Wondering if you can visit any tourist attractions in Vienna over Christmas 2026? The broad answer is yes. Read on for the details.
- Book a classical concert experience* for your Advent trip
- See also:
Public holidays
The big Austrian Christmas celebration is on December 24th in the late afternoon or early evening. But the official public holidays are Christmas Day (25th) and Boxing Day (26th). On those two days, transport services shift to longer intervals, and stores, offices etc. are closed.
Museums & other attractions?
(Schönbrunn Palace typically opens all the year round)
To cut a long story short, many (most) museums and other attractions remain open across December 24th, 25th and 26th. You should have plenty of things to do or see in 2026.
Whatever it says below, though, do check locally with official sites to be sure, because:
- Some locations may have a weekly day off that happens to fall on a Christmas date and I might miss that
- Mondays or Tuesday are popular choices for the “day off”, so this might affect the days before and after Christmas in 2026
- Equally, some places open up on their usual day off if it happens to be a holiday period!
- Christmas opening hours may change, especially as some locations clarify their Christmas dates rather late
- Since the 24th is the big day, it’s not unusual to find places closing a little earlier on that day, so staff can get home to their families
Sites commonly open
(The zoo normally opens 365 days a year and has a pair of Giant Pandas)
This list includes those locations that typically remain open for much (or all) of Christmas. I don’t have concrete information for everywhere, but the broad details and openings from last year (2025) should give you an idea of what to expect.
Don’t forget to check the Christmas market opening times, too (some may open for at least part of the day across the holiday period).
- Stephansdom cathedral: bear in mind this is a working cathedral so religious services may prevent you accessing some areas at some times
- Belvedere: the Upper and Lower palaces and art museums both closed at 2pm on the 24th in 2025. Belvedere 21 was closed on that day
- Schönbrunn Palace: the outdoor paid attractions, like the maze, close in winter, but the main palace tours and the extensive park and gardens, for example, remain open 365 days a year
- Schönbrunn Zoo: famously a place to entertain the kids during the Christmas holidays as it opens 365 days a year
- Sisi Museum, Hofburg: the museum dedicated to Empress Elisabeth and the imperial apartments
- The MUMOK (this closed at 2pm on the 24th in 2025) and Kunsthalle (closed all day on the 24th last time out): modern and contemporary art museums in the Museumsquartier
- Madame Tussauds: the Vienna branch of the wax museum closed earlier (at 4pm with entry closed from 3pm) on the 24th in 2025
- The MAK museum: this applied arts and design museum closed earlier on the 24th (at 3pm) last time out
- Riesenrad: the giant Ferris wheel closed at 4.45pm on December 24th this past Christmas season
- Albertina and Albertina Modern: the prestigious art museums open daily (but both closed at 2pm on Christmas Eve in 2025)
- Kunsthistorisches Museum: this closed at 3pm on the 24th last December
- Haus der Musik (a museum of sound and music): notable for late opening every day
- The Kunst Haus Wien: the Hundertwasser Museum with added contemporary art exhibitions shut at 3pm on December 24th this past Christmas season
- Spanish Riding School: in 2025, they had a public morning training marked for December 24th and 26th, but otherwise no planned activities from the 24th to 26th
- Leopold Museum: this closed on the 24th in 2025
(The Spanish Riding School reduces its activities, but you might still be able to watch a public training. Photo of the winter arena taken with permission on a press visit)
Other attractions may be open over Christmas, too, but I’ve just listed some of the ones that commonly stay open.
Basically, even with possible changes to the above, you should not get bored.
If the weather’s not too cold, the holidays also present a good opportunity to simply wander around Vienna’s centre (the old town), enjoy the historical sights and seasonal lights, and indulge in some Christmas punch.
With shops and businesses closed on the 25th and 26th, everything’s quieter and you get a different, more relaxed atmosphere when delivery vans and stressed workers are off the streets.
Finally…a second reminder that several Christmas markets stay open over the public holidays too (details here).