Christmas in Vienna: A Festive 4-Day Adventure

4 Day Tour of Vienna

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Trip Map
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Christmas Market on the Rathausplatz in Vienna

4 Days 3 Nights

Best Time: Jan-Dec

Christmas Market

Cultural Exploration

Enjoy a magical holiday season in Vienna, where Christmas decor, colorful lights, and traditional markets create a winter wonderland. This 4-day itinerary takes you to the best of Vienna’s Christmas markets, from the grand market on the Rathausplatz to the festively decorated lanes of the Spittelberg Quarter. Marvel at the opulent Schönbrunn Palace and its Christmas market, and soak in the charm of Vienna's Inner City during a guided walking tour. With cozy cafés, Imperial history, and holiday cheer, Vienna is the perfect destination to celebrate the season, and it will all be easy with the help of our detailed itinerary & mobile app.

Wander the enchanting Christkindlmarkt at the Rathausplatz, Vienna’s most iconic Christmas market.
Experience Imperial grandeur on a visit to Schönbrunn Palace and its festive Christmas Market.
Discover traditional restaurants & Christmas atmosphere in the lively Spittelberg Quarter.
Take a private guided walk in Vienna’s Inner City, where medieval streets meet Baroque architecture.
Visit the Naschmarkt and the Museum Quarter, vibrant hubs of art, food, and bohemian life.

Wander the enchanting Christkindlmarkt at the Rathausplatz, Vienna’s most iconic Christmas market.
Experience Imperial grandeur on a visit to Schönbrunn Palace and its festive Christmas Market.
Discover traditional restaurants & Christmas atmosphere in the lively Spittelberg Quarter.
Take a private guided walk in Vienna’s Inner City, where medieval streets meet Baroque architecture.
Visit the Naschmarkt and the Museum Quarter, vibrant hubs of art, food, and bohemian life.

Hofburg Palace

Castles & Chateaux

St Stephen’s Cathedral

Churches & Monasteries

Museumsquartier

Museums & Galleries

Schönbrunn Palace & Zoo

Parks & Gardens

Spanish Riding School

Cultural

Ringstrasse

Historic Landmarks

Belvedere Palace & Karlskirche

Castles & Chateaux

Must see sights

Hofburg Palace

Castles & Chateaux

St Stephen’s Cathedral

Churches & Monasteries

Museumsquartier

Museums & Galleries

Schönbrunn Palace & Zoo

Parks & Gardens

Spanish Riding School

Cultural

Ringstrasse

Historic Landmarks

Belvedere Palace & Karlskirche

Castles & Chateaux

Starting from

$625

per person

4.8 (365 reviews)

Not included

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Day-By-Day Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive Vienna

Day 1

Arrive Vienna

To Be Determined

Arrival in Vienna Airport and Transfer to Hotel by Public Taxi

Vienna has one main airport, Vienna International Airport, where almost all visitors arrive. Taxis are available directly at the terminal exit, or you can arrange a private transfer for added convenience. Uber is also available to those who have the app.

Day 1

Arrive Vienna

To Be Determined:

Taxi Transfer to Hotel

Mid-Day/Afternoon:

Ring Street

Late Afternoon/Early Evening:

Christmas Markets

Day 1

Arrive Vienna

Day 1

Arrive Vienna

To Be Determined

Arrival in Vienna Airport and Transfer to Hotel by Public Taxi

Mid-Day/Afternoon

Along Vienna's Ringstraße (Ring Street)

The Ringstrasse, or the Ring Street, surrounds Vienna's old town where the city walls once stood until the 19th century. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was at the height of its prosperity at the time the walls were torn down, and so it lined the wide Ringstrasse with monumental buildings such as the neo-Gothic town hall and neo-Classical parliament buildling. A fun experience is to take a tram ride around the entire length of the Ringstrasse, soaking in the full richness of the spectacle.

Late Afternoon/Early Evening

Christmas Market on the Rathausplatz

If any city deserves the title of world Christmas market capital, it would be Vienna. During the holiday season, almost all of Vienna is transformed into a Christmas wonderland, but the city's top spot for Christmas shopping and merrymaking is the classic Christkindlmarkt on the square in front of the city hall (the Rathausplatz). In the center of the market, a giant Christmas tree rises above the market against the backdrop of the festively-lit neo-Gothic Town Hall.

Day 2

Vienna

Day 2

Vienna

Day 2

Vienna

Day 2

Vienna

9:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Guided Walk through Vienna's Inner City

This tour takes you back in history to explore the Vienna that stood within the old city walls. You will learn about the humble beginnings of Vienna before it became the capital of a great empire and one of the most important cities in Europe. You will discover how Vienna's early inhabitants lived and how they left their mark on the city and its beautiful Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture.

Mid-Day/Afternoon

Experience the Imperial Vienna

Discover the very heart of the Habsburg Empire that once covered most of central Europe. Within the vast Hofburg Palace complex, which was once home to Austria’s emperors and their administrators, you will find palaces, museums, a famed riding hall, the Austrian national library, and much more. The State Opera House and other major monuments are also nearby. Majestically stunning, the buildings and squares of Imperial Vienna still evoke awe in the observer even if the Empire they were built for is now long gone.

Late Afternoon to Evening

Exploring Vienna's Inner City

When the Viennese say they are going “into the city”, they are talking about the Inner City (Innere Stadt). The Inner City corresponds to Vienna’s original medieval city, which was once surrounded by defensive walls that stood where the Ringstrasse (Ring Street) now runs. A warren of medieval alleyways crowded into the protected space between the walls, creating a dense network of pedestrian streets that remains to this day.

Day 3

Vienna

Day 3

Vienna

Day 3

Vienna

Day 3

Vienna

Morning to Afternoon

Tour the Schönbrunn Palace

The magnificent Baroque palace of Schönbrunn is most famously associated with Empress Maria Theresa, who lived here surrounded by 16 little archdukes and duchesses who also happened to be her children. On your tour of the palace, you will see how Maria Theresa and other past imperial residents lived. During the Christmas season, no visit is complete without exploring the wonderful Christmas Market in the palace forecourt.

Afternoon to Early Evening

Stroll from the Hundertwasser Haus to the Prater

The charming and unusual Hundertwasserhaus is one of Austria's architectural highlights. The colorful building represents a harmonic place where human beings and nature can live together with equal rights. Just a short walk away is the Prater, a large and pleasant public park. You can make your through the park to Vienna's oldest fun park, which is home to a towering Ferris wheel called the Wiener Riesenrad.

Early Evening/Evening

Dine with locals in the Spittelberg Quarter

One of the most enjoyable places for an evening out in Vienna is the Spittelberg quarter. Its narrow lanes are filled with pleasant traditional restaurants. The Spittelberg Quarter’s history stretches back to the 1600’s when the Austrian rulers imported artisans and servants from Hungary, Croatia, and other subject lands to help serve the Emperor’s court.

Day 4

Depart Vienna

Day 4

Depart Vienna

Day 4

Depart Vienna

Day 4

Depart Vienna

Morning

Hip Vienna; the Naschmarkt and Museum Quarter

The centuries-old market known as the Naschmarkt and its surroundings are a great destination for those who love shopping, art, cafes, and nightlife. With a population of students and young professionals this area is one of Vienna’s youngest, and not coincidentally, it’s most hip and bohemian. Even the nearby Museum Quarter is happening, as it's abuzz with activity even well after its outstanding museums have closed.

To Be Determined

Transfer to the Vienna Airport by Public Taxi

Vienna taxis are generally reliable and honest, so taking a taxi is cheaper than a pre-arranged transfer. Your hotel will be happy to arrange a pick up for you. If you are picked up three hours prior to departure, you should have plenty of time to catch your flight. If you are leaving during rush hour, you may want to budget an extra fifteen minutes or so.

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Christmas in Vienna: A Festive 4-Day Adventure

4 Day Tour of Vienna

$625

Secure Your Customizable Trip Enter your details to embark on a journey that can be tailored just for you.

Craft Your Own Itinerary Select your interests and destinations for a trip plan inspired by you.

Trip Map & Itinerary

Day-By-Day Itinerary

Arrival in Vienna Airport and Transfer to Hotel by Public Taxi

Secure Your Customizable Trip
Enter your details to embark on a journey that can be tailored just for you.

Craft Your Own Itinerary
Select your interests and destinations for a trip plan inspired by you.