Austria Christmas Market Tips

Discover the magic of  Austria Christmas Markets

If you are planning to visit Austrian Christmas Markets, here is a list of the top Christmas Market tips to help you plan the best trip.  Our Christmas Market Tips will ensure that you avoid making the common mistakes and plan the best holiday visiting  Christmas Markets in Austria.

 Discover the unique magic of an Austrian Christmas by visiting Christkindlmarkt ( Austria Christmas Markets).

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Austria Christmas Markets Top Tips

2. Check the Dates and hours that the Christmas Markets are open.

Christmas markets in Austria are generally open from late November until right before Christmas, and some Markets may be open into the New Year. 

Most markets are open daily from 10/11 am and the Christmas Markets close around 20:00 -22:00 (8-10pm).

Check each market website for its opening times.

3.    Book Accommodation

Once you have decided which Christmas Markets you will be visiting, book your accommodation ASAP.  The Christmas market season is a very popular time to visit Austria, and hotels book up quickly.
We recommend booking hotels that are convenient to the Christmas Markets- this typically means hotels close to the city centre. 

4.    Austrians celebrate Christmas on the evening of December 24th.

Most Christmas Markets will close ~16.00 (4 pm), so families can celebrate Christmas. The best time to plan to visit Austrian Christmas Markets is from the end of November to December 23.

Expect shops (including grocery stores), cafes, and some restaurants to close in the early-late afternoon.

It is recommended that you make lunch and dinner reservations for both Dec 24th and 25th.

5.    Dress for the cold.

Since you will be outside, walking around for most of the day- make sure you dress for the cold.

It can be warm, cloudy, rainy, cold or snowing.  So you need to be prepared for all weather.

We recommend dressing in layers, which limits the amount of clothing you need to pack while still allowing you to dress for weather changes during your travel days. When you go into shops, cafes, and museums, you can remove one or more layers to avoid overheating.

You will be walking and standing a lot on your Christmas Market trip, so wear comfortable, waterproof shoes or boots.  

Include long-sleeved shirts, thermal trousers or tops (if you get cold easily), warm socks, sweaters/jumpers, hat, scarf, warm gloves/mittens, and a warm, waterproof jacket. 

6.    Bring Cash (Euros) to the Christmas Markets.

Be prepared to pay with Cash at Christmas Markets and smaller cafes, restaurants, stalls, etc.

This is especially true in smaller towns and villages.

You may also need Euro coins to access public washrooms.

Electronic transactions have become more popular. Many of the vendors of souvenirs and gifts do accept debit and credit cards, but you may have trouble paying with debit/credit cards at some smaller stalls and food stalls.

Generally, if credit cards are accepted- only VISA and MasterCard are accepted.

**TOP MONEY-SAVING TIPS**

Some markets may have an ATM (in Austria, known as Bankomat) on-site (which tends to have much higher conversion rates). The best method to withdraw cash is to find an ATM associated with a Bank.  

When an ATM or card machine asks if you’d like to accept an exchange or pay in your currency, ALWAYS DECLINE THE CONVERSION. Always pay in the local currency (Euros) to avoid the exchange rate offered by the machine/ATM, which is always higher than your bank’s conversion rate. 

7.    Bring a backpack or extra bag

Having a backpack is always essential when visiting Christmas Markets. You will need a place to store all the souvenirs and gifts you buy at the Christmas Markets. Also, you can any extra clothes, gloves etc that you may need during the day. 

8.   Plan each Market

We recommend that you first do a lap of the Christmas Market to get an idea of what you would like to buy, eat and drink.  Your patience often pays off, because you find something even better the next hut you visit!

The markets tend to be busier at night. You can avoid the crowds by going in the late morning and afternoon. We recommend touring the markets during the day to buy souvenirs and returning to your favourite markets to see the splendour of the Christmas lights.

10.   Include other Activities and Sights

There are so many Christmas Markets in Austria. Every city, and most towns and villages, will have a market. Vienna alone has over 17 official Christmas markets, plus many others.

You could spend weeks just visiting Christmas Markets, and it would be overwhelming after a while.

From snow-covered mountain peaks to various events and stunning architecture, combine visiting Christmas Markets with other sights and activities.

Visiting Palaces, Cafes, and Museums is excellent, as it allows one to escape the cold.
Also, consider attending one of the many Advent concerts and performances.