Christmas in Vienna - The Best Things to Eat, Drink, and Do in Vienna During the Holidays
Originally posted December 12, 2019
In 2018, I teamed up with Urban Adventures to cover all of their Christmas Market tours! It was 4 solid weeks of non-stop twinkly lights, jingle bells, sweet treats, and mulled wine in seven different cities across Europe, most of which I had never been to before.
The first stop was Vienna, where we joined the city’s Urban Adventures team for a tour of several of the city’s Christmas markets. Though we didn’t have the best weather, we definitely had the best time. It was the perfect start to our mini Euro-Christmas Market trip!
Keep reading to find out more about our experience on our Austrian Christmas experience, Vienna’s must see markets, and all the festive bites and beverages you have to try while visiting during the holidays.
Watch Now: Christmas Markets of Vienna
Must Visit Christmas Markets
Rathausplatz
This Christmas Market is pretty much unmissable. It’s massive, right in the city center, and definitely worth taking a stroll through. The city hall building is beautiful, as is the impressive outdoor ice rink just beside it. Though it’s the easiest and convenient to get to, don’t spend all of your time here… because there are LOADS more markets around the city.
Location: Metro U2 U-Bahn station Rathaus
Schönbrunn Palace
The Schönbrunn palace and its grounds are well worth a visit any time of the year, but especially during the holidays when the Christmas market bustles in the front square and a dusting of snow covers the gardens in the back.
When we visited, it had been snowing on and off all morning which made this already beautiful site feel even more magical. There is no cost to explore the grounds or the market, but if you want to go inside the palace you’ll have to get a ticket. Ticket packages and prices vary, so visit their website to see which best suits you!
Location: Metro U4 U-Bahn station Schönbrunn
Christmas Village at Belvedere Palace
This beautiful Baroque Palace houses a permanent art collection, and, during the holidays, is the site of one of Vienna’s cutest and coziest Christmas markets.
With less than half a dozen holiday huts lined up in front of the palace, the festivities here are much smaller and quieter than those at Schönbrunn Palace and Rathausplatz.
While you’re there, explore the palace grounds! From the other side of the lake you can get an epic view of the palace and Christmas market all lit up for the holidays.
Location: Metro U1 U-Bahn station Südtiroler Platz - Hauptbahnhof
Art Advent – Karlsplatz
Art Advent, the beautiful market at Karlsplatz, was the first stop on our Christmas market tour with Vienna Urban Adventures. Our local guide Patrick told us this was his favorite market in the city, and I could see why. By the end of the tour, it was my favorite, too!
The twinkly lights overhead and view of the church in the background made this market so picturesque… however this is also where we tried our first cup of glühwein and the TASTIEST food of the evening, Heisse Bauernkrapfen… so that may have something to do with it being my favorite.
While you’re here take a peek in the church! Karlskirche was built in the 1700s to give thanks for the passing plague epidemic, and is now known for its interesting and impressive architecture.
Location: Metro U1, U2 and U4 U-Bahn station Karlsplatz
Winter Awakening at the MQ
Winter in the Museums Quartier is by far the most unique of all the Christmas markets we visited in Vienna… and anywhere else. The Glühwein is just about the only “traditional” Christmas-y thing you’ll find at this funky holiday market.
Instead of the usual wooden huts, at the Museums Quartier you will find futuristic ‘ice pavilions,’ a DJ spinning tunes in the middle of the square, and even a space to join in on a friendly game of curling.
Too cold for curling? Warm up in one of the ‘ice pavilions’ instead. These colorfully illuminated igloos are basically little pop up bars, where I guarantee you will find more flavors of punsch than you can (or will want to) wrap your head around.
Location: Metro U2 U-Bahn station Museumsquartier
Spittelberg Christmas Market
The Christmas market at Spittelberg is now known for its large variety of food and drink offerings. Grab a mulled wine or a bite to eat at one of the many outdoor stands, or duck into one of the cozy bars and restaurants lining Spittelberg’s narrow cobblestone streets.
Location: Metro U2 and U3 U-Bahn station Volkstheater
More Vienna Quick Tips
Must Eat/Drink
There are SO many tasty things to eat at the markets but my favorites were Kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes), Heisse Bauernkrapfen (Hot farmer’s donut - pictured).
Maroni (hot roasted chesnuts) are also a Christmas classic and can be found all over the city this time of year.
Warm up with a cup of lumumba (Austrain style hot chocolate with whipped cream, cinnamon, and rum), red or white glühwein (mulled wine), or hot weihnachtspunsch (Christmas punch).
At first glance, all of these drinks seem insanely expensive, but the cost actually includes a deposit for the cutesy mug it’s served up in. Each Christmas market has their own unique mug design each year, so it’s a great keepsake! …Or return it and get your deposit back.
Where to Stay
25Hours Hotel beim Museums Quartier
Located at the heart of Vienna’s 7th District, the 25 Hours Hotel was a great home base for our holiday stay in Vienna.
It was just around the corner from one of our favorite hidden markets Winter at the MQ, and also might be the most insta-worthy hotel I’ve ever stayed in.
LINK ARTICLE***
Getting Around
Public transportation makes getting around in Vienna a breeze. Most places throughout the city are walkable, but when you want to rest your walking feet (and to get out of the cold), duck down into the U-bahn or hop on the tram. The transportation system have no formal ticket checks and run on the honor code. That being said, you should of course make sure to have a valid ticket or transport card on you when using the public transport just in case.
From Vienna we went to our second stop on the Christmas market trip - Krakow. We caught an overnight bus with FlixBus for less than US$16 each - (prices vary depending on times and dates). Though the 7 hour journey was not the most comfortable thing in the world, it was a great way to save money on a nights accommodation to maximize our daytime hours in each of our destinations.
Flying is not only less environmentally friendly, but also less cost/time effective once you factor in the time you spend travelling to and from the airport, checking in luggage… (paying for luggage), and going through security. All in all, buses were a much more convenient way to make our Christmas market trip happen (without breaking our budget).
To learn more about Vienna’s hidden Christmas markets and more local holiday favorites, check out my full guide on the Urban Adventures blog!
Heading to Vienna for the holidays?
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Frohe Weihnachten! (Merry Christmas)!
