Are you planning a trip to Vienna before Christmas this year? Or maybe an Easter trip to Vienna in 2023? We have now published the dates for the Christmas markets in 2022 and for the Easter market in 2023 here in our Vienna Guide.
We haven’t updated our Vienna Guide frequently in recent years, mostly due to COVID. But, now that life is returning to normal, it is time to welcome tourists to Vienna once again.
Are you ready for a trip to the spectacular and wonderful city of Vienna?
The earliest Christmas markets in Vienna will open on November 11th, while the biggest and most popular markets at the Rathausplatz and at Scönbrunn will open one week later.
Most markets will remain open until December 23rd or December 26th, but the Schönbrunn market will turn into a New Years Market after Christmas and remain open until January 4th in 2023.
What about the Easter market?
Two and a half months after the New Years Market at Schönbrunn has closed, it is time for the Easter Market that will open on March 25th in 2023. This will remain open for 1 1/2 weeks, and it is a fantastic way to enjoy a market with a nice atmosphere, combined with the wonderful surroundings of the Schönbrunn castle!
Vienna has several Christmas Markets and they are all known to be among the best in all of Europe. What is especially cool in Vienna is that every Christmas Market has its own cup which you can buy, and of course drink hot chocolate and glühwein from it. So, if you visit all the different markets, you can return home with 10 different cups if you would like to!
The most famous Christmas market in Vienna is probably the one at the Rathausplatz in front of the City Hall. This is very beautiful, especially in the evening as the house of the city council is illuminated. But, there are several other Christmas Markets to be visited in Vienna as well. The Schönbrunn Palace has a great Christmas Market, you can find another one in front of the Karlskirche, the untraditional, but the brilliant market at Spittelberg and several others.
If you would like some Christmas atmosphere, Vienna is one of the best cities to visit in Europe before Christmas time. Read more about some of the different markets further down, and check out the dates of the different Christmas markets in the list under this text.
What can you buy at the Christmas markets in Vienna?
As you visit the Christmas markets in Vienna, you will find many similar objects at the different Christmas markets. There are, obviously, differences, but you will also see quite a lot of similarities between the different markets.
One of the most important things that you will find at every single Christmas market in Vienna is the hot wine, often referred to as glühwein. Since the wine has been boiled, it normally comes without alcohol, but the taste of alcohol and wine is strongly present in the drink. As a result, most kids dislike the traditional hot wine that is served at the different Christmas markets. Hot wine, or mulled wine, or glüh wine, also consists of some additional spices (depending on who makes it). Some of the most used spices are cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg.
If the kids don’t like the hot wine, then they feel otherwise about the chimney cake. This is often referred to as the Sekler Cake, and it is a sweet dough with sugar that is grilled and later dipped in cinnamon, cocoa, walnut, or vanilla. If you choose the cinnamon taste it reminds you quite a lot of cinnamon buns, just that it is much bigger and incredibly delicious. It might be that this is a favorite of kids, but don’t worry, adults love it as well.
It is very normal to find fruits covered with chocolate as well. This is yet another favorite of adults and kids as you get apples, strawberries, and some other fruits covered with chocolate.
Would you like some more serious food? There are several options at the Christmas markets in Vienna.
This region is well known for delicious meat, and also sausages. As a result, you will find sausages of all kinds at the Christmas markets in Vienna. Some are filled with paprika, onion, and spices, while other sausages are more harmless and with less taste.
Another tasty thing you can enjoy at several Christmas markets is warm soup served in bread buns. What tastes better than a warm goulash soup, or maybe a pumpkin cream soup or a garlic cream soup in minus 5 degrees in the evening while enjoying the beautiful illumination of the Christmas markets in Vienna?
Austria is also known for its tasty cheese. As a consequence, you will find several stalls in which you can buy traditional cheese from Austria of all sorts. These are just some examples of what you should eat and what you should drink at the different Christmas markets in Vienna.
Would you rather buy a souvenir, a present, or something else? You can find all sorts of objects and handicrafts at the markets.
Are you looking for some handmade soap consisting only of natural ingredients? It is very likely that you will find this if you visit the different Christmas markets in Vienna. Would you rather buy some toys for your children? There are often handmade toys available in several stalls.
One typical thing to buy is Christmas decorations. You can buy a model of Joseph and Mary in the stable with their Jesus child, or maybe some decorations that you can hang on your Christmas tree. Does it sound more interesting with a candle holder surrounded by beautiful glass that makes it shine in all sorts of colors? You will find them in all sorts of shapes and sizes if you go to the Christmas markets in Vienna.
The ladies will also find the earrings, rings, purses, wallets, and similar objects extremely tempting.
There are so many options. The best thing you can do is to set aside several hours and just visit all the different Christmas markets in Vienna. You will find so much more than this. The great thing is that there are changes from year to year. As a result, you will always see things that you haven’t seen before, and find objects that you didn’t know that you need (before you actually see them).
A nice walk to help you discover some of the nicest Christmas markets in Vienna.
It is healthy to walk. So, why not discover some of the most popular and beautiful Christmas markets in Vienna on foot? Here we will share a fantastic stroll that will that you through beautiful streets and at the same time make you bump into some of the best Christmas markets in Vienna.
Let’s start at Stephansplatz.
Stephansdom is one of the most famous attractions in Vienna. Here you can find a Christmas market as well. It isn’t the biggest, but it is especially good for those who are hungry and thirsty. You can get here on foot or by metro, making it an ideal place to start our Christmas market tour in Vienna.
When you have finished looking around at the market, walk along Graben (which is a beautiful street) and at the end head towards Bognergasse. Here you will find exclusive shopping along the way (Prada, Louis Vuitton, and several other stores). After walking here for a few minutes, you will reach the Christmas market at Hof. This might not be the most famous Christmas market in Vienna, but it is beautiful and absolutely worth a visit.
When you are finished visiting the Christmas market at Hof, it is time to walk to the most famous of all Christmas markets in Vienna. The traditional Christmas fair located in front of the city hall (Rathaus) is less than 1km away. If you want a traditional Austrian Wiener schnitzel along the way, stop and have a meal at Cafe Landtmann (which is located extremely close to Rathausplatz).
Walk towards the Schottengasse, all the way to Schottentor. There you can turn left onto the Universitätsring. You will soon see Café Landtmann on your left side and the beautiful Christmas market at Rathausplatz on your right side.
This is a real Winter Wonderland in Vienna. This is much more than just a Christmas market where you can eat and rink. Here you can go ice skating, and there are lots of other activities available in addition. It might seem trivial, but it is extremely beautiful, especially in the evenings. In other words, you have to go there at least once when it is dark. The city hall itself is amazing, and with the lights from the Christmas market, in addition, this is one of the most magical places you can go in the world during this time of the year.
This is probably the Christmas market where you will spend most of your time. However, you still have more to discover, so drink your hot wine and get ready to walk along the Universitätsring further until you reach the Burgring. You can then keep on walking until you see the monumental buildings of the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Natural History on your right side. You have arrived at the Maria-Theresien Platz which means you are ready for even more Christmas market shopping).
Once again, this Christmas market is surrounded by two beautiful buildings, which makes it look even better. There are lots of stalls here where you can buy objects and if you have some time left, you should consider visiting one or both the museums at the square.
Above you can first see the walk from the Christmas market at Rathausplatz to the Christmas market at Maria-Theresien Platz. As you finish there, walk towards Operning (or drop by Hofburg to take some pictures there first). You will soon see the magnificent opera building in Vienna. Turn left after the opera building and you are ready to walk onto Kärtner Strasse. This is yet another beautifully decorated street in Vienna and as you walk straight forward you will end up at the Stephansplatz by the Stephansdom in the end.
It has been quite a walk, hasn’t it? Are you satisfied? Not only have you seen some of the best Christmas markets in Vienna, but you have also seen many of the most popular sights and attractions the city has to offer.
Would you like more? One of the most special Christmas markets in Vienna is the so-called Spittelberg market. This is located in several small streets not far from the Maria-Theresien Platz. If you use Google Maps, simply head for Stiftgasse and you will find what you are looking for. If not, follow the instructions on the map below and take a detour after your trip to the Christmas Market at Maria-Theresien Platz.
The Christmas market at Spittelberg is special because it is different from all the others. It isn’t located in a big square. Instead, it is located on small streets. There are stalls here and there, but there are also lots of stores in the streets that turn into a natural part of the Christmas market. As a consequence, this Christmas market has a special atmosphere that you definitely should enjoy and visit while in Vienna.
Our guess is that you are getting tired by now. Should you still have energy left in your legs, then you can walk from the Spittelberg market to Mariahilferstrasse for some normal shopping. Would you rather continue your crazy Christmas market walk? Head towards Karlsplatz. It isn’t far away and there you will find yet another Christmas market at a giant square with a beautiful church in the background.
The picture above might seem a bit empty, but that is because it was made in the morning before the actual market opened. If you use public transportation, this is a spot easy to reach as Karlsplatz is a spot where several subway lines intersect.
Since you are addicted to Christmas markets, you should definitely walk from Karlsplatz to the famous attraction Belvedere. This is yet another attraction that you will love, and you will for sure enjoy the Christmas market at Belvedere as well.
When you have finished this walk, it is probably time to go to bed. If you still want more, the final destination of your Christmas market marathon in Vienna should be Schönbrunn. This final destination is located quite far from the city center, making it a 6,5km walk from Belvedere to Schönbrunn. A much easier way to get to Schönbrunn is by using the metro system which is fast and easy to use in Vienna.
Have you been able to visit the Christmas market at Schönbrunn as well? You can travel home and say with good conscience that you have truly discovered the most beautiful Christmas markets in Vienna!
Have you been to the Christmas markets in Vienna in 2019 already? Or are you coming? Or are you at home crying because you cannot visit the Christmas markets in Vienna in 2019? No matter what your answer is, here you have some pictures to cheer you up and bring the Viennese Christmas atmosphere to your home!
The city of Vienna turns into one giant Christmas market every year in December. You can find Christmas markets everywhere, but some of them are more famous than others. Do you have a favorite? Write a comment and let us know!
But now, enjoy these pictures from the Christmas markets in 2019.
Don’t you feel like visiting Vienna after watching these pictures? That is easy to understand!
When are the Christmas markets opening in Vienna in 2019? What are the dates for the Christmas markets? Find answers to the most popular Vienna Christmas market questions and get other useful information needed to be well prepared!
Vienna is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and it becomes even more beautiful before Christmas. It has the most amazing Christmas markets in the world, and the biggest secret is that the entire city kind-of turns into a Christmas market. But, when will the Christmas markets be arranged in Vienna in 2019?
The Christmas markets in Vienna – S. Borisov / Shutterstock
About the Christmas markets in Vienna in 2019
The dates for the Christmas markets in Vienna in 2019 are now ready and official. Read on, and plan your trip to Vienna immediately.
The Christmas market at Rathausplatz (the most famous market)
November 15th – December 24th
The Spittelberg market (an awesome market in small streets)
November 14th – December 23rd
The Schönbrunn Christmas market dates in 2019
This is supposed to open on November 23rd and it will remain open until December 26th. Then it will be replaced by the so-called New Years’ market which is open until the first week of January 2020.
These are the most important Christmas markets in Vienna, but do not forget – there are lots of other markets as well. As you walk to the Maria-Theresien Platz (between the two awesome museums) you will find another Christmas market. If you keep on walking towards the Karlskirche, you will find another market. In the popular Prater area, you will discover yet another Christmas market, in fact, you will find small and large Christmas markets almost wherever you go in Vienna.
What are you waiting for? Plan your stay in Vienna, book your flight tickets and book your hotel straight away!
The fantastic Christmas markets will return to Vienna again in 2018. Here are the most important dates and some useful information.
A photo from the Christmas market in front of the City Hall in Vienna – Shutterstock / Burben
There are lots of beautiful cities worth visiting before Christmas, but we dare to say that Vienna is the most beautiful of them all before Christmas. The reason is simple, Vienna is a giant Christmas market in itself. There are some beautiful Christmas markets worth visiting, but as you walk around in the city, you will discover small and larger markets everywhere. You will find people drinking hot wine everywhere, and the city is simply stunning. If you haven’t been to Vienna before Christmas, 2018 is your year!
The biggest and most famous Christmas market in Vienna is the one in front of the City Hall (Rathaus). This will be open from November 17th till December 26th in 2018.
Another very nice Christmas market is the one by Belvedere. This will be open between November 23rd and December 26th in 2018.
There is an annual Christmas market at Maria-Theresien Platz (between the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Natural History). This will be open from November 21st till December 26th.
If you haven’t been to Schönbrunn yet, visit the castle between November 18th and December 26th to enjoy the Christmas markets there.
The most special Christmas market in Vienna is located in Spittelberg. Here you have several small streets with stands everywhere. So, it is not a giant market, but lots of small streets making the entire area into a Christmas market maze (almost). It is absolutely worth a visit. It will be open from November 16th till December 23rd.
These are the most important dates and Christmas markets in Vienna. Are you looking forward to these markets already? As you plan your trip, read through our list of recommendations for those coming to Vienna for the Christmas markets. These are useful pieces of advice that might give you a helping hand as you plan your trip.
Have you got any questions related to the Christmas markets in Vienna? Write a comment and we will do our best to help you out!
Vienna might be the most beautiful city in the world to visit during the Christmas market season. It has a fantastic atmosphere, tons of Christmas markets and beautiful lights everywhere.
Those who love a city with Christmas markets, will for sure love Vienna. If you haven’t been to the city before, you just have to visit it during the Christmas market season. We have been to Christmas markets all across Europe, but nothing can compare to the city of Vienna before Christmas. It isn’t just a city with Christmas markets; it is a big Christmas market in itself. You will find stands everywhere where you can buy hot wine, there are lots of markets, and there are some unique markets entirely different from the markets you find elsewhere in Europe (for example the Spittelberg market).
Visit the beautiful Christmas markets in Vienna – By Burben / Shutterstock
The goal of this article is not to tell you about the different Christmas markets in Vienna. If you want to read more about the Christmas markets in Vienna, click the link and read that article. In this article, we will give you some recommendations and tips that will help you as you visit Vienna in November/December with the intention of checking out the Christmas markets.
Vienna Christmas market recommendations
Be ready for crowds
Vienna is fantastic before Christmas. As a consequence, you should prepare yourself for crowds everywhere, especially during the weekends. The most famous Christmas market in Vienna, the one in front of the City Hall (Rathausplatz), is the most crowded of them all. It can sometimes be hard to look at all the products at the different stands because of the amount of visitors. Some people enjoy the crowds, but if you do not particularly enjoy them, try visiting the Christmas markets during day-time on weekdays (not weekends). In the afternoon/evening, there will be crowds every single day of the week.
Walk around on foot
As we mentioned in the introduction, Vienna is a fantastic city in the Christmas market season. There are Christmas fairs everywhere. As a result, we recommend you to discover the city center of Vienna on foot. Walk around, feel the smell of the city, and discover Christmas fairs you did not read about in our Vienna Guide or elsewhere on the Internet. Stop to taste some hot wine at a stand somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Bring a GPS (or have Google Maps ready) so that you will find your way back home after walking up and down streets in the center of Vienna because you might end up not actually knowing where you are!
A picture from the Christmas market at Karlsplatz in Vienna – By trabantos / Shutterstock
Buy a hot wine mug
As you visit the Christmas markets in Vienna, you are most likely to fall in love with the city. By the time you return home, you will be eager to plan your Christmas market trip to Vienna next year already. One of the nice traditions you can create is to buy the annual Christmas market cup at the fair in front of the City Hall. Every year they produce a new cup, and thus this can be a nice souvenir to bring with you back home.
Bring warm clothes
Do not forget that it can get quite cold in Vienna in November and December. You might not feel it at once, but if you plan on walking around the city for several hours, you might get cold feet, or your ears might get red. Bring some extra warm clothes instead, making sure that you can stay outside for hours without feeling miserable because of the cold.
Eat at the Christmas markets
You might not want to eat all your meals outside at the Christmas markets, but make sure to eat at the Christmas fairs a couple of times. There are so many interesting things to taste, and you will probably have the chance to eat some food you haven’t tasted before. Maybe you are a skeptic who only loves food you love from before, but sometimes you had to fall in love with that food as well, so why not try something new, and maybe you will fall in love once again? If you taste something you do not like, so what? You spent a couple of Euro tasting something, which makes you a few Euro poorer, but an experience richer. We think you will say that it was worth it!
Live in the heart of Vienna
There are Christmas markets everywhere in Vienna. Most of them are located in the heart of Vienna, with some exceptions, for example, the Christmas fair by Schönbrunn. Still, you will save a lot of time if you live in the heart of Vienna, which will give you immediate access to the shopping opportunities Vienna has to offer during this period. You should know that living at a hotel in Vienna is quite expensive, at least if you compare it with Budapest and Prague, but that is a part of what you need to calculate with as you plan your trip to Vienna.
We wish you a merry Christmas from Vienna – S. Borisov / Shutterstock
Be early with your bookings
It can get really crowded in Vienna during the Christmas fair season, but not only on the Christmas markets but also in restaurants. As a result, you should book your table at your favorite Vienna restaurant as soon as possible. The same is true if you want to book an airport transfer in Vienna, enjoy a concert or take part in a guided tour of some sort.
Bring your camera
You probably have a good camera on your phone, but if you want to travel back home with some fantastic pictures, you might want to bring your real camera as well. As you visit the Christmas markets you will have plenty of chances to make some awesome pictures, especially in the evenings. But, making a good photo in the evening can be a hard task, so if you have a stand for your camera, bring that with you as well.
What is your advice?
Have you been to Vienna for the Christmas markets before? Do you havesome experience or piece of advice to give? We would love for oyu to share whatever comes to your mind!
Vienna is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and before Christmas it might be the most beautiful of them all. Find out when to visit Vienna before Christmas to discover the beautiful Christmas markets.
Lots of cities in Europe have beautiful Christmas markets, but there is something special about Vienna. It isn’t just a city with a Christmas market, but the inner city feels like a giant Christmas market in itself. People drink hot wine on every street corner, there are minor markets everywhere, and then at some special locations you can also enjoy giant Christmas markets.
A picture from the Christmas market at Karlsplatz in Vienna – By trabantos / Shutterstock
Vienna Christmas market dates
You are probably wondering when this years Christmas markets in Vienna will open and close. The most popular Christmas market in front of the City Hall (Rathaus) will open on November 18th and stay open until December 26th (some booths until December 30th). We originally guessed that this market would open one week earlier, but seems like they delayed the opening of this years Christmas market with one week (compared to last year). If you arrive one week earlier, maybe you should visit the Christmas markets in Budapest which will open on November 10th instead?
The Christmas market by Schönbrunn will open on November 18th as well and stay open until December 26th. But, from December 27th it will be re-opened, but then as a New Years market which will remain open until January 1st.
There will be several other Christmas markets in Vienna, but these are the most important and famous markets. We wish you a fantastic Christmas celebration.
If you want to discover the beautiful Christmas markets in Prague as well, read more about the Christmas markets in Prague right here.
Are you preparing your travel to Vienna before Christmas in 2017? When will the Christmas markets be arranged in Vienna in 2017?
Unfortunately the dates for the Christmas markets in Vienna in 2017 remain a secret so far. Normally they are published in August or September, so you will have to be patient till then. But, we do have a guess for the opening of the most famous Christmas market in front of the City Hall in Vienna. If they follow tradition the Christmas market will open on November 10th or 11th and remain open till the start of January.
When will the Christmas markets in Vienna be arranged in 2017?
We will update our blog with more information as soon as official information has been released. You can also check our what’s on in Vienna article for more information.
But, do not despair. There are so much to do in Vienna before Christmas, and one of the best way to prepare for your Vienna Christmas market trip is by reading our article telling you why Vienna is the number one city in Europe to visit before Christmas. The city is so beautiful before Christmas that you simply have to check it out and enjoy it!
We have been traveling around Europe to visit the beautiful Christmas markets here and there. Know what? If you want to visit the nicest city in Europe before Christmas, come to Vienna!
There are lots of cities in Europe with beautiful Christmas markets. Lots of people praise the markets in Prague and the markets in Budapest. Why do we have the courage and baldness to say that Vienna is the best city in Europe before Christmas? Are the Christmas markets in Vienna better than the Christmas markets in the mentioned and other cities in Europe?
S.Borisov / Shutterstock
The difference between Vienna and the other cities
If you visit a city like Krakow before Christmas you will for sure be able to enjoy the fantastic Christmas market at the Main Market Square. As you visit Budapest you can go to the Vorosmarty square or in Prague you have the markets at the Wenceslas square and at the Old Town Square. In Vienna it is completely different. The city has some very famous and magnificent Christmas markets, but we dare to say the difference is as follows:
“In other cities you visit a Christmas market. In Vienna the entire city is a Christmas market.”
If you go for a walk in the city center of Vienna you will of course see the magnificent Christmas market in front of the City Hall. This is the most famous Christmas market in town. But, as you walk towards the St. Stephens Cathedral you will most likely meet several other markets as well. At some locations you will just see a stand where you can buy hot wine, while you at other locations will see lots of stands creating their very own little Christmas market. And yes, Vienna is packed with such markets and stands everywhere. And what makes it even better is that all stands are packed with people out there enjoying life and drinking some hot wine, especially during the weekends.
The fact that the streets are illuminated and that the Christmas markets all have special lights on during the evening makes everything even more fantastic. Again the Christmas market by the City Hall is the most beautiful of them all, but all the other markets are fantastic as well!
Vienna has some very special Christmas markets
As mentioned earlier Vienna is like a living Christmas market. You will find lots of smaller and bigger markets around, but you most not forget that Vienna has even more to offer. The so-called Christmas market by Spittelberg is one of the pearls you definitely have to experience. As someone who likes shopping you will of course visit the Mariahilferstrasse while in Vienna. Just by the metro stop Neubaugasse you will find a church and the Stiftgasse is located next to it. Enter into this street, pass by the parking house and you will soon understand that you are in Christmas wonderland. There are lots of streets next to one another packed with stands, small stores and it is one of the most amazing Christmas markets in Europe. And yes, it has an amazing atmosphere.
What are you waiting for? Jump on the plane and come to Vienna! The city has the most amazing Christmas markets, and the city in itself is like a giant Christmas market throughout December! If you haven’t seen it yet, hurry up! If you have been there once, you for sure understand what we are talking about!
The dates are official. You can order your flight tickets right away and book a hotel, because these are the dates for the Christmas markets in Vienna in 2016.
There are few people who disagree about the fact that the Christmas markets in Vienna are among the nicest in all of Europe and in the entire world. The main Christmas market which is located in front of the City Hall (Rathaus) is the most popular and famous, and it looks fantastic, especially in the evenings.
Merry Christmas from Vienna
There are of course lots of other markets as well in Vienna, and the second most famous Christmas market in Vienna is located by the Schonbrunn Castle. This is also followed up by a new years market in case you only arrive to Vienna after Christmas.
One of the most special Christmas markets in Vienna is the one at Spittelberg. This is not a traditional big square market, but this is lots of small streets with stands and shops giving you a fantastic Christmas market feeling. This is one you should absolutely visit if you come to Vienna for Christmas.
