2 Day Vienna Itinerary: How to Visit the Christmas Markets!
Vienna definitely has its fair share of Christmas markets, but you can see a lot of them in just two days! Here is a great 2 day Vienna itinerary to maximize your time and see the most of what Vienna has to offer during the Christmas season!
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2 Day Vienna Itinerary Summary (With Map of Markets)
With only two days in Vienna, you will be moving quickly to see all of the markets; there are just so many to see! However, many of them are close by and with the right timing, you can see many of Vienna’s best Christmas markets without feeling like you have missed out!
I’ve laid out a great way to see Vienna’s best markets, but know that you may like some markets more than others and you may also want to see a couple of the markets both at night and during the day. So, give yourself a little wiggle room when you are choosing your itinerary!
**In the map below, I have stops for day one marked A-G, stops for day 2 marked A-C and then have marked the markets that you will need to use public transportation to get to.**
Day 1 of your 2 day Vienna Itinerary
When you are choosing your first markets of the day, you need to think about where they are in the city and proximity to other markets, but you also need to be aware of when they open. Some open at 10am, but many don’t open until noon or 2pm.
Morning: Rathausplatz, Stephensplatz, Am Hof
Start your morning with a bang at Rathausplatz! It is one of the biggest and best markets in Vienna, plus it opens early! Take your time strolling through the Christmas stalls, take in the nativity scene, watch the ice skaters, grab a snack and shop a little.
Rathausplatz, ice skating at Rathausplatz and Schnitzel
From here, head into the city center to see the beautiful St Stephan’s Cathedral and the market at Stephensplatz!
If you put “Rahausplatz to Stephensplatz” in your Google map, it will take you down Teinfalstraße street, passed Freyung and Am Hof. For this walk, I recommend taking the longer route that will go down Kohlmarkt and Graben streets that are MUST-VISIT streets to see Christmas decorations!
The market at Stephensplatz wraps around the St Stephens Cathedral, making it one of the most picturesque markets in Vienna! *For more details on the Christmas markets, read here!*
From Stephensplatz, you have a quick walk to the next two markets! Though they are smaller, they are worth visiting!
You will come to Am Hof market first, known for its meat selection and food. It also has a champagne bar (which is unique!) and has two different glühwien vendors (meaning two different mugs!)
Afternoon/Evening: Altwiener market, University of Vienna Market or Wintermarkt at Riesenradplatz (Prater Market)
The next market, just a SHORT walk from Am Hof is Altwiener Market at Freyung Square. I recommend visiting the Altwiener Market around 4:00pm. because they have live music that normally happens around 4 to 4:30 pm! While you listen to music you can find several craft stalls and snacks.
- This market is one of the oldest in Vienna, dating back to the 1700’s!
Live music at Altwiener Christkindlemarkt at Freyung Square
For the evening you have two options.
- If you want to stay close by, you can visit the University of Vienna’s market where you can find good food and craft stalls as well as curling!
- Or, if you want more of an amusement park market, you can head to Wintermarkt at Riesenradplatz (Market at Prater)! Here you will find more kid-friendly activities such as a chained carousel, rides, live music and more.
Also, if you are still feeling in the Christmas spirit, if you choose to do the market at Vienna’s university, you can swing back by Rathausplatz (about a 15 minute walk) and see the Wiener Christkindlemarkt at night. Rathausplatz is not to be missed at night! The carousel, giant tree and lights are a must-see against the lit-up city hall!
Wiener Chriskindlemarkt at Rathausplatz at Night
Day 2 of your 2 day Vienna Itinerary
Morning: Belvedere Palace, Karlsplatz Market
Begin your morning at Belvedere Palace. It opens at 11am, so you have time to grab some breakfast and make the 25ish minute metro ride or 32ish minute walk from the city center to the palace. I’ll be honest, we didn’t get to squeeze in Belvedere Palace, so this is what I would have done differently to be able to fit it into our itinerary!
If you take the metro to Belvedere Palace you will likely pass through or start at Karlsplatz station. Lucky for you, this will also be the destination of your next Christmas market!
- Kalsplatz market is a also called Art Advent market. It is a unique market that is full of different arts and crafts from most of the other markets. Good for gift buying! Again, for more information on the Christmas markets, read here!
Art Advent Market at night
Afternoon/Evening: Maria-Theresian Market, Spittelberg, Schönbrunn Palace
After Karlsplatz, head to Maria-Theresian Square! Here you will find one of Vienna’s larger markets, home to many craft, drink and food stalls. Be sure to grab one of their cute mugs!
Spittelberg neighborhood where you will find a market with a very local feel. Here, the stalls are set up along streets in the neighborhood (rather than a larger square) and you will likely find it a little more laid-back than some of the other markets.
In 2024, the market is dedicated to sustainability and is set up as an eco-event where they are focused on recycle materials and you can find organic foods.
Spittelberg Neighborhood Christmas market
From Spittelberg, hop on the public transportation and get to the U4 green metro line to Schönbrunn Palace! We visited this palace in the morning and then decided to return at night.
I think Schönbrunn is worth seeing at night! The backdrop of the palace is lit up, the giant Christmas tree is lit up and the curling that is at Schönbrunn Palace is usually happening at night!
Schönbrunn Palace Christmas market at night
Evening Options After Schönbrunn Palace
- If you didn’t return to Rathausplatz to see it at night on day 1, you can do that after Schönbrunn
- Go back to any of the other markets you liked the best that you visited during the day to see them at night; they all have a different feel at night!
- Finish seeing the cities lights at night; there are a few you MUST see before you leave!
- If you haven’t yet seen Graben or Kohlmarkt Streets at night, you need to!
- You also need to see St. Stephen’s cathedral at night.
- Another popular Christmas display is the giant red bow on the side of Popp and Kretschmer.
- Here’s the kicker! From the big red bow you can continue down Kärntner Straße, which will take you to Stephensplatz and the cathedral from which you can then take Graben and Kohlmarkt Streets.
- This is what they call the Golden U!
St Stephen’s Cathedral, Graben Street, Bow at Popp and Kretschmer, Hotel Sacher, Kärtner Straße, respectively
What to Do with an Extra Day in Vienna?
Have an extra day in Vienna? First of all, you will be able to slow down a little bit and have some more time at each market if you wish.
- Also, a market that is missed on this itinerary is Hirschstetten Advent Market which is a botanical garden about 30 minutes north of Vienna’s city center. FYI: It IS only open until December 22, 2024 and is only open Thursday through Sunday. We opted to not visit this market, but you can read here for more info on it.
- You also likely won’t have to choose between the market at the University of Vienna and the Wintermarkt at Prater
Basically, with three days in Vienna, you will be able to visit ALL of the markets if you wish (or take a couple of day trips like us 🤪).
Final Thoughts on this 2 Day Vienna Itinerary
You can see a lot of Vienna’s Christmas markets in two days and, in all honesty, the markets start running together. You will start seeing the same ornaments, same drinks, etc. So I recommend sticking to two, no more than three, days in Vienna and then combine it with another city or with a couple of day trips!
Want to extend your trip to 4 days and include a couple of day trips?! Click the 4 day itinerary below!
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