Best Vienna Christmas Markets: Your 2025 Holiday Guide

If you’re planning a winter escape filled with fairy lights, festive food and old-world charm, visiting the Vienna Christmas markets should be at the top of your list. Austria’s capital transforms during the holidays, offering some of Europe’s most atmospheric squares, palace backdrops and steamy mugs of glühwein in Vienna.

Markets typically run from early to mid-November through late December, and a few continue into early January, so bundle up, bring your appetite and get ready to explore the best of the festive season in one of Europe’s most iconic Christmas cities. Let this be your go-to for Vienna Christmas market dates and must-see spots in 2025.

Rathausplatz Christkindlmarkt (Vienna Christmas Dream)

Set in front of the Neo-Gothic City Hall, Rathausplatz Christkindlmarkt is Vienna’s show-stopper with a towering Christmas tree, ice skating and rows of stalls selling ornaments, seasonal treats and handmade gifts.

Expect steaming mugs of glühwein and punsch, heart-shaped gingerbread and skaters gliding across the ice. A carousel and craft stations are especially fun for families and children, but the idyllic scene and wide range of vendors make Rathausplatz Christkindlmarkt ideal for anyone in search of peak Vienna Christmas markets vibes.

Dates: 14 November – 26 December, 2025

Spittelberg Christmas Market

Wander cobbled lanes lined with Biedermeier townhouses at the Spittelberg Christmas Market, a favorite for local design, ceramics and cozy bars for post-market warm-ups. Standing in contrast with the sweeping squares that host Vienna’s other Christmas markets, Spittelburg is wonderfully intimate, with narrow alleys lined with market stalls of small-batch gifts you won’t find at bigger Vienna Christmas markets. Duck into a side bar for a warming schnaps, then continue browsing candlelit stalls.

Dates: 14 November – 23 December, 2025.

Belvedere Palace Christmas Village

Reflections of lights in the Upper Belvedere lake make this one of the city’s most photogenic markets. Expect quality crafts, roasted chestnuts and a romantic vibe. The palace facade, lit up with festive decor, creates a cheerful setting for the market’s vendors who primarily focus on premium wares like felt hats, leather goods and regional delicacies. Arrive just before dusk for pastel skies turning to glittering night.

Dates: 14 November – 31 December, 2025

Schönbrunn Palace Christmas Market

Imagine a Baroque palace courtyard shimmering with lights. The Schönbrunn Christmas Market mixes artisan crafts with choirs and activities for children. It switches to a New Year’s market after Christmas, so it’s perfect if you’re in town later in the season.

Come for woodcarvings, blown-glass ornaments and classical performances that echo across the courtyard. Grab a kaiserschmarrn or hot chocolate, then stroll the palace gardens for stunning night views, an elegant counterpoint to the bustle of city-center Vienna Christmas market 2025 spots.

Dates: 6 November, 2025 – 6 January, 2026

Stephansplatz Christmas Market

Right by St. Stephen’s Cathedral, this compact market is great for a festive pause between shopping streets. Think traditional gifts, cathedral views and easy access from anywhere in the center of the city. Ideal for quick stops, grab a bratwurst, sip glühwein and pick up hand-carved ornaments before diving back into Kärntner Straße or Graben.

Dates: 8 November – 26 December, 2025 (reduced hours on 24–26 Dec).

Prater Wintermarkt (Riesenradplatz)

Long after other markets close, Prater Wintermarkt keeps the music going with live bands, rides and New Year’s Eve celebrations under the Giant Ferris Wheel.

Come for a festive-after-dark scene, stage shows, fairground thrills and late-night snacks, perfect if you want a livelier spin on Vienna Christmas markets.

Altes AKH (University Campus) Christmas Market

Known officially as Weihnachtsdorf Campus Universität Wien, this market has a neighborhood feel, hearty regional foods and curling lanes for friendly competition. Expect families, students and locals lingering over raclette, käsespätzle and craft beer.

Dates: 14 November – 23 December, 2025.

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Where to stay for Vienna Christmas markets 2025?

With easy access to public transport and Vienna’s most festive spots, Zoku Vienna is a cozy, well-connected base for exploring the Christmas markets in Vienna. With homey lofts and cozy social spaces to unwind, it’s the perfect mix of comfort and convenience.

Book your stay with code XMASMARKET10 to get 10% off and a festive dinner for two this holiday season. Redeem the offer here.