If you’re planning a trip to Vienna, there is one season that truly alters the city into something magical: winter. This is your ultimate Vienna Winter Travel Guide, packed with the top five activities for the winter season.
White snow, fairy lights, Christmas markets, mulled wine, cozy bookshops and a magical warmth that only appears in winter. Vienna is filled with special offers and adventures during this cold season. Use my Vienna Winter Travel Guide and find out what you can do in the city, when the cold days appear.
Christmas Markets
When there’s sparkling white snow and a cold windy breeze flowing through the city alleys in Vienna, you will realise that not too far away, you’ll find one of the popular Christmas markets. Vienna is known for their variety of unique Christmas markets, which are a part of the most famous and appreciated traditions in this city.
What exactly is a Christmas market?
A Christmas market, known as a „Christkindlmarkt“ in Austria, is a festive marketplace that celebrates the season’s charm and traditions. It’s a place to get together, enjoy the beauty of fairy lights and glowing pine trees. The markets are set up with stalls that are forming alleys. Leading you from one stall to the other you’ll find a great variety of products.
- First there are the food stalls, where you’ll find fresh cooked meals and snacks. Very typical Christmas market food in Vienna are grilled sausages with sauerkraut (pickled cabbage), cheese spaetzle, langosch or spiral potatoes. For the sweetness you’ll find gingerbread cookies, Kaiserschmarren (fluffy shredded pancakes), yule log cake, candied almonds, roasted chestnuts and so much more.
- In the second type of stalls, you’ll find a variety of drinks to choose from. The most known and probably consumed one is mulled wine. If I’m honest, you can’t go to a Christmas market, without having at least one cup of mulled wine. This drink is often offered in different variations, depending on whether you prefer it sweeter, fruitier or wine-like. There are also alcohol free versions, which are called punch – usually it’s called children’s punch, but grown ups adore them as well (I even prefer them to the wine version).
- The third kind of stalls, are especially important for people who are still searching for Christmas gifts. You’ll find a lot of different themes, which are often owned by locals who sell their handmade pieces. Wooden kitchen supplies, snow globes, tree decor, little charms, jewellery and so on.
Some Christmas markets also offer a few fun activities, which can be fun rides (mostly for children), creative DIY’s or ice skating areas. More about ice skating in the next chapter:)
Overview of the most popular Christmas markets in Vienna:
- Vienna Christmas World at Rathausplatz: Rathausplatz (City Hall Square), 1st District
- Christmas Village at Belvedere Palace: Belvedere Palace, Prinz Eugen-Straße 27, 3rd District
- Christmas Market at Schönbrunn Palace: Schönbrunn Palace, Schönbrunner Schlossstraße 47, 13th District
- Spittelberg Christmas Market: Spittelberg, 7th District
- Maria-Theresien-Platz Christmas Market: Maria-Theresien-Platz (between the Natural History Museum and the Art History Museum), 7th District
- Altwiener Christkindlmarkt on Freyung: Freyung Square, 1st District
- Winter Market at the Prater: Riesenradplatz, Prater, 2nd District
- Christmas Market at Karlsplatz: Karlsplatz, in front of Karlskirche
- Altes AKH Christmas Market: Altes AKH, University Campus, Alserstraße 4, 9th District
- Christmas Market at Stephansplatz: Stephansplatz, 1st District
- Christmas Market at Michaelerplatz: Michaelerplatz, near the Hofburg Palace, 1st District
- Christmas Market at Alsergrund: Servitenviertel, 9th District
- Advent Market at the Opera House: Mahlerstraße, near the Vienna State Opera, 1st District
- Christmas Market at Naschmarkt: Naschmarkt, 6th District
- Sternenadvent Market at Neuer Markt: Neuer Markt, 1st District
- Christmas Market at Türkenschanzpark: Türkenschanzpark, 18th District
- Advent Market at the Augarten: Augarten, 2nd District
- IKEA Christmas Market at Westbahnhof: Westbahnhof, 15th District -and sooo many more
Ice Skating in the middle of the City
The most famous Christmas market in Vienna is the Vienna Christmas World at Rathausplatz. There, you’ll find the Vienna Ice Dream skating rink. This activity is very popular and well-visited, so I recommend buying your entry ticket online in advance. There’s no better feeling than being able to skip the queue at the ticket counters. If you choose to buy the ticket on-site, there will be ticket counters and even ticket vending machines available. You can bring your own ice skates, but rentals are also available at the rink. Once you’re ready and on the ice, you’ll have 4 hours to enjoy skating. Take in the amazing view, the fairy lights, the music, and everything that makes this experience extraordinary.
Watch out for Christmas Lights
Not only the markets are filled with fairy lights. As you walk through the city, you’ll discover spectacular Christmas decorations and vibrant lights in every district and alley. Every once a while I catch myself staring at these decorations, even if I feel like I should already be used to these festive displays by now. They make strolling through the city even more exciting.
Sledding
When thinking about Vienna, I never would have imagined that people use snowy days to sled down a hill right in the middle of the city. If you want to go sledding, look for a park with a perfect hill and a sleigh or something similar for riding down the slope. Some parks even have designated areas for sledding. It’s a lot of fun and a great city activity.
A few parks that offer a great slope:
- Prater Jesuitenwiese, 2nd District
- Schweizergarten, 3rd District
- Alois-Drasche-Park, 4th District
- Alfred-Grünwald-Park, 6th District
- Arne-Karlsson-Park, 9th District
- and so many more you can find on the city Vienna website: https://www.wien.gv.at/kultur-freizeit/rodeln.html#bez10
Skiing and Snowboarding outside the City
If you’re seeking steeper slopes, that can also be used for skiing or snowboarding, there are a few locations near Vienna. Ski areas that are not too far away, are for example Stuhleck, Annaberg or Hochkar.
As you wrap up your journey through Vienna’s winter wonderland, my guide has introduced you to five extraordinary activities. Embrace the cold and make the most of these exceptional experiences only available during this frosty season. Safe travels and enjoy every moment!
Johanna
About the Author:
If Johanna were a word, she would be "stardust" – nondescript, quiet, demure, until the passion appears that brings the stardust to fully unfold. She’s a traveler at heart, constantly curious to see more of the world, with a camera always close by to capture every moment just as it is. Whether she’s at a concert, lost in the music, or exploring a new city, Johanna’s world is filled with an endless curiosity and love for the little details that make life feel like stardust.
