Things to Do in Austria in September
September weather, activities, events & insider tips
September Weather in Austria
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
Is September Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
- + September brings harvest season to Austria's wine regions. Fresh Sturm—partially fermented grape juice—flows at heuriger wine taverns around Vienna, a taste you simply cannot get any other month.
- + Alpine hiking trails remain open but summer crowds have dispersed. The 500-year-old pastures of the Alpe-Adria Trail could be entirely yours.
- + Austria's famous Christmas markets have not opened yet, so Salzburg's Getreidegasse and Vienna's Ringstrasse remain navigable without fighting through tour groups.
- + The Vienna Philharmonic typically schedules open-air concerts in September. You can catch rehearsals at the Schönbrunn Palace gardens most Tuesday mornings.
- − Morning fog in the Danube Valley can delay Danube river cruises by 2-3 hours. That 9am departure from Melk Abbey might not leave until noon.
- − Many mountain huts above 2,000m (6,560 ft) close September 15th for the season, which cuts short multi-day Alpine treks.
- − September rain tends to be the cold, persistent kind that seeps through jackets—not the dramatic summer thunderstorms that blow over quickly.
Year-Round Climate
How September compares to the rest of the year
Best Activities in September
Top things to do during your visit
September is when Vienna's wine villages harvest Grüner Veltliner grapes. The smell of crushed grapes drifts across the 19th district's cobblestone lanes, and cyclists can stop at family-run heuriger where the wine was pressed that morning. Morning rides along the Danube Canal dodge afternoon rain and finish at taverns serving Brettljause (cold cuts on wooden boards) with views over the city's red-tiled rooftops.
September's stable weather keeps lake swimming alive—water temperatures at Mondsee and Wolfgangsee hover around 19°C (66°F) while mountain air stays crisp. The Sound-of-Music bike route through Salzkammergut's dairy pastures has cleared of summer tourists, letting you belt 'Do-Re-Mi' on the actual Pegasus steps without shame. Afternoon clouds build into spectacular Alpine panoramas that photographers shell out thousands to capture in other months.
The Nordkette range above Innsbruck offers via ferrata routes that stay snow-free in September yet before October's ice forms on metal rungs. You climb 300m (984 ft) vertical rock faces while paragliders launch from the peak beside you—their colorful canopies against grey limestone create the Austria postcard that winter visitors never witness. The 2,300m (7,546 ft) summit opens onto 100km (62 miles) of Alpine ridges stretching into Italy.
September's lower Danube water levels expose sandy beaches hidden during summer floods, creating private picnic spots between 1,000-year-old terraced vineyards. The river flows slow enough for beginner kayakers to paddle 15km (9.3 miles) from Dürnstein to Krems, passing castle ruins where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned. Morning mist rises off the water like steam from coffee, burning off by 10am to reveal apricot orchards heavy with late-season fruit.
September turns Graz's Kaiser-Josef-Platz market into a harvest exhibition—stalls overflow with pumpkern (pumpkin seed), fresh Styrian pumpkin seed oil that smells like roasted nuts, and grapes from vineyards visible from the city center. Local chefs lead market tours ending in kitchens where you learn to make Kürbiscremesuppe (pumpkin soup)—the recipe shifts weekly based on what farmers harvested that morning. The market's 500-year-old scale house still uses brass weights stamped with Habsburg eagles.
September Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
The orchestra performs free open-air concerts in the Schönbrunn Palace gardens, typically the second weekend. Bring a picnic—locals arrive at 4pm for 8pm performances, spreading blankets among the baroque sculptures. The sound carries beautifully across the manicured lawns where Mozart once performed for royalty.
Across Alpine villages, cows decorated with flowers and bells parade down from summer pastures to winter barns. The 1,000-year-old tradition happens in towns like Zell am See—farmers wear lederhosen passed down generations while cows wear headdresses weighing 20kg (44 lbs). The church bells ring continuously, creating sound that echoes off valley walls.
Essential Tips
What to pack, insider knowledge and common pitfalls