Vienna is a magical city, that comes to light during the holiday season! Visiting Vienna’s Christmas markets is a bucket list scratch, and the absolute perfect way to get into the holiday spirit. Bring your appetite, plenty of room in your bag for souvenirs, and get ready to down your weight in glühwein. Here are my top tips for visiting Vienna’s Christmas markets!
Visit during the day – and again at night!
Visiting Vienna’s Christmas markets any time of day is a good idea- but there are pros to both the day and the night! During the day, I enjoyed exploring them with significantly smaller crowds. I was able to leisurely stroll around and really take time to enjoy each vendor’s booths. Plus, no lines at the glühwein stalls! Once the sun sets, the crowds do emerge but the markets explode with magic. The twinkling lights and Christmas trees will make you stand and admire in awe. Plus, the hustle and bustle of the crowds is part of the Christmas charm, right? Right???
€5 Mug Deposits
At the markets, if you’re looking to grab a glass of glühwein or hot chocolate, they’ll come in a souvenir mug! While they aren’t free, you will be charged a €5 deposit up front when buying your drink. You’ll also receive a small token with your purchase- if you return the token and the mug to the booth, you’ll get the €5 returned to you. Or, you can choose to keep the mug! Each market has their own different mug, and the designs are changed year over year, making them a great collectible and (affordable) souvenir to take home with you!
Check the schedule of events
Christmas markets really cover all the bases to get you into the holiday spirit. Most of them also have stages, and entertainment provided throughout the days and nights! Take some time to search up each market and look for their schedule of events. I was able to catch bands, puppet shows, Christmas caroling, and even shows for kids. All of them are of course free, and just involve you walking over to the stage to enjoy the entertainment. Some of the bigger entertainment events gather a crowd early, so plan to arrive early if there’s something you’d really like to see!
Plan your route!
Vienna is filled with Christmas markets- and there were many times that I just stumbled into one, without even planning to! They dot the city and range in sizes. Take some time to plan your route if you want to hit a lot and maximize your time! There are several websites that can help with this, but I found that this one and this one were the most helpful to me. I then made a Google MyMaps with the markets I wanted to hit and made notes about their hours, etc. in the comments. It then makes it easy to visualize and walk between them in an efficient way!
Have cash on hand
Visiting Vienna’s Christmas markets is best with a bit of cash in your pocket. At the larger markets like Christkindlmarkt am Rathausplatz, the majority of booths accepted cards and tap-to-pay. However, once I started visiting the smaller markets, I found that that most booths only accepted cash. I did see a few ATMs, but best to plan ahead and have enough cash on hand to snag treats, drinks, and souvenirs. Reminder- if you are using a credit card, always pay in the local currency (never in USD, if given the option). You get a much better exchange rate that way!
Book your hotel far in advance
Vienna in December is one of their peak seasons, so it should come as no surprise that hotels book up quickly (and may come with a hefty price tag). I actually booked this trip 8 months in advance- back in April! Which may be the earliest I’ve ever booked a trip, to be honest. And I’m so glad I did, because when I looked at my hotel over the summer, it was already completely sold out for my dates. By late summer/fall, hotels in the surrounding area were going for more than double what I paid per night.
I stayed at the Hilton Vienna Plaza, which was the absolute perfect landing spot. The hotel was centrally located– only a few block walk away from the famous market at Rathausplatz and about 10 minutes from the central old town. It was beautiful, safe, clean, and I’d highly recommend it if you’re planning on visiting Vienna’s Christmas markets!
Bonus: Safety Tips
While I found Vienna (and Austria as a whole) to be very safe, keeping on your toes for your own safety should be at the forefront of your mind all the time. With large events and the amount of people the markets attract, they unfortunately do become a target. I received an email from STEP (the United States’ Smart Traveller Enrollment Program) a few weeks before my visit reminding me to stay aware and remain vigilant. When I was walking through the markets or crowds, I was always aware to keep my bearing and know where the closest exits were. Keep your eyes out for anything suspiscious and if your gut is telling you something isn’t right, listen right away.
Petty crime is also something to look out for. I use this small theft-proof backpack which gives me peace of mind while traveling and in big crowds. Keep your credit cards and valuables safely tucked inside and don’t flash them around. Never put your phone down on a table when you’re eating and keep it safely secured when you’re out and about. Try not to walk around looking at it- it makes you a prime target!
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