
Christmas in Vienna
Reading Time: 7 minutes
Last updated: November 28, 2022
Vienna is one of the most beautiful European cities, with rich cultural scene, amazing architecture, elegant coffee houses, great classical music concerts and history in every little street and corner. Most of Vienna’s major attractions are located around the Ringstrasse, a historic city center that is easily visited on foot. What makes your Vienna experience even more special is holiday time. The Christmas markets in Vienna are generally a tasteful affair. Plastic is rare, and wood, straw, glass and fabric dominate. Not only they are worth visiting for the atmosphere, it makes also make for excellent shopping for gifts to bring to loved ones.
Visiting Vienna for Christmas is unique experience and here are some tips on what to do/see/taste on your Vienna Christmas visit!
1. Visit Christmas markets - classical Christmas in Vienna
2. Drink mulled wine or Weihnachtspunsch and get yourself Christmas in Vienna Mug
3. Buy Christmas baubles, gifts and decor
4. Take a walk around streets for magical Christmas in Vienna
5. Have a taste of amazing Viennese Coffee culture
6. Have a piece of seasonal treats like Weihnachtskekse or Lebkuchen
1. Visit Christmas markets - classical Christmas in Vienna

The main Christmas markets in Vienna already opened mid-November and will continue until late December! This means you can come in Vienna earlier to miss all the crowd and still feel amazing festive atmosphere and have all Christmas experiences! All throughout city there are numerous market places, bigger and smaller and they all attract visitors with holiday cheer. Try some traditional Austrian holiday food like goulash soup, fried sausages, melted cheese, and roasted almonds and toffee apple. And do not forget to visit several market places as they all have something different to offer.
Our favorite is one in front of the Schönbrunn palace. It has that old-time vibe and beautiful backdrop of Habsburg palace to make all your photos royal. The most famous is the Christkindlmarkt at Rathausplatz and do not miss one on the Karlsplatz is you are looking for some unique gifts to bring your loved ones! And of course Stephansplatz market, on one of the most iconic location in Vienna, next to the Stephansdom, the monumental cathedral that dominates the pedestrian area at Vienna’s core.
2. Drink mulled wine or Weihnachtspunsch and get yourself Christmas in Vienna Mug

Glühwein, as Austrians call mulled wine is one of symbols of Christmas in Vienna. A cup of mulled wine warms your hands as you walk between market stalls full of festive goodies. Winter in Vienna can be rather serious with rather cold occasional wind, so cup of warm aromatic sweet wine is more than a treat! And as you walk around city visiting markets, smell of orange and cinnamon wafts up towards you. Or try Weihnachtspunsch, Christmas punch a combination of tea, spices, sugar and spirits (particularly rum and/or brandy) but you can have a non-alcoholic one. In recent years, the variety of Weihnachtspunsch flavours seems to have exploded, but basically aromas are mostly based around some kind of fruit (Obst) or berries (Beeren).
When you pay for a mug of punch, the price is much higher than advertised on the side of the market booth. BUT there's a catch! The money you hand over includes a deposit for the mug itself, which you get back when you return it. AND you can keep the mug which become loving memento from your visit to Vienna. Each marketplace has different design of the mug so people often treat the mugs as collectibles and keep them for themselves. Doing so is a perfectly acceptable practice and hence the deposit.
3. Buy Christmas baubles gifts and decor

As said above, Christmas markets in Vienna are lovely opportunity to buy some gifts or decor. Plastic is very rare and decoration is usually made from glass, wood, fabric and straws. Take a look on this years Christmas trends for decor and find something at Christmas market! You can also find a wide range of presents: sculpted candles, handcrafted decorations, wooden nativity scenes, jewellery, ceramics, and local specialties. The Viennese Konditoreien, lovely gift-wrapped pasteries, makes great gift too! If you are more on practical side there is variety of quality hats, bags, scarves and other fashion accessories and food too, jams, honey, wine, schnapps!
The Karlsplatz market is a must go if you are interested in Christmas shopping. Every stallholder must make their own products and pass a jury test, which ensures a host of booths selling unique handcrafted art and gifts. Schönbrunn market also great place to visit for handmade gifts!
4. Take a walk around streets for magical Christmas in Vienna

The pedestrian zones in the center of Vienna sparkle with the amazing glitter of nearly a million LED lamps! Take a walk around and enjoy romantic and elegant atmosphere. Stroll beneath giant chandeliers at Graben (you know about those from everyone's holiday photos from Vienna, they are iconic!) or shimmering cascades of light. The Graben emerges onto Stephansplatz square, where you look across to Stephansdom cathedral and Christmas market, all in elegant classic festive colours. And if you want somethink more modern, go past Stephansdom to Rotenturmstrasse.
And another great thing about Vienna is that all the main shopping streets put on a Christmas display and, of course, many large stores and hotels do so, too! Looking at window displays is fun experience as everyone is trying to outdo themselves each year!
Another great walk is at Rathauspark. If you’re going to the Christkindlmarkt at the Rathaus, explore the surrounding park on either side of the market for some colorful and fun decoration.
5. Have a taste of amazing Viennese Coffee culture

When in Vienna... well, it would be a terrible shame to miss on amazing Viennese coffee culture. Vienna is historically known for coffee (and cakes too) and coffee houses serving a variety of coffee specialties. Having a coffee is perhaps the most authentic Viennese experience you can have. Its not a reason to miss on this if you are in Vienna for Christmas. There’s a reason UNESCO recognises the coffee culture in Vienna as part of Austria’s intangible cultural heritage.
Vienna even has its own types of coffee. A Wiener Melange is a must, its quite similar to cappuccino but coffee is more mild. Try it in some of historical quintessential coffee houses, like Cafe Central,Café Schwarzenberg, Cafe Sacher or Café Landtmann. And here's a tip: if you come earlier in the morning, you can have it almost for yourself! Tourist queues start later around noon, so you can miss all that hustle if you come for first coffee of the day or breakfast. And who can say you can not have cake for the breakfast! As in Vienna coffee and cake are true match!
6. Have a piece of seasonal treats like Weihnachtskekse or Lebkuchen

Speaking of cake and Vienna, this is a long time romance! In Vienna, sweets and pasteries belong to the very fabric of the city as some of the Europe's most loved cakes are created right here! And the advent period offers a great reason to break out the rolling pin and get baking, with certain baked foods only appearing for the Christmas period!
Lebkuchen are similar to gingerbread, baked in various shapes, sizes and flavours for eating or as hard-baked decoration! Weihnachtskekse are typical Christmas biscuits, and unavoidable part of holiday season in Austria. You can not visit any Austrian home any time in December and not to try these! Stollen is “fruit bread” and it is very traditional at Christmas, served with an afternoon mug of mulled wine or punch but it also goes well with the coffee.
7. Visit Winter im MQ event for less traditional Christmas

If you are interested in less traditional Christmas in Vienna we suggest you visit "Winter in MQ" at the Museum Quartier, courtyard between the Leopold and MUMOK museums. The Museumsquartier (MQ) is the heart of contemporary culture in Vienna, with its modern art, innovative architecture and never-ending catalogue of performances, exhibitions, workshops, and the like. The event includes an art installation or two and huge visual images projected onto various surfaces by Lumine artists. Music is both live concerts and DJ and there are some fun sport activities and remote-controlled car races. The various MQ cafés and restaurants open up outdoor areas. Vibe is modern artsy and fun and if you are interested in something more than conventional Christmas celebration, visit this Yule-like party!
Oh, and few heads up! The 25th and 26th of December are public holidays, so nearly all stores close on those days. The 24th is not a public holiday, but most shops close early for Heiligenabend preparations! Trains, buses and trams run normally across the Christmas period, but with slightly reduced timetables on selected days. And of course: “Frohe Weihnachten” means Merry Christmas!
Have a wonderful Christmas in Vienna!