Christmas in Vienna: A Festive Guide to Vienna During the Holidays

Vienna is a city that truly transforms with the arrival of the festive season., and the energy shifts with the coming of Christmas Day. According to Rita: “People are singing and playing jolly music in the streets at public concerts, and families and friends are just enjoying the season of love.”

That’s not to say that the city isn’t an interesting destination to visit at other times of year—but “[winter] is one of the most beautiful and remarkable seasons in Vienna,” per Rita.

Christmas markets play a major role in helping Vienna celebrate Christmas, with countless markets serving as festive hubs with Christmas trees, holiday light displays, and stalls selling high-quality handicrafts, food, and drinks. Displays such as the illuminated heart–dotted tree outside the Rathaus (Vienna City Hall) remain a favorite highlight of the Christmas markets in Vienna for Kamilla, adding to what she calls the city’s, “bright, cozy, loving feeling at this time of year.”

Festive food and drinks are a large part of the Christmas market experience. And while there are many foods to try, Kamilla favors the popular oven potatoes and mulled wine over other seasonal staples in Vienna, including Christmas cookies and punsch.

Rita suggests going to Zwolfv Apostelkeller in Vienna to try typical Viennese dishes and soak up the cozy winter ambiance below the busy city streets. “It's a must-visit place with traditional holiday decorations, and atmospheric Gothic and Romanesque architecture,” she says. To get a drink that’s not mulled wine or punch, Kamilla and Rita point travelers to the retro student vibes of Cafe Europa for an Aperol spritz, or The Chapel Bar—“the holiest speakeasy in Vienna”—found by pulling the bottom right corner of the picture of a nun in the restroom of the Let's Be Frank eatery.

Shopping at traditional Christmas markets tops the list of things to do in Vienna at Christmas, and you’ll find different things for sale depending on the market. Rita favors the Spittelberg Christkindlmarkt on the tour over some of the more central ones as she says they're “more cozy and authentic,” while Kamilla says “one of the most loved locations amongst locals in the outer districts is the Wild im West winter market,” thanks to its vintage flea market and hipster vibe.

If you want to continue shopping beyond traditional Christmas market stalls, Kamilla vouches for the pop-up stores by Rahatlook. She adds that “their handpicked vintage pieces are great quality, and the whole shopping experience is just amazing.”

If being close to Vienna’s most popular traditional Christmas markets—and within easy reach of the top things to do in Vienna at Christmas—is a priority, stay at the elegant Hotel Sans Souci. Alternatively, ZOKU Vienna provides easy access to the seasonal markets at the Prater Amusement Park and the brand-new market at the Messe Wien Exhibition Congress Center.

Those who love staying in hostels (and want to celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Vienna with other travelers) should book in at the Joe & Joe hostel by Vienna’s Westbahnhof train station, a cool establishment with a central location and lots of communal spaces.

Shopping and eating at traditional Christmas markets in Vienna aren’t the only festive season activities. Ice skating outside the Rathaus is ideal for “an enjoyable time with your loved ones under the Christmas lights,” according to Rita. She also highlights the free public Christmas concerts—in a wide range of genres—held at Praterstern and in the Museumsquartier.

Finally, for a wonderful (and free) view of the city skyline, Kamilla recommends taking a look at Vienna during the holiday season from the rooftop of the IKEA building at Westbahnhof, as they typically also have a special Christmas Market up there.