What is the Vienna Christkindlmarkt?
Vienna has held winter markets for centuries. The organizers' own history points to a decree of 1382 as a possible ancestor, and sweets stalls known as the "Thomasmarkt" are documented on the Graben around 1600. Over time, the market moved from square to square as the city grew, and it took the name Christkindlmarkt on Am Hof in 1842.
The market on Rathausplatz, the square in front of Vienna's neo-Gothic City Hall, is the best known. It has been held here since 1975, so 2025 was its fiftieth year on the square. Around a hundred stalls (96 in 2025) sell glass ornaments, wooden toys, candles, gingerbread and hot drinks, while the park beside the square becomes a lit garden with activities for children and a large ice rink, with skating paths that wind between the trees.
The Rathausplatz market is only the start. Through Advent, Vienna hosts more than a dozen Christmas markets, each with its own character: in front of Schönbrunn Palace and the Belvedere, in the arts district around Karlsplatz, and in the narrow Biedermeier lanes of Spittelberg. The city's famous punch (Punsch), mulled wine and roasted chestnuts tie them all together.
A city that has made an art form out of coffee and cake brings the same seriousness to Christmas.
The Rathausplatz market at dusk, with snow on the ground
Photo by Tauralbus / flickr · CC BY 2.0
What to expect
Vienna's Christmas season builds in stages from early November, with the Rathausplatz market opening in mid-November and running until December 26.
Early to mid November
The markets open
Schönbrunn opened on November 6 in 2026, and Rathausplatz, Spittelberg and the Karlsplatz Art Advent open a week later. The Belvedere follows around November 20. Early visitors have the best chance of quiet browsing and short queues at the punch stalls.
Advent evenings
Music on the square
From late November, brass ensembles play from the roof of the nativity display by the tree (in 2025, daily at 7 and 8 pm for half an hour), and choirs fill the City Hall's ceremonial hall on Advent weekends.
December 24 to 26
The last days
The market closes at 6:30 pm on Christmas Eve, when Viennese families head home. It stays open on Christmas Day and closes for the season on December 26.
Planning your trip
Getting there
From the airport, the REX7 regional express reaches Vienna's main station in about twenty minutes. The S7 suburban train currently stops short at St. Marx during modernization works, so check the ÖBB timetable. The main station also has direct trains to Munich, Prague, Budapest and many other cities. The Rathausplatz market is in the first district, served by the Rathaus U-Bahn station (U2) and Ringstrasse trams. Once you are in the city, everything is a short walk or tram ride apart, and the other markets sit on the same transit network.
Where to stay
Advent weekends are Vienna's busiest time of year, so book early for a stay that includes a Friday or Saturday night, and visit on a weekday if you can. Vienna's public transport is excellent, so staying outside the first district is easy.
What it costs
Entering any of the main markets is free, so the cost is what you eat, drink and buy. At Rathausplatz in 2024, a mug of punch ran roughly €5 to €8.50 plus a €5 deposit, according to a Vienna.at price comparison; Spittelberg's deposit was €3. Skating is ticketed separately, with skate rental on top, so check the current prices on the Wiener Eistraum site. Hotels cost more on Advent weekends, and it pays to compare weekday rates.
Go like you know
- Go to Rathausplatz just after opening on a weekday, then return at dusk for the lights.
- Try Maroni, roasted chestnuts, and Erdäpfelpuffer, crisp potato pancakes, from street stands.
- Spend an evening at Spittelberg, the most atmospheric of the smaller markets, with its cobbled lanes and craft stalls.
- Skate on the ice rink at Rathausplatz. Rental skates are available, and the winding paths through the park are unlike any ordinary rink.
- Duck into a traditional coffee house to warm up with a Melange and a slice of cake between markets.
- Pair Vienna with the Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt, which in 2026 opens two weeks after Rathausplatz, and with St. Martin's Day lantern walks on November 11, just before Vienna's season gets going.
- Ride tram 1 or 2 around the Ringstrasse after dark for a warm, cheap tour of the lit-up palaces, museums and the opera house.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an entry fee?
No. The main Christmas markets are free to enter, including Rathausplatz. You pay only for what you buy. Hot drinks come in mugs with a deposit, which you get back when you return the mug. Ice skating at Rathausplatz is ticketed separately, with skate rental available.
Which Vienna Christmas market is the best?
Rathausplatz is the largest and most famous, with the ice rink and the lights. Schönbrunn has the grandest setting, in front of the imperial palace. Spittelberg feels the most local, with crafts in narrow lanes. Most visitors try two or three, and each takes an hour or two.
When is the best time to visit?
Weekdays in late November and early December are ideal: the season is in full swing but the crowds are lighter than on Advent weekends. Mid-November visits catch the Rathausplatz market in its first, quieter days. The days just before Christmas are busiest with locals finishing their shopping.
Can I combine Vienna with other Christmas markets?
Easily. Salzburg, Budapest, Prague and Bratislava are all reachable by train, and many travelers build a Christmas market trip around them. Munich and Nuremberg are further, but direct trains make it possible to combine Vienna with Germany's famous markets in a single week.
