Mulled wine in your hands, a fortress lit up above the rooftops and carols drifting across the cathedral square.
Ryanair and Jet2 fly non-stop from four UK airports to Salzburg from £36 return. That is about 2 hours in the air, and the dates fall in December, right in the middle of the Christmas market season.
✈️ The Deal
- From: London Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham and Belfast, United Kingdom
- To: Salzburg, Austria
- Airline: Ryanair, Jet2 from Belfast
- Stops: Non-stop
- Price: £36 - £62 return
- When: December 2026
Example dates:
London: 06/12/2026 - 12/12/2026
Manchester: 07/12/2026 - 12/12/2026
Birmingham: 05/12/2026 - 12/12/2026
Belfast: 19/12/2026 - 26/12/2026
Claim up to £520 for your delayed or cancelled flight →
Prices by city: London from £36, Manchester from £46, Birmingham from £52 and Belfast from £62. From Stansted you leave at 07:25 and land in Salzburg at 10:20, in time for lunch at the market. The flight home leaves at 13:25 and lands at 14:20. The Ryanair Basic fare includes only a small personal bag, and the Jet2 fare from Belfast includes a cabin bag. From London, a week earlier, from 28/11 to 05/12, costs £79.
💰 How far does your money go?
A pint in London now costs about £7. At the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt, a mug of Glühwein costs about €5.50, around £4.60, plus a €4 deposit you get back when you return the mug. A half-litre of local beer in the old town costs about £4.20-5, and a one-hour bus ticket £2.20, less than a Zone 1 Tube fare.
☀️ The Weather
December is properly cold in Salzburg. Expect highs of 3-4°C, nights around -2°C and a good chance of snow on the fortress and the surrounding peaks. Pack a warm coat, gloves and shoes with some grip for the cobbles.
🏨 Where to Stay
Stay in or near the old town, so you can walk back from the markets.
Numa Salzburg Vogelweider · 8.5/10 · From £153/night
Simple, modern apartments about 1.4 km from the centre, with self check-in.
Design Hotel zum Hirschen Salzburg · 8.9/10 · From £259/night
A design hotel about 1.2 km from the centre, an easy walk from the station and the old town.
Gentle Hide Designhotel · 9.4/10 · From £437/night
A boutique hotel just 200 metres from the centre, the one to book for a special trip.
🎯 What to Do
The Christkindlmarkt on Domplatz and Residenzplatz runs from 19 November to 1 January. There is plenty more to see around it.
Hohensalzburg Fortress: The huge medieval castle above the old town, with views over the rooftops and a small Advent market in the courtyard.
Old Town and Mozart walking tour: Mozart's birthplace, the cathedral and Residenzplatz with a guide, with a Christmas market stop in season.
Sound of Music and salt mines: The film locations around the city, then a trip underground by train and wooden slide.
Hallstatt and Sound of Music: A full day out to the famous lakeside village in the Alps, combined with the film locations.
🗺️ Where to Go From Here
Salzburg is well connected by train, so it is easy to add a second stop.
Munich: Bavaria's capital and its own big Christmas markets, about 1h45 by train.
Vienna: Imperial palaces, coffee houses and Austria's grandest markets, about 2h30 by train.
Innsbruck: An Alpine city with snow on the peaks above its old town, about 2 hours by train.
From £36 return, with a fortress, mulled wine and maybe some snow. These fares are likely to go fast before Christmas, so check your dates soon.
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