Vienna’s Christmas markets run from November 6, 2026, when the markets at Schönbrunn Palace and Stephansplatz open, to January 6, 2027. The main one, the Wiener Christkindlmarkt on Rathausplatz, is open daily from 10 am to 10 pm between November 13 and December 26. For the widest choice, go between November 20 and December 23, when all 13 markets below are open at once. Start at Rathausplatz for the classic scene, spend an evening in the lanes of Spittelberg for gifts, and save a morning for Schönbrunn. If you’d rather have a local plan the route, this private Christmas markets walking tour takes 2.5 hours with a licensed guide and fits around your dates.
Dates and hours below come from each market’s official site or the Vienna Tourist Board and were checked on October 30, 2026. Prices are converted at €1 = $1.11.
Vienna Christmas market dates and hours for 2026
| Market | 2026 dates | Opening hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wiener Christkindlmarkt, Rathausplatz | Nov 13 to Dec 26 | Daily 10 am to 10 pm | The classic first visit, ice skating |
| Schönbrunn Palace | Nov 6, 2026 to Jan 6, 2027 | 10 am to 9 pm until Dec 23, 10 am to 7 pm from Dec 25 | Palace setting, the longest season |
| Stephansplatz | Nov 6 to Dec 26 | Daily 11 am to 9 pm | A quick stop by the cathedral |
| Spittelberg | Nov 13 to Dec 23 | Mon to Fri 2 pm to 9:30 pm, weekends and holidays 11 am to 9:30 pm | Crafts in narrow old lanes |
| Am Hof | Nov 13 to Dec 23 | Mon to Thu 11 am to 9 pm, Fri to Sun and holidays 10 am to 9 pm | Handicrafts and choirs |
| Altwiener Christkindlmarkt, Freyung | Nov 14 to Dec 23 | Daily 10 am to 9 pm | Tradition and live music |
| Art Advent, Karlsplatz | Nov 13 to Dec 23 | Daily noon to 8 pm (food to 9 pm) | Artists, organic food |
| Maria-Theresien-Platz | Nov 20 to Dec 26 | Mon to Fri 11 am to 9 pm, weekends 10 am to 9 pm | Between the two big museums |
| K&K market, Belvedere Palace | Nov 20 to Dec 31 | Mon to Fri 11 am to 9 pm, weekends and holidays 10 am to 9 pm | A smaller, upscale evening |
| Christmas Village, University Campus | Nov 13 to Dec 23 | Mon to Thu 2 pm to 10 pm, Fri 2 pm to 11 pm, Sat 11 am to 11 pm, Sun 11 am to 9 pm | Late nights and curling |
| Christmas Magic, Schwarzenbergplatz | Nov 13 to Dec 26 | Mon to Fri 11 am to 9 pm, weekends 10 am to 9 pm | Light installations (new in 2026) |
| Winter Market, Riesenradplatz (Prater) | Nov 20, 2026 to Jan 6, 2027 | Mon to Fri noon to 10 pm, weekends and holidays 11 am to 10 pm | Live music, the Giant Ferris Wheel |
| Türkenschanzpark | Nov 14 to Dec 23 | Mon to Fri 3 pm to 10 pm, weekends and holidays noon to 10 pm | A local park market |
Christmas Eve and after: on December 24 most markets that are still open close early: Rathausplatz at 6:30 pm, Schönbrunn and Stephansplatz at 4 pm, and the Belvedere and Prater markets at 5 pm. Schönbrunn runs 10 am to 7 pm from December 25 to January 6, and the Prater Winter Market stays open until 2 am on New Year’s Eve.
Which Vienna Christmas market is best?
The best Vienna Christmas market for most first-time visitors is the Wiener Christkindlmarkt on Rathausplatz, because it’s the biggest, it has the ice rink and the lit-up City Hall, and it’s open every day until 10 pm. Our picks for everything else:
- Best overall: Rathausplatz. The most to see in one place, with stalls, a park full of lights, the rink and a carousel, and it’s an easy tram or U-Bahn ride from anywhere in the center.
- Best setting: Schönbrunn Palace. More than 90 huts fill the palace’s main courtyard, and it runs the longest of any market, from November 6 to January 6. Pair it with a palace visit in the morning.
- Best for gifts: Spittelberg. Handicraft booths fill the cobbled Biedermeier lanes behind the MuseumsQuartier, and the market runs as a certified eco event with many local, fair-trade and organic products.
- Best for art and design: Art Advent at Karlsplatz. Artists and designers sell in front of St. Charles Church, and all the food is certified organic.
- Best for a quieter evening: Belvedere. The organizer caps it at 35 huts in front of the Upper Belvedere, themed on the imperial era, with jazz and electro swing from 6 pm.
- Best for families: Rathausplatz, with a free children’s ice area, a reindeer train and 17 hands-on stations in the park. The University Campus market adds a children’s railway and curling lanes.
- Best after Christmas: Schönbrunn and the Prater Winter Market, both open until January 6, 2027.
- Best with a guide: the 3-hour Vienna sightseeing tour with three Christmas markets combines the old town’s sights, including the Hotel Sacher, with three city-center markets.
Rathausplatz: the Wiener Christkindlmarkt
The Wiener Christkindlmarkt in front of City Hall is Vienna’s main Christmas market and runs from November 13 to December 26, 2026, daily from 10 am to 10 pm and until 6:30 pm on December 24, according to the official market site. Stallholders first set up here in 1975, but the market traces its roots to a “Thomas Market” on the Graben in 1600, which moved to Freyung in 1772 and to Am Hof in 1842.
What to look for:
- The Heart Tree in Rathauspark, hung with around 200 glowing hearts. Every half hour from dusk until 9 pm, a heart travels 75 meters (about 250 feet) along a cable from a tower to light up the tree.
- Ice Dream, more than 3,000 square meters (about 32,000 square feet) of ice in front of City Hall plus 300 meters (about 1,000 feet) of skating paths through the park, open November 13, 2026 to January 6, 2027 (closed December 31). An adult ticket costs €11 (about $12), or €9.90 online, and lasts four hours; skate rental is €10 (about $11), or €9 online, according to the rink’s price list. Skating is free from 9:30 pm, the last half hour.
- For kids, a two-story carousel, a reindeer train, a Ferris wheel and a free children’s ice area of 110 square meters (about 1,200 square feet).
- The International Advent Singing in the City Hall ballroom, with more than 85 choirs on the four Advent weekends, Friday to Sunday from 3:30 pm to 7 pm. In 2026 those weekends are November 27 to 29 and December 4 to 6, 11 to 13 and 18 to 20.
The market is an ÖkoEventPLUS, and the organizer says 75% of the products, food and drinks are organic and sustainably grown. Get there on trams 1, 71 or D (Rathausplatz/Burgtheater) or the U2 to Rathaus. The square has accessible restrooms and cash machines.
Schönbrunn Palace: the longest season
The Christmas market at Schönbrunn Palace runs from November 6, 2026 to January 6, 2027, daily from 10 am to 9 pm until December 23, 10 am to 4 pm on December 24 and 10 am to 7 pm from December 25, according to the market’s website. More than 90 huts fill the palace’s main courtyard, with Austrian curling (you can reserve a lane), ice skating, a craft hut, rides and children’s menus at the food stalls. Take the U4 to Schönbrunn.
Stay after dark for Imperial Lights, a light trail through the palace gardens, including the Privy Garden, from November 6, 2026 to January 6, 2027, daily from 4:30 pm (last admission 8:30 pm). Tickets start at €24 (about $27) for adults and €13 (about $14) for children aged 6 to 14, with time slots, on the Schönbrunn ticket page. The palace itself closes at 5 pm from November 3, so see the rooms first and the market second. Our 3-day Vienna itinerary fits both into one day.
Spittelberg, Am Hof and Freyung: crafts and tradition
Spittelberg runs from November 13 to December 23, 2026, Monday to Friday from 2 pm to 9:30 pm and from 11 am on weekends and holidays, according to the Spittelberg market site. The stalls line Spittelberggasse, Stiftgasse, Schrankgasse and Gutenberggasse, a few minutes’ walk from the MuseumsQuartier, and the 2026 market is again run as an eco event with vegetarian, vegan, local and fair-trade products. It doesn’t open until 2 pm on weekdays, so plan it for an evening.
Am Hof, a wide square in the old town, runs from November 13 to December 23 with handicrafts, Christmas music and choirs; food stays open until 10 pm. The Altwiener Christkindlmarkt on Freyung, on the next square, runs November 14 to December 23, daily 10 am to 9 pm. A Christmas market was held on this square as early as 1772, and its stage hosts brass bands, folk music, puppet theater and craft demonstrations through Advent, according to the market’s program.
Stephansplatz, Karlsplatz and the squares on the Ring
- Stephansplatz has around 40 booths at the foot of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, open November 6 to December 26, daily 11 am to 9 pm. It’s small and crowded, so treat it as a stop on the way to Am Hof rather than a destination.
- Art Advent at Karlsplatz runs November 13 to December 23, daily from noon to 8 pm, with food until 9 pm. It has art installations, live bands and children’s activities, and all the food is certified organic.
- Maria-Theresien-Platz, between the Kunsthistorisches and Natural History Museums, returns in 2026 after a year’s break with around 70 stalls, from November 20 to December 26.
- Christmas Magic at Schwarzenbergplatz is new in 2026: light installations around the Hochstrahlbrunnen fountain, a stage program and children’s activities, November 13 to December 26.
The Maria-Theresien-Platz, Stephansplatz, University Campus and Schwarzenbergplatz markets share an organizer, and their red boot-shaped punch mugs are made of glass for the first time this winter, the organizer says. Keep the deposit mug if you want one as a souvenir.
Belvedere, the University Campus and the Prater
The K&K Christmas market at Belvedere Palace runs November 20 to December 31, 2026, Monday to Friday 11 am to 9 pm, weekends and holidays from 10 am, and 11 am to 5 pm on December 24 and 31, according to the organizer. Everything from the huts to the food is themed on the imperial era, with traditional music by day and lounge, jazz and electro swing from 6 pm. It stays in front of the Upper Belvedere to protect the gardens. Take tram D to Schloss Belvedere.
The Christmas Village on the University of Vienna campus (the old general hospital courtyard, Alserstraße and Spitalgasse) is the late-night option: open until 10 pm Monday to Thursday and until 11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, with two curling lanes, a children’s railway and an old-fashioned carousel.
The Winter Market at Riesenradplatz in the Prater runs from November 20, 2026 to January 6, 2027 under the slogan “The Prater rocks,” with 37 live concerts, a family-friendly Perchten parade (Alpine winter spirits), free entry and a New Year’s Eve program until 2 am, according to the Winter Market site. The Giant Ferris Wheel is right there. Take the U1 or U2 to Praterstern. For more on December 31 in the city, see our guide to New Year’s Eve in Europe, which covers Vienna’s free New Year’s Eve Trail.
How much do punch and food cost at Vienna’s Christmas markets?
A mug of punch or mulled wine (Glühwein) costs roughly €5 to €7 at Vienna’s big markets, plus a deposit of around €5 for the mug, which you get back when you return it. These are the averages from Vienna.at’s price check, the most recent published comparison, from December 2024; expect 2026 prices to be a little higher.
| Market | Average punch (Dec 2024) | Average Glühwein (Dec 2024) | Mug deposit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spittelberg | €5.35 (about $6) | €4.95 (about $5) | €3 (about $3) |
| Am Hof | €5.60 (about $6) | €5.90 (about $7) | €5 (about $6) |
| Prater Winter Market | €6.25 (about $7) | €5.65 (about $6) | €5 (about $6) |
| Rathausplatz | €6.50 (about $7) | €6.25 (about $7) | €5 (about $6) |
| Maria-Theresien-Platz | €6.55 (about $7) | €5.95 (about $7) | €5 (about $6) |
| University Campus | €6.85 (about $8) | €5.80 (about $6) | €5 (about $6) |
Two habits save money. Hold on to your mug until you’re finished at that market, since the deposit comes back when you return it, and order a Kinderpunsch (alcohol-free punch) for children, which cost from €2.80 (about $3) at Spittelberg in that check. If you’d like a souvenir, keeping the mug costs you only the deposit.
A one-evening route through six markets
The easiest way to see several markets in one evening is to walk the old town from east to west, starting around 3 pm so you see the stalls in daylight and the lights after dark:
- Stephansplatz for the cathedral and a first punch.
- Walk the Graben to Am Hof, about 10 minutes.
- Freyung, two minutes further.
- Walk on to Rathausplatz for the main market, the Heart Tree and the rink.
- Follow the Ring south to Maria-Theresien-Platz (open from November 20).
- Cross the MuseumsQuartier to Spittelberg, which stays open until 9:30 pm.
Save Schönbrunn for a separate afternoon with the palace and Imperial Lights, and combine Karlsplatz, Schwarzenbergplatz and Belvedere on another evening south of the Ring. If you’d like a guide for part of it, the 2-hour Vienna Christmas walking tour goes from Am Hof along the Graben to Rathausplatz and ends at the Karlsplatz market, with a hot spiced wine at the end at your own expense.
Christmas market tours and concerts worth booking
You don’t need a tour to enjoy Vienna’s markets, which are free and close together, but a guide adds the history and the shortcuts, and a concert is the best way to warm up after a cold evening outside.
| Option | Length | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private Christmas markets walking tour | 2.5 hours | Private licensed guide, at least three markets | Couples and families who want their own pace |
| Vienna sightseeing tour with 3 Christmas markets | 3 hours | Old town sights, three markets, a coffee house break on request | A first afternoon in the city |
| Vienna Christmas walking tour | 2 hours | Am Hof, Graben, Rathausplatz, Karlsplatz | A short evening walk |
| Christmas and New Year concert at St. Peter’s Church | About 1 hour | String-quartet program in a Baroque church off the Graben | An evening indoors |
The private tour is the best overall pick: it takes the same route at your speed and can include the markets you choose. For everything else on sale for December, from carriage rides to day trips, browse Vienna’s Christmas experiences on Viator. If your dates include a weekend, book concerts and tours for it first.
Where to stay for the Christmas markets
Stay inside or right next to the Ring and you can walk to at least five markets and back to your room between them. These hotels put a market within a few minutes’ walk:
- Park Hyatt Vienna is on Am Hof itself, so the market is at the door and Freyung and the Graben are a short walk away. It’s the pick for World of Hyatt members.
- Vienna Marriott Hotel faces the Stadtpark on the Ring, an easy walk to Stephansplatz and Schwarzenbergplatz, and earns Marriott Bonvoy points.
- Hotel Rathaus Wein & Design is a smaller boutique hotel in Josefstadt, a short walk from both Rathausplatz and Spittelberg.
- Austria Trend Parkhotel Schönbrunn sits across the street from the palace grounds in Hietzing, close to the Schönbrunn market and Imperial Lights, with the U4 into town nearby.
If your trip includes a December weekend, book the room as soon as your dates are set.
Practical tips for American visitors
- Getting around: a single Wiener Linien ride costs €3.20 (about $4), a 24-hour ticket €10.20 (about $11) and a 7-day ticket €28.90 (about $32), less in the app, ORF reported when the 2026 fares were set. The 48- and 72-hour tickets were dropped in January 2026, so on a stay of three days or more, the 7-day ticket costs less than buying 24-hour tickets each day.
- Arriving: the S-Bahn line from the airport into the center is closed for rebuilding until the end of October 2027. Take the CAT bus to Wien Mitte or a Railjet train to the main station; our 3-day Vienna itinerary has the prices.
- Staying connected: you’ll want maps, tickets and the transit app on your phone all evening, and US carriers’ day passes add up over a week. An Austria eSIM from Airalo is set up before you fly; use code GUIDEZ15 at checkout if you’re new to Airalo, or GUIDEZ10 if you’ve bought from them before. Our Airalo vs local SIM vs roaming comparison has the numbers.
- Paying: cards work in most restaurants and coffee houses, but carry some euros for small stalls and mug deposits. In sit-down cafés and restaurants, a tip of around 10% is customary, according to the Vienna Tourist Board.
- Entry rules: ETIAS hadn’t started when we checked in October 2026, and the EU says it will announce the start date at least six months ahead, so a US passport is all you need this Christmas.
- Timing: go on a weekday afternoon if you can. Friday and Saturday evenings are usually the most crowded, especially at Rathausplatz and Spittelberg.
Plan the rest of your trip
Vienna fills three days easily in December: our 3-day Vienna itinerary adds the Hofburg, Schönbrunn’s state rooms and Klimt at the Belvedere around the markets. To add a second city, our guide to the best Christmas markets in Europe for 2026 has the dates for Budapest and Prague, both on direct train lines from Vienna, and you can compare trains from Vienna to Budapest on Omio. For coffee houses, bakeries and restaurants between markets, open Traveliri’s Vienna map on Guidez, which is in Hebrew. And if you want a guide on your first evening, book the private Christmas markets walking tour for that night.
