As a wistful teenager, with a yearning to know what more was “out there” and a desire to travel the world to finally be reunited with places that I’d never actually visited, I had a romantic notion of Vienna as a place where I could sit in opulent cafés, consuming endless amounts of hot chocolate and pastries. Turns out, there was something to that notion.
When my husband and I arrived at the Austrian capital earlier this month, we knew we wanted to visit the famed Christmas markets (Christkindlmärkte) but also expected we’d take in some architecture, some history and maybe even a little opera. However, one step into our first Christkindlmarkt and we knew we didn’t stand a chance against the magic of Vienna’s holiday festivities.
(1) Savor traditional Viennese dishes
(2) Sample endless sweets
(3) Take a break from the gilded coffeehouse
(4) Dine at one of the world’s best restaurants
(5) Or skip the restaurants entirely – Christkindlmarkt style!
- Tip: Do a Google search for a map that includes all of Vienna’s Christmas markets and plan your route!
Quick Guide
- Traditional Viennese
- Café Landtmann (Universitätsring 4, 1010)
- Sweets
- K. u. K. Hoflieferanten (Kärntner Str. 51, 1010)
- Xocolat (Freyung 2, 1010; other locations)
- Café Central (Herrengasse 14, 1010)
- Café Sacher Wien at the Hotel Sacher (Philharmoniker Str. 4, 1010)
- Hipster Vibe
- Ulrich (Sankt-Ulrichs-Platz 1, 1070)
- Jonas Reindl (Währingerstraße 2-4, 1090)
- Cocktails
- If Dogs Run Free (Gumpendorfer Str. 10, 1060)
- Sofitel Stephansdom (Praterstraße 1, 1020)
- Some of the World's Best Dining
- Steirereck (Am Heuemarkt 2A/im Stadtpark, A-1030)
- Chrismas Markets
- Rathausplatz Christkindlmarkt (Friedrich-Schmidt-Platz 1, 1010)
- Old Viennese Christmas Market (Dominikanerbastei 8, 1010)
- Divina Art Advent Arts & Crafts Market at Karlsplatz (Millergasse 37/1, 1060)