If you’re wondering if you should visit Vienna, Austria at Christmastime, my answer is a resounding YES. If we haven’t met, I’m Gina, and I’m an aesthetic traveler who LOVES a European Christmas vacation. I spent 4 days in Vienna for Christmas and had the time of my life visiting the markets, exploring the city, and taking in the holiday cheer. If you’re looking for the best things to do in Vienna at Christmastime, I’m your girl. As always, feel free to use the Contact Me form or message me via Instagram if you have questions once you’re done reading.
- Pro Tip: As you explore, you’ll notice the word “Wien” appearing frequently around the city. Don’t worry, you’re not lost! Austria’s official language is German, and Wien is simply the German name for Vienna.
TBH, Vienna wasn’t really on my radar for Christmas until a girl I met in Prague told me if I liked Prague’s Christmas markets, I would love Vienna’s. It doesn’t take much convincing for me to go on a holiday trip, so the next year, I put Vienna on my list. Safe to say, I was impressed. There are a ton of incredible things to do during the holidays, as well as a lot of things to do indoors to keep you warm. Vienna has museums, palaces, and churches you can tour, plus numerous streets dedicated to shopping. I can’t wait to share all my favorite things to do in Vienna during Christmas with you!
- Pro Tip: If you plan on taking the subway or any other form of public transit, The Vienna City Card will give you unlimited access to public transportation
Explore the Best Things To Do in Vienna
What Are The 2025 Dates for the Vienna Christmas Markets?
This year, most of the markets – including the main Christkindlmarkt – open on or around November 14 and last til at least December 23. A few tend to stay open past Christmas, and some will even be open past New Years Day.
The hours of the markets vary, but most of them open between 10:00 – 11:00am and close around 8:00 – 9:00pm. However, the main Christkindlmarket is open from 10:00am – 10:00pm, except on Christmas Eve, it closes at 6:30pm.
7 Things To Do in Vienna, Austria at Christmastime
1. Visit the Vienna Christmas Markets
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it’s called the Wiener Christkindlmarkt (remember how I said “Wien” is the German word for Vienna?). I don’t make the rules, I’m just here to tell you about them.
ANYWAY – Vienna has one of my favorite Christmas markets I’ve ever experienced. The main market is laid out in front of the Rathaus, which is the large, gothic city hall building in the above photo. This market was so massive that I couldn’t get a picture of the entire thing, but just trust me. It’s absolutely beautiful. There’s a walkway path that leads you around different holiday light displays and eventually brings you out near the vendors and the large Christmas tree.
However, this market’s claim to fame is a giant floating red heart that glides along a cable to light up the “Heart Tree” at the end. This spectacle takes place every half-hour from dusk until 9:00 PM, and is quite a sight to behold. Make sure you don’t miss this, especially if you’re going to the Christmas market with your loved ones!
Additionally, Vienna has some smaller Christmas markets to explore. I recommend seeing the Art Advent Market at Karlsplatz, because it has live animals! If you’re bringing kids, they’ll love the children’s petting zoo with donkeys, sheep, and other farm animals. There’s even a “live crib” which features real animals in a nativity scene. It’s ADORABLE.
Related post: 5 of The Best European Cities to Visit During Christmastime
2. Tour One of the Vienna Opera Houses
Vienna’s opera houses are world famous for their artistic performances and stunning architecture. The most famous opera house is the Vienna State Opera, aka Wiener Staatsoper. It will be beautifully decorated for Christmas and is a sight to behold.
If you really want a once-in-a-lifetime experience, you can purchase tickets to see an opera or ballet. When you walk by the Vienna State Opera, there will be employees outside hustling you to see a show. The ticket was €17, so I caved. I sat in the balcony section in these red velvet seats and listened to actors sing and perform opera in German. The orchestra was so good it sounded like a recording. Even though I couldn’t understand a word of it, it was something I’ll remember forever.
If you want to see an opera show, I recommend purchasing tickets when you’re there like I did as opposed to online, unless there’s something you’re dead-set on seeing. Online tickets are much more expensive. I was browsing shows before my trip and saw tickets for The Sleeping Beauty that were €255. Other shows were €60-80.
Also, the operas are long. My show was 3.5 hours! If you don’t want to see a show, I highly recommend touring the Vienna State Opera house at the very least so you can see the interior.
Other notable opera houses include the Volksoper, which showcases operettas, musicals, and ballets in a slightly more relaxed setting. And the Theater an der Wien is where Beethoven premiered Fidelio (his only opera). Today, it’s known for its modern productions of classic operas and contemporary performances.
If You Don’t Want to Sit Through a Whole Opera Show, Check Out These Other Top-Rated Musical Performances in Vienna:
- Vivaldi The Four Seasons & Mozart in the Musikverein
- Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Concert in Karlskirche
- Classical Concert at Mozart’s First House
- Classic Ensemble Vienna in St. Peter’s Church
3. Indulge in the Coffeehouse Culture
Did you know Vienna is famous for its coffeehouse culture? As someone who goes to bed at night already looking forward to her first cup of coffee in the morning, you could say I was excited to learn this.
Even if you don’t like coffee, I would still encourage you to visit a coffeehouse for the experience. For centuries, coffeehouses have served as gathering places for writers, artists, and locals who come to sip coffee, read, and chat in beautifully preserved spaces. Many still carry their old-world charm, complete with chandeliers, silver trays, and intricate decorations. Aesthetics AND coffee?! You’ll have to drag me out.
Some Famous Vienna Coffeehouses to Visit
- Café Central – Arguably the most famous coffeehouse in the city (Sigmund Freud was a regular here!). The line was too long for me to ever make it inside, but if you can, just know I’m jealous. The vaulted ceilings are giving old-world-Vienna.
- Café Sacher – Famous for its world-famous Sacher-Torte, a decadent chocolate cake topped with chocolate glaze and whipped cream. (Tbh, I thought this cake was just okay…don’t tell anybody.)
- Café Mozart – Appropriately named due to it’s location near the Vienna State Opera. This one isn’t quite as aesthetic as the other 2 IMO, but my pumpkin sweet potato soup and coffee made up for it.
Pro Tip: No matter which coffeehouse you choose to visit, there’s a good chance there will be a wait to get in, especially when it’s cold out. Make reservations if you can.
4. See The Decorated Streets (and Shop!)
If there’s one thing Vienna does exceptionally well at Christmastime, it’s turning its city streets into a glittering wonderland. There are plenty of areas in the city that go all out with the decor, but the ones below are the must-see’s.
First and foremost, make sure to walk down Graben and see the enormous chandeliers strung high above the crowds. This was my favorite area to walk through just because of how festive everything looked. The street is really wide, so you’re able to take it all in from multiple angles.
At the intersection of Graben and Kohlmarkt is where you’ll find a lot of the designer stores in their festive glory. Treat yo’self…it’s Christmas! Kohlmarkt also has its own display of festive lights
At the opposite end of Graben is Kärntner Straße. This street is one of Vienna’s most famous shopping streets and has a wider variety of brands.
North of Kärntner Straße is Stephansplatz Square (more on this in a minute!), where you can find St. Stephen’s Cathedral lit up in all its festive glory. This was my 2nd favorite city-lights display.
5. Go Inside St. Stephen’s Cathedral
I prepped you for this in the last section, but no trip to Vienna is complete without seeing St. Stephen’s Cathedral (aka Stephansdom). It’s one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Step inside to see the centuries-old stonework and stained glass, or climb the South Tower (tickets required) for panoramic views of Vienna’s rooftops and holiday markets. Of note, the front of the nave and part of the north side are free to visit, but a ticket is required for full access to the church. Also worth checking out is the nearby Dom Museum. It’s home to centuries of religious art and contains rotating exhibits that mix old and modern works in a cool, unexpected way.
Click here to get tickets to St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the Dom Museum!
There’s also a Christmas market around the cathedral called the Stephansplatz Christmas Market. I admittedly did not get to spend a lot of time at this one, but it’s worth exploring if you’re in the area and have time.
6. Visit One of Vienna’s Famous Museums
If you’re a museum lover, you’ve come to the right place. Vienna is overflowing with incredible museums. In fact, the MuseumsQuartier is home to ~60 cultural institutions, ranging from renowned art museums to experimental galleries and performance spaces. If you’re cold walking around in the Christmas snow, there will be no shortage of places to warm up!
If you’re overwhelmed with all the options, the locals tell me the best one is the Museum of Art History (aka Kunsthistorisches Museum). Even the building itself is a masterpiece, with grand marble staircases, opulent ceilings, and gilded details. Not to mention, the exterior basically looks like a palace.
Inside, you’ll find an astonishing collection of paintings, Egyptian artifacts, and Renaissance treasures. The most famous piece in this museum is generally considered to be “The Tower of Babel” by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. This massive, intricate painting from 1563 showcases Bruegel’s incredible attention to detail and his signature style of blending biblical themes with scenes of everyday life.
Other Top-Rated Museums in Vienna
- Upper and Lower Belvedere Museum – The Upper museum holds Austrian art; the Lower showcases medieval and Baroque art
- Albertina Museum – Home to an extensive collection of graphic arts
- Leopold Museum – Extensive collection of Austrian modern art
- Museum of Modern Art (MUMOK) – 20th and 21st-century art
- Architekturzentrum Wien – Austria’s national architecture museum
7. Admire the City Architecture
I have never – I repeat, NEVER – seen a city with architecture quite like Vienna. While cities like Prague are famous for fairytale-gothic buildings, a lot of Vienna’s architecture just looks…well…expensive.
Everywhere I turned, there were white and cream-colored buildings that were all pristine, elegant, and well kept. As you’ve probably guessed, the majority were museums, government buildings, and palaces. I was tempted to research everything I saw, but I would have gotten nothing else done. In addition to the “expensive” buildings, there were also plenty in gothic, renaissance, and baroque architecture styles (remember the Rathaus and St. Stephen’s Cathedral we saw earlier?).
Seriously though…how did ALL of this end up in one city?! Was there a competition where all the architects just went wild? And if so, did everyone win first place? Whatever the reason, grab yourself a steaming cup of hot cocoa, walk around, and take it all in!
A Few of the Must-See Buildings in Vienna
- Schönbrunn Palace
- Austrian Parliament Building
- Wiener Hofburg Palace
- Vienna City Hall
- St. Charles Church
- Votive Church
- Burgtheater aka Hofburg Theater
- Anything in MuseumsQuartier – I feel like there was a massive cluster of pristine buildings here
Don’t feel like wandering through the city trying to find all the cool stuff? Check out this top-rated Guided Walking Tour of Vienna here!
What Foods Should You Try in Vienna?
Another perk of coming to Vienna during Christmastime is that the food is tailored towards keeping you warm! Here are five hearty, classic Viennese dishes that are perfect to try during the chilly winter season:
- Wiener Schnitzel – Vienna’s signature dish: a breaded and fried veal or pork cutlet, usually served with potato salad or lingonberry jam.
- Tafelspitz – Tender boiled beef served in broth with root vegetables, horseradish, and apple-horseradish sauce.
- Gulasch (Viennese Goulash) – A thick, paprika-spiced beef stew served with bread or dumplings (technically Hungarian, but has become an Austrian staple).
- Käsespätzle – Austria’s answer to mac and cheese: soft egg noodles baked with melted cheese and caramelized onions.
- Apfelstrudel – Warm apple strudel filled with spiced apples, raisins, and flaky pastry, often served with vanilla sauce or whipped cream.
Where’s The Best Place to Stay in Vienna?
When staying in Vienna, I would aim for the Innere Stadt – or inner city – area. Some top-rated options include:
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I’m convinced that there’s nothing more magical than taking a trip during Christmastime. Spending the holiday season making memories with your family, friends, and loved ones is the perfect gift.
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