You’re wrapped up warm all ready to splash out on strawberries that foolishly fell into some chocolate. Not to mention a mug of mulled wine to scare away the winter cold. Around the corner, and…is the market even open?
When do the markets start in 2023?
(The market on Maria-Theresien-Platz with the Kunsthistorisches Museum behind)
Traditionally, most markets start in mid-November and all the major markets open by the end of the month.
I don’t have any starting dates for 2023 just yet. Bar one: the Schönbrunn market expects to open on November 18th.
To give you an idea of what to expect, here the details from last year of when each of the big markets opened:
- November 11th: Stephansplatz; Altes AKH; Spittelberg; Am Hof; Genussmarkt bei der Oper, Michaelerplatz
- November 16th: Weihnachtsdorf on Maria-Theresien-Platz
- November 17th: Hirschstetten
- November 18th: Belvedere; Karlsplatz, Freyung
- November 19th: Christkindlmarkt am Rathausplatz (the “big” one); Wintermarkt am Riesenradplatz; Schönbrunn Christmas market
- November 24th: Weihnachtszauber
All locations normally stay open until at least December 23rd.
Expect several markets to continue through the Christmas public holiday period as well. One or two may even stay open until late December or early January, possibly in the form of a New Year market.
In 2022, for example, the following markets opened until after December 23rd:
- Christkindlmarkt am Rathausplatz (until December 26th)
- Stephansplatz (until December 26th)
- Michaelerplatz (until December 26th)
- Wintermarkt am Riesenradplatz (until January 8th)
- Weihnachtsdorf on Maria-Theresien-Platz (until December 26th)
- Belvedere (until December 26th)
- Genussmarkt bei der Open (until December 31st)
- Schönbrunn (until December 26th and then from December 27th to January 4th as a New Year market: they already plan to do the same in 2023)
Always check official sites on a case-by-case basis, though, given dates and times can change at short notice.
You may find other markets around the city and not mentioned have different dates to any given above: I don’t check every one, just the important locations for visitors to Vienna.
Opening hours 2023
(The Stephansplatz market in front of the cathedral)
Most markets open sometime between 10am and midday, then close sometime between 8pm and 10pm. Here the 2023 details for those I review at Visiting Vienna, again based on what the websites say as I write. As with opening dates, these might change.
Provisional 2023 opening hours
Still awaiting details of times of business for the coming Christmas season…
Last year?
To give you an idea of what to plan for, here the opening times for the main markets back in 2022…
Altes AKH
- 2pm to 10pm (Mon – Weds)
- 2pm to 11pm (Thurs, Fri)
- 11am to 11pm (Sat)
- 11am to 8pm (or 9pm?) (Sun)
Am Hof
- 11am to 9pm (Mon-Thurs)
- 10am to 9pm (Fri-Sun and public holidays)
Belvedere
- 11am to 9pm (weekdays)
- 10am to 9pm (weekends)
- 11am to 4pm (December 24th)
- 11am to 7pm (December 25th and 26th)
Christkindlmarkt (Rathaus)
- 10am to 9.30pm
- Closed at 6.30pm on December 24th, 25th and 26th
Freyung
- 10am to 9pm
Genussmarkt bei der Oper
- 11am to 9pm (later on New Year’s Eve?)
- Has closed on December 24th in past years
Hirschstetten
- Thursdays to Sundays only
- 10am to 8pm
Karlsplatz
- Midday to 8pm
Maria-Theresien-Platz
- 11am to 9pm (Sun to Thurs)
- 11am to 10pm (Fri and Sat)
- Closed earlier on December 24th (4pm), 25th (7pm) and 26th (7pm)
Michaelerplatz
- 10am to 8pm
- May have closed earlier on December 24th(?)
Schönbrunn
- 10am to 9pm
- Closed at 4pm on December 24th
- 10am to 6pm (December 25th and 26th)
Spittelberg
- 2pm to 9pm (Mon-Thurs)
- 2pm to 9.30pm (Fri)
- 10am to 9.30pm (Sat)
- 10am to 9pm (Sun and public holidays)
Stephansplatz
- 11am to 9pm
- Closed at 4pm on Dec 24th
- Closed at 7pm on Dec 25th and 26th
Weihnachtszauber
- Thursdays to Sundays only
- 3pm to 10pm (Thursday and Friday)
- 11am to 10pm (Saturday)
- 11am to 8pm (Sunday)
Wintermarkt
- Midday to 10pm (weekdays)
- 11am to 10pm (weekends and public holidays)
- 11am to 5pm on December 24th
- Stayed open until 2am the following day on Dec 31st