Place a pile of hay in the Schönbrunn Palace courtyard, and it would soon acquire imperial elegance, nostalgic charm, and a range of souvenir pitchforks. You simply can’t beat the setting. And the Easter market here offers a lovely seasonal treat.
- Beautiful surrounds in the forecourt of the Habsburg summer palace
- Quality wares and wide-ranging gastronomy
- Spacious design and family-friendly
- 2026 dates: TBA (was Mar 27 – April 21 in 2025)
- Book a concert experience* for your Vienna trip
- See also:
The market
(The palace courtyard hosts the Schönbrunn Easter Market)
Given the imperial location, the Schönbrunn Easter market already has an advantage over its colleagues elsewhere in Vienna. Add in that it’s the biggest and you have – in my opinion – your top option.
I like, for example, the organic foods and lovely decorated eggs at the Freyung and the art and food booths at Am Hof. But meandering past truffles and trinkets in the shadow of the great summer Habsburg palace has a particular flair to it.
Of course, nobody’s stopping you from visiting all three markets!
Circles of market stands curve around the giant Schönbrunn courtyard, with lots of space in between and plenty of outdoor seating and bar tables: some with protection from any inclement weather.
That spacious layout should certainly help when the Easter crowds call.
On my 2025 trip, the stalls offered egg and rabbit themed Easter decorations in a range of materials, as well as wider arts & crafts that included jewellery and other accessories, crafted glass and wood, felt and woolen figures, candles, toys, handmade soaps, linocut art prints, ceramics, textiles and more.
And all in rather fine quality.
I also found booths with regional meats, honeys, mustards, cheeses and chocolates, spreads, sauces and similar in among the craft stalls.
Not that the food is only to take away and enjoy later.
I encountered, for example, Buchteln (a sweet roll), bruschetta and baked potatoes, pretzels and pasta, donuts, sweet & specialty dumplings, Kaiserschmarrn and pancakes, Langos, waffles, sausages and pulled sandwiches, and more. Even cheesecake on a stick: a concept that had my express approval.
Most gastronomy stalls had vegetarian options, too.
And you could relax with your food and wash it down with various beverages: perhaps a traditional Viennese beer, wine, coffee or wine-based fruit punch.
(A few handicrafts we picked up on our trip)
The Schönbrunn market also makes an effort to keep families happy.
For example, the children could romp around a small straw bale maze, try their hand at boules, or ride a small train, a couple of carousels and a ferris wheel.
If you have little ones, they might also enjoy the Children’s Museum located in the same courtyard. See here for more tips on what to do with kids in Vienna.
Tips for your visit
Before or after the market, you have a few other nearby activities to consider. For example:
- Take in a concert in the palace orangery, where Mozart once performed
- Wander around to the other side of the palace and discover the flowers and colours spring has hopefully brought to the landscaped gardens. Pansies have dominated in recent years
- See what baby animals the season also put into the world at Schönbrunn zoo. Penguin chicks are a reliable bet
And, of course, don’t forget a tour of the palace or one of the many other attractions the complex has to offer.
2026 dates & times
At the time of writing, I don’t have 2026 dates to hand. The previous Schönbrunn Easter market opened from March 27th to April 21st. Scheduled opening times were:
- 10am to 7pm
- 10am to 9pm (Fridays, Saturdays and Easter Sunday)
How to get to the Schönbrunn market
The main entrance to the palace complex opens onto a courtyard where the market takes place. You can’t miss it. Follow these directions to get there.
Subway: U4 (either to the Schönbrunn or Hietzing stations, then a short walk). The U4 leaves, for example from the central Schwedenplatz, Schottenring and Karlsplatz subway stations.
Tram/bus: take tram lines 10, 52, and 60, or bus line 10A, to the Schloss Schönbrunn stop.
The palace does have a large car park located close by: just over the road, diagonally opposite the main entrance to the complex.
Address: Schloss Schönbrunn, 1130 Vienna | Website