Unlike most Easter markets, this one took place largely inside. And a good thing, too, since Palais Niederösterreich is one of Vienna’s most historic buildings.
- Arts, crafts and regional food and drink from Lower Austria
- Very high quality of products
- Chance to see inside the beautiful palais
- Next dates: TBA (if it repeats: last one was 2023)
- Book a concert experience* for the Viennese Easter
- See also:
Oster-Erlebnismarkt
(The venue front: also reachable by carriage)
Like all of Austria’s rural provinces, Niederösterreich (Lower Austria) takes pride in its regional traditions, culture, and cuisine. And, every now and then, it turns up in neighbouring Vienna to give locals and tourists a taste of all three.
The Easter market (Oster-Erlebnismarkt) was one example. Around 60 exhibitors sat inside Palais Niederösterreich and offered a broad range of food and drink from the province, together with local arts and crafts.
The quality bore comparison to any other seasonal market. In fact, having gone round, I’d venture to suggest only Schönbrunn Easter market comes close to the standards set in Palais Niederösterreich…shame it was just a two-day event.
On the culinary front, for example, I found organic craft beers, giant loaves of crusty bread with homemade pastries and biscuits, organic goats cheese and smoked fish, hams, sausages, multiflavoured (and multicoloured) pasta varieties, and much more.
Lower Austria has an excellent reputation for wine, so samples of that fine beverage were common. Part of the province actually bears the name Weinviertel, which means “the wine quarter”.
On the arts and crafts front, I discovered handmade soaps and uniquely-decorated silk scarfs, glass and silver jewelry, porcelain cake stands, organic clothing, painted goose eggs, and even ostrich feather dusters.
The event offered more than a passive feast for the eyes and stomach, though.
The central courtyard hosted a stage for music and other entertainment while you dined on Lower Austrian fare and a glass of fine wine (perhaps served by a portly gentleman with a moustache you can hang your coat on).
The palais itself
Palais Niederösterreich rarely opens so fully to the public, so the Easter market counted as a genuinely golden chance to get a look inside this remarkable building.
The market occupied rooms that date back centuries.
The Landtagssaal former seat of the provincial parliament, for example, has gorgeous Baroque frescoes covering the ceiling, and it once hosted the likes of Liszt, Beethoven and Schubert for concerts.
You can often take a tour of the palais during public events like a seasonal market. This takes you inside the perfectly-preserved Renaissance chambers with their glorious carved wooden ceilings; they still use the rooms for official functions.
Dates & times
The Easter market at Palais Niederösterreich used to run for two days just a couple of weeks before Easter with free entry. However, it has not taken place of late. I don’t have dates for any repeat, should it return at some point. Check the organisers’ event page for any future market.
The same palais and province does, however, offer an annual equivalent: the equally excellent Adventmarkt, typically held at a weekend around the turn of November/December.
How to get to the market
Herrengasse is right in the centre of Vienna, close to the sights you’re probably passing anyway and home to its own subway station.
Once you’re done in the palais, can I strongly recommend you pop into Palais Ferstel for a coffee at Café Central (if the queue outside isn’t too bad)?
Look for the coffee house’s entrance opposite the portal leading into Palais Niederösterreich. The cake display is a work of art in its own right.
Subway: Take the U3 to Herrengasse
Tram/bus: Take the 1A or 2A bus lines to the Herrengasse stop
Address: Herrengasse 13, 1010 Vienna