Shake the snow from your boots, put a log on the fire and share a hot beverage with me as we discover the sights, sounds, tastes and traditions of a Christmas trip to Vienna.
(Not to mention a few travel, event, and shopping tips, too.)
If you just want some activity suggestions, then consider my list of recommendations: from the best photo opportunity to the unmissable gastronomic delight that is the roast chestnut.
The Christmas markets
(The Christmas market on Karlsplatz)
Our first stop is the Christmas markets. These attract numerous visitors for one good reason: they’re simply lovely.
Forget for a moment the bustle and stress of modern life. Instead, travel back to a simpler age (albeit with smartphones).
Breathe in the aroma of fried sausages, melted cheese, and goulash soup, the tang of roasted almonds and toffee apples, and the sweet fragrance of countless scented soaps and candles.
Wreathe yourself in wisps of steam from a mug of hot Christmas punch, and fill your eyes with the dazzling displays of artists, craftspeople, cooks, and shopkeepers.
Then eat, drink, and generally be as merry as a reindeer in a carrot field, who’s just heard she’s been picked by Santa for sleigh duty.
(On reflection, you probably can’t forget the bustle of modern life: those markets can get busy.)
The main markets begin opening around mid-November (the earliest date I’ve seen so far for 2023 is November 10th). They continue until sometime between December 23rd and 26th; one or two then morph into New Year markets.
Visit the main market page for general information or click/tap the links below for some of the popular / central locations I’ve written about.
Major markets
(The market on Stephansplatz alongside the cathedral)
- Christkindlmarkt on the Rathausplatz (the most famous)
- Karlsplatz (excellent for unusual gifts and unique art)
- Schönbrunn (gorgeous location in front of the Habsburg palace)
- Freyung (surrounded by historical buildings)
- Am Hof (also good for unique gifts)
- Maria-Theresien-Platz (another big one, sandwiched between two 19th-century museums)
- Belvedere (the best photo opportunity)
- Spittelberg (winds through narrow streets and buildings from the early 1800s)
- Stephansplatz (nestled around Vienna’s grand Stephansdom cathedral)
- Altes AKH (good for food and entertaining the kids)
- Hirschstetten (typically includes a lovely floral exhibition)
Smaller markets
- Genussmarkt bei der Oper (near the state opera house)
- Michaelerplatz (in front of the mighty domed entrance to the central Hofburg palace complex)
- Wintermarkt (food and drink out by the giant Ferris wheel)
- Weihnachtszauber (in Vienna’s main brewery; look for the bonus weekend markets in the event hall)
Short-term markets
- Medieval Advent market (think mead and roast boar)
- Palais Niederösterreich Advent market (in a lovely palais)
Christmas lights
(Christmas lights on the Graben)
All the main shopping streets put on a Christmas display and, of course, many large stores and hotels do so, too.
In terms of colours, Vienna tends not to do gaudy and garish. So expect plenty of classic whites, reds and greens, often with a touch of “alternative” thrown in.
The lights usually go on sometime in the second half of November (without too much advance notice on the specific date) and continue until early January.
In 2022, for example, most of the displays began on November 18th with hours of operation reduced for energy-saving reasons to between 3pm and 10pm.
Enjoy some photos and get tips on where to see the best lights with this Vienna Christmas lights guide.
Events and activities
Most museums, palaces and other attractions stay open throughout the Christmas period, but some bonus seasonal sights and sounds appear, too:
Advent concerts
(The Kursalon venue)
I have a whole article with Christmas concert tips. These include the televised Christmas in Vienna musical gala in the Konzerthaus and other special performances in the major concert venues.
Look out, in particular, for the atmospheric advent concerts in the central churches and cathedral.
This might also be the time for one of the Mozart & Strauss concerts put on especially for visitors in historical venues. Warm venues on crisp winter evenings seem to add another touch of ambience to the musical experience.
Around the markets
Keep an eye out (or ear open) for music as you peruse the markets.
For example, traditional extras at the Rathausplatz Christmas market (the Christkindlmarkt) include brass bands, who play around the Christmas tree centrepiece in the early evenings.
In years past, choirs from all over the world also sung Christmas carols and other seasonal works in the Festsaal (main chamber) of the Rathaus itself and outside at the market.
The choirs skipped the 2022 event, but the brass bands appeared daily from November 25th to December 23rd last time out.
The Schönbrunn and Freyung markets have also had regular performances of music and/or singing in previous years.
Ice skating and alternative “markets”
(Ice skating in the Rathauspark)
If you wish to twirl and glide through the crisp Viennese air, then the Vienna Ice Skating Association is the place. They have a large outdoor ice rink that opens from early morning. Details here.
The Christkindlmarkt usually offers up a rather romantic ice skating trail (see photo above) through the adjacent park; it acts as a kind of warm up for the much-larger Ice World event that begins in mid-January.
And if you’re too cool for Christmas (or just want a break from the norm), the MuseumsQuartier holds a winter event that offers an alternative counterpoint to the traditional Advent market.
Notable attractions of this Winter im MQ include decorative art projections and installations, curling, and music of the more modern kind.
Wondrous exhibitions
(The Albertina hosts a Michelangelo-themed exhibition)
A tradition of late in Vienna is to put on world-beating exhibitions for the end-of-year season, so expect some fine events in 2023.
See the What to do in December article or the wider Exhibitions in Vienna page for suggestions. But here are sample highlights as schedules firm up:
- An exhibition centred around Michelangelo at the Albertina, who will also have a Gottfried Helnwein exhibition I’m looking forward to
- Raphael and monumental Renaissance tapestries at the Kunsthistorisches Museum
- A solo exhibition for Robert Motherwell at the Bank Austria Kunstforum Wien
Local traditions
(The traditional tree and real candles)
As Vienna becomes more multicultural and multifaith, it’s tricky to talk about pervasive Christmas traditions. But the big moment of family celebration definitely remains Christmas Eve (Heiligenabend) and not Christmas Day (Weihnachtstag) as in, for example, the UK.
Sometime in the afternoon of December 24th, a handy relative or friend (grandparents are particularly useful here) distracts the kids while the parent(s) decorate the Christmas tree.
When all is ready, someone rings a tinkly bell which announces that the Christkind has been.
The Christkind is the traditional gift bringer: a manifestation of Jesus as a child or an angel, often represented with golden locks and the obligatory wings.
When the bell rings, the kids enter the room and marvel at the magical transformation. Or just make a beeline for the presents.
Inevitably, commercial interests have pecked away at the influence of the retailer-unfriendly Christkind, and pushed for more sleighs and Santa; you can read up on that battle here.
A growing tendency is also to put the tree up earlier. Especially since modern kids with Internet access are less easily convinced by tales of Christmas magic.
Late afternoon or early evening on the 24th then sees the family gather for the Christmas festivities, including carol singing, a hearty meal (see below), and the exchange of gifts and well wishes.
Many people then use Christmas Day itself to visit other parts of the family, recover from overeating or, if you live in an Anglo-Austrian household like mine, celebrate Christmas all over again the UK way: more food, more drink, more forced expressions of gratitude for entirely inappropriate gifts, and, particularly, complaints about the scarcity of the purple chocolates in a tin of Quality Street.
Food and drink
(Doughnuts and pastries)
The historical Christmas meal in Vienna was carp, often fried in breadcrumbs. This stemmed from the earlier Christian idea of the advent period being a time of fasting (hard to believe these days).
In the absence of meat, fish represented the culinary highlight, especially for such an important mealtime as Heiligenabend.
Very few people eat carp now, and fish has long lost its appeal as the Christmas dish: roast poultry and pork have become common alternatives: the turkey tradition enjoys growing popularity through Anglo-American cultural influences.
(In our house, we have a meat and tofu fondue as this takes a while to eat, so we’re all together around the table for longer. Although whether this is truly a good thing depends on who’s invited.)
The advent period also offers an excuse to break out the rolling pin and get baking, with certain baked foods only appearing for the Christmas period.
(Christmas biscuits)
Among the more popular seasonal treats:
- Lebkuchen: similar to gingerbread, sold in various shapes, sizes and flavours for eating or as hard-baked decorative shapes that look like they could probably survive a nuclear incident. A mainstay of the markets, too
- Stollen: a seasonal cross between fruit bread and fruit cake. A little dry, but lots of people seem to like it
- Weihnachtskekse: Christmas biscuits, of which an unending variety magically appear in December.
HardImpossible to avoid if visiting an Austrian family during Advent
- Spekulatius: a spiced biscuit with, frankly, nothing particularly recommending it. But, you know, tradition…
As you wander the streets of Vienna in winter, you also find the little Maronistand booths selling roast chestnuts. These add to the old-fashioned flair of Christmas markets, together with the many stands selling Christmas punch.
Consumption of chestnuts and punch counts toward your collection of Christmas activities.
Christmas weather
(Um…snow)
The chances of it actually snowing on Christmas Day are revealed here. Don’t get your hopes up, though.
And pack those thermal socks you got last Christmas, but never dared wear. Here are the stats for December 2022, for example:
- Average air temperature: 2.2°C (c. 36°F)
- Highest air temperature: 13.3°C (c. 55.9°F)
- Lowest air temperature: -7.1°C (c. 19.2°F)
Shopping tips
(Jams for sale)
The 25th and 26th of December are public holidays, so nearly all stores close on those days. Even those that normally open on Sundays and holidays may be closed (see here for general info on opening times in Vienna).
The 24th is not a public holiday, but many (most) shops close early to give staff a chance to get away for Heiligenabend preparations and travel.
The supermarkets tend to unlock their doors early on the 24th and typically close between 1pm and 4pm. So you can buy the cranberry sauce you forgot (or in case you’re worried 25kg of chocolate is still not enough to keep the teenage hordes happy).
(Karlsplatz Christmas market is great for gifts)
Here some tips for seasonal purchases:
- The treats mentioned earlier make nice little gifts. Lebkuchen tends to survive travel better than biscuits and Stollen. For lovely gift-wrapped edible delights, try the Viennese Konditoreien, too
- More and more Christmas markets serve their punch in a collectable mug (for which you pay a deposit). If you don’t mind losing your deposit, you can keep the mug; they make quite unique souvenirs
- The markets are a treasure trove of gift ideas. Candles are everywhere, as well as hats, bags, scarves and other fashion accessories, glass, wood, leather and pottery items, jams, honey, wine, schnapps (lots of schnapps), various forms of art, and numerous undefinable things you’ll have trouble finding elsewhere
In particular, consider a shopping trip to the Karlsplatz market. Every stallholder must make their own products and pass a jury test, which ensures a host of booths selling unique handcrafted art and gifts. Another good one for excellent arts and crafts is the Schönbrunn market.
- If you just want to stock up on basic, mass-produced traditional Austrian-style decorations, then most department stores have a Christmas section selling “standard” decorations for much, much less than, for example, at any market
Public transport
Trains, buses and trams run normally across the Christmas period, but with slightly reduced timetables on selected days. For full details, see the Christmas travel article.
Even reduced timetables in Vienna still make a lot of visitors envious, so you need not worry about getting around.
Location map
All the key Christmas locations mentioned above appear on this map:
And just to finish off this little guide to Christmas in Vienna…
Useful German phrases
- “Frohe Weihnachten” (Merry Christmas)
- “Alles Gute im neuen Jahr” or “guten Rutsch” (Happy New Year)
- “Mein Bauch wird gleich platzen wenn ich noch ein Weihnachtskeks esse” (if I eat another Christmas biscuit, my stomach will explode)
Merry Christmas! Frohe Weihnachten!