Things to Do in Austria in April
April weather, activities, events & insider tips
Low Season · Budget Friendly
April Weather in Austria
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
44°F (7°C)
High Temp
29°F (-1°C)
Low Temp
2.8 inches (71 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
⚠ Near-freezing temperatures, pack warm layers
Is April Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + April closes Austria's ski season on a high note. Morning corduroy firms up under cold nights, then softens into sweet corn by lunchtime, and lift lines at St. Anton shrink by 70% on weekdays.
- + City weather turns agreeable, sidewalk cafés along Kärntner Straße roll out their terraces the moment Vienna hits 15°C (59°F), and the chestnut trees edging the Ringstrasse push out their first buds.
- + After Easter, Salzburg and Innsbruck hotel rates drop 30-40% as skiers head home. The same deluxe room that cost €400 in February drops to €160 once the Christmas-market surcharge disappears.
- + Lower-Alpine hiking comes back to life in spring: Hallstatt trails buried under snow in March open up, and the well-known Five Fingers lookout above Krippenstein usually sheds its white coat by mid-April.
Considerations
- − April is Austria's shoulder-season weather gamble, Monday may bring a blizzard on the slopes, Thursday could see you licking gelato in a t-shirt. Bring both thermal layers and sunblock or pay resort prices for emergency gear.
- − Mountain cable cars trim their timetables, Kitzbühel's Hahnenkamm gondola shifts from every 10 minutes in peak season to every 20-30, which can steal an hour from your hiking plans if you don't plan around it.
- − Vienna's palace gardens (Schönbrunn, Belvedere) stay brown and muddy until late April. The baroque fountains look grand. But the manicured hedges that frame them in summer photos are still bare.
Best Activities in April
Top things to do during your visit
April in Austria is still cold. Mornings often hover just above freezing. Afternoons can feel brisk or turn surprisingly mild when the sun breaks through. You will see the first green shoots in Vienna's formal gardens. You will hear melting snow trickling down alpine streams near Salzburg. This is not peak season. It is a transitional month. Locals emerge to take their first outdoor wine at the seasonal Easter markets. The Vienna Easter Markets transform the grounds of Schönbrunn Palace with stalls of hand-painted eggs and the scent of local honey. The Salzburg Easter Festival provides a profound counterpoint in the Grosses Festspielhaus. There, an excellent orchestra thunders as the countryside quietly awakens.
Amadeus Concerts at Ehrbarsaal - Viennas lesser-known place
entertainmentThe Amadeus Concerts at Ehrbarsaal offer an intimate journey into Mozart and Strauss. They happen in a restored Art Nouveau hall in Vienna. The acoustics are famously clear. You will hear every nuance of the string quartet. Gilded stucco and a painted ceiling create a sense of transported time.
This experience delivers the precision of a grand performance with the warmth of a salon concert. The music feels composed for the room.
Insider tip: Arrive at least twenty minutes early. Seating is unassigned. This lets you secure a seat with a good view of the painted ceiling.
Private Tour to Wachau-Hallstatt-Salzburg
private_tourA Private Tour to Wachau-Hallstatt-Salzburg condenses Austrian landscape and history into one day. It moves from the vine-terraced Danube Valley to the alpine lake spectacle of Hallstatt. It ends in Mozart's city. You will feel the cool breeze off the Hallstätter See. You will see the thousand-year-old bones in the charnel house of Hallstatt's mountain church.
It efficiently connects three well-known scenes. It uses the tailored flexibility of a private guide and vehicle.
Insider tip: Ask your driver to pause at a specific viewpoint along the Wachau's river road. The spot near Spitz offers the most photogenic perspective of the Danube's curve through apricot orchards.
Private tour of historical Vienna with Jan
culturalThe Private tour of historical Vienna with Jan provides a personalized look at the city's layers. It covers Roman foundations to Habsburg grandeur. Jan is known for his engaging storytelling. You will walk on worn cobblestones in the Hofburg's shadow. You will hear tales of imperial intrigue.
Jan's narrative skill transforms a standard walk into a compelling saga of Vienna itself.
Insider tip: If your tour falls on a day with variable April weather, use the covered passages and courtyards of the Hofburg complex. They let you continue the exploration dry and uninterrupted.
Vienna Woods Wine Tour - Wines, Vines & Good Times!
foodThe Vienna Woods Wine Tour goes into the forested hills just beyond the city. Family-run heurigen serve their own wines in rustic gardens overlooking vineyards. You will taste the bright, acidic Gemischter Satz field blends. You will smell the smoky aroma of schweinsbraten roasting over wood coals.
It escapes the urban bustle for a pastoral setting. The winemaker is likely pouring your glass. This has an authentic taste of Lower Austrian wine culture.
Insider tip: Dress in layers for the microclimates of the Vienna Woods. Sunny gardens feel warm. Shaded forest paths retain a noticeable chill.
Private World War II Walking Tour in Vienna
walking_tourThe Private World War II Walking Tour in Vienna navigates the physical remnants of the Anschluss, the war, and the occupation. It focuses on buildings and monuments that carry this heavy history. You will stand on the spot of the historic announcement at the Heldenplatz. You will feel the weight of the memorial stones in the Judenplatz.
It provides important understanding of the 20th-century events that shaped modern Austria. It engages with locations many standard tours omit.
Insider tip: The tour involves significant time outdoors. Wear sturdy, waterproof shoes for the unpredictable April showers and cobblestone streets.
Taste and Tour Small Organic Wineries with a Winemaker
guided_experienceTaste and Tour Small Organic Wineries with a Winemaker grants direct access to vintners around Vienna. These vintners commit to natural processes. You will taste the unfiltered results of this hands-off approach. You may note a distinctive minerality and lively fermentation spark.
This is a chance to discuss viticulture directly with the producer. You will sample wines that rarely leave their local market. The focus is on quality and method over mass production.
Insider tip: These small-scale winemakers operate by appointment only. Confirm your booking well in advance. Their availability is more limited than larger vineyards.
Where to Stay in Austria in April
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for April travellers.
★★★★★
Luxury
Anantara Palais Hansen Vienna – A Leading Hotel of the World
From $439 / night
Check Prices on Trip.com →
April Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Late March through early April
Vienna Easter Markets
Schönbrunn Palace's OsterMarkt turns the baroque gardens into a spring craft fair stocked with hand-painted eggs, local honey, and the year's first outdoor wine tastings. The adjacent Palm House stays balmy for tropical plants while the gardens begin to bloom.
Week before Easter Sunday
Salzburg Easter Festival
This classical-music festival packs the Grosses Festspielhaus with top orchestras, think Berlin Philharmonic thundering through Beethoven in the same hall where Mozart once premiered. The week-long run ends on Easter Sunday, and tickets vanish in January.
Packing Checklist
Bookmark this page — your progress is saved between visits
Need the full list with shopping links?
Climate-specific gear, brand recommendations, and what to leave at home.
View Austria Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Reserve Sunday-Thursday nights, April weekend rates are 50% off peak, but the discount is a hangover from legacy winter pricing.
Exploit the Austrian 'Sommerkarte' loophole, cable cars flip to summer cards on April 15th, giving you hiking lifts for half the winter ski-pass price.
Sit down for lunch at mountain huts between 11:30 AM and 12:30 PM, after 1 PM the day-trippers swarm, while early birds score fresh Kaiserschmarrn and a window panorama.
Install the ÖBB Scotty app, Austrian trains are so punctual that platform changes appear 3 minutes before departure. Miss it and your tight connection is gone.
Avoid These Mistakes
Don't assume every ski resort stays open, lower lifts shut by early April, and glacier skiing needs separate homework.
Never underestimate Alpine weather, pack only down and you'll roast in Salzburg. Pack only fleece and you'll shiver on the 2,000 m ridge.
Skip the Vienna-Salzburg-Innsbruck sprint, April sunset hits around 7:30 PM, so allow 2-3 days per city or you'll finish the trip spent, not spellbound.
Explore More Activities in Austria
Didn't see anything interesting yet?
Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Austria.
See All Austria Tours on Viator