Rathausplatz without the crush: when to go and where to skate
When people talk about the Vienna Christmas market, they usually mean the one in front of the City Hall. It fills Rathausplatz with stalls and the park beside it with rides and skating paths from mid-November until 26 December, and the ice stays until 6 January. This guide walks through the square and the park, then covers timing and the short walks onward once you have had enough of the crush.
The big market in front of the City Hall
The Viennese Christmas Market runs from 13 November to 26 December on the square in front of the neo-Gothic City Hall. It opens every day from 10 am to 10 pm, and on 24 December it closes at 6:30 pm. You walk in through a gate built as an arch of candles, and the lanes of stalls lead toward the lit facade. It is the city's big set piece and the market with the most for children, and on a weekend night it feels like it.
| What | Dates | Daily hours | Exceptions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market on the square | 13 Nov to 26 Dec | 10 am to 10 pm | 24 Dec until 6:30 pm |
| Vienna Ice World in the park | 13 Nov to 6 Jan | 10 am to 10 pm | 24 Dec until 6:30 pm; closed on 31 Dec |
The exact dates and times are only settled shortly before each season, so confirm them on the market's own website before your visit. Every other market is in our table of Vienna's market dates and hours.
The Christmas world in Rathauspark
Much of the space for children lies in the park beside the square. A reindeer train runs between the trees. Nearby, a nativity trail leads through the park, and a children's chalet is set aside for the smallest visitors. The centerpiece is the carousel, about 39 feet (12 m) high and built on several levels, which you see from far across the square.
Somewhere between the paths stands the tree of hearts, the park's other landmark. If you have children with you, come in the afternoon, when the rides are open and the evening crowd has not yet arrived. Our guide to Vienna at Christmas with kids adds the family stops at the other markets.
Skating the Vienna Ice World
From 13 November to 6 January, the Vienna Ice World, the Wiener Eistraum, turns the park into skating paths that loop between the trees, with a separate rink for children. It keeps the market's hours of 10 am to 10 pm and closes at 6:30 pm on 24 December. On 31 December the ice takes the day off. Skates can be rented on site, and skating is paid separately from the free market. We have no verified prices, so look at the ticket desk before you queue.
The paths outlast the stalls. Once the market closes on 26 December, the ice carries on through the park until 6 January, which gives a trip over New Year a reason to come back to the square.
When to go, and when to stay away
Friday and Saturday evenings bring the biggest crowds, and on Advent Saturdays the lanes nearest the gate barely move. The holiday on 8 December, when shops may open, is much the same. The calm hours are at the 10 am opening and on weekdays before 6 pm. The sun sets around 4 pm, so a Tuesday at 4:30 pm gives you the lit City Hall with room to stand.
If you do arrive on a packed evening, walk through once for the view of the facade, then leave for somewhere smaller. The Freyung and Maria-Theresien-Platz are each a short walk away, and both feel calm by comparison.
A packed Saturday is also a good night to let someone else choose. Venture Vienna's Christmas market food and drinks walk, from ~$140, meets near Am Hof (the exact spot depends on the option) and spends about four hours on four lesser-known markets reached by metro and tram, among them one in the 7th district and the market on the old university campus. Tastings on the way include Käsespätzle and Kaiserschmarrn, with hot drinks that can be alcohol-free. Groups stay small, up to 8, or up to 6 on the private option, and reviewers praise guides such as Gloria. It costs about $159 on Viator. The catch is the short track record, five stars from only 14 reviews on GetYourGuide and 10 on Viator. It does not suit food allergies, and most of the evening is spent outdoors.
Trade the crush for four smaller markets
A local guide takes up to eight guests by tram and metro to four markets away from the big squares, with something to taste and a hot drink at each, from ~$140. Plan on about four hours, nearly all of it outside.
Getting there
Take the U2 to Rathaus, or any tram along the Ringstrasse, which runs past the front of the square. From St. Stephen's Cathedral it is about 15 minutes on foot, and the walk passes the Freyung on the way if you take the streets beyond the Graben. Wear shoes with grip, since the square and the park paths get wet and slippery in December. Our page on Vienna's December weather covers the rest of the kit.
What to buy and drink
The stalls lean toward Christmas gifts and sweets more than fine crafts. Gingerbread and Vanillekipferl cookies travel well in a suitcase. For hand-made pieces, Am Hof and the Freyung do better. To eat, look for roasted chestnuts and roast potatoes, with Langos when you want something heavier.
The hot drinks come in ceramic mugs with a refundable deposit, the Häferlpfand, and each market has its own design, often a new one each year. Glühwein is mulled red wine, while Punsch is a hot punch, often with rum, and usually the stronger of the two. Ask for Kinderpunsch if you want it without alcohol. Expect to pay a few euros a cup. Our Punsch and food guide explains the flavors and what to eat beyond the stalls.
A short history of the square
The neo-Gothic City Hall was finished in 1883. Vienna has held December markets since the Middle Ages, and the main one wandered between several squares before it settled here in the 1970s. Its old name, the Christkindlmarkt, refers to the Christkind, the child who brings Austrian presents on Christmas Eve.
Nearby, a few minutes on foot
Across the Ring, opposite the City Hall, stands the Burgtheater. In one direction lies the Freyung, the market that has been held since 1772 and is known for glass ornaments, with Advent music from 4 pm. In the other lies Maria-Theresien-Platz, with about 70 stalls in the gardens that separate the two great museums, and Spittelberg's lanes are close behind it. Our guide to the Old Town markets and lights links them all, and the palace markets page covers the other big rink, at Schönbrunn.