Enjoying the pre-Christmas period with punch, mulled wine, baked apples, sausages, Feuerfleck and more is a tradition in Vienna. And a visit to the Christmas market also makes you oh-so-cheerful. From mid-November, people meet here in a convivial hustle and bustle to celebrate the quietest time of the year in anything but silence. You can especially celebrate with your Vienna Welcome Card: it is your ticket to many discounts and free admissions when you are in Vienna - for us the absolute favorite souvenir!

Pre-Christmas imperial: Schönbrunn Palace

Where Maria Theresa, Sisi and Franzl once lived, you can now treat yourself to an imperial break - perfect if you have just been sightseeing at Schönbrunn Palace, the Wagenburg or the zoo. After all, the Christmas market in Schönbrunn is considered particularly idyllic. Here you can enjoy unusual punch creations such as a Sisi punch and enjoy delicacies such as soups in bread dough, raclettes, hearty gratinated breads and much more, and marvel at enchanting arts and crafts before, in between or afterwards. A visit to this Christmas market is reminiscent of a stroll through a quaint village - no remmidemmi, no bling-bling. The location is of course world-famous: a trip to Schönbrunn is a must when you're in Vienna. Incidentally, this location is a popular concert venue in summer: Bilderbuch and Kraftwerk have already thrilled crowds here, while you can now hear a gentle “Silent Night” in the background in the run-up to Christmas. By the way: the Vienna Welcome Card gives you lots of discounts for Schönbrunn.

Enjoy like Prince Eugene: Belvedere Palace

Let's move on to the next residence of crowned heads: Advent hustle and bustle awaits you in a truly magical setting at Belvedere Palace Christmas Village. Baroque design, imperial splendour, elegant stalls, the finest punch and mulled wine specialties and delicacies such as baked apples make this Christmas market a highlight not to be missed: Here, in front of Prince Eugene's residence, you can indulge in Christmas magic to the fullest - after a little art and culture, for example. Belvedere Palace is also an absolute hotspot for this. Stop by for a kiss: yes, you can marvel at THE famous work by Gustav Klimt here.

In a hip environment: Spittelberg

The Christmas market on Spittelberg, which has long been an institution for artists, is a lot less imperial. Spittelberg is the former red light district - that is, in the days of the emperor - and is now a popular place for much more harmless get-togethers. Located in the hip 7th district, surrounded by trendy bars and cafés, cool concept stores and chic boutique hotels, you will find what is probably the most “alternative” Advent market in the city. Spittelberg is a charming hotspot full of galleries, but also scores with quaint inns such as the Witwe Bolte. You won't find any Christmas kitsch here - but you will meet lots of young people enjoying punch creations and raclette sandwiches while admiring one or two works of art. The many eateries, including the veggie temple Tian Bistro, invite you to warm up. At this Christmas market, you can look forward to a relaxed atmosphere away from the booming “Leise rieselt der Schnee”.

In the middle of the campus: Altes AKH

It's on to the next Christmas village - in the old AKH, a university campus that attracts a younger crowd in particular. Located not far from Vienna's city center, a visit to this Christmas market is often the starting point for long, long nights in the hip ninth district: after all, you'll find countless bars and clubs all around, from the Gürtelbögen all the way down to the first district. But let's stick to the Christmas market: the small but all the finer market won us over with its fine selection of delicious food, the unusual punch variations and the arts and crafts that are sold here. Another plus point: we all know the “cold feet at the Christmas market” problem. Here, on campus, you can warm up in between in a restaurant like the “Alte Ambulanz” before strolling past the stalls again.

Of course, you can also visit the classic market on Rathausplatz - Vienna's Christmas markets are all worth a visit. With so much Advent magic, it certainly won't be your last Christmas in Vienna. Make sure you grab a Vienna Welcome Card before your visit so you can enjoy lots of discounts. For example, when you set off to see the sights in Vienna or check out the best places for Kaiserschmarrn.