A Tour of Vienna’s Christmas Markets
Exploring the city that does holiday markets right
Vienna is the place to be during the holidays. Starting in late November, the city turns into a festive showcase of lights, decorations, and the highest density of Christmas markets I’ve ever seen. In the central city area alone there are typically at least six world-class markets within easy walking distance of one another, plus several more accessible via a longer walk or short transit ride.
If you’re not familiar with the format of a European-style Christmas market, I highly recommend acquainting yourself. They’re usually found outdoors in city plazas, winding through narrow old city streets, or occasionally indoors in major train stations. They feature anywhere from a few to dozens of wooden stalls selling food, local crafts, and drinks — notably glühwein, the German term for mulled wine — served in souvenir mugs that you can either return for a refund or take home as a souvenir.
This year marked my third time in Vienna during the Christmas market season, and each time I’ve made it my goal to drop by as many markets as I can find. What follows is my review of the nine markets we visited, including all the markets in the city center.
Rathausplatz
Location: Rathausplatz, 1010 Wien, Austria
Rating: 4/5
Let’s start off with the mother of all Vienna Christmas markets: Rathausplatz. Built within a massive plaza outside the Rathaus (city hall), it includes a vast array of food and drink stalls, shops, musical performances, and a lazy river-like ice skating experience where you can skate in loops through branching ice paths that stretch across half the park. All of this takes place in front of a beautiful 19th century building with exquisitely detailed lighting at night.
The massive scale of this market makes it a must-see, but also lends it something of a commercial feel compared to smaller markets that feature more independent vendors and craftspeople offering more unique goods. Nevertheless, you can have an excellent time here simply by grabbing a glühwein and a comfy spot to watch the skaters go by.
Campus der Universität Wien
Location: Spitalgasse 2, 1090 Wien, Austria
Rating: 3/5
Only a short walk from the Rathausplatz is the Campus der Universität Wien (Vienna University Campus), which hosts its own Christmas market tucked inside one of the University’s courtyards. In addition to the usual outdoor stalls, this market offers a surprisingly robust set of temporary indoor spaces that includes a full bar and fondue chalet. While I do believe standing outside in the cold is an important part of the Christmas market experience, it’s also nice to have the option to duck into these heated spaces for some rest and warmth. When you do venture out into the cold, you’ll find a solid array of food and drink stalls, plus a section of carnival rides for the kids.
Altwiener
Location: Freyungplatz, 1010 Vienna, Austria
Rating: 3/5
Nestled within the Freyung plaza on the footsteps of the Schottenkirche (“Scots Church”, actually an Irish Catholic monastery) is Altwiener, an endearing little market. What is lacks in scale it makes up for in quality, with great food options (including delicious raclette), tasty glühwein, and sturdy souvenir mugs. The only bummer is that it’s fairly small and split into two pieces across a street that remains open to vehicular traffic. While the cars usually drive slowly, it still detracts a bit from the cozy market feel.
Am Hof
Location: Am Hof, 1010 Vienna, Austria
Rating: 3/5
Just two blocks down the street from Altwiener is Am Hof, titled after the plaza of the same name. This market features a few rows of food, drink, and craft vendors, although it’s on the smaller side and can get crowded. The main attraction is an open-air sit-down bar offering a variety of wine and Champagne.
As an aside, I’m consistently impressed by how European markets manage to offer real glassware (in this case real wine glasses) in their outdoor markets via a glass deposit system where you get a few Euros back when you return the glass, similar to how the souvenir mugs work. The real glassware makes such a huge difference — both oenophilically and environmentally — over the typical plastic cups I’d expect at a temporary outdoor event.
Stephansplatz
Location: Stephansplatz, 1010 Vienna, Austria
Rating: 2/5
Yet another short walk from Am Hof is the Stephansplatz market, splayed out around the base of the Domkirche St. Stephan (St. Stephen’s Cathedral). The setting is majestic, as the cathedral’s gothic architecture is beautifully lit at night and the entrance features a gigantic lighted tree.
However, this market is situated amidst a tourist-filled central shopping district and I think it suffers as a result. Many of the stands here feel more commercial and the souvenir mugs are made of plastic, a rare and unwelcome contrast to the typical ceramic. While this market is still worth seeing, I wouldn’t plan to spend a lot of time here.
ART ADVENT
Location: Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Wien, Austria
Rating: 5/5
Among the pleasant greenery of the Resselpark at Karlsplatz is one of my favorite Christmas markets: ART ADVENT. The magic of this market is its constraints: all the merchandise stalls are operated by local independent craftspeople, and all the food is organic. This back-to-basics approach is capped off with a bicycle-powered merry-go-round where you can watch adults pedal furiously to spin a small child on a horse in circles.
Among the food and drink options at ART ADVENT is a full wine bar serving by-the-glass pours (again in real glassware), a wood-fired flatbread maker, and of course plenty of good glühwein. And speaking of glühwein, ART ADVENT features some of the best souvenir mugs you’ll find anywhere; they’re sturdy, beautifully patterned, and attractively colored in bright pastels.
Spittelberg
Location: Spittelberggasse 20/1, 1070 Wien, Austria
Rating: 5/5
Full of winding cobbled backstreets, the charming Spittelberg village is the perfect setting for a Christmas market. Stalls are arranged throughout a network of fully pedestrianized streets, and finding your way through to see all of them feels like a fun treasure hunt. The setting is beautiful, and I particularly enjoy the plentiful sections of high-top tables where you can stand and enjoy the atmosphere without feeling over-crowded.
The food, drink, and crafts seem more consistently unique and independently operated than at the larger markets, plus everyone is super friendly. One time I found a vendor (pictured above) who offered an open game of chess to any passerby that wanted to play. This is a market I would certainly recommend blocking off a good amount of time to explore at a leisurely pace.
Belvedere Palace
Location: Belvedere, Prinz-Eugen-Straße 27, 1030 Wien, Austria
Rating: 4/5
The last two markets on this list are both situated on palace grounds, which gives them an automatic leg up over most Christmas markets in the world. We’ll start with the Belvedere Palace, which hosts a small but scenic market in its back garden with views of the Große Bassin fountain.
The Belvedere itself includes multiple art museums with same-day tickets available onsite, plus dozens of gorgeous rooms to explore. While you’re waiting for your admission time slot you can take a glühwein-accompanied stroll through the castle gardens (photo above) or the neighboring Botanischer Garten der Universität Wien (University of Vienna Botanical Garden).
Schönbrunn Palace
Location: Schönbrunner Schloßstraße 47, 1130 Wien, Austria
Rating: 5/5
Our other palace venue and the last market on the list is the iconic Schönbrunn Palace. Built principally in the 18th century by empress Maria Theresa, Schönbrunn has a Versailles-like feel, featuring 1,441 ornately designed rooms surrounded by endless maze-like gardens. During the holidays its sizable Christmas market takes up most of the front courtyard, offering an array of food, drink, crafts, and even curling lanes. And while it’s a bit outside the city center, it’s still easily accessible by train via its own dedicated stop on the U4 line.
Schönbrunn was where we found the best version of Kartoffelpuffer, a German potato pancake that is ubiquitous at Viennese Christmas markets. Just look for the chestnut roasters with large black barrel stoves, who almost always offer Kartoffelpuffer as well. You can think of them like a fresher, tastier version of McDonald’s hashbrowns, and they come in a similar grab-and-go format which makes them easy to snack on while walking around a market.
One of my favorite things to do at Schönbrunn is to grab a hot mug of glühwein and explore the gardens. If you walk all the way up to the Gloriette (a mini palace at the top of the hill), you’re rewarded with a scenic café and glühwein stand where you can refresh your drink, take in panoramic views of Vienna, and plan your next route through the grounds. Even after multiple visits I still love finding new sculptures, fountains, and monuments amidst the hundreds of scenic walking paths.
Closing thoughts
If you love exploring Christmas markets, I really recommend spending a few days in Vienna during late November or early December. With such an incredible density and variety of high-quality markets, you’ll be stumbling on a new and unique one practically every few blocks. If you’re tight on time I’d start with Schönbrunn Palace, Spittelberg, and ART ADVENT for a varied sample of the absolute best. Oh, and don’t forget to leave space in your luggage for all those souvenir mugs!
