Ultimate Guide to Vienna’s Christmas Markets
Vienna has some of the most famous Christmas Markets in the world, and visiting in person absolutely did not disappoint! The large city is filled with so many Christmas Markets you could easily spend 2-3 days trying to visit them all. Keep reading below for my review of each market + a map, 2024 Vienna Christmas Markets dates & times, tips for visiting, recommended itineraries, where to stay & more!
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Jump To:
- Vienna Christmas Market Locations & Map
- Tips for Visiting Vienna Christmas Markets
- Vienna Christmas Markets Dates & Hours 2024
- Veinna Christmas Market Itineraries
- Where to Stay in Vienna
- Getting to Vienna
- Vienna Christmas Market Overall Rating
Vienna Christmas Markets Locations
Vienna has many, many Christmas Markets, it can be overwhleming to figure out which ones to visit. I’ve provided details on 9 of the most popular ones below!
- Rathausplatz Iennese Christmas Market
- Maria-Theresien-Platz Christmas Village
- Stephensplatz Christmas Village
- Christmas Market am Hof
- Altwiener Christmas Market Freyung
- Karlsplatz Art Advent Market
- Belvedere Palace Christmas Village
- Schönbrunn Palace
Rathausplatz Viennese Dream Christmas Market
The most famous (and crowded) of Vienna’s Christmas markets. The market at Rathausplatz (town hall) has the largest tree, the most lights/decorations, an ice skating rink, rides, endless options for food, drinks & shopping.
If you’ve never been to Vienna you need to stop by this market. It’s the least crowded during the day, but it’s infinitely more beaitiful at night when everythig is lit up!
HIghlights:
- The lights & epic tree
- Ice skating
- Riding the ferris wheel at night for the best views
- Loaded baked potatoes!
Maria-Theresien-Platz Christmas Village
Another popular Christmas Market in downtown Vienna, the Christmas Village on Maria-Theresien-Platz is worth a stop while you’re exploring Vienna! This large market is popoular with younger people. It’s run by the same company that also runs the other Christmas Villages in Vienna (Stephensplatz and Belvedere) so you’ll find similar food and souvenirs at all of these markets.
HIghlights:
- soup served in bread bowls!
- great shopping options!
Stephensplatz Christmas Village
Another Christmas VIllage nestled in the popular city center! This market encircles the popular St Stephen’s Cathedral. This area gets crazy crowded, so it’s better for exploring than shopping, but it’s a great way to see some of the cities most popular landmarks while exploring the markets!
Highlights:
- located in the pedestrian-only area where all thes streets have Christmas lights, this is a beautiful area to walk around at night
- a great spot for a Glühwein with a view
Christmas Market am Hof
One of my favorite Christmas Markets in Vienna! Located in the main tourist district, but smaller and a bit more off the beaten path than some of the larger markets. I loved this market and visited both during the day and at night.
Highlights:
- Champagne bar!
- Great shopping
- Amazing food – try the Kaiserschmarrn
- locared right near a few other smaller markets that are fun to visit (Altwiener Freyug market) & easily walkable to Rathausplatz & Stephensplatz!
Altwiener Christmas Market Freyung
Another one of my favorite smaller markets in Vienna’s main downtown area, the Altwiener Christmas Market Freyung is not too far from Am Hof. This small market had great vibes and a local, welcoming feel, especially at night. It seemed like a spot where many locals were meeting friends to catch up, and it was crowded, but not overly packed. I highly recommend stopping by if you have time!
There’s also another small market directly across the square from this market at Palais Niederösterreich, both markets can easily be visited at the same time!
Karlsplatz Art Advent Market
Karlsplatz is one of the more unique Christmas Markets in Vienna! It’s main showcase is it’s many stalls selling handmade, artistic souvenirs. It’s also a great stop if you have kids, there is a large playground and an area with farm animals for kids to explore.
This market feels a little less uniform in terms of decorations than the others, many of the stands are made of plywood, and are a bit more rustic and less decorated vs. the matching stands of the larger markets. All the food stands serve organically certified food here. This market is best visited during the early afternoon as it quiets down at night!
HIghlights:
- endless handmade arts & crafts
- orgnically certified food & Glühwein
- small zoo & playrgound for kids!
Belvedere Palace Christmas Village
There are a few larger markets outside of the main dowtown area of Vienna, including the Christmas Village at Belvedere Palace! This market is not too large, but has the impressive Belvedere Palace and grounds as a backdrop that make it feel elegant. It can be explore in an hour or less, if you want to combine it with some other highlights in the area, or a visit to the Palace itself!
Schönbrunn Palace Christmas & New Years Market
I sadly did not have time to make it to Schönbrunn as I only had one full day in Vienna and it’s a bit far from all of the other Christmas Markets! From everything I’ve read it’s worth the visit if you have time. It’s spacious, and has one of the most impressive backdrops of all Vienna Christmas Markets.
Tips for Visiting Vienna Christmas Markets
- Bring cash, everywhere is cash only!
- When buying Glühwein or other hot drinks they’re served in reusable mugs. You’re charged a deposit for the mug (usually 3-5 euro) and the deposit will be given back when you return your mug, alternatively you can keep the mug as a souvenir!
- The main market at Rathausplatz is prettier to visit at night
- Don’t miss these Austrian delicacies:
- Kaiserschmarrn – shredded pancakes served with aprocot jam or plum, raisins and powdered sugar
- Bauernkrapfen – giant donuts filled with jam
- Kartoffelknödel mit Sauerkraut – potato dumplings with sauerkraut
- Germknödel – a steamed bun filled with plum jam, topped with poppy seeds and served in butter
Vienna Christmas Markets Dates & Hours 2024
Not all dates & times are finalized for 2024 I will update as it gets closer, you can also confirm here.
Rathausplatz
Dates 11/16/24 – 12/26/24
Times 10AM-10PM
Maria-Theresien-Platz
Dates 11/13/24-12/31/24
Times
- Sun-Thurs 11AM-9PM
- Fri & Sat 11AM-10PM
Stephensplatz
Dates 11/08/24-12/26/24
Times 11AM-9PM
Karlsplatz
Dates 11/15/24-12/23/24
Times 11AM-8PM
Belvedere Palace
Dates 11/15/24-12/31/24
Times
- Sun-Thurs 11AM-9PM
- Fri & Sat 10AM-9PM
Am Hof
Dates 11/15/24 – 12/23/24
Times
(food & drink carts often stay open an hour or so longer)
- Mon-Thurs: 11AM- 9PM
- Fri-Sun: 10AM-9PM
Schönbrunn Palace
Dates 11/08/24-1/06/25
Times
- Mon-Thurs 2PM-9PM
- Fri 2PM-9:30PM
- Sat 10AM-9:30PM
Vienna Christmas Market Itineraries
How many days you have to explore the markets in Vienna will determine how many Christmas Markets you can feasibly visit. It’s a huge city with many, many Christmas Markets, some of whiich are close to one another and some that invovle a bit of travel! Two days should give you time to see them all, but if you only have
Here are my recommendations for a 1 or 2 day Vienna Christmas Market Itinrerary:
Vienna Christmas Markets 1 Day Itinerary
If you have one day to explore Vienna’s Christmas Markets this is how I’d spend my day (it’s a biusy day, but many of these markets are within a 10 minute walk of each other!)
- Spend the rmoning exploring the market at Belvedere Palace
- Head to the market at Karlsplatz
- Spend the afternoon exploring Maria-Theresien-Platz market
- Head to Stephensplatz in the early evening
- See the lights on the pedestrian-only streets in the area around Stephensplatz
- Head to Am Hof’s Christmas Market, a favorite for the locals
- End the night at the spectacular market at the town hall, Rathausplatz, Vienna’s most infamous market
Vienna Christmas Markets 2 Day Itinerary
If you have a second day to explore the markets I’d:
- rework day 1 a bit and not go to Belvedere palace. This would give you more time to explore the markets around the main city center, you could also visit some smaller markets in the city center like Altwiener & Palais Niederösterreich
- On day 2 explore some of the markets a bit farther from the city center like Belvedere Palace & Schönbrunn Palace. If your’e statying in the city center you can also head back to one or a few of your favorite markets from the day before, or hit some of Vienna’s other highlights!
Where to Stay in Vienna
Vienna is a massive city and it can be a bit overhwelming to decide where to stay. For visiting the Christmas Markets and being walkable to as many as possible I highly recomend staying in the Innere Stadt or 1st District. This is the historic City Center of Vienna, and is where the majority of tourist attractions & the most famous Christmas Markets are located.
I stayed at the Hotel Grand Ferdinand located right in the city center and could not recommend it enough! It was walkable to the main Christmas Market at Rathausplatz, Maria-Theresien-Platz, Karlsplatz, Stephensplatz, Am Hof & more.
The hotel also had a rooftop restaurant and bar where they served a stunning breakfast with views over the Viennese skyline. The sunsets from the roof were also impressive if you need a break between exploring Vienna’s many Christmas Markets.
Getting to Vienna
By Train
Vienna is super convenient to get to via train. The main train station is connected to all other major cities in Austria & many major European cities.
- Innsbruck to Vienna– 4 hours 15 minutes direct
- Salzburg to VIenna – 2 hours 30 minutes direct
- Prague to Vienna – 4 hours direct
- Budapest to Vienna – 2 hours 25 minutes direct
By Plane
Vienna also has an international airport. It’s Austria’s largest airport and only about 20 minutes from the city center, making it super convenient to fly into Vienna as well!
Vienna Christmas Market Overall Rating
5 of 11
Vienna has some of the world’s most famous Christmas Markets, and they are absolutely stunning! Overall, there is so much to see in Vienna at Christmas it can be a bit overwhelming and super crowded. I enjoyed Vienna, and loved the variety of Christmas Markets, also the city itself truly comes alive at Christmas, but I preferred the smaller, more picturesque Salzburg & Dresden, Germany to Vienna.
