Advent in the mountains · 29 November to 23 December
Advent in the mountains: rent a hut for the quietest time of the year
Short days, lights in the windows early, a small Advent market in the neighbouring village where nobody pushes. 26 huts, chalets and holiday apartments for quiet December weeks in Austria – personally visited, with stove or sauna for the long evenings. If you like to travel slowly, these are the most beautiful four weeks – and the quietest huts.
Personally checkedQuiet weeks
before the bustle
before the bustle
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Four quiet weeks29 November to 23 DecemberThe quietest time of the mountain winter – before Christmas, before the ski season.
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Shorter stays possibleWeekends and single nights tooIn Advent the minimum stay is usually shorter than over the holidays – stated for every hut.
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Markets without crowdsSmall village markets instead of city bustleA village square, a barn, often only on single days – we tell you what is open in your week.
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Personal adviceWe know our hostsTell us how quiet it may be and whether a market should be included.
Three huts for the Advent season we especially recommend today
Every day we show you three different places from our selection – from the alpine hut with tiled stove to the holiday apartment with the Christmas market in the village. All 26 Advent huts are further down and of course in the hut finder.
Christmas markets
Advent and Christmas markets in Tyrol, Salzburg and Carinthia: six small ones without crowds
Everyone knows the big Christmas markets in Innsbruck, Salzburg or Hall. We like the small ones: a village square, a barn, often open only on single days. Exactly those are near our huts. The dates for Advent 2026 are not yet fixed everywhere – so we give the usual pattern and update in autumn.
Christmas market Gnadenwald
A single evening at the fire station: food, crafts, regional products and Christmas tree sales, a programme for children in the afternoon. Advent hardly gets smaller – and three of our huts are in the village.
See huts in TyrolAdvent market Mils near Hall
On the village square, on Advent Saturdays in the evening: warm drinks, regional treats, handmade gifts. The quiet alternative to the big market in Hall, ten minutes further on.
See huts in TyrolAlpine village “Anno Dazumal” in Tux
Rustic instead of flashy: bacon, sausage, cheese, butter, bread, alpine Christmas decorations and pastries. Usually on Thursdays in Advent, in the late afternoon.
To the winter themeVillgraten mountain Christmas
Mountain village Christmas in Innervillgraten with a craft trail and homemade gifts. This is about tradition, not turnover – usually on one Advent weekend.
See huts in TyrolAdvent market in the Kaminstadl, Hüttschlag
A historic barn at the far end of the Großarltal, weekends in the late afternoon. A short drive from Bischofshofen – and noticeably quieter than the valley before it.
See huts in SalzburgFarmers' market in Advent, Himmelberg
On the market square below the Hochrindl: meat, smoked fish, crafts, mulled wine and cider, plus St Nicholas and Krampus figures. Traditionally around 8 December.
See huts in CarinthiaAlso small and near us: “Advent im Dorf” in Mühlbach am Hochkönig, the Advent market in Absam and the village Christmas in Loich in the Pielachtal. Ask us – we tell you what is really open in your week.
Slow travel
Why Advent is the time for slow travel
One destination instead of five
One market, one winter walk, one long evening by the stove – in Advent that is the whole day, and it is completely enough.
Stay instead of passing through
Those who stay a week instead of two nights save half the travel and really get to know the valley. Advent makes it easy: the huts are still free.
Sustainable travelFrom the farm instead of the shelf
Bacon, cheese, bread, cider – in December the farm shops are open and the farmers' markets are the real reason to go into the village.
To the foodGood to know
What you should know before booking for Advent
Many markets open only on single days
Village markets often take place on a Saturday or on Advent weekends, some on a single evening. Plan the week around the market, not the other way round – and check the dates shortly before.
December means winter equipment
From November, winter equipment is required in Austria depending on conditions. At some huts the car stays in the valley and the host picks you up – this is stated for every hut.
Read the winter guideIt is dark at four o'clock
The days are short. Hikes belong in the morning, a headlamp in the rucksack – and the long evening in the warm parlour is the best part of the day.
Safe in the mountainsShop for supplies before 8 December
8 December is a public holiday. If you shop before it, you have the holiday free for market and winter path – and ask us what is already at the hut.
To the packing listWhen do you want to come?
All 26 huts for Advent in the mountains
Not decided yet? Here are all huts, chalets and holiday apartments that come into question for Advent – with number of persons, rooms and what makes December special there. Whether your preferred week is free, you see directly at the hut.
Good to know
Mountain advent in Austria: atmospheric advent markets and alpine traditions
Advent in Austria – deeply rooted traditions
The pre-christmas season in the Austrian mountains is full of alpine traditions passed down from generation to generation: advent singing and advent concerts with brass ensembles and alphorn players, the nativity scene in the living room, Saint Nicholas and the Perchten in the run-up to Christmas. Folk music and centuries-old craftsmanship belong to a traditional advent as much as the aroma of mulled wine.
Salzburg mountain advent and other advent highlights
The Salzburg mountain advent – the Bergadvent in the Grossarl valley – is one of the most atmospheric advent markets in the Alps: lovingly decorated stalls, regional crafts, carved wooden toys and culinary delights against the mountain scenery. From our huts above Bischofshofen it is a short drive to Grossarl and to the Gastein valley with Bad Gastein and Bad Hofgastein. In Tyrol, the advent market in Innsbruck and the small village markets around the Karwendel are the advent highlights.
Tranquillity in the winter forest
Between the advent events, the mountains offer what the city cannot: tranquillity. A walk through the winter forest, the snowy mountains in the low sun, a horse-drawn carriage ride through the valley, the ringing of bells from the village church – nature experiences that get young and old alike in the mood for Christmas and warm the heart, far from the hustle and bustle.
Your advent trip to the hut
An advent trip to a hut is the easiest way to experience the magic of the pre-christmas period: the fire crackles, the advent calendar hangs by the window, the christmas atmosphere comes to life all by itself. Our huts in Tyrol, Salzburg and Carinthia are personally visited – and we tell you which advent markets and concerts during advent are near your hut when the season begins.
Frequently asked
Advent in the mountains – briefly answered
When is Advent in the mountains – which period exactly?
Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. In 2026 that is 29 November, and the Advent season runs until 24 December. As a holiday period we mean the four weeks until 23 December – from the 24th, Christmas in the mountains begins with us.
What is the minimum stay in Advent?
Usually shorter than over the holidays. Many hosts also rent single nights or long weekends in Advent. The exact minimum stay is stated for every hut.
Are the Advent markets crowded in December?
The small village and farmers' markets in our valleys are pleasantly quiet – they are often open only on single days, and people know each other. If you want to see the big Christmas market in Innsbruck or Salzburg, it is best to go on a weekday.
Is there snow already in Advent?
At the higher huts usually yes – the Breitberg Alm at 1,100 metres and the Pietschacher Almhütte in the Nock Mountains are often already in snow in December. In the valley it is down to weather luck. We tell you honestly what the situation is at each hut.
Can you easily arrive without a car in Advent?
At many huts yes, and in Advent it is more relaxed than in midwinter. Every hut states how arrival by train and bus works and whether the host picks you up from the station.
What does a hut cost in Advent?
With many hosts Advent is cheaper than the holidays and midwinter. You see the price for your period directly at the hut – without enquiry and without a surcharge compared to the owner.
Not sure yet which week in Advent is the right one?
Tell us how quiet it may be and whether an Advent market should be included. We know every hut personally and tell you honestly what is free and open in your week.
Discover more
Advent huts by region
Advent huts in TyrolAdvent huts in SalzburgAdvent huts in CarinthiaAdvent huts in VorarlbergAdvent huts in East TyrolAdvent huts in Lower Austria
Matching accommodation types
Rent an alpine hut & mountain cabinHoliday house in the mountainsHoliday apartment in AustriaFarm stayRent a chalet
Experiences in Advent
Food at the hutSeasonal calendarThe right cheese platterA year on the mountain farm