Things to Do in Austria in September
September weather, activities, events & insider tips
September Weather in Austria
Is September Right for You?
Advantages
- Early autumn weather hits that perfect sweet spot - mornings start cool at 7°C (45°F) for hiking, afternoons warm to 16°C (61°F) for cafe-sitting, and you'll avoid the sweltering summer crowds that pack the Hofburg and Schönbrunn through August. The Viennese actually return to the city after their August holidays, so restaurants reopen and cultural life kicks back into gear.
- Wine harvest season transforms the Wachau Valley and Vienna's own vineyards into working landscapes where you can actually participate in grape picking at many Heurigen (wine taverns). The Sturm - partially fermented grape juice that's only available for about 6 weeks starting early September - appears in every wine region, and locals drink it obsessively before it disappears by mid-October.
- Hotel rates drop 25-35% compared to peak summer, particularly after the first week when families return to school. You'll find four-star properties in Vienna's Innere Stadt for 120-150 EUR instead of the 180-220 EUR they command in July, and booking 3-4 weeks ahead is plenty unless there's a major conference.
- The Alps transition into that gorgeous shoulder season where hiking trails at 1,200-2,000 m (3,900-6,500 ft) are still accessible but summer tourists have cleared out. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road typically stays open through late September, and you'll get those crystal-clear mountain days without the afternoon thunderstorms that plague July and August.
Considerations
- Weather genuinely becomes unpredictable - you might get a 22°C (72°F) sunny day perfect for the Ringstrasse, then wake up to 9°C (48°F) and drizzle the next morning. Those 10 rainy days aren't evenly distributed, and when a weather system settles in, it can hang around for 3-4 days straight. Pack for both scenarios or you'll be buying an overpriced rain jacket at Steffl Department Store.
- Some alpine cable cars and mountain huts start closing for their between-season maintenance, particularly after mid-September. The higher altitude hiking routes above 2,500 m (8,200 ft) can get early snow, and you'll find that tourist infrastructure in places like Hallstatt and the Salzkammergut runs on reduced schedules - fewer boat departures, shorter museum hours, some restaurants taking their annual break.
- Daylight shrinks noticeably through the month - you'll have roughly 13 hours of daylight on September 1st but only 11.5 hours by September 30th. That 5:30 PM sunset by month's end cuts into your sightseeing time, especially if you're trying to photograph the Belvedere gardens or catch the view from Leopoldsberg in good light.
Best Activities in September
Wachau Valley Wine Harvest Experiences
September is literally the only time you can experience working vineyards during harvest along the Danube between Melk and Krems. The weather sits in that ideal 14-18°C (57-64°F) range for cycling the valley's 40 km (25 mile) riverside paths without overheating, and the Sturm - that cloudy, slightly fizzy, barely-alcoholic grape juice - appears at every Heurigen. Many family-run wineries let visitors participate in grape picking (usually free if you're buying wine), and the autumn light on the Danube at 6 PM is genuinely spectacular. The humidity actually works in your favor here - it keeps the valley from getting dusty and makes those riverside bike rides comfortable.
Vienna's Imperial Palace Complex Tours
The Hofburg, Schönbrunn, and Belvedere are infinitely more pleasant in September's 14-16°C (57-61°F) temperatures than in July's sweltering 30°C (86°F) heat. More importantly, school groups haven't started their fall field trips in early September, and by mid-month the summer tour bus crowds have thinned dramatically. The September light through Schönbrunn's baroque windows between 10 AM and 2 PM is ideal for photography, and you can actually move through the state rooms without being herded. Those 10 rainy days work in your favor - ducking into the Kunsthistorisches Museum when weather turns is exactly what locals do.
Salzkammergut Lake District Hiking
The lake district around Hallstatt and Wolfgangsee hits peak beauty in September - the water temperature is still swimmable at 16-18°C (61-64°F) from summer warmth, but the air has cooled enough that hiking the mid-altitude trails at 800-1,400 m (2,600-4,600 ft) is actually comfortable. The larch trees start turning golden by late September, and you'll avoid the absolutely insane crowds that pack Hallstatt through August. The variable weather means you should plan flexible itineraries - if it's clear, hit the Dachstein cable car; if it's drizzly, explore the salt mines which are indoors and fascinating.
Innsbruck and Stubai Glacier Access
September is that magical window where you can ski the Stubai Glacier in the morning (it opens for the season in mid-September) and sit in a Tyrolean beer garden at 15°C (59°F) in Innsbruck by afternoon. The Nordkette cable car from the city center reaches 2,300 m (7,500 ft) with spectacular views, and the hiking trails around Seegrube are still completely accessible. The variable weather actually creates dramatic mountain photography conditions - those moody clouds rolling through the peaks are what you want. By late September, you might catch the first significant snowfall on the higher peaks while the valleys stay green.
Thermal Spa Experiences in Bad Gastein and Bad Ischl
Those rainy September days are exactly when you want to be soaking in 34°C (93°F) thermal waters while watching mist roll through the mountains. Bad Gastein's belle époque spa town atmosphere is particularly atmospheric in autumn, and the Felsentherme spa complex built into the mountain is genuinely unique. The cooler 7-12°C (45-54°F) morning air makes the contrast between outdoor thermal pools and ambient temperature perfect - you'll see locals doing the hot-cold rotation that's central to Austrian spa culture. September's lower tourist numbers mean you're not fighting for space in the pools.
Graz Old Town and Styrian Wine Roads
Graz in September is what Vienna was before it became overwhelmed with tourists - Austria's second city has that perfect blend of baroque architecture, student energy from the universities reopening, and genuine local life. The weather sits right in the comfortable walking range at 14-17°C (57-63°F), and the surrounding Styrian wine region produces some of Austria's best whites. The pumpkin seed oil harvest happens in September, and you'll find it drizzled on everything from salads to ice cream. The Schlossberg hill in the city center gives you panoramic views, and on clear days you can see the Alps 50 km (31 miles) north.
September Events & Festivals
Viennale Film Festival
Austria's most important international film festival takes over Vienna's cinemas with 14 days of premieres, retrospectives, and director appearances. It's genuinely well-curated - not just a celebrity parade - and tickets are relatively accessible at 10-13 EUR per screening. The festival brings a particular energy to the city's cultural scene, and many screenings happen in historic cinemas like the Gartenbaukino that are worth visiting regardless.
Lange Nacht der Museen (Long Night of Museums)
One Saturday night in early September, over 700 museums across Austria stay open until 1 AM with a single 15 EUR ticket giving you access to everything plus free shuttle buses between venues. In Vienna alone, you can hit 150+ museums, and the atmosphere is more party than stuffy cultural event - expect wine in museum courtyards and DJs in contemporary art spaces. It's wildly popular with locals, so expect crowds but also great energy.
Rupertikirtag Salzburg
Salzburg's oldest folk festival dating back over 600 years takes over the old town with traditional crafts, regional food, and beer tents. It's significantly more authentic than Munich's Oktoberfest - you'll see traditional Trachten (folk costumes) worn by actual locals, not tourists, and the focus is on Salzburg regional traditions rather than mass tourism. The festival sprawls through the cathedral square and surrounding streets, and entrance is free.