This event’s not going to compete with the big Easter markets, but the Kalvarienbergfest perhaps gives you a more authentic flavour of Viennese life.
- Street festival and market in one of Vienna’s outer districts
- More of a local feel to it with few international visitors
- 2022 dates: TBA
- See also: Easter markets in Vienna
The Kalvarienberg market
(View of the market from the Elterleinplatz end)
The Kalvarienbergfest in the district of Hernals sits away from the main tourist routes, but still counts as a familiar object on the Viennese Easter market scene.
It all has the feel of a local market (largely because that’s exactly what it is), with decorated lampposts and small flower displays thrown in for a festive veneer.
(Painted birdhouses at an art stall)
So you’ll likely find a handful of arts and craft stalls, places to grab sweets or traditional fried snacks (like a Langos or Baumkuchen), some jams, cheeses, hams and sausages for sale, little workshops for kids, and a small carousel. Not to mention a stage for shows and local musicians.
You won’t find many tourists here – the Kalvarienbergfest is a lighter, downmarket version of the more famous Easter markets that grab all the attention. But the event does give you a flavour of real life in the city’s outlying districts.
And the square at the centre has the rather pretty Kalvarienberg church, whose historical roots go back to at least the early 1300s.
(Carousel beneath the Kalvarienbergkirche)
I wouldn’t make a special trip out to visit, not unless you want to delve into a more earthy, realistic side to Vienna.
The district of Hernals is not rich in Imperial history and monumental buildings. But it’s an honest, largely working-class area with its heart (and a glass of beer) in the right place. And it does contain Austria’s oldest continuously-working football stadium (Wiener Sport-Club’s home ground).
Opening times 2022
Festival dates/times for 2022 are not yet available, but I’ll pop them in here as soon as I find the information (assuming it takes place). Opening times are usually 10am to 6pm (with starts at 9am on weekends).
How to get to Kalvarienberg
Regrettably (because I live there), Hernals does not represent the centre of the Viennese universe. But like anywhere in the city, it’s pretty easy to reach by public transport.
Subway: take the U6 to Alser Straße and then go on two stops with the 43 tram in the direction away from the centre.
Tram/bus: the nearest stop to Kalvarienberg is Elterleinplatz on the 9 and 43 tram lines. The 43 leaves from Schottentor in the city centre and is, coincidentally, Vienna’s most popular tram service.
In a few years, Elterleinplatz will be a stop on the new U5 subway, making travel to this part of town even swifter and easier.
Address: Kalvarienberggasse, 1170 Vienna | Website