Vienna Christmas Markets 2026: What Stays Open

Vienna is the answer for a Christmas market visit after Christmas, but only if you choose the right two places. On 27 December 2026, the main markets still open are the Christmas market at Schönbrunn Palace and the Wintermarkt at the Prater's Riesenradplatz. Both are scheduled to continue through 6 January 2027.

That is the useful contrast with the German Christmas Markets 2026 companion article. Its fourteen listed markets are closed by 27 December. In Vienna, most markets also finish before Christmas, but two substantial ones remain open through the week between Christmas and New Year.

• Schönbrunn: open from 6 November 2026 to 6 January 2027. From 25 December onward, hours are 10:00 to 19:00.
• Prater Wintermarkt: open from 20 November 2026 to 6 January 2027. It runs 12:00 to 22:00 Monday to Friday and 11:00 to 22:00 on weekends and public holidays. On 31 December it runs until 02:00.
• Closed after 26 December: Rathausplatz, Stephansplatz, Maria-Theresien-Platz and Schwarzenbergplatz.
• Closed after 23 December: Am Hof, Freyung, Karlsplatz, Spittelberg, University Campus and, subject to its disputed opening date, Türkenschanzpark.
• Not operating in 2026: the Belvedere market is paused because of planned construction work.
• Not confirmed: no official 2026 listing was found for a Michaelerplatz Christmas market.

The same 11 stops also run as a self-guided tour inside the Ciceru app, with the story and a quiz question at each one, and a free 500 MB global eSIM so you are online the moment you land.

These are the main 2026 markets that do not run into the post-Christmas week:

• Am Hof: 13 November to 23 December, 11:00 to 21:00 Monday to Thursday, 10:00 to 21:00 Friday to Sunday and public holidays. Gastronomy runs to 22:00. It is an arts, crafts and food market at Am Hof in the first district.
• Freyung: 14 November to 23 December, daily 10:00 to 21:00. The German operator page is the useful 2026 source. Its English page still displays old dates, so check the language version before relying on a search result.
• Karlsplatz Art Advent: 13 November to 23 December. Craft stalls run 12:00 to 20:00 and gastronomy to 21:00. This is the most clearly juried craft and design market in the group. A current Austria.info listing incorrectly ends it on 13 December.
• Spittelberg: 13 November to 23 December, 14:00 to 21:30 Monday to Friday and 11:00 to 21:30 on weekends and public holidays. The market spreads through Spittelberggasse, Stiftgasse, Schrankgasse and Gutenberggasse.
• University Campus: 13 November to 23 December. Hours are 14:00 to 22:00 Monday to Thursday, 14:00 to 23:00 Friday, 11:00 to 23:00 Saturday, 11:00 to 21:00 Sunday, and 14:00 to 20:00 on 23 December. It is the strongest MAGMAG location for rides and children's programming.
• Türkenschanzpark: the opening day is disputed in the current sources, 13 or 14 November, with the market ending 23 December. Published hours are 15:00 to 22:00 weekdays and 12:00 to 22:00 weekends and public holidays. Recheck the first day before publication or travel.
• Hirschstetten: the City of Vienna lists the Christmas exhibition and market for 12 to 20 November. The city calendar gives provisional hours of 10:00 to 20:00, while the detailed event page says final hours will be announced. It is in the Blumengärten Hirschstetten, 1220 Wien.

There is no defensible official 2026 city-wide range for Punsch, Glühwein or food prices yet. The current sources do not provide enough live menus across independent markets, and older guides mix 2025 prices into 2026 pages. This guide leaves those figures out rather than presenting a false range.

• MAGMAG markets: at Stephansplatz, Maria-Theresien-Platz, University Campus and Schwarzenbergplatz, the hot-drink cup deposit is €5. The 2026 souvenir cup is a red glass boot. Return it or keep it as a souvenir.
• Prater: the operator documents €5 for its mug, refunded when returned undamaged, or €2 for an ordinary cup.
• Rathausplatz and other markets: a 2026 deposit figure was not published in the sources retrieved. Treat it as UNVERIFIED.
• Cards: card payment is confirmed at the four MAGMAG markets and at Prater. Carry some cash at Rathausplatz, Schönbrunn, Freyung, Am Hof, Spittelberg, Karlsplatz, Türkenschanzpark and Hirschstetten because universal card acceptance is not officially guaranteed.

The dense central group is compact enough to compare on foot. Stephansplatz to Am Hof is about 0.7 km or 9 minutes. Am Hof to Freyung is about 0.4 km or 5 to 6 minutes. Freyung to Rathausplatz is about 0.8 km or 10 to 11 minutes. Rathausplatz to Maria-Theresien-Platz is about 0.8 km or 10 minutes, and Maria-Theresien-Platz to Spittelberg is about 0.5 km or 6 to 7 minutes.

Karlsplatz and Schwarzenbergplatz make a separate pair, about 0.7 km or 9 minutes apart. The University Campus is roughly 1.4 km or 18 minutes from Rathausplatz. Praterstern is faster by U1 from Stephansplatz than by walking the roughly 2.2 to 2.5 km. Schönbrunn is a U4 journey rather than a useful market-to-market walk. Türkenschanzpark and Hirschstetten are outer-district visits and should not be folded into a claim that you can see every market in one central afternoon.

For a weekday morning, the strongest confirmed choices are Rathausplatz, Schönbrunn and Freyung, all open from 10:00. Stephansplatz starts at 11:00. Am Hof starts at 11:00 from Monday to Thursday. Karlsplatz starts at 12:00, while Spittelberg and University Campus generally start in the afternoon on weekdays.

For children, Rathausplatz has a dedicated skating area and rides. Schönbrunn has skating, curling and craft activities. University Campus is the MAGMAG market with the clearest family programming. Prater combines the market with rides, although outdoor attractions are weather-dependent. Hirschstetten has craft stations and a family Christmas exhibition.

Accessibility is market-specific. MAGMAG confirms accessible sanitary facilities at Stephansplatz, Maria-Theresien-Platz, University Campus and Schwarzenbergplatz. Am Hof is explicitly barrier-free and has accessible toilets behind the Mariensäule. Schönbrunn documents accessible parking at the main gate, but that is not a full audit of the temporary market surface. Do not describe every Vienna market as fully wheelchair accessible.

Vienna's December climate is usually around 0°C, with snow possible but major snowstorms uncommon. That is a climate average, not a forecast. Outdoor markets continue in ordinary winter weather, but exceptional conditions can change hours or close individual Prater attractions. Standing still with a hot drink feels colder than walking, so dress for the time spent outside rather than the temperature shown on a phone.

Which Vienna Christmas markets are open on 27 December 2026?

Schönbrunn and the Prater Wintermarkt are the two confirmed substantial markets open that day. Schönbrunn runs 10:00 to 19:00. Prater follows its Sunday or public-holiday schedule, 11:00 to 22:00.

Is the Rathausplatz market open after Christmas?

Only through 26 December. The market ends that day. The ice attraction at Rathausplatz is a separate operation and does not mean the Christmas market continues.

Is the Belvedere market open in 2026?

Not at the traditional location. The current operator says it is paused because of construction. Older listings that give November to December dates are stale.

Do I need the Ciceru app to use this guide?

No. You can use this article without the app. If you want the stories and quizzes for the Vienna walk, the same 11 stops also run as a self-guided tour inside the Ciceru app, with a free 500 MB global eSIM so you are online the moment you land.

For 27 December through 1 January, choose Schönbrunn or Prater. On 26 December, add Rathausplatz, Stephansplatz, Maria-Theresien-Platz and Schwarzenbergplatz, but expect the rest of the Advent markets to be closed. Recheck Maria-Theresien-Platz hours, Prater's expected 1 January schedule, prices, payment policies and any Belvedere replacement announcement in November. The central fact is stable: Vienna has two verified post-Christmas markets, not a city-wide market season that continues everywhere.