Vienna Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & Markets

The Vienna Christmas Market on Rathausplatz, the Wiener Christkindlmarkt, runs from Friday 13 November to Saturday 26 December 2026, open daily from 10:00 to 22:00. Vienna has more than a dozen Christmas markets in all, and the first ones open on Friday 6 November 2026 at Schönbrunn Palace and Stephansplatz. The Schönbrunn market and the Winter Market on Riesenradplatz stay open until Wednesday 6 January 2027.

This guide gives the confirmed 2026-2027 dates and hours for the main Vienna Christmas markets, what to eat and drink at them, and how to get around between them.

When are the Vienna Christmas markets open in 2026?

The Vienna Christmas markets open between 6 and 20 November 2026, and most close on 23 or 26 December, according to wien.info, the Vienna Tourist Board’s site. The dates of the main markets for the 2026-2027 season are listed below.

Entry to every market on this list is free. The hours differ from market to market, so they are given with each market below.

Which Vienna Christmas market is the main one?

The Vienna Christmas Market on Rathausplatz is the main one, set in front of Vienna’s City Hall with the Burgtheater opposite. The Vienna Christmas Market’s organiser calls it one of Europe’s biggest and most beautiful Christmas markets.

Vienna Christmas Market at Rathausplatz

The Wiener Christkindlmarkt runs from 13 November to 26 December 2026, daily from 10:00 to 22:00, and closes at 18:30 on 24 December, according to christkindlmarkt.at. The market sells Christmas gifts, tree decorations, handicrafts, sweets and hot drinks, and a tall arched gateway with candles marks the entrance. Rathauspark behind it holds a tree of hearts for couples, a 12-metre (39 ft) multi-level carousel and a children’s area with a reindeer train and a nativity trail.

The Ice Dream (Eistraum) skating rink at the market runs on the paths of Rathauspark from 13 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, daily from 10:00 to 22:00, with a shorter day on 24 December and a closure on 31 December.

What are the other Christmas markets in Vienna?

Vienna’s other Christmas markets range from palace markets with ice rinks to small craft markets in the old town. The main ones are described below, with their 2026 hours.

Christmas Market at Schönbrunn Palace

The Schönbrunn Christmas Market runs from 6 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 in front of the palace, open daily from 10:00 to 21:00 until 23 December, from 10:00 to 16:00 on 24 December and from 10:00 to 19:00 from 25 December, according to the market’s own site. It sells traditional crafts and handmade decorations and adds an ice rink, curling lanes, a carousel, a Ferris wheel, a children’s train and a craft workshop. It is the market to choose for a visit between Christmas and Epiphany.

Christmas Village at Stephansplatz

The Stephansplatz Christmas Village runs from 6 November to 26 December 2026, daily from 11:00 to 21:00, with shorter hours on 24 December (11:00-16:00) and on 25 and 26 December (11:00-19:00). Around 40 stalls stand at the foot of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, selling Austrian products, according to the tourist board.

Old Viennese Christmas Market on Freyung

The Old Viennese Christmas Market (Altwiener Christkindlmarkt) runs from Saturday 14 November to 23 December 2026, daily from 10:00 to 21:00, according to its organiser. A Christmas market was already held on the Freyung in 1772, the tourist board says, and the stalls today sell handicrafts, glass decorations, nativity figures and ceramics, with Advent music on the square from 16:00.

Christmas Market at Am Hof

The Am Hof Christmas Market runs from 13 November to 23 December 2026, open 11:00-21:00 Monday to Thursday and 10:00-21:00 Friday to Sunday and on public holidays, with food served until 22:00. Am Hof is a couple of minutes’ walk from the Freyung, and it focuses on crafts, with choirs and Christmas music.

K&K Christmas Market at Belvedere Palace

The K&K Christmas Market at Belvedere Palace runs from 20 November to 31 December 2026, open 11:00-21:00 Monday to Friday and 10:00-21:00 at weekends and on public holidays, and 11:00-17:00 on 24 and 31 December, according to the market’s own site. The stalls stand in front of the Upper Belvedere only, to protect the historic gardens, and the market’s theme is Austria’s imperial past.

Art Advent at Karlsplatz

Art Advent at Karlsplatz runs from 13 November to 23 December 2026, daily from 12:00 to 20:00, with food served until 21:00. It is the arts-and-crafts market, with art installations, craft demonstrations and live bands, and all of its food is certified organic.

Christmas Market at Spittelberg

The Spittelberg Christmas Market runs from 13 November to 23 December 2026, open 14:00-21:30 Monday to Friday and 11:00-21:30 at weekends and on public holidays. The stalls fill the narrow lanes of the Biedermeier quarter, such as Spittelberggasse and Schrankgasse, and many sell local, fair-trade and organic products.

Christmas Village at Maria-Theresien-Platz

The Maria-Theresien-Platz Christmas Village runs from 20 November to 26 December 2026, open 11:00-21:00 Monday to Friday and 10:00-21:00 at weekends. Around 70 stalls stand between the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Natural History Museum, selling traditional crafts and gifts.

Winter Market at Riesenradplatz

The Winter Market at Riesenradplatz runs from 20 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 in the Prater, beside the giant Ferris wheel. It opens 12:00-22:00 Monday to Friday and 11:00-22:00 at weekends and on public holidays, 11:00-17:00 on 24 December and from 12:00 until 02:00 on New Year’s Eve, with rides for children and live music.

What food and drink should you try at the Vienna Christmas markets?

Punsch (hot punch) and Glühwein (mulled wine) are the drinks of the Vienna Christmas markets, served hot in ceramic mugs that carry a deposit you get back when you return the mug. The foods and drinks the Vienna Tourist Board associates with Advent in the city are listed below.

• Punsch. Punsch is Vienna’s hot Christmas punch, and the tourist board names its smell, with Christmas baking and toasted almonds, as the scent of the markets.
• Glühwein. Glühwein is mulled red wine with cinnamon, cloves and citrus, the standard alternative to Punsch.
• Toasted almonds. Toasted almonds coated in sugar are sold warm at the stalls.
• Roasted chestnuts. Roasted chestnuts (Maroni) are Vienna’s winter street snack, sold hot by the bag.
• Vanillekipferl. Vanillekipferl are crescent-shaped vanilla biscuits, Vienna’s classic Christmas cookie.
• Christstollen. Christstollen is the fruit-and-spice Christmas loaf dusted with icing sugar, sold whole to take home.

Our guide to Austrian food covers what to order once you sit down for a proper meal.

What can you buy at the Vienna Christmas markets?

Handmade decorations and crafts are what the Vienna Christmas markets sell. The Old Viennese Christmas Market on the Freyung concentrates on glass decorations, nativity figures and ceramics, Am Hof on crafts, Art Advent on work by artists and craftspeople, and Spittelberg on fair-trade and organic gifts. The Rathausplatz market covers the widest range, from tree decorations to sweets.

How do you get to the Vienna Christmas markets?

Vienna’s U-Bahn, trams and trains reach every market on this list, so you do not need a car. The Rathausplatz market is served by U2 (Rathaus), U3 (Volkstheater) and trams 1, 71 and D, according to its organiser, and Belvedere by tram D (Schloss Belvedere) or the trains and trams at Quartier Belvedere.

From Vienna Airport, the City Airport Train (CAT) runs non-stop to Wien Mitte in 16 minutes, and ÖBB Railjet and InterCity trains reach Wien Hauptbahnhof (Vienna Central Station) in about 15 minutes. For long-haul trips, compare flights to Vienna. Vienna also has direct trains to Prague, Budapest and Munich, so compare trains to Vienna if you are combining Christmas markets.

Where to stay near the Vienna Christmas markets?

The 1st district (Innere Stadt) is the most convenient base, because the Rathausplatz, Stephansplatz, Freyung, Am Hof and Maria-Theresien-Platz markets are all inside it or on its edge and within walking distance of each other. The 7th district around Spittelberg is a quieter alternative a few minutes from Maria-Theresien-Platz. For options in both, compare hotels in Vienna and across Austria and book early for Advent weekends.

What else is there to do in Vienna at Christmas?

Vienna’s museums are the obvious pairing with a market evening, because the Christmas Village at Maria-Theresien-Platz sits right between the Kunsthistorisches and Natural History museums. Our guide to museums in Vienna for Klimt, Schiele and modernism covers the Belvedere, the Leopold Museum and the Secession, all close to a market. A Viennese waltz lesson is another indoor option for a cold afternoon.

Vienna is a train ride from two other Christmas-market capitals, so the Prague Christmas markets and the Budapest Christmas markets both fit into a longer December trip. Pack for the cold with our Austria winter packing list.

Vienna Christmas Market FAQ

Where is the Vienna Christmas Market?

The Vienna Christmas Market is on Rathausplatz in the 1st district, in front of Vienna’s City Hall and opposite the Burgtheater. The nearest U-Bahn stop is Rathaus on line U2.

Are the Vienna Christmas markets open after Christmas?

Yes, 3 of the main Vienna Christmas markets stay open after 26 December. Belvedere runs to 31 December 2026, and Schönbrunn and the Riesenradplatz Winter Market run to 6 January 2027, while Rathausplatz, Stephansplatz and Maria-Theresien-Platz close on 26 December.

How many days do you need in Vienna at Christmas?

Two to three days in Vienna cover the main Christmas markets, because the Rathausplatz, Stephansplatz, Freyung, Am Hof and Maria-Theresien-Platz markets are all within walking distance in the 1st district. Schönbrunn, Belvedere and the Prater each need a short U-Bahn or tram ride, so a third day leaves time for them and a museum.

How expensive are the Vienna Christmas markets?

The Vienna Christmas markets are free to enter, so the cost depends on what you eat, drink and buy. Hot drinks come with a mug deposit that you get back when you return the mug, so keep the mug only if you want it as a souvenir.

Which Vienna Christmas market is open the longest?

The Christmas Market at Schönbrunn Palace is open the longest, from 6 November 2026 to 6 January 2027. The Winter Market on Riesenradplatz also runs to 6 January 2027 but opens later, on 20 November.

WonderfulWanderings Pro Tips

The 4 tips below come from the organisers’ own 2026 timetables, and each one affects which market you visit on which day.

1. Go to Belvedere in the evening, too. The K&K Christmas Market’s own site gives 11:00-21:00 on weekdays and 10:00-21:00 at weekends. One tourist-board listing shows its weekday closing as 14:00, which is wrong, so trust the market’s site.
2. Head to Schönbrunn or the Prater after Christmas. Most of Vienna’s markets close on 23 or 26 December, but Schönbrunn and the Riesenradplatz Winter Market keep going to 6 January 2027, and Belvedere to 31 December.
3. Plan around the 24 December closing times. Rathausplatz shuts at 18:30 that day, Schönbrunn at 16:00, Stephansplatz at 16:00 and Belvedere and the Riesenradplatz Winter Market at 17:00.
4. Skip the Rathausplatz rink on New Year’s Eve. The Ice Dream rink at the Christmas market closes on 31 December, even though it otherwise runs to 6 January 2027.

About the author. This guide is written and maintained by the Wonderful Wanderings editorial team. Wonderful Wanderings was founded in 2012 by Sofie Couwenbergh, and the team covers Austria for independent travellers, including Vienna’s Christmas markets, museums, hotels and trains worth booking, and updates this page when dates, prices and rules change.