Vienna has held a market in December since 1298, when Duke Albrecht I granted the city one, and it has had more than seven centuries to get the season right.
Today the city does Christmas in more than a dozen markets at once, each with its own mood: the grand one before City Hall, the palace one at Schönbrunn, the arty one at Karlsplatz, the narrow lanes of Spittelberg. In between are coffee houses with steamed-up windows, concerts in candlelit churches and roasted chestnuts on every corner.
Here are the markets worth your evenings, when they open in 2026, what to eat and drink, and how to plan the trip with friends.
What are the best Christmas markets in Vienna?
| Market | Where | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Wiener Christkindlmarkt | Rathausplatz, Innere Stadt | The classic: City Hall lit up, the big tree, the busiest stalls |
| Christmas Market at Schönbrunn Palace | Schönbrunn, Hietzing | The prettiest: a palace backdrop, crafts and music |
| Spittelberg Christmas Market | Spittelberg, Neubau | The cosiest: cobbled lanes and craft stalls |
| Christmas Village at the Belvedere | Belvedere, Landstraße | A smaller market before a baroque palace |
| Art Advent at Karlsplatz | Karlsplatz, Wieden | Art and design gifts, organic food |
Rathausplatz, Innere Stadt
Wiener Christkindlmarkt
In front of the neo-Gothic City Hall, lit up for the season, rows of stalls sell glass ornaments, candles, toys and sweets. The park beside it hangs its trees with lights, and inside City Hall children can bake biscuits in the Christkindl workshop.
It is the market everyone means when they say Vienna at Christmas, and the one with the biggest crowds.
Good to know: Go on a weekday evening. The mug deposit comes back when you return the mug, or keep it as a souvenir.
Schönbrunn, Hietzing
Christmas Market at Schönbrunn Palace
The yellow summer palace of the Habsburgs makes the backdrop, and the stalls lean towards crafts and handmade gifts. Music often plays in the forecourt in the late afternoon.
After Christmas it carries on as a New Year market into early January, so it is the one to visit between the holidays.
Good to know: Take the U4 to Schönbrunn, and come before dark to see the palace, then stay for the lights.
Spittelberg, Neubau
Spittelberg Christmas Market
Stalls fill the cobbled lanes between the Biedermeier houses of Spittelberg, just behind the MuseumsQuartier. Expect ceramics, prints and woollens you won’t see at Rathausplatz.
It is small, a little crowded and full of locals after work, which is exactly the point.
Belvedere, Landstraße
Christmas Village at the Belvedere
A neat village of stalls in front of the Upper Belvedere, the baroque palace that holds Klimt’s The Kiss. Calmer than the centre, and lovely when the palace is lit.
Good to know: Pair it with the museum: see The Kiss in the afternoon, then the market at dusk.
Karlsplatz, Wieden
Art Advent at Karlsplatz
Under the green dome of St Charles’ Church, artists and designers sell their own work, the food leans organic, and children play in a corner of straw.
When are the Vienna Christmas markets open in 2026?
Most of Vienna’s markets open in mid to late November: Rathausplatz usually first, around the middle of the month, and the others by the last weekend of November, when Advent begins (the first Sunday of Advent is November 29 in 2026).
Most close on December 23 to 26. Schönbrunn becomes a New Year market and runs into early January. Opening times and the exact days are on each market’s own site, so check before you book.
What should you eat and drink at the Vienna Christmas markets?
- Punsch: Vienna’s Christmas drink: hot, sweet and fruity, often with rum. Ask for it without alcohol (Kinderpunsch) if you prefer.
- Glühwein: Mulled red wine, served in the market’s own mug. You pay a deposit, returned with the mug.
- Maroni: Roasted chestnuts in a paper cone, sold from stoves all over the city.
- Langos and Kartoffelpuffer: Fried dough with garlic, and crispy potato pancakes: the food that keeps you standing in the cold.
- Würstel: Sausages from the stand, with mustard and a roll. The Käsekrainer, filled with cheese, is the Viennese one.
- Lebkuchen and Vanillekipferl: Gingerbread and vanilla crescent biscuits, the classic Austrian Christmas bake.
How do you plan a Christmas market trip to Vienna?
Two or three days is right: one evening at Rathausplatz, one at Schönbrunn or Spittelberg, and the days for the city, from the Hofburg to a long coffee at Café Central.
Stay inside the Ring or in Neubau, and everything is a walk or a short U-Bahn ride. The markets are free to enter; you pay for what you eat and buy.
Make it a bigger trip: Bratislava is an hour away by train, and Budapest and Salzburg about two and a half hours.
Why go to the Vienna Christmas markets with friends?
Christmas markets are made for groups. You share the food, you take turns in the queue for Punsch, and someone always finds the stall everyone else wants to see.
The hard part is deciding: which markets, which evenings, which concert. In SwipeSights, everyone swipes on real places in Vienna, from Schönbrunn to the coffee house for afterwards, and the group’s picks become a day-by-day plan.
Plan Vienna at Christmas together
Start a trip, invite your friends, and let the group’s picks become a day-by-day plan.
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Frequently asked questions
When do the Vienna Christmas markets open in 2026?
Most open in mid to late November: Rathausplatz usually around the middle of the month, the rest by the start of Advent on November 29, 2026. Most close on December 23 to 26, and Schönbrunn runs on as a New Year market into early January.
What is the best Christmas market in Vienna?
The Wiener Christkindlmarkt on Rathausplatz is the biggest and best known. For atmosphere, many people prefer Schönbrunn Palace, in front of the palace, or Spittelberg, in the lanes of an old quarter.
Are the Vienna Christmas markets free?
Yes. You pay only for food, drinks and gifts. Hot drinks come in a mug with a deposit, which you get back when you return it.
What is Punsch?
Punsch is Vienna’s hot Christmas punch, sweet and fruity and often made with rum or wine. Kinderpunsch is the version without alcohol.
How many days do you need for the Vienna Christmas markets?
Two or three days lets you see the main markets in the evenings and the city by day, with time for a coffee house and a concert.
SwipeSights: plan the whole group trip together.
