10 Things to Do in Vienna at Christmas

Vienna is considered one of the best destinations in Europe and the world to visit at Christmas. A fame that has been well earned thanks to its beauty at this time of the year. Its palaces, churches, museums and buildings look more beautiful than ever thanks to the Christmas lighting. Its streets also dazzle thanks to the care they put into decorating them. The Christmas markets deserve a special mention.

All this together make Vienna the city of Christmas par excellence. Among so many plans, activities and places that the city offers, it is difficult to decide which are the best. For this reason, I have made a selection of the 10 best things to see and do in Vienna on the most magical date of the calendar.

Vienna is the city of music as it is linked to names like Mozart, Beethoven or Strauss. That is why the capital of Austria is a paradise for classical music lovers and concerts of this genre are one of the best activities we can enjoy in Vienna. Especially at Christmas time, when special concerts and gala dinners are held to celebrate the holidays.

Perhaps the best place for this, apart from the opera house, is the Kursalon. But concerts are also organized in such wonderful places as St. Anne's Church in Vienna, the Musikverein or Golden Hall, St. Charles Borromeo Church or St. Peter's Church. Here are some options:

• Tickets for classical music concert at St. Anne's Church in Vienna - from $35.
• Mozart and Strauss concert tickets in Vienna - from $68.
• Mozart concert tickets in Vienna - from $62.
• Vivaldi's Four Seasons concert tickets in Vienna - from $36.
• Tickets for classical music concert at St. Peter's Church in Vienna - from $47.

Christmas markets are undoubtedly the most symbolic element of Christmas in Vienna. There are dozens of them spread all over the city, but undoubtedly the biggest and most popular of them all is the one set up in the city's Town Hall Square.

Known as the Rathaus Park market, in front of the beautiful town hall building more than 150 Christmas-focused stalls are set up selling food, decorations, handicrafts, toys and many other Christmas-related items. Most of them handmade. A paradise for Christmas lovers.

The market also has a merry-go-round and a Ferris wheel, and is crowned by a spectacular Christmas tree in the center of the square. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays there are small Christmas carol and choir contests. This market is active from November 12 to December 26 and is open every day until 9:30 p.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. on weekends. An ideal option to learn everything you need to know about this market is to book a private tour of Vienna.

Of course another of Vienna's great attractions at Christmas time is the Christmas lighting. As you would expect from a city with such beautiful architecture, the lighting is up to the task and attention is paid to the smallest detail. Major buildings and monuments, such as palaces and churches, have their own special lighting. It is a unique time to photograph their facades and get some memories in the form of photo that you can only do at this time.

The streets and stores are also decked out in their finery. The streets of Graben, Karntner Strabe and those adjacent to the Stephansplatz square are the best in this regard and those who put more care in their lighting and shop windows. Logically, at night is when they look best and stroll through them when the sun goes down is one of the most recommended things to see in Vienna at night.

Vienna is a city very grateful to the little ones of the house and an ideal destination to visit with children. Since they are the stars of the holiday season, they deserve a gift in the form of an amusement park. In Vienna, the Prater amusement park becomes a fairytale place at Christmas.

This famous park is located within the large green area of the same name and houses numerous attractions such as the giant Ferris wheel from which you can see the whole of Vienna, various roller coasters, merry-go-rounds, bumper cars and much more. At Christmas time the park is decorated according to the holiday season with toy stalls, fairytale characters and lots of activities to make Christmas even more special for the children.

One of the main Christmas activities in Vienna is ice-skating. Ice skating is very popular with locals in the winter months and ice rinks are set up all over the city. The two most prominent are at City Hall and in the Wilhelminenberg Palace Gardens. The first coincides with the Christmas market in the town hall square. This rink is called Little Ice Dream and the entrance costs from 3,50 €. On their website you have all the information and ticket reservation.

The second, located in the gardens of the Wilhelminenberg Palace, is more spectacular. There are almost 3,000 square meters spread over several rinks suitable for different levels, from beginners to experts in skating.

Both rinks offer skate rental and are generally open until 6 p.m. in the evening. If you have your own skates it is totally free to skate on them. I recommend getting a Vienna Pass as these dates may include entry to some ice rinks.

For the last I have left for the end what is Vienna's most famous and international Christmas event. The New Year's Concert. This concert has been held on New Year's Day since 1939 and has achieved such fame that it is televised to over 50 countries and has an estimated audience of about 1 billion people each year. It is held in the Great Hall or Golden Hall of Vienna's Musikverein near St. Charles Church.

Getting a ticket for an event of such caliber is not an easy mission, as they are raffled, far from cheap, but it is worth trying to get a seat. In fact, bookings usually start in February and sell out as they go out.

But there are more options to enjoy the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. On December 31 there is a pre-concert, the St. Sylvester concert, and on December 30 there is a dress rehearsal. To see both of these you also have to order tickets in advance and although cheaper than those on the 1st, they also have high prices. In any case, there are many other ways to enjoy music in Vienna such as the music house, the opera or the Kursalon - the options are diverse!

The so-called Vienna Little Singers Choir is the oldest children's choir in the world. It is also one of the most prestigious. It was founded in 1498 by order of Emperor Maximilian I and since then has been used to sing at masses and special celebrations. One of them is that of Christmas Day.

On December 25 itself, a special mass is celebrated in the Wiener Hofburgkapelle, or Hofburg Chapel, in the imperial palace in Vienna (one of the best palaces in Vienna to visit) in which this choir participates with a series of special songs.

The musical beauty of the choir of little singers attracts hundreds of visitors on Christmas Day so it is almost obligatory to book admission in advance. The mass begins on the morning of the 25th at 9:15 a.m. and tickets start at 12 €.

I could spend thousands of words listing all of Vienna's Christmas markets. But I have chosen to highlight the two most important and, in my opinion, the most beautiful in the city. The first, the town hall market, has already been mentioned, and the second is the one held on the square next to St. Stephen's Cathedral.

This market is especially visual thanks to the frame we have with the cathedral in the background. The building is illuminated with lights and Christmas shapes that enhance its beauty and also next to it and the many stalls is installed a beautiful Christmas tree several meters high.

The wooden stalls are set up from November 12 to December 26 and the opening hours are from 11:00 to 21:00 every day. Given its location in the heart of the city, it is an obligatory stop.

The Church of St. Charles Borromeo on Karl Platz is a must-see all year round. But it is at Christmas when it is at its best. This church, erected in honor of the Saint of St. Charles Borromeo after the plague epidemic that hit the city in 1716, becomes one of the best Christmas postcards of Vienna. Firstly because of the illumination of the church and the square, and secondly because of the spectacular Christmas market in front of the church that stands out for the sale of authentic Christmas trees.

But Christmas also comes inside the church. In addition to its architectural and artistic value, special masses are often held that include Christmas concerts with carols and songs perfect to put the finishing touch to a 100% Christmas experience. As a curiosity, right next to this church is the Musikverein where the famous Vienna New Year's concert is held.

Christmas is not only in the streets, but also in the restaurants. In Vienna, gastronomy plays an important role in the festive season and there are many special dishes and menus that can be tasted in the restaurants. Typical for dinner is carp, which is served fried and coated in breadcrumbs, or roast chicken or pork.

Other typical dishes, especially at Christmas time, are Lebkuchen, similar to gingerbread, Stollen, which is a fruit-filled cake, or the typical Christmas cookies known as Weihnachtskekse.

Cookies, cakes and typical sausages can also be found at Christmas markets. Roasted chestnuts also feature prominently and are sold at numerous stalls throughout the city. The latter together with Weihnachtspunsch, a hot alcoholic drink, are your best ally to combat the cold in the streets of Vienna.

As you might expect, if you travel to the Austrian capital at Christmas you should be warm and well prepared for all the plans, activities and sights to see in Vienna. Temperatures in late December and early January range from a high of 5 degrees Celsius to an average of 3 degrees below zero. Rain and snow are also frequent at this time.

On average, there is a 20% chance of rain while December is the month with the highest chance of snow. Although it is a cold season, the humidity is almost non-existent so if you dress warmly it is a very bearable climate. So don't forget your Christmas sweaters at home as you will almost certainly need them.

Vienna's Christmas charm has a downside. And that is the huge influx of people in the city at this time of year. Although the summer months are considered the high season, Christmas is a break in the middle of the low season and the city fills up with tourists. It is a time of high demand for hotels, many queues at its main monuments and streets overflowing.

With the high influx of people and the high demand , prices also rise. In general Vienna is not a city that we can consider cheap, although there are always options for all budgets, but at Christmas prices rise considerably. Therefore, if you want to visit the city at this time, it is best to book your trip as far in advance as possible.

If you are wondering what to pack in your luggage if you visit Vienna at Christmas, the answer is very simple. To be brief, warm clothes, if we go into detail what should not be missing in your suitcase is:

• A good coat is essential, preferably waterproof in case it rains or snows.
• Cotton sweaters and thermal T-shirts are the best combination.
• Do not forget accessories such as gloves, hat and scarf.
• Choose comfortable, waterproof footwear with good grip in case it snows.
• An umbrella or raincoat is never superfluous.
• Bring a spacious suitcase as it is quite likely that you will want to buy some gifts or souvenirs at the Christmas markets.