“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower,” said philosopher Albert Camus.
Reds, yellows and russets come to mind, as do fruits, nuts, and berries of the woodland and hedgerow kind. All of which play a role in the small, but rather fine, annual Herbsttage autumn event in the very centre of Vienna.
- Artful arrangements of seasonal produce
- Displays of rare or old fruit varieties
- Market stalls selling produce and handicrafts
- Experts on hand with horticultural advice
- Free entry
- Book a guided tour* of the Hofburg area
- 2025 dates: TBA (was Oct 11-13 in 2024)
- See also:
Vienna Autumn Days
(The palm house location in the central Burggarten park)
Consider the Herbsttage a mixture of market and botanical exhibition. So you might view a rare variety of apple, then take a few examples home with you afterwards.
On the market front, a handful of stalls sell plants, produce and handicrafts.
You probably won’t take back a bulb or tuber as a souvenir of your trip to Vienna, but I found plenty of alternatives on my last visit: honey, schnapps and fruit vinegar; natural soap and wicker baskets; spreads and syrups.
On the exhibition side, you might encounter delightful displays of the best of autumnal botany.
My turn around the event revealed, for example, piles of ornamental pumpkins and peppers, collections of nuts, berries and exotic fruits (like the paw paw), and a lineup of apple varieties that included such wonderful names as Prince Albrecht of Prussia or the Styrian Sheep’s Nose.
The Österreichischen Gartenbau-Gesellschaft (Austrian Horticultural Society) and Österreichischen Bundesgärten (Austrian Federal Gardens) organise the event.
(Find tickets and experience options for the palace and zoo)
These two repositories of horticultural skill and knowledge mean on-site experts for questions you might have; we spent several minutes receiving advice on wildflower seeds, for example.
The organisers’ access to special botanical collections also promises bonus treats. One year, for example, this included a display of carnivorous plants.
Like many events in the city, the Herbsttage autumn event occupies historical premises: an outlying part of the Hofburg complex, where the Habsburgs made their home for centuries.
The indoor stalls line glasshouses constructed in the early 1900s to a subtle Jugendstil design.
The small outdoor part overlooks the Burggarten park, built in the wake of Napoleon’s ill-mannered departure from Vienna in the early 19th century. It also looks across to the freshly-renovated walls of the Neue Burg wing of the Hofburg.
You only need a few minutes to walk around. Combine the low time commitment with the central location, and you have a nice little detour to take as you enjoy the sights and tastes of the Hofburg area.
(The events looks out over this park)
2025 dates, tickets & tips
In surprising news, the autumn fair takes place in…autumn. I don’t have dates for 2025 at the time of writing, but the event ran Friday to Sunday, October 11th to 13th (10am to 6pm) last time out.
The event is normally free (no ticket required).
For more botanical delights of the kind featured at the Herbsttage, consider a trip out to Schönbrunn Palace (particularly the palm house and orangery).
How to get to the Herbsttage
Simply find your way to the park. The historical glasshouses occupy the raised border area furthest away from the Ring boulevard, close to the park entrance that leads through to the Albertina art museum and staterooms.
Address: Burggarten, 1010 Vienna | Website