Vienna

Visiting the Christmas Markets in Vienna, the City of Dreams

Vienna, Austria might be the sparkliest city I have ever visited at Christmas. The city is already one of Europe’s most glamorous capitals, but during the Advent season it exudes holiday cheer with streets swathed in sheets of lights, giant chandeliers, and Christmas Markets under the glow of its most famous landmarks.

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When planning my trip to Vienna, I very quickly realized that the goal would not be to see and do everything. The list of attractions available to tourists is overwhelming. We narrowed down our choices to some of the key historical and cultural highlights — combined with the Vienna Christmas Markets . After three days, we had a taste of Vienna and lots of notes for a return visit.

This post will provide you with information on visiting Vienna at Christmas and the top things to see and do during a short stay.

Vienna was the last place we visited during a week-long journey across Austria, starting in Regensburg, Germany and then making stops in Salzburg, Hallstatt, and Admont. There was a lot of variety between each of these places, with Vienna being the largest and most cosmopolitan.

Vienna Historical Landmarks and Attractions
Vienna Christmas Markets
Where to eat
Where to stay

Vienna Historical Landmarks and Attractions

There are so many, but we started with these (in this order). The sights of Vienna are mesmerizing. We spent so much time just walking up and down streets, admiring the lights, architecture, and store windows. The moral of the story is that you really need more than a couple days to properly take all in all of Vienna’s amazing sights and museums. Of course, our visits to the Christmas Markets were intertwined in this itinerary, but I have separated them out for later in this post. If you want to jump ahead, click here.

Stallburg
Michaelerplatz
Graben
Anker Clock
St. Stephen’s Cathedral
St. Peter’s Church
Heldenplatz & Hofburg Palace
Stadtpark
Schönbrunn Palace
The Church of St. Charles
Vienna Opera House
Vienna Boys Choir at Muth

Stallburg and the Spanish Riding School

Stallburg is a Renaissance courtyard from the 16th century where the Lipizzaner stallions of the Spanish Riding School are stabled. My first choice would have been to attend a training or demonstration, but the timing didn’t work out for us. Thankfully, I didn’t walk away too disappointed because I had seen the Lipizzaners at a prior event touring in the US.

The stallions are so beautiful and the demonstrations are thoroughly impressive and entertaining. So, if you haven’t seen a performance, I would definitely check for event times and tickets! Click here to visit the official website for the Vienna Spanish Riding School.

Above photo: Stallburg

Michaelerplatz

Michaelerplatz is a circular plaza-like space that backs up to the Hofburg Palace complex and Sisi Museum. We stopped here for the Christmas Market on an evening walk, but discovered there is more to this area than meets the eye.

Above photo: Michaelerplatz and the Sisi Museum Hofburg

In the center of Michaelerplatz lies an archeological site and museum where the remains of a Roman camp suburb and medieval building foundations were found. The excavations can be visited at any time. More reading about this fascinating history and the museum can be found here.

Michaelerplatz is an ideal starting point for a walking tour of Vienna’s Christmas lights. We headed down Kohlmarkt after grabbing a mug of Glühwein from the market.

Above photo: Kohlmarkt

Graben

Graben is the famous, pedestrianized shopping street in Vienna. During the month of December, the entire avenue is lined with giant chandeliers. There couldn’t be anything more glamorous and befitting of Vienna. My recommendation here: soak it in.

Above photos: Graben

The architecture and window shopping along Graben is something to be experienced even if you aren’t a big shopper. Everything is just so pretty and so festive. We stopped for dinner at an outside cafe near Leopoldsbrunnen (a fountain dedicated to Saint Leopold) before walking over to Stephensplatz, located at the very end of Graben.

Above photos: Shopping and cafes on Graben

Above photos: Graben and Leopoldsbrunnen (right)

Anker Clock

The Anker Clock is an Art Nouveau mechanical clock built in 1914 located on Hoher Markt street. It is a quick stop, but worth seeing on your rounds about town. Twelve historical figures rotate around the front when the clock strikes the hour.

Above photo: Anker Clock

St. Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom)

We briefly stopped inside St. Stephen’s Cathedral the evening before, but came back to it in the morning to ascend the north tower. The cathedral is massive. Once you catch your breath from the awe-inspiring gothic architecture, you can pay a small fee to go up either or both towers for a closer look at the multi-colored tile roof and panoramic views of the city.

Above photos: The gothic interior of St. Stephen’s Cathedral

We just took the elevator up the north tower and stopped at the plateau to view the largest bell in Austria, the ‘Pummerin’. All the in-depth history and visitor information for St. Stephen’s is available on its official website.

Above photos: The tile roof of St. Stephen’s Cathedral

Above photos: Pummerin bell

St. Peter’s Church (Peterskirche)

Just a short walk from St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the early 18th-century St. Peter’s Church. Anytime I spot a dome on a church, I know it going to be spectacular inside. It is highly ornate and decorative with frescos and sculptures covering every inch. There are regular organ concerts, plus the church is often used as a concert venue for other fine art performances. Event calendars and more details are available here.

Above photo: St. Peter’s Church

Above photos: St. Peter’s Church

Heldenplatz & Hofburg Palace

The Hofburg Imperial Palace is a massive, massive museum complex in the center of Vienna. The Habsburg royal family ruled from here for over seven centuries leaving behind a treasure trove of art and antiquities.

We walked through Heldenplatz and admired the equestrian statues against the backdrop of the semi-circular Neue Burg. From there, we passed through “In der Berg” and past the Swiss Gate, the oldest part of the original medieval castle.

One could easily spend an entire day exploring the museums, courtyards, and Imperial Apartments, not to mention the nearby Burggarten, Albertina, and Austrian National Library (sadly, it was closed for repairs when we where there.)

Above photo: Neue Burg

Above photo: Swiss gate (left); In der Berg (right)

Above photos: In der Berg, Hofburg

Stadtpark

Stadtpark is a municipal park best known for its many monuments and sculptures, including the Strauss Monument. We walked through here on a quiet morning en route to the subway station. If you are headed to Belvedere Palace or one of the many concert halls in that area, a stroll through Stadtpark makes a nice before/after activity.

Schönbrunn Palace

While we did not get to experience the entirety of The Hofburg, we made up for it by visiting Schönbrunn Palace and taking The Grand Tour (tickets can be purchased here). Also an imperial residence of the Habsburgs with State rooms and 18th-century interiors from the time of Maria Theresia. Photography is not permitted inside the palace. However, you can see a virtual tour on its website here.

There is also an amazing Christmas Market at Schönbrunn Palace. In fact, it was my favorite Advent market in Vienna. More about Weihnachtsmarkt Schloss Schönbrunn later in this post!

Above photos: Schönbrunn Palace

The Church of St. Charles (Karlskirche)

St. Charles church is an outstanding Baroque church located on the southerly side of central Vienna. We hopped off the subway at Karlsplatz and walked through the park and Art Advent Market located directly in front of the church.

The marble inside this church is (gah!) incredible. Built by virtue of a promise by Emperor Charles VI, the church was completed in 1739 and dedicated to St. Karl Borromäus. What I especially enjoyed about this church was the access to the organ loft and the outside balcony overlooking Karlsplatz.

Above photos: The Church of St. Charles

The Church of St. Charles overlooking Karlsplatz

Above photo: View of Karlsplatz from the outdoor balcony of The Church of St. Charles

Vienna Opera House

No visit to Vienna is complete without laying eyes on the State Opera House. This architectural gem and Ringstrasse Street showstopper was built in 1869 and hosts over 350 performances each year. If you aren’t able to attend a performance, 40-minute guided tours of the auditorium and State rooms are available.

Above photo: Vienna State Opera House

Vienna Boys Choir at Muth

We capped off our time in Vienna with a live performance by the Vienna Boys Choir at their permanent venue hall, Muth. Being there during the Christmas season, we were treated to their “Good Shepherd” program, which includes Handel’s Hallelujah. Unfortunately, photography was not permitted inside. So, all I have are my memories.

Above photo: MuTH Concert Hall for the Vienna Boys Choir

Vienna Christmas Markets

There are over a dozen annual Christmas Markets in Vienna starting in mid-November and running up until Christmas located throughout the city in its most famous squares. Some of them flow into each other, so you aren’t actually going to 12+ different locations. I think we made it to about seven of these, listed below in order of our itinerary.

Imperial and Royal Christmas Market on Michaelerplatz
Christmas Market on Stephansplatz
Old Viennese Christmas Market on Freyung (Altwiener Christkindlmarkt) & Am Hof Christmas Market
Viennese Christmas Market on City Hall Square (Wiener Christkindlmarkt)
Vienna Ice World at the Christmas Market
Schönbrunn Palace (Weihnachtsmarkt Schloss Schönbrunn)
Art Advent on Karlsplatz

Imperial and Royal Christmas Market on Michaelerplatz

The market on Michaelerplatz has little whitewashed stalls featuring primarily Austrian manufacturers, sweets, tin figures, and other handcrafted gift items. It is set against The Hofburg and Sisi Museum, which creates a striking backdrop. From here you can also hire a horse-drawn carriage ride to take you around to see the lights.

Above photos: Imperial and Royal Christmas Market on Michaelerplatz

Christmas Market on Stephansplatz

The Christmas Market on Stephansplatz is located adjacent to the cathedral. There were around 40 wooden stalls here offering mostly traditional Austrian gift items, Glühwein, and food.

Above photo: Christmas Market on Stephansplatz

Old Viennese Christmas Market on Freyung & Am Hof Christmas Market

These two markets flow into one another, so you can visit both quite easily. A Christmas market has been held here since 1772 and it continues to focus on tradition. The stalls here included glass ornaments and decorations, traditional nativity figurines, ceramics, and other handmade items. This a great place to enjoy an apple strudel while listening to the choral music in the late afternoon and evening.

Above photos: Old Viennese Christmas Market

Viennese Christmas Market on City Hall Square

Sometimes referred to as the Vienna Christmas Dream Market, the Viennese Christmas Market on City Hall Square is the largest market in Vienna. It is a wonderful place to spend an entire evening amongst its many stalls, children’s activities, and light animations.

Above photos: Viennese Christmas Market

We came here in the evening when the crowds were rather heavy. It was still manageable though. We grabbed Vienna sausages for dinner (or maybe they are just called sausages when you are in Vienna) and then proceeded to load up our shopping bags with handcrafted ornaments.

Above photos: Handmade glass ornaments at Viennese Christmas Market

Vienna Ice World at the Christmas Market

Located right next to the Viennese Christmas Market, Vienna Ice World feels like it is part of the same market. The ice staking rink is an illuminated path through City Hall Park.

Above photo: Vienna Ice World

Schönbrunn Palace

I honestly expected the Christmas Market at Schönbrunn Palace to be a bit of an afterthought. We went there for the palace but ended up thoroughly impressed and loving the Christmas Market. It was my favorite in Vienna! The stalls here offered high quality artisan items, including handmade toys, artwork, crystal and beaded ornaments, spiced creations, and more. If I had known, I would have made this my first stop. Since this was one of the last markets we visited, I was nearly out of luggage space and had to hold myself back. Lovely market!

Above photos: Schönbrunn Palace Christmas Market

Art Advent on Karlsplatz

The last market we visited was Art Advent on Karlsplatz. Although I didn’t make any purchases here, I immensely enjoyed walking through the park and seeing all of the local art. As you get closer to The Church of St. Charles, there is an area with live animals that is quite charming.

Above photos: Art Advent on Karlsplatz

Where to Eat

At the Christmas Markets
Café de l’Europe
Café Central
Café Sacher
Café Mozart

At the Christmas Markets

Christmas Market food is delicious and an amazing opportunity to try the local street food specialties and regional flavors. Love me some brats, overloaded baked potatoes, deep fried goodness, and, of course Glühwein. We ate at the markets every where we went which kept it easy!

Café de l’Europe

We spontaneously decided to have dinner at this cafe on Graben on our first night in Vienna. The outdoor seating was wonderful! We were able to sit in the middle of the gorgeous boulevard under the giant chandeliers while enjoying our meal. We were really happy with our food and the service. Didn’t get any photos tho.

Café Central

Café Central is an institution for Viennese cuisine, with famous historic links including to Freud & Trotsky, along with other famous “regulars.” It is located on the ground floor of the Palais Fertsel, former Bank and Stock Market Building dating back to the mid-19th century.

Above photo: Café Central in the Palais Fertsel

This place is crazy popular and it totally lives up to the hype. The line was out the door when we arrived for our 11 am reservation (hint: make reservations). I wasn’t sure if we’d be ready for lunch or it we’d just be ordering pastries. We ended up with both!

Above photos: Café Central

Café Sacher

Café Sacher is a famous coffee house and key player in Vienna’s world-renowned coffee culture. It is also where you can try a slice of Original Sacher-Torte. The cafe is located inside the elegant Hotel Sacher with windows looking across to the State Opera House. Its all very fancy. Make reservations here.

Above photos: Hotel Sacher and Café Sacher Original Sacher-Torte

Café Mozart

We ducked into Café Mozart unplanned. We had been shopping for Christmas gifts at Wilhelm Jungmann & Neffe, a beautiful menswear store and tailor located on Albertinaplatz, when hunger struck. Café Mozart was right next door:) It turned out to be a great choice. Besides a super interesting story going back over 200 years, the menu has some sophisticated choices along with many traditional Viennese dishes.

Above photo: Café Mozart

Where to Stay

Like most large cities, Vienna has a wide range of accommodations to suit every type of traveler and budget. We were on foot, so proximity to the city center and Christmas Markets was key for us. That being said, Vienna has a great public transportation system that includes ground-level trams, subways, and taxis. So, as long as you are reasonably close to a transportation stop, you’ll be fine to get where you want to go.

We stayed at the Vienna Marriott located directly in front of Stadtpark and within walking distance to almost everything. We only utilized public transportation for our visit to Schönbrunn Palace and to Muth Concert Hall.

Our room at the Vienna Marriott was a spacious suite, which was absolutely fantastic for re-organizing our suitcases and shopping loot prior to our long flights back home. The dining options here were really nice, too. We took advantage of the convenience of their breakfast buffet more than once.