Christmas and New Year in Zell am See

I'm Ursula Auer from Hotel Latini. For me, Zell am See is not just where I work; it is a place I have grown very fond of, with its mountains, its lake and some truly special moments.

Before you book: Hotel Latini is closed from 26 October to 26 November 2026, and its pizzeria, Papa Rudolfo, reopens on 10 December 2026.

Is Zell am See good for Christmas?

For most British families and couples, yes. December here brings three things together in one small town: Christmas markets in the old centre, a lake with festive boat trips, and a ski mountain reached by lift from the town and from Schüttdorf.

The season has a local name, the Sternenadvent, which the tourism board translates as Star Advent. Every Christmas market in the region is themed on the star, and lit stars float on Lake Zell itself (Zell am See-Kaprun Tourism).

What makes it work in practice:

• The markets start early and run late. The Stadtplatz market opens on 18 November and stays open until 23 December 2026 (Star Advent markets), and the Star Advent by the lake in the Stadtpark runs until 31 December.
• The lake is part of Christmas. The MS Schmittenhöhe sails from 29 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 on selected dates, including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Eve (Schmittenhöhebahn).
• You can ski over the holidays. The Schmittenhöhe, Zell am See's own mountain, plans to open on 4 December 2026 with 77 km of slopes, depending on snow and weather (Schmittenhöhebahn).
• Local customs run from Advent to Epiphany. Look out for the Krampus run in early December, carol singing on Christmas Eve, the Christmas tree that divers bring up from the lake on Christmas Day and the Tresterer dance on 6 January.

The one thing Zell am See cannot promise is snow in the streets on Christmas Day. More on that below, with the figures.

Christmas markets in Zell am See and Kaprun in 2026

Zell am See has two Star Advent markets in 2026: the Star Advent market on the Stadtplatz, the square in the old town centre, and the Star Advent by the lake (Sternenadvent am See), which this year is in the Stadtpark; the floating stars are on the lake by the Elisabethpark. Around the town, a handful of smaller markets open on set days, and Kaprun, the next village up the valley, has two of its own.

Dates from Zell am See-Kaprun Tourism and, for the Alpenblick, from the organisers; we checked the dates of the Star Advent by the lake with its organiser.

The Star Advent market on the Stadtplatz. More than 20 decorated huts sell mulled wine (Glühwein), freshly baked Christmas biscuits, roasted almonds and crafts from the local group "Handgemacht im Pinzgau" (handmade in the Pinzgau), with music and plenty of children's events on top. It is a small-town market, open Wednesday to Sunday, so plan a Monday or Tuesday for something else.

The Star Advent by the lake, in the Stadtpark. Because of building work, the Star Advent by the lake is in the Stadtpark this year, right on the lake, for the first time. Traditional huts sell food and small gifts, with live music now and then, a children's programme, a Sterntaler trail, a vintage carousel, a nativity exhibition and light figures. St Nicholas and the Krampus come on 6 December, the Zell Christkind (the Christ Child, who brings the presents in Austria) on 20 December, and on 31 December there is a New Year's Eve party. It is open from 19 November to 31 December 2026:

• Thursdays and Fridays 4 to 8 pm, Saturdays 2 to 8 pm, Sundays 2 to 7 pm
• also 7 December, 4 to 8 pm, and 8 December, 2 to 8 pm
• 21, 22 and 23 December, 4 to 8 pm, and Christmas Eve, 10 am to 2 pm
• then daily until 31 December, 4 to 8 pm

The market at the Grand Hotel. A smaller market on the last three Advent weekends beside the Pinzga Bräu brewery on the lakefront, next to the Grand Hotel. According to the organisers there are light installations at the Hundertwasser fountain, roast chestnuts and mulled wine, regional crafts, and ice stock sport (Eisstockschießen, a local cousin of curling); every Friday there is a brewery tour from 6 pm.

The Alpenblick Christkindlmarkt. A small, traditional market in the inner courtyard of the Alpenblick resort, run by the Segl family. According to the organisers it opens on Wednesdays 2, 9 and 16 December and on Friday 18 December 2026, from 4 to 8 pm.

Thumersbach. On the far side of the lake, hobby makers sell their work on the village square, with children's crafts and food (markets overview); ask us for this year's dates.

The Kaprun Christmas markets

Kaprun has two markets in 2026, both on set days only. The parish market on the Kirchbichl, the hill around the church, is open from 2 pm on each of the four days, 28 and 29 November and 12 and 13 December 2026; a wood-fired bakery sells its own baking, local producers and makers sell food and gifts, and the Anglöckler, local carol singers, come by at 5 pm.

The Christkindl Charity Advent market is on Saturday 19 December 2026 on the Salzburger Platz, according to the organisers, from 2 pm for six hours, again with the Anglöckler at 5 pm.

What to do in Zell am See over Christmas

Beyond the markets, most of December's events happen on the Stadtplatz or the lakefront, a few minutes' walk apart.

Advent: Krampus, St Nicholas and concerts

Krampus. In early December, wild-looking figures with horns and birch switches run through the streets of Zell am See. They look frightening but do no harm; the tourism board describes the Krampus run as the start of the Christmas season (traditions). In 2025 the Krampus run in Zell am See was on 5 December at 7 pm (SalzburgerLand Tourism); ask us for this year's date if you are planning around it.

St Nicholas on the lake. For younger children, the gentler option is the St Nicholas boat on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December 2026, sailing at 1 pm, 2.30 pm and 4 pm. It is a 60-minute trip with St Nicholas and his angels and no Krampus; every child can write a postcard to the Christkind, and small children born in 2021 or later travel free with proof of age. Boarding is on the Esplanade.

The musical Star Advent walk. A free one-hour guided walk with music leaves the Stadtplatz at 5 pm on Fridays 27 November and 4, 11 and 18 December 2026. It goes from the market through the Seegasse to the Grand Hotel and along the lake to the stars on the water by the Elisabethpark.

Advent concerts. The Liedertafel choir sings in the parish church in Schüttdorf, on the Kitzsteinhornstraße, on Saturday 12 December 2026 at 7 pm, and the Kiwanis Club's Advent concert is in the town parish church of Zell am See on Sunday 13 December 2026 at 6.30 pm (Advent programme).

Star boat trips on Lake Zell

The star cruises on the MS Schmittenhöhe are one-hour trips from the Esplanade, with mulled wine on board, biscuits on the table and Christmas music included. Two children pay the normal fare and any further children go free. The 2026/27 sailings:

• 29 November and 8, 13 and 20 December 2026: 3 pm and 4.30 pm
• 24 December 2026: 1.30 pm and 3 pm
• 25, 26 and 31 December 2026, and 3 and 6 January 2027: 1.30 pm, 3 pm and 4.30 pm

Fares are not listed on the event page, so check them when you book.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

In Austria the big evening is Christmas Eve, and the Liedertafel choir marks it with traditional carol singing: at the care home at 2.30 pm, the hospital at 3.30 pm, the hillside cemetery (Bergfriedhof) at 5 pm and finally on the Stadtplatz at 6 pm.

On Christmas Day the water rescue service holds its Christmas tree dive in the Oberschneiderbucht, the bay between the Grand Hotel and the lido. A Christmas tree sunk 15 metres down is brought back to the surface by the rescue divers as thanks for a year without accidents and in memory of those lost on the lake. On 25 December 2026 the punch hut opens at 4 pm and the dive starts at 5 pm; it ends with a short blessing and a small firework display over the lake, and entry is free. It has drawn locals and guests for nearly five decades.

Lights and ice

The Lumagica light park. Light figures line a winter walk through the pedestrian zone and along the lakeshore, past the Advent markets. Last season it ran from 19 November 2025 to the end of February 2026; the route is 2.25 km.

Outdoor ice skating. There is a 200-square-metre outdoor rink in front of the Ferry Porsche Congress Center, with a hut serving punch and snacks, and skate hire on site. Last season (29 November 2025 to 8 March 2026) it was open daily from 2 to 8 pm, with free entry and skate hire at 3 euros.

Christmas dinner in Zell am See

For Christmas dinner, book early wherever you go, and ask each restaurant directly about 24 and 25 December rather than relying on its usual hours. Our guide to restaurants in Zell am See lists the places we send guests to.

If you stay at Hotel Latini on half board, dinner is served daily from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm, a five-course choice menu or a themed buffet. Over the Christmas and New Year week the hotel adds culinary highlights of its own, and on New Year's Eve a gala dinner with live music.

Can you ski in Zell am See at Christmas?

Yes, as long as the season starts as planned. The Schmittenhöhe dates below are planned, depending on snow and weather (Schmittenhöhebahn AG).

The Schmittenhöhe comes first. It is Zell am See's own ski area, with lifts from Schüttdorf and from the town centre. The planned start of the 2026/27 season is 4 December 2026, with 77 km of slopes (Schmittenhöhebahn). The lifts that matter for a Christmas week:

Source: Schmittenhöhebahn AG, opening times.

The new Kapellenbahn lift is due to start running in December 2026 (Schmittenhöhebahn). The Ski ALPIN CARD covers 408 km of slopes across the Schmittenhöhe, Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn and the Kitzsteinhorn in Kaprun (Schmittenhöhebahn). Hotel Der Schütthof next door explains lift passes (Ski ALPIN CARD) and has a full guide to skiing in Zell am See.

Kaprun's glacier is the back-up. If early snow is thin in the valley, the Kitzsteinhorn above Kaprun is the higher option, with skiing from 768 to 3,029 metres and a season from autumn to early summer (Gletscherbahnen Kaprun). The glacier is already open for skiing in the autumn (live status), and the 3K K-ONNECTION, the lift from Kaprun via the Maiskogel to the glacier, is back in December 2026.

Over the holidays the glacier also runs a winter programme: Freeride Monday from 14 December 2026, the Kitzsteinhorn Explorer Tour from 22 December 2026 and Ski Touring Thursday from 31 December 2026; programme as published by the operator, subject to change (Gletscherbahnen Kaprun).

At Hotel Latini, the areitXpress valley station is about 5 to 7 minutes on foot. Ski hire and ski instructors are in the hotel, with a ski room and lift passes at reception, and the children's ski schools and meeting points are within walking distance. More on winter at Hotel Latini.

Is there snow in Zell am See in December?

Usually, but not reliably. On the 1971 to 2000 averages for the Zell am See station (766 m), there was snow on the ground (at least 1 cm) on about 24 of December's 31 days, 56.9 cm of new snow fell in the month, and the mean daily temperature was minus 2.7 °C; no guarantee of snow (ZAMG climate data 1971 to 2000).

Two things follow from that. First, these are long-term averages from 1971 to 2000, not a forecast for 2026, and any given December can be greener or whiter. Second, a cold, snowy town is the normal picture, so pack for it: boots with grip for the Stadtplatz in the evening, and warm layers for the boat, where you sit out on the lake for an hour.

If snow is the whole point of the trip, the Kitzsteinhorn glacier in Kaprun, which reaches 3,029 metres (Gletscherbahnen Kaprun), is the snow-sure option; the town itself is not.

New Year's Eve and New Year in Zell am See

For New Year's Eve, 31 December 2026, the options include:

• The New Year's Eve vintage train. A nostalgic diesel train leaves Zell am See station (Bahnhofplatz 1) at 1.20 pm for Mittersill, a three-hour trip with a bar carriage and live music on board, and a mulled wine stand at Mittersill station to toast the old year.
• Star cruises on the lake. The MS Schmittenhöhe sails at 1.30 pm, 3 pm and 4.30 pm.
• A party on the mountain. The Schmittenhöhe lists a New Year's Eve party on the mountain as part of Schmitten Sound (Schmittenhöhebahn); ask us for the details.
• A party by the lake. The Star Advent by the lake in the Stadtpark holds a New Year's Eve party on 31 December.

For a New Year's Eve dinner in town, book well ahead and ask the restaurant directly; our guide to restaurants in Zell am See is a good place to start.

Epiphany: the Tresterer dance. The holidays end with a local custom. The Tresterer are "beautiful Perchten", dancers in precious costumes and gold-trimmed crowns with cock's feathers (traditions). On 6 January 2027 at 5 pm the Zeller Tresterer dance on the Stadtplatz, and entry is free. The same day is the last star cruise of the season.

Staying at Hotel Latini in December

Hotel Latini is a four-star hotel in Zell am See-Schüttdorf, about 5 to 7 minutes on foot from the areitXpress valley station. What matters for a December stay:

• Christmas and New Year at the hotel. Over the Christmas and New Year week the hotel runs a full programme, with culinary highlights and an afternoon snack. On Christmas Eve, Father Christmas brings every guest a present. Children can join a leather-craft workshop. On New Year's Eve there is an aperitif, then a gala dinner with live music; after dinner the band moves to the bar and the party goes on into the early hours, with a snack after midnight. On New Year's Day the breakfast buffet runs until 11 am. Our Advent and Christmas packages are on the booking page.
• Papa Rudolfo. After reopening, our pizzeria and à la carte restaurant is open daily from 11.30 am to 10 pm, with the kitchen (pizza included) until 9.30 pm, and it keeps these regular hours over Christmas and New Year; non-residents are welcome too. More on Papa Rudolfo, our pizzeria.
• Getting into town. The Salzburg Mobility Ticket is included for every guest and covers public transport across the whole province of Salzburg, including arrival and departure days. The nearest bus stop, Schüttdorf ÖBB-Postbus Garage, is 5 minutes on foot. Lake Zell is about 15 minutes on foot.
• After the cold. The Gold Spa's indoor pool, about 28 °C, is open daily from 7 am to 9 pm; children are welcome during the day, and from 6 pm it is for adults and young people aged 14 and over. The saunas are open from 3 pm to 9 pm, from age 14. More on the indoor pool and saunas.
• Evenings in. Half-board dinner is served daily from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm, and the UNO Bar has cocktails, wine and beer, with regular live music in winter.
• With children. For families there are the St Nicholas boat, the star cruises' family bonus, the children's events at the Stadtplatz market and the children's programme at the Star Advent by the lake; more on family holidays at Hotel Latini.
• Arriving. Zell am See station is about 3 km from the hotel and Salzburg airport about 80 km.