Best time to visit Austria
You may not be joining Ball Season in Vienna, but you'll still have a ball snowshoeing in East Tyrol in January.![]()
If snow is your thing, late Nov-April is, on average, perfect for frosty fun. Austria likes its rain, so always bring an umbrella just in case. June-Aug bring beautiful summer weather, particularly the further south you go, but never too scorching. Of course the high mountains are always cooler, but with risks of lightning in summer. Christmas and New Year in Austria are magically festive, with glühwein and Christmas markets everywhere you go, no matter how remote. Hike in autumn to catch the wine harvest, with many festivals to accompany it.
When is the best time for a winter sports vacation?
The best time to go on a winter vacation in Austria is January to mid-March, when there’s snow already on the ground and more can fall at any time. Most trips base themselves in Tyrolean villages, typically around 1,000m up, so it’s cold. Average daytime temperature in winter is around -5°C, though it can fall as low as -15°C with around 8 to 10 hours of daylight. Throughout winter there are periods of clear bright weather and in February and March it can become surprisingly warm in the sun. But don’t rule out the chance of a stormy day.Austria, month by month
Our Austria Vacations
Austria yoga & walking vacation
Daily yoga, stunning alpine hiking, delicious food.
From
€1095 to €1295
7 days
ex flights
Tyrol winter walking vacation in Austria
Experience Austria away from the busy slopes
From
US $1779
8 days
ex flights
Danube cycling vacation, self guided
Discove the compelling history of the Danube
From
US $2390
14 days
ex flights
Prague to Budapest cycling vacation
A wonderfully contrasting ride through the heart of Europe
From
US $4179
11 days
ex flights
Austrian walking vacation
Explore Austrian Alps on foot from our remote mountain home
From
€1095 to €1295
7 days
ex flights
Highlights of Central Europe tour
Experience the incredible highlights of Central Europe
From
US $2525 to US $2775
8 days
ex flights
Austria Weather Chart
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
-3
2
31
FEB
-1
4
32
MAR
2
10
35
APR
6
16
43
MAY
10
20
62
JUN
13
23
72
JUL
15
26
68
AUG
15
25
61
SEP
11
21
42
OCT
7
15
37
NOV
2
8
46
DEC
-1
3
36
Our top Austria Vacation
Austria yoga & walking vacation
Daily yoga, stunning alpine hiking, delicious food.
From
€1095 to €1295
7 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2023: 27 May, 3 Jun, 10 Jun, 17 Jun, 24 Jun, 1 Jul, 8 Jul, 15 Jul, 22 Jul, 29 Jul, 5 Aug, 12 Aug, 19 Aug, 26 Aug, 2 Sep, 9 Sep, 16 Sep, 23 Sep, 30 Sep
2023: 27 May, 3 Jun, 10 Jun, 17 Jun, 24 Jun, 1 Jul, 8 Jul, 15 Jul, 22 Jul, 29 Jul, 5 Aug, 12 Aug, 19 Aug, 26 Aug, 2 Sep, 9 Sep, 16 Sep, 23 Sep, 30 Sep
Travel Team
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Festivals and events in Austria
Cattle drives
Austria’s farmers move grazing livestock depending on the seasons – a practice known as transhumance. The herds and flocks are driven up to the high alpine pasture in spring, and then back down to the lowlands in autumn. Communities celebrate the safe return of their cattle, sheep and goats from the mountains in September, and the valleys ring with cowbells.
Responsible Travel recommends
Nicola Croom, from our specialist vacation company World Expeditions, has this advice for when to cycle on the Danube:
“Overtourism is not an issue yet on the Danube Cycle Path, however the months of July and August are typically busier than the shoulder season (April-May and September-October), as this is when most Austrian people tend to go on vacation; if you want to avoid the crowds it is better to travel earlier or later in the year, in spring or autumn.”
More about Austria
Read every section of our Austria travel guide and you’ll no doubt be singing the praises of Mozart much louder than the virtues of Julie Andrews.
Little Austria sits right in the middle of central Europe. Much diminished in size since the days when it was one of the most powerful empires on the continent, it’s no less beautiful now.
With so much beautiful landscape on the average Austrian’s doorstep, it’s little wonder that walking is the country’s unofficial national pastime.
Inspirational mountain scenery with walking, meditation and steaming bowls of hot choc on the terrace make yoga vacations in Austria one of our favourite things.
Hike along Alpine trails in the shadow of Austria’s highest mountain before white water rafting through the valleys.
East Tyrol is one of the finest destinations for snowshoeing in Austria, a mountainous landscape of spellbinding beauty and tranquillity.
Keep your carbon footprint low at high altitude: go on a walking vacation in the Tyrol that uses local transport and is fuelled by local food.
Sublime, sky-high Alps don’t have to be daunting. We've gathered the best advice we can on Austria from the people who live there and the people who've just got back.
Austria’s magnificent mountains are so pristine they seem untouchable. But your visit, from the money you spend, to where you leave your footprints, can affect the country in many ways.
