11 Things to Do in Vienna in December
Vienna is spectacular all year round, but especially in December, when it is covered with lights, parties, snow... and a lot of plans to enjoy the city.
Vienna, Austria | ©Tauralbus
When you are planning your trip to Vienna in December, there is one expression you should learn: Frohe Weihnachten, which means Merry Christmas! It will undoubtedly be very useful to make the most of your visit to the Austrian capital at this time of year.
Vienna in December expands its already wide range of activities and you will be able to enjoy everything from a stroll through its wonderful city centre to a fascinating route through its Christmas markets. Despite the cold weather, this is undoubtedly one of the best times to visit the city.
1. Stroll through the beautifully illuminated shopping streets
Vienna in December is almost entirely marked by Christmas. It is very difficult to escape the Christmas atmosphere in the main shopping streets: Stephansplatz, Kärntner Straße or Graben.
Anyone who travels to Vienna at Christmas, or even a few weeks before, will be left open-mouthed as they walk through these beautifully illuminated and elaborately decorated areas of the city. If this is your case, you can't miss these wide streets dotted with different shopping and dining venues.
A good plan? Take a stroll at dusk to enjoy the beauty of the lights, accompanied by a good cone of roasted chestnuts (Maroni), a very typical product of the season.
2. Experience classical music in the city where it was born
What better plan for Vienna in December than to enjoy a classical music concert! Mozart, Strauss, Vivaldi, Beethoven, Schubert? The repertoire, for classical music lovers as well as for those who don't, is truly spectacular, an experience you have to live at least once in your life! Here are some options: - Tickets for a classical music concert at Vienna's St. Anne's Church, from £33: Located in the city centre, this Gothic-style church dates back to 1320. The concert lasts about 1.5 hours and features pieces by Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn and Schubert - Tickets for a Mozart and Strauss concert in Vienna, from ** £44: Vienna's famous Kursalon auditorium is the venue for this concert, which lasts approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes and features works by famous Austrian artists such as Strauss and Mozart - Mozart concert tickets in Vienna from ** £48: This 2-hour Mozart concert takes place at the Musikverein and you can also add a vip option with a glass of sparkling wine, 4-course dinner and even a carriage ride to make you feel like you're in another era - Tickets for a classical music concert at St. Peter's Church in Vienna, from £34: The works of Mozart, Schubert, Vivaldi, Bach or Beethoven can be set to music in a dazzling setting, in this concert lasting approximately 1 hour - Tickets for a concert of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons in Vienna, from ** £29**: And for lovers of this Vivaldi classic, I recommend this concert of about 1 hour and 10 minutes, performed by Orchestra 1756, which takes place in the Church of St. Charles Borromeo.
3. Get to know Vienna without being cold from the tram
In the middle of December in Vienna, the weather can be a little bit bad, but don't despair! You can take the tourist tram along the Ringstrasse and enjoy a first-class sightseeing tour.
Cold and rain are very bad travelling companions, making sightseeing an unattractive activity. Thanks to this tram, with its thirteen stops, you will be able to get to know the centre of Vienna as well as its history, in a pleasant and unique way. You will travel along the main avenues of the city, passing by emblematic buildings such as the National Opera and the City Hall. A very good alternative to bad weather that will allow you to continue enjoying Vienna and the uniqueness offered by transport such as the tram.
Of course, another way to escape the cold is to book one of Vienna's sightseeing buses. You'll also get to hear all about the history and architecture of the city along the way.
4. See the breathtaking views of Vienna lit up from the iconic Ferris wheel
Among the activities that should be on your must-do list if you're travelling to Vienna for two days or more is a ride on the famous Wiener Riesenrad Ferris wheel. If you go in December, the views are simply extraordinary, with the city lit up for Christmas and, hopefully, snow.
Although you can go up in the morning, my recommendation is to wait until the sun goes down, which happens quite early in December. Of course, some of the attractions at the Prater, Europe's oldest amusement park, may be closed if it snows too much, but this rarely affects its famous Ferris wheel.
The Prater itself is often the site of a Christmas market, so you're sure to be immersed in a magical atmosphere.
Useful information
- Location: Prater, 1020.
- Price: about €13.5 for adults and about half that for children.
- Opening hours: from 10:00 a.m. to about 9:45 p.m. in the evening.
5. Visit Schönbrunn Palace and its Christmas Market
Visiting Schoenbrunn Palace is a year-round activity, but it is in December that you will enjoy the imperial Christmas market, which adds a special touch to your visit and all the more reason to book a guided tour of Schoenbrunn Palace.
The outskirts of the palace are dressed up for Christmas and offer visitors a beautiful and charming traditional setting. Beneath the majestic Schoenbrunn Palace you will find a multitude of Christmas stalls, a great place to enjoy a tasty Weihnachtspunsch and buy a typical Christmas souvenir.
Inside the palace you will be enchanted by the wonder of its halls: the Oval Chinese Cabinet, the Blue Chinese Room, the historic Vieux-Lacque Room or the Millionaire's Room. The sense of historic grandeur is palpable with every step you take inside. You also have the opportunity to book a visit with dinner and a concert for an experience you will never forget.
6. Get to know Vienna's museums and take the opportunity to warm up
While a visit to Vienna 's best museums is a must at any time of year, there's no doubt that a visit in December has an added bonus. Not only will you be able to enjoy the rich culture, but you'll also be able to spend some time in a heated interior.
There's plenty on offer, but I'd recommend two museums in particular:
- Tickets for the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna's Museum of Art History, where you will have the opportunity to see a real marvel, both inside and out. It is one of the most important museums in the world, built by Emperor Franz Joseph, who compiled an impressive collection of art. Inside it offers one of the most valuable collections of Renaissance and Baroque art. You can admire pieces and objects spanning almost 5,000 years of history.
- Tickets for the Albertina Museum Vienna, located in the centre of Vienna, which specialises in painting. It is estimated to hold around 65,000 works by great artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Bosch.
- Tickets for the Upper Belvedere in Vienna, where you can immerse yourself in the collection of the Upper Belvedere and admire more than 400 works of art from the Middle Ages to the present day, with pieces by Klimt, Schiele, Renoir, Van Gogh and Monet.
7. Collect your Weihnachtspunsch mug
In Vienna in December it's all about tradition, every routine in the streets has an attractive charm. One of the traditions you can't miss on your trip is a hot cup of Christmas punch (Weihnachtspunsch), a type of mulled wine, a typical winter product that you will find everywhere, especially at the Christmas markets.
This drink is served in traditional mugs, with designs unique to each area. When ordering the drink you will pay a deposit for the mug, and if you don't want it, the deposit will be refunded. You can also buy the mug separately without taking the liquor, but for cold Vienna there is nothing like a good cup of Weihnachtspunsch - you can't leave Vienna without taking your mug home with you!
Try other December foods
Like everywhere else, Austria has some typical winter dishes. If you are travelling to Vienna in winter there are a few that I recommend you try to make your experience more complete:
- Maroni: these are simply roasted chestnuts. In the streets you will find numerous stalls that serve them in a paper cone.
- Schaumrollen: this sweet is made with puff pastry that is rolled up and filled with meringue or whipped cream.
- Langos: this is a type of flat bread that is deep-fried.
- Lebkuchen: a country version of a gingerbread biscuit.
8. Climb the tower of St. Stephen's Cathedral
Vienna is always beautiful, but this beauty is enhanced by the Christmas lights and decorations. A good way to see this panoramic view is from the top of St. Stephen's Cathedral, a unique architectural masterpiece located in the heart of Vienna.
It is one of the city's must-see sights and is home to the remains of the Habsburg family. Its towers are spectacular and are considered a jewel of Gothic art. The South Tower is the highest and it is possible to climb to the top and enjoy a unique and singular view.
You will only have to climb 343 steps to reach the 136 metres of this spectacular tower. Once at the top, the effort will have been well worth it as you will be able to contemplate a beautiful view of the place. Do you dare?
Useful information
- Location: Stephansplatz 3.
- Price: The climb up the tower costs around €5.5 for adults and €2 for children under 14.
- Opening times: normally open from 9am to 5.30pm.
9. Enjoy a good cup of coffee at Cafe Museum
In the cold of Vienna in December, there is nothing like a good coffee in a pleasant and historic place. The Cafe Museum is an ideal place to taste the best coffees while you soak up the historic scene of Viennese culture.
Vienna offers an important coffee culture and in the Cafe Museum you can relax and unwind with one of its best alternatives, as did local cultural figures such as the great painter Gustav Klimt.
This is a great opportunity to taste the classic and true Viennese coffee accompanied by one of the succulent cakes that they offer to their customers. I have no doubt that the Cafe Museum will become one of your favourite places during your visit to Vienna.
Useful information
- Location: Operngasse 7.
- Price: I'm not going to kid you, this is an expensive place where an espresso can cost around €4.
- Opening hours: Every day from 8am to 9pm.
10. Don't miss out on a souvenir of the Christmas markets
Few places are as alive with the spirit of Christmas as Vienna. From the end of November, the Christmas markets open their doors, marking the start of the festive season in the city. There are more than 20 Christmas markets and a good plan is to take a guide to them and enjoy a tour. You will discover charming spots full of Christmas magic, where it will be impossible not to take away an unforgettable souvenir.
- The Christmas market on Rathausplatz is a must-see, with more than 100 Christmas stalls filled with a wide variety of Christmas decorations and typical gastronomic products.
- And don't miss the Christmas Village at Maria-Theresien-Platz, located on the circular Ringstrasse in the heart of the city, a delight that will take you back to your childhood.
The Christmas markets are, without a doubt, one of the great attractions of Vienna in December, a dream come true if you love this time of year. Remember that Vienna's Christmas markets open in mid-November and usually end on 26 December.
11. Be surprised in the House of Butterflies
You may realise that Vienna has a lot to see and do, and while strolling through the streets is really impressive during the month of December, it's quite possible that you might feel like popping into a cosy spot every now and then. A very special one, and not too well known, is the Butterfly House.
This building, located in Burggarten Park, is home to hundreds of exotic butterflies. In order to provide the animals with the best possible environment, the interior maintains a constant temperature of 26°C and a humidity of 80%. In short, a real rainforest in the middle of cold winter Vienna.
In addition to seeing beautiful butterflies of all colours fluttering around freely, you can relax here for a while. Just sit still and admire the beauty of the waterfalls, ponds and plants in the garden.
Useful information
- Location: Burggarten/Palmenhaus.
- Price: €7 for adults and €5.5 for school children.
- Opening hours: daily between 10am and 4pm.
The weather in Vienna in December
If you are planning a trip to Vienna in December, you need to know what the winter cold is like in the area. December is not the coldest month in Vienna, as it is usually January, when the lowest temperatures are recorded. Thus, the average high temperature is 4.6°C and the average low temperature is 0.5°C. It's a fact, it will be cold, but that's part of the charm of travelling to Vienna in this month.
Good news! December is not a very rainy month, with an average of 7.6 rainy days. It is also a great time to see and enjoy the snow in the city.
Bring warm clothing, especially gloves, hats, winter socks and even earmuffs. Before you travel, it is always advisable to check the temperature in Vienna for the days you will be there.