It’s not a bad time to visit Vienna. March has a chance of decent spring weather but it’s not peak tourist season.
So you miss the crowds that swarm across parts of the city in high summer. Unless, of course, Easter happens to fall in the month (not the case in 2026).
- Book a classical concert experience* for March
- See also:
Top activities in March 2026
So what little treats can you expect apart from the usual museums, concerts, tours, and similar?
My quick tip
Vienna has plenty of light classical concert experiences to offer. I’ve become a bit of an advocate for the performances of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons at the baroque Karlskirche church.
The lead violinist left quite an impression on me with his stage presence, for example.
Exhibitions
(The Jewish Museum main location)
Vienna always has numerous art and other exhibitions going on at any one time, and many delights will come your way in March 2026. We already know of…
- The exhibition around Messerschmidt’s iconic and perplexing baroque character heads has its last full month at Lower Belvedere. But we continue with the lovely landscapes of 19th-century painter Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller and contemporaries
- The exhibition on paper as an artistic medium at the Albertina draws to a close: it runs until March 22nd. But their solo exhibition for Leiko Ikemura continues
- Get up close (figuratively and literally) to baroque still life painting at the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s Claesz exhibition (until March 15th) before enjoying the cityscapes of Messers Canaletto & Bellotto (from March 24th)
- We also have the final days (until March 8th) of The Line: the Heidi Horten Collection’s ode to one of art’s main elements and featuring numerous top works
- Discover the genius and creativity of designer Helmut Lang at the MAK
- The Wien Museum introduces us to the genesis of the infograph: the isotype approach invented in Vienna in the 1930s
- Cast your mind back to (possibly) simpler modern times and enjoy the art and art culture of the 1960s at the mumok as well as an in-house retrospective of the 1980s
- The Jewish Museum tackles skin colour and prejudice in the context of Jewish identity
- Learn about the circular economy and its relationship to resource use and our consumer decisions over at the Technisches Museum. They also celebrate two centuries of railways in an exhibition featuring plenty of models
Easter markets
(A market booth for decorated Easter eggs)
The Easter weekend in 2026 falls in early April. But that does mean the Easter markets should already be open for at least part of March.
These seasonal markets make a rather nice holiday diversion. As well as arts & crafts of a higher quality, you also get to enjoy a variety of local snacks and specialties…though many inevitably live at the relatively unhealthy end of the nutritional spectrum. Cough, sausages, cough.
Music & film
March typically hosts a number of festivals as Vienna slowly emerges from its winter sleep. For example:
Vinyl & more
The Ottakringer Vinyl & Music festival (March 7th and 8th) is a market, fair, exhibition, and gig rolled into one.
Held in a working brewery, it harks back to the days when music was “real” and not this manufactured nonsense the kids listen to these days. Why, I remember when all you needed was a washboard and a…sorry, pass me my slippers.
Actually, the festival combines a retro feel with contemporary dynamism. “Authentic” is the word I’d use.
This year, for example, is the 10th anniversary edition and sees the return of the Wiener Instrumente Salon, with various instrument makers collecting to showcase their skills and products.
And if that’s not enough music for you, then further options are:
- The Vienna Blues Spring starts up on March 20th with a host of national and international bands, singers, and musicians from the genre
- The Haus der Musik celebrates the local contemporary music scene with the Sinnesrauschen festival (2026 dates TBA)
- …and the International Accordion Festival fills much of the month (February 21st to March 15th)
Film fun
(The Jewish film festival takes place this month)
One or two notable film festivals typically brighten screens in March. For example:
- Enjoy animated films showcased through the Tricky Women/Tricky Realities festival (March 11th to 15th)
- The Jewish Film Festival features works from around the world that address aspects of Jewish life in all its facets and contexts (2026 dates TBA)
- The Festival du Film Francophone introduces us to French-language cinematic treats (2026 dates TBA)
Art & models
(Palais Ferstel is worth seeing in its own right, whatever the event)
March seems to ignite the art and design fair world into action. For example:
- The WIKAM or Vienna International Art and Antiques Fair typically has a spring edition (2026 dates TBA) that takes place in the rather lovely Palais Ferstel
- The SPARK Art Fair Vienna also hits town (March 20th to 22nd) in the Marx Halle
March also sees the appearance of SCALE & PAINT (March 7th and 8th): an international exhibition dedicated to model building: miniatures of vehicles, figures and scenes with a retail section, too.
And more…
(Enjoy the two-wheeled acrobatics)
March also brings us:
- The Argus Bike Festival (March 28th and 29th): a lovely two-day event with information stands, bike-related exhibitors and lots of two-wheeled show action.
- Aperitivo Spring (March 24th to 25th): a mindful drinking festival with a focus on the lighter side of alcoholic beverages
- The mit alles culinary festival for gourmets and those who enjoy the more refined side of life in the kitchen (2026 dates TBA)
- The International Orchid Show: the sellers put on impressive displays for casual visitors, too (February 25th to March 1st)
Take your last chance
(Vienna city centre in winter. Or maybe not)
March is the final full month of the Viennese ball season.
And March might be your last opportunity to indulge in some winter sports until, well, next winter:
- The Wiener Eistraum open-air ice skating experience runs until March 8th in 2026. And the skating season at the open-air rink at the Eislaufverein normally ends sometime in March too (2026 dates TBA)
- Vienna’s “local” Alpine ski resort at Semmering may still be open and is suited to a day trip out to the slopes
Treat yourself to a spa day
(Follow the signs for the spa)
With the weather still liable to turn chilly at times, you can always dip into warm water.
- The Vienna spa complex (Therme Wien) has various indoor and outdoor thermal pools, as well as the usual array of spa offerings: from Swedish massages to Austrian pastries
- Alternatively, float serenely in a heated saltwater tub at the Schwerelos Floating Centre in the centre of town
Seasonal tip…
Enjoy the spring flowers
(A meadow in one of Vienna’s parks)
It’s all a little dependent on the weather, obviously, but March should (could?) see the emergence of the green shoots of spring, with tulips, daffodils, and other flowers perhaps optimistically forcing their way up through the soil.
The municipal gardens department does an excellent job of filling Vienna’s many parks (and roadsides) with spring colour. A couple of tips, if the climate allows:
- Try the sculpted gardens at the Schönbrunn and Belvedere palaces
- The Lainzer Tiergarten is a managed nature protection area with free-roaming deer and wild boar, paths through the woodland, playing areas for kids, and places to eat
- The Vienna woods (Wienerwald) cover the hilly west of the city, with numerous walking trails and restaurants dotted throughout
- The city-run Hirschstetten nursery and botanical gardens remain a well-kept secret and the outdoor areas usually open from mid-March
- The Prater is famous for its entertainment complex, but go beyond that to find a huge park area full of woods, meadows, and water features