10 Christmas Markets in Vienna You Must Experience

Vienna’s Christmas markets are mainly located near major tourist attractions. The largest and best-known market is in front of City Hall at Rathausplatz. At almost 100 stalls, you can buy souvenirs, chocolate treats, wooden toys, Christmas decorations, natural cosmetics and, of course, famous punch and traditional Austrian delicacies. A special attraction for couples is the ‘Herzerlbaum’ (Tree of Hearts). The trees in City Hall Park are decorated with thousands of lights, children can enjoy a multi-level carousel, and you can even go ice skating on a rink covering approximately 3,000 m². A free children’s ice rink is available for the little ones. This year, the market is being held as a certified ÖkoEvent PLUS environmentally friendly event for the first time.

TIP: Buy your ice rink tickets online at wienereistraum.com and get a 10% discount.

Dates:

• 13 November – 26 December 2026, daily from 10:00 to 22:00
• 24 December 2026 from 10:00 to 18:30
• Ice rink: 13 November 2026 – 6 January 2027, daily 10:00–22:00 (closed on 31 December)

If you’re in the mood for some real fun, we recommend the popular and well-known markets at Riesenradplatz in the Prater, right beneath the famous Ferris wheel. A special feature of these markets is the free concerts – from Wednesday to Sunday evenings, musicians playing genres from gospel to rock perform under the slogan ‘Der Prater rockt’. And it probably goes without saying that if you get tired of enjoying them from the ground, you can also take them in from high up on the Ferris wheel.

Dates:

• 20 November 2026 – 6 January 2027 from 12:00 (weekends and public holidays from 11:00) to 22:00
• 24 December 2026 from 11:00 to 17:00
• 31 December 2026 from 12:00 to 02:00

Many consider the Christmas markets at the imperial Schönbrunn Palace to be the most romantic in Vienna. Every year, a varied children’s programme takes place against the Baroque backdrop of the palace – with an ice rink, curling, a carousel, a Ferris wheel, a little train and a craft workshop. After Christmas, the market becomes a New Year’s market and remains open until Epiphany.

Dates:

• 6 November – 6 January 2027, daily from 10:00 to 21:00
• 24 December 2026 from 10:00 to 16:00
• 25 December 2026 from 10:00 to 19:00

Christmas markets don’t have to be traditional. Winter im MQ is not a classic market with stalls, but a winter cultural ‘living room’ in the MuseumsQuartier courtyard. Expect concerts, DJ sets and the MQ Tunes music programme every Wednesday from 18:30. There’s also the popular curling lane (Eisstockbahn), where you can play on your own or as part of a team.

Dates:

• 13 November – 23 December 2026 (official opening on 12 November 2026) from 16:00 (weekends and public holidays from 14:00) to 23:00
• The curling lane is available from 12 November 2026 to 6 January 2027

Where better than Vienna to experience a Baroque-style Christmas? In 2026, the new K&K Weihnachtsmarkt Belvedere is taking place at Belvedere Palace. This smaller market has 38 stalls offering arts, crafts and culinary specialities against the unique backdrop of the palace grounds. All your Instagram followers will envy your selfies capturing the night-time atmosphere of imperial Vienna!

TIP: This exceptional market with an imperial atmosphere is located near our final stop, Wien Hauptbahnhof.

Dates:

• 20 November – 23 December 2026 from 11:00 to 21:00 (weekends and public holidays from 10:00 to 23:00)
• 24 December – 31 December 2026 from 11:00 to 17:00

If you’ve read this far, you’ve reached the best hidden gem and the most original Christmas markets Austria’s capital has to offer. They take place on the University of Vienna campus, which used to be Vienna’s main hospital, and offer an exciting alternative to more traditional Christmas markets, full of young people.

Dates: 13 November – 23 December 2026, Monday to Wednesday from 14:00 to 22:00. Thursday and Friday until 23:00. Saturday from 11:00 and Sunday from 12:00 to 21:00

Christmas at Vienna Central Station (Weihnachten am Wiener Hauptbahnhof) – a Christmas event right at the station where our bus stops. Perfect for a cup of punch as soon as you arrive or before heading home. The organiser publishes dates and the programme at volxfest.at.

Stephansplatz – 44 stalls right beneath St Stephen’s Cathedral. 6 November – 24 December 2026, daily 11:00–21:00 (24 December: 11:00–16:00).

Am Hof – 76 stalls in one of Vienna’s oldest squares. 13 November – 23 December 2026, Mon–Thu 11:00–22:00, Fri–Sun and public holidays 10:00–22:00.

Weihnachtszauber (Schwarzenbergplatz) – a new market between the palaces and the Hochstrahlbrunnen fountain. 13 November – 26 December 2026, Mon–Fri 11:00–21:00, Sat, Sun and public holidays 10:00–21:00 (24 December: 11:00–16:00, 25 and 26 December: 11:00–19:00).

Advent market at the Remise Transport Museum – a tip for families with children and tram enthusiasts at the museum of Vienna’s public transport operator, Wiener Linien. Find the dates at wienerlinien.at.

Weihnachtsmarkt im Park (Türkenschanzpark) – a quieter market in the park. 13 November – 23 December 2026, Mon–Fri 15:00–22:00, Sat, Sun and public holidays 12:00–22:00.

Read more about our convenient bus service, which takes you to the centre of Vienna almost every hour from Nivy Bus Station. In Vienna, the final stop and departure point is Wien Hauptbahnhof (Hbf Wiedner Gürtel, C1). The journey takes up to 70 minutes, and the city centre is just a few stops away on the U1 metro line.

Return journey for half the price: When you buy a return ticket, your journey back is now 50% cheaper. If your plans change, you can cancel your return ticket free of charge up to 15 minutes before departure and receive a voucher for your next purchase.

You can buy bus tickets easily and always at the best price through the Slovak Lines app or directly on our website. There’s no need to print them – simply show the QR code on your phone screen when boarding.