Christmas in Vienna 2026: markets, ice skating, museums and a 3-day plan
Florian Mahrl · As of 6 November 2026
Who’s open today? All markets on one map, with today’s hours →
I’m Florian, a dad from Vienna. I live here with my wife and our two kids.
In December it is dark here by half past four. With two kids we plan the day around that. Something indoors in the morning, a market when it gets dark. Then home – usually earlier than planned.
I built Weekend Pilot because every Friday we had the same question: what are we doing this weekend? These pages collect what we know about December in Vienna, in English – Christmas markets in the city and in castles nearby, places for rainy days, museums that work with kids, two ice rinks and a plan for three days.
One honest note. We have not been everywhere ourselves – my wife is an art historian, so we have been to the Kunsthistorisches Museum. The rest is checked against the organisers’ websites, wien.info (Vienna’s tourist board), the events page of Lower Austria and the NÖ-Card list 2026/27. Times are as of November 2026, please check before you go.
If you know a market with something good for kids that is missing here, please tell me. I would like to add it.
- Christmas markets in Vienna 2026 with kidsNine markets in the city, five in castles and palaces, seven in villages, plus the Wachau and seven cities by train – with dates, times and what there is for kids.53 markets
- Vienna with kids in winter: rainy days, museums, ice skatingNine places for rainy days, ten museums and two ice rinks – all in the city.21 places
- Plan your Christmas trip in Vienna: 3 days with kidsMorning, afternoon and evening for three days, from the same places.3 days
Dates in the city at a glance
| What | When (as of November 2026, please check) |
|---|---|
| Christmas village at Stephansplatz | 6 November to 26 December 2026 |
| Christmas market Am Hof | 13 November to 23 December 2026 |
| Altwiener Christkindlmarkt at Freyung | 14 November to 23 December 2026 |
| Wiener Christkindlmarkt and Eistraum at Rathausplatz | 13 November to 26 December 2026 |
| Christmas village at Maria-Theresien-Platz | 20 November to 26 December 2026 |
| Christmas market at Spittelberg | 13 November to 23 December 2026 |
| ART ADVENT at Karlsplatz | 13 November to 23 December 2026 |
| K&K Christmas market at Belvedere Palace | 20 November to 31 December 2026 |
| Christmas market at Schönbrunn Palace | 6 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 |
| Wiener Eistraum at Rathausplatz | 13 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 |
| Ice rink at the Schönbrunn Christmas market | 6 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 |
Christmas in Salzburg 2026: markets, Silent Night and the lakes. Five markets in Salzburg, the Silent Night chapel in Oberndorf and Advent on the lakes. Christmas in Salzburg
Auf Deutsch: Ausflüge mit Kindern rund um Wien
Plan the day
Weekend Pilot adapts a day like this to your family: weather, routes, times. The app is strongest in Vienna. We live here, and this is where we have checked the most places.