Vienna in December: What to Do and Where to Stay

Having visited Vienna at multiple times of year, I think my favorite — at least so far! — is December. Certainly, you won’t be surprised to learn that it’s the most magical time of year in Vienna. With cozy Christmas markets around every corner, festive lights strung across busy streets, and plenty to do and see, December is a wonderful time to visit Vienna.

From what to do to where to stay to what to pack and more, here’s what to know about visiting Vienna in December.

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Things to Do in Vienna in December

Here are some of the best things to do and see while visiting Vienna in December.

Christmas Markets

No surprise here: in December, it’s impossible to visit Vienna without stumbling across a Christmas market or two (or seven). During my own December visit to Vienna, I think I visited two or three different markets every day!

If you haven’t experienced European Christmas markets before, you’re in for a treat. They’re truly delightful, with great food, fun shopping, and delicious mulled wine.

When I visited Vienna in December, I went to 9 different Christmas markets. (Yep, you read that right.) Here’s a quick rundown of each market I visited and whether I recommend that you visit them too:

Rathausplatz Christkindlmarkt. The big daddy of all Christmas markets in Vienna, the Wiener Christkindlmarkt is located in the square in front of Vienna’s very impressive Rathaus (City Hall), Rathausplatz. If you search “Vienna Christmas market,” it’s mostly images of this one that pop up. Honestly, I think it’s a little overrated (thanks to the crowds and the costs), but between the Rathaus, the lit-up signage, and the charming carousel, it is indeed quite picturesque, and you should at least pop by and see it while in Vienna.

Schönbrunn Palace. Maybe my favorite! Far less crowded than some of the other markets, the Schönbrunn market is set in front of — you guessed it — the beautiful Schönbrunn Palace (more on that in a minute), which you can easily reach by metro. Things I loved about this market included fantastic soup in bread bowls, the way the market was arranged (with stands in an expansive circle, and plenty of space for visitors to move around), all the trees covered in lights, and the charming little carousel that looked like it had been cobbled together using whatever someone had been able to find in an antique store.

The Rathausplatz market (above) and the Schönbrunn Palace market (below)

Karlsplatz Art Advent. Definitely another favorite! I first visited this market in mid-day, when I popped into Karlskirche (the impressive baroque church on the site), and frankly — I wasn’t remotely impressed. But then I came back at nighttime and totally loved it! (Different vibes, I guess.) This market is focused on locally made arts and crafts, which really sets it apart from some of the bigger markets (where you’re sure to see a lot more imported trinkets). It’s also much less crowded than, say, Rathausplatz, and just generally feels a lot more cozy. Be sure to have a crepe!

Karlsplatz Art Advent during the day (left) and at night (right)

Weihnachtsmarkt am Hof. A sweet little market in a charming square. This was the first market I visited in Vienna, and I found it hard to form any real opinion other than “wow, it’s snowing really hard,” but it seemed nice enough. Stop by if you’re in the area (which you probably will be at some point), but otherwise skippable.

Altweiner Christkindlmarkt. An even smaller market just steps away from Weihnachtsmarkt am Hof. I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to visit this market, but you’ll likely be right near it anyway (as it’s close to a number of top sights in Vienna), so you might as well swing by when you’re in the area.

Weihnachtsdorf on Maria-Theresien-Platz. This market sits in the square between the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Natural History Museum — a quite lovely setting (one of the most beautiful of all of Vienna’s markets, I would say). I visited on a sunny Sunday afternoon, and found it to be unpleasantly crowded, but the market itself was otherwise fine. They had a cute little boot-shaped mug I wish I had kept (don’t worry…I encountered many more boot mugs in the weeks to come, and did keep a couple of them). Heads up that this market will not be open in 2025, due to construction work!

Weihnachtsmarkt am Hof (left) and the market on Maria-Theresien-Platz (right)

Stephensplatz. Outside of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, one of the most famous buildings in Vienna, is a small little market. To be honest, this one didn’t leave much of an impression on me — whether the market itself was only so-so, or I was bringing the wrong energy to it, I can’t say. At any rate, I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to see it, but you’ll definitely be visiting St. Stephen’s anyway (or you should be!), so you might as well build in some extra time to walk through the market as well.

Riesenradplatz. Did you know there’s a small amusement park in Vienna? It’s called Prater, and its crowning glory is the Riesenrad, a historic Ferris Wheel with great views of the city from the huge cars that hold riders. And at the foot of the Riesenrad is a small Christmas market! This one is heavy on food and light on arts and crafts (not sure I saw anything other than food stands, actually), so it’s a great place to grab a bite to eat before or after riding the Riesenrad. (I wouldn’t otherwise recommend making an effort to visit this market.)

Belvedere Palace. My favorite art museum in Vienna, the Belvedere, holds a small Christmas market behind the back of the museum. Don’t go out of your way for this one, but if you’re already planning to visit the museum, might as well swing around and check it out!

Looking down on Stephensplatz (left) and Riesenradplatz (right)

Schönbrunn Palace

Schönbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the Habsburgs, is a gorgeous royal estate with a massive palace (duh) and remarkable grounds, which include gardens, a maze, a zoo, and much more.

Having visited Schönbrunn in both warm weather and in the winter, I can tell you that the winter isn’t the ideal time to see Schönbrunn, as many features of the grounds are closed during that time.

However, even in the winter, you can still tour the palace and walk around much of the park. In my opinion, it’s well worth a visit!

When I visited Schönbrunn in December, the grounds were blanketed in fairly fresh snow, and plenty of people were wandering around despite the bitter cold. The Gloriette — a hilltop structure with a great view of the palace — was closed, but glowed beautifully from its perch (see the photo at the top of this post!).

To reach Schönbrunn, just take the U4 subway line to the Schönbrunn stop — it’s quite quick and easy.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral

Vienna is well-known for its elaborate Baroque architecture, but perhaps its best-known building is the Gothic St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

This remarkable building is famous for its imposing south tower and intricate tile roof (which you can admire from the towers!), and is a must-see while in Vienna.

Unfortunately, you can’t explore most of the cathedral (including its towers and fascinating catacombs) without purchasing a ticket. To learn much more about ticket options for St. Stephen’s (including which of the St. Stephen’s sites are must-sees and which are skippable, according to me), check out my complete guide to visiting St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

And if you, like me, tend to be a big fan of European churches, be sure to check out Karlskirche and Votivkirche as well!

Austrian National Library

If you’re a fan of books and/or beautiful architecture, don’t miss the Austrian National Library. This massive library (the largest in Austria) is famous for its gorgeous State Hall — a vast space with a dome, a prominent statue of Emperor Charles VI, and of course, many thousands of books.

The State Hall also has special exhibits sometimes. During my visit, there was a wonderful photography exhibit.

I strongly recommend visiting the library as soon as it opens, if at all possible — I visited later in the day, when it was crowded with other visitors. I would have loved to see it with fewer people first thing in the morning.

Imperial Crypt

Beneath the small Capuchin Church lies Vienna’s Imperial Crypt — the final resting place of approximately 150 members of the Habsburg dynasty. There, you can see the tombs of 30 emperors and empresses, as well as dozens of other royals.

Unless you’re already very familiar with the Habsburgs, I recommend visiting the Imperial Crypt after you visit Schönbrunn. You’ll learn a lot about some of the Habsburgs at the palace, which will give you more context when you later visit their tombs in the crypt.

Wiener Riesenrad

Remember Prater (Vienna’s amusement park) and its crown jewel, the Riesenrad Ferris Wheel? I think it’s worth a visit!

Unlike lots of Ferris Wheels, which have small carts where you sit totally exposed to the elements, the Riesenrad cars are enclosed and big enough for many people to stand up and walk around in. (They also have benches in the middle, so you can sit if you prefer.) I hate heights, but have no trouble on the Riesenrad, which feels perfectly safe.

Naturally, the Riesenrad has great views of Prater and Vienna in general. Before you board, you’ll also go through a room with old Riesenrad cars filled with miniature exhibits displaying periods of Viennese history.

If you’d like a special romantic journey on the Riesenrad, you can even book a private car (for a small fee…just kidding, a huge fee) and enjoy breakfast or dinner for two while riding.

After your ride, grab some food at the small Christmas market in the park!

Belvedere Palace

One of the best-known art museums in Vienna is the Belvedere, which resides in Belvedere Palace — a former royal summer home.

The Belvedere is particularly famous for its collection of art by Gustav Klimt, which includes The Kiss, Judith and the Head of Holofernes, and many others.

With art in multiple buildings, the Belvedere is a huge complex. I’ve only visited the Upper Palace (where the Belvedere houses its permanent collection), which was more than enough to satisfy my wish to see some beautiful art, but if you’d like to make more of a day of it, you can also visit the Lower Palace (with special exhibitions) and Belvedere 21 (with contemporary art).

Where to Stay in Vienna

During my own trip to Vienna in December, I stayed at Stadtpark Rooms Vienna, which I think may have closed since my visit. That’s just as well, since I would not recommend it.

This was 100% a financial decision; I found it very hard to find affordable lodging in Vienna in December. But then the reasonably affordable place I did find was…not great. So be prepared to shell out (by my standards, anyway) for comfortable lodging in Vienna!

For good lodging options in Vienna in December, consider the following places:

Winter Weather in Vienna

During my last trip to Vienna, it was snowing heavily on the day I arrived — which I absolutely loved. I threw my stuff in my hotel room and quickly yanked on my boots and hat, desperate to get out and experience the snow for as long as I could.

But I was lucky, and you can’t count on seeing snow while visiting Vienna in December. However, you can typically count on cold weather.

Expect December temperatures in Vienna to generally range between 20 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit (about -6 to 4 degrees Celsius). It could, of course, be warmer or even colder during your own visit — check the forecast before you leave!

What to Pack for Visiting Vienna in December

Here are some things I strongly recommend that you pack for visiting Vienna in December:

Boots. While traveling in Europe, I typically like to pack comfy sneakers for long days of walking around, but they won’t cut it if it snows while you’re visiting Vienna. Instead (or at least in addition to), bring a pair of boots. They don’t necessarily have to be super intense — I spent a month visiting Christmas markets in Europe (including in Vienna) in the Nisolo Go-to City Hiker Boots, which are warm enough and comfy but also style-forward. Sadly, those are now discontinued, but you can find a similar style here.

Merino wool socks. Inside those boots should be some warm, comfy socks. I recommend merino wool, which retains heat but not smelliness.

Warm coat, scarf, hat, and gloves. Perhaps this goes without saying, but you should bring a warm winter coat, a cozy scarf, a hat, and some gloves. Trust me, you’ll want them all!

Thermals. You won’t regret bringing thermal layers to wear under your sweaters and pants. Great options include thermal tops and leggings, which you can find in sets like this.

Final Thoughts

December is a delightful time to visit Vienna. In fact, between the cozy Christmas markets and festive lighting, the beautiful churches and museums you can use to get out of the cold, and the possibility of snow, I think it’s the perfect time to experience the city. I hope this post helps you plan the perfect trip to Vienna in December!

Still have questions about visiting Vienna in December? Leave a comment below or shoot me a message — I’d love to help.

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