Plan your Christmas trip in Vienna: 3 days with kids
Florian Mahrl · As of 6 November 2026 · 3 days, 10 stops
This is a plan on paper. We put it together from the places on these pages; we have not done these three days in a row ourselves. The stops of each day are at most about 3 km apart as the crow flies, so nobody spends the afternoon on the U-Bahn.
It works between 13 November and 23 December, when the three markets in the plan are open. Most stops are listed for children from about 4 or for school-age kids. Museum opening hours are not in our data – please check them, and swap days if one is closed.
Day 1: around the Ring
Museums in the morning, a café in the afternoon, the big market in the evening.
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Morning
Naturhistorisches Museum (Natural History Museum)
Start at the Natural History Museum, from age 4 in our data.
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Afternoon
Café Vollpension
Buchteln and a sit-down. No programme, which after a museum is the point.
About 1.0 km from the last stop, as the crow flies.
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Evening
Wiener Christkindlmarkt and Eistraum at Rathausplatz
The Christmas market in front of City Hall is open until 22:00 (24 December until 18:30). The ice rink is next to it; skating hours are on the website.
About 1.4 km from the last stop, as the crow flies.
Plan B: With older kids, the Kunsthistorisches Museum is right across the square from the Natural History Museum. About Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts)
Day 2: Prater and Karlsplatz
Trains and the Ferris wheel in the morning, sound in the afternoon, straw and crafts in the evening.
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Morning
Königreich der Eisenbahnen (model railway)
The model railway in the Prater, for toddlers and school-age kids.
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Late morning
Wiener Riesenrad (Giant Ferris Wheel)
The Ferris wheel is a short walk away. Closed cabins, so it works in the rain too.
About 600 m from the last stop, as the crow flies.
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Afternoon
Haus der Musik (sound museum)
The sound museum in the 1st district, for school-age kids.
About 2.3 km from the last stop, as the crow flies.
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Evening
ART ADVENT at Karlsplatz
ART ADVENT: craft stalls until 20:00, the craft workshop for kids until 19:00. On Sunday there is children’s theatre at 14:00 – then swap afternoon and evening. On 19 and 26 November and 10 and 17 December there are walking acts at 18:00.
About 400 m from the last stop, as the crow flies.
Plan B: For tram fans, the transport museum of Wiener Linien in the 3rd district instead of the sound museum. About Remise – Transport Museum of Wiener Linien
Day 3: Schönbrunn and the west
The desert house in the morning, technology in the afternoon, the small market in the lanes in the evening.
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Morning
Wüstenhaus Schönbrunn (desert house)
The desert house in the palace park. The walk there is outside; the house itself is indoors. The Christmas market in the palace courtyard opens at 10:00.
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Afternoon
Technisches Museum Wien (Technical Museum)
The Technical Museum on Mariahilfer Straße.
About 1.4 km from the last stop, as the crow flies.
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Evening
Christmas market at Spittelberg
The market in the Spittelberg lanes, open until 21:30 (on weekdays from 14:00).
About 3.1 km from the last stop, as the crow flies.
Plan B: With teenagers from 12, the Third Man Tour through the sewers. About Third Man Tour through the sewers
Honest notes
- Distances are as the crow flies. The way there is longer, and with kids it takes longer still.
- Three full days is a lot. If a day gets too long, drop a stop – this is a suggestion, not a programme.
- Times are as of November 2026. Please check before you go.
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.
If you are visiting: what Weekend Pilot does for a day with kids.