lived until 1781.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
Religious site · Altstadt
Salzburg Cathedral
Listen for the noon organ recitals or Sunday mass music, a free way to hear the cathedral's organs.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Palace · Altstadt
DomQuartier and the Residenz
A single ticket leads through the prince-archbishops' Residenz state rooms, where the young Mozart performed, the Residenzgalerie of European paintings, the gallery above the cathedral nave and the museums of the cathedral and St.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
What to pack
For highs near 3°C, lows near -4°C and 11 wet days: a warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers; shoes with good grip for icy pavements; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is January a good time to visit Salzburg?
A quieter month with trade-offs, with a notable event on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, May–June and September are better overall. Compare every month.
Salzburg in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is January a good time to visit Salzburg?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Cold and often grey with occasional snow; quiet streets apart from Mozart Week around the composer's birthday.
+How warm is Salzburg in January?
Average highs are around 3°C (37°F) and lows around -4°C (25°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Salzburg in January?
Expect rain on about 11 days of the month.