December
2025

„Our roof and façade renovation in the final stretch"

Over the past few weeks, there’s been plenty of work going on here – all while the hotel stayed open.

Our façade has been given a completely fresh coat of paint, and the roof has been fully renewed and re-tiled.

The goal behind all this renovation work was to offer our guests an even more pleasant and well-kept environment.

We’re delighted that everything is now in the finishing phase and that our house is shining in new splendour. Feel free to drop by and take a look at our new appearance!

We look forward to welcoming you back to Hotel Austria in person very soon!

 

"Winter in Vienna"

Every year, winter turns Vienna into a special kind of stage – full of lights, scents and quietly magical moments.

When the temperatures drop and the city slips into its festive outfit, an atmosphere appears that you simply have to experience.

We love that smell of hot punch drifting through the air, warming your hands on a cup in a cosy coffeehouse, or hearing the crunch of snow under our shoes as we stroll along the Ring.

It’s these small moments that make winter in Vienna so special. And we’d love to share those moments with you.

In the coming weeks, we’re looking forward to bringing you a little bit of that warmth – with our recommendations, small surprises around the house, or simply with a warm smile at our reception.

Stepping lightly into the New Year
All across Vienna, people celebrate and dance their way into the New Year. At midnight, locals and visitors waltz under the open sky to the sound of the Pummerin, the famous bell of St Stephen’s Cathedral. Its chime is broadcast on radio and TV, followed by Johann Strauss’ famous Blue Danube Waltz. On 1 January, the New Year’s Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic is shown live from the Musikverein at many venues; millions of viewers in more than 90 countries watch it on television.

Dancing in the ballroom and on ice
After New Year’s Eve, the ball season continues across Vienna. And there’s plenty of ice dancing too: with numerous skating rinks, Vienna is a dream for anyone with skates. The most famous and largest is the Wiener Eistraum (Viennese Ice Dream) on Rathausplatz. To warm up afterwards, you can slip into a cosy Viennese café – or into one of the city’s more than 100 museums with world-class collections.
 

"Let us introduce you to more of our TEAM members!"

Ms Mone BERISHA
Service / Housekeeping

Ms Mone was born under the star sign of Cancer. With the cheerfulness and friendliness typical of this sign, she strengthens our team.

In her spare time, she enjoys playing volleyball and reading a lot of books.

Her motto: Through my commitment, I want to help ensure that our guests feel wonderfully at home at Hotel AUSTRIA and enjoy a perfect breakfast service.
 

"CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS and CHRISTMAS BISCUITS"

This year, Mr Richard had quite a bit of extra work with our Christmas lights. During the construction works, he put up the lights on the scaffolding. Once the scaffolding came down, he had to install them all over again. Now they shine beautifully to the left and right of our freshly painted entrance!

Our gorgeous Advent wreath in the breakfast room has once again been made with lots of love and attention to detail.

And then – our ladies rolled up their sleeves, prepared the dough and spent many hours baking DELICIOUS CHRISTMAS BISCUITS!

Ms VEHIDA, Ms KHOON, Ms SLAVICA, Ms SONJA, Ms HORVATH and many others!

On 24 December, every guest will receive a little festive greeting with our homemade Hotel AUSTRIA Christmas biscuits!
 

Vienna’s most attractive Christmas markets

From mid-November until Christmas, Vienna's most beautiful squares are transformed into magical Christmas markets. The aroma of Christmas baking, hot punch and toasted almonds wafts through the air. The Old City and shopping streets are decorated with festive lights that spread the Christmas cheer in Vienna.

A tall arched gateway with candles welcomes visitors at the entrance to the Viennese Christmas Market on City Hall Square. The traditional Christmas Market offers Christmas gifts, Christmas tree decorations, handicrafts, culinary treats, confectionery, and warming drinks. At the Vienna Ice World at the Christmas Market, ice skaters can put on their skates and make rounds through the romantically illuminated City Hall Park. A special attraction for couples in love is the tree of hearts. For children, there's a 12 meter-high multi-level carousel and in the park a Christmas world with reindeer train, nativity scene trail, children's chalet, and a designated skating ring.

The romantic Christmas Village on the University Campus is also a popular meeting point during the run-up to Christmas, especially for students. With a children's railway and an old-fashioned carousel, the Christmas Market on the Campus is also a big hit with families. Two curling lanes are also available. The Old Viennese Christmas Market on Freyung in the city center is committed to tradition. A Christmas market was held here as early as 1772; today, it is a place to buy handicrafts, glass decorations, traditional mangers and ceramics. Festive Advent music can be heard on the square from 4.00 pm. Top-quality handicrafts can also be purchased a couple of steps further along at the Am Hof Christmas Market. Christmas music and choral singing provide the perfect atmosphere.

Imperial flair in front of palaces
The Christmas market in front of Schönbrunn Palace charms visitors with its imperial backdrop. The atmospheric market offers traditional crafts, handmade Christmas decorations, an ice skating rink, curling rinks and a wide range of activities for children, including a carousel, Ferris wheel, children’s train and the traditional handicrafts workshop. The Christmas Village at Belvedere Palace delights visitors with its baroque setting. The unique palace park offers the perfect setting for this tranquil Christmas market with fine arts and crafts and culinary delights.

Enjoyment and tradition
In addition to a varied range of children’s activities, the Art Advent on Karlsplatz also offers arts and crafts for sale. Further variety is provided by art installations, show workshops and live bands. All of the food on offer is organically certified. There are also numerous booths full of handicrafts in the idyllic tiny alleyways of the Biedermeier district at the Christmas Market on Spittelberg as well as numerous other vendors with unique culinary gift ideas. The Christmas market on Spittelberg is run as an eco-event, with sustainable, local, Fairtrade and organic products. The Christmas Market on Stephansplatz focuses on contemplation and tradition, with around 40 booths at the foot of St. Stephen's Cathedral offering high-quality products from Austria.

Entertainment is the word at the Winter Market on Riesenradplatz under the slogan “The Prater rocks”. There will be children’s adventure rides, live musical acts ranging from gospel to soul and pop as well as numerous food and gift stalls until January 6. A new addition to this year’s winter market on the Riesenradplatz is the Winterburg: the outdoor dining area at Luftburg – Kolarik in the Prater offers activities such as an open-air bouncy castle, an outdoor playground, boccia lanes alongside organic snacks.

Christmas markets in parks & gardens
The Christmas market in Türkenschanzpark offers a soothing park atmosphere with a festive touch. The Turkish fountain is surrounded by stands offering food and crafts such as glass blowers, jewelers and much more. The offering for children includes a crafts workshop at weekends. The Hirschstetten Botanical Gardens also draws visitors in to its Christmas market with a Christmas exhibition. The market itself offers organic food and drinks, delicacies from the local region, Christmas gifts and Christmas tree decorations.

Viennese Christmas Market on City Hall Square
November 14 – December 26, 2025
Daily 10.00 am – 10.00 pm
December 24, 10.00 am – 6.30 pm
Rathausplatz, 1010 Vienna
www.christkindlmarkt.at

Vienna Ice World at the Christmas Market:
November 14, 2025 – January 6, 2026, daily from 10.00 am – 10.00 pm
December 24, 10.00 am – 6.30 pm; December 31, closed

Christmas Village on the University Campus
November 14 – December 23, 2025
Mo-Th 2.00 pm – 10.00 pm, Fr 2.00 pm – 11.00 pm
Sa 11.00 am – 10.00 pm, Su 11.00 am – 9.00 pm
Alserstrasse/Spitalgasse, Hof 1, 1090 Vienna
www.weihnachtsdorf.at

Old Viennese Christmas Market on Freyung
November 14 – December 23, 2025
Daily from 10.00 am – 9.00 pm
Freyung, 1010 Vienna
www.altwiener-markt.at

Christmas Market Am Hof
November 14 – December 23, 2025
Mo-Th 11.00 am – 9.00 pm, Fr-Su & hols. 10.00 am – 9.00 pm, food until 10.00 pm
Am Hof, 1010 Vienna
www.weihnachtsmarkt-hof.at

Christmas Market Schloss Schönbrunn
November 6, 2025 – January 6, 2026
Daily from 10.00 am – 9.00 pm
December 24, 10.00 am – 4.00 pm, December 25 - January 6, 10.00 am – 7.00 pm
Schönbrunn Palace, 1130 Vienna
www.weihnachtsmarkt-schoenbrunn.at

Christmas Village at Belvedere Palace
November 14 – December 31, 2025
Mon – Fri: 11am – 9pm; Sat – Sun: 10am – 9pm
12.24: 11am – 4pm
12.25-12.30: 11am – 7pm
12.31: 11am – 6pm
Prinz-Eugen-Straße 27, 1030 Wien
www.weihnachtsdorf.at

Art Advent – Art & Crafts on Karlsplatz
November 21 – December 23, 2025
Daily from 12.00 noon – 8.00 pm, food until 9.00 pm
Karlsplatz, 1040 Vienna
www.artadvent.at

Christmas Market on Spittelberg
November 14 – December 23, 2025
Mo-Fr 2.00 pm – 9.30 pm,
Sa, Su & hols. 11.00 am – 9.30 pm
Spittelberggasse, Stiftgasse, Schrankgasse, Gutenberggasse, 1070 Vienna
www.spittelberg.at

Christmas Market on Stephansplatz
November 8 – December 26, 2025
Daily from 11.00 am – 9.00 pm
December 24, 11.00 am – 4.00 pm, December 25+26, 11.00 am – 7.00 pm
Stephansplatz, 1010 Vienna
www.weihnachtsdorf.at

Winter Market on Riesenradplatz
November 21, 2025 – January 6, 2026
Mon – Fri: 12 pm – 10 pm
Sat, Sun & public holidays 11am – 10pm
12.24. 10am – 5pm, 12.31. 12pm – 2pm
Riesenradplatz, 1020 Wien
www.wintermarkt.at

Christmas market in Türkenschanzpark
November 14. – December 23, 2025
Mon – Fri 3pm – 10pm; Sat, Sun & public holidays: 12pm – 10pm
Türkenschanzpark, 1180 Wien
www.weihnachtimpark.at

Christmas exhibition at the Hirschstetten Botanical Gardens
November 13 - December 21, 2025
Thurs-Sun 10am-10pm
Quadenstraße 15, 1220 Wien
 

Advent program for children

The advent season means family time! To shorten the long wait for the holiday of holidays, there is all sorts for children to experience in Vienna: a visit to an Advent market, ice skating, Poldi's Christmas craft workshop at Schönbrunn Palace, or a concert that gets you in the mood for Christmas. Advent, Advent, a little song is playing …

In the run-up to Christmas, a visit with the family to one of Vienna’s many Christmas markets is a long-standing tradition – especially the Viennese Christmas Market on Rathausplatz. Children will be wide-eyed at the sight of the wares and treats offered by the 100 or so market booths. Interactive stations in Rathauspark invite visitors to explore: the birdhouse village, the red apple, the nutcracker, the mountain of gifts, and the fairy tale tower. An Advent wreath is decorated with four animal musicians. Other highlights include the nearly 12-meter-high, hand-painted multi-level carousel, the nativity scene trail, and the reindeer train. The heart tree fascinates young and old alike.

Other Advent markets with attractions for children
A visit to an Advent market is sure to enchant families – here is a selection of where you can find special attractions for children:

Art Advent on Karlsplatz presents handicrafts and demonstration workshops, and the children can also look forward to an extensive daily offering: the straw landscape, the Draisinen Express, the lost property carousel, barrel organ music from Werkelmann, supervised creative handicrafts in the Star Workshop in the big yurt at the pond area (daily 2.30 pm - 7.00 pm) and storytellers in the Sky Tent (Thu-Sun 3.00 pm). (November 11 – December 23, 2025)

The Prater organizes a winter market on Riesenradplatz. The kids explore the Prater together with the adults – such as on adventure rides on board the winter train, high-flying rides on the chair-o-plane, and at the autodrome. You can take selfies with stars at Madame Tussauds, while Magic World Vienna enchants visitors in the truest sense of the word. A round on the Giant Ferris Wheel is unforgettable for everyone. Don’t miss the family-friendly Perchtenlauf – a lighthearted event to chase away evil spirits at the end of year! There is music to appeal to everyone: predominantly local artists perform live concerts ranging from gospel to pop every Wednesday to Sunday. The beer garden at Luftburg – Kolarik becomes the “Winterburg” winter market and will be open daily from 12 noon to 8 pm, with a dedicated stop for the winter train. There guests can enjoy organic snacks, free bouncy castles, an outdoor playground and boccia courts. (November 21, 2025 - January 6, 2026)

The Christmas-themed Josefinenalm lodge is located right in the middle of the Christmas Village on the University Campus in the Altes AKH. A children’s program with a magician, Punch and Judy show and Christmas workshop will be held there every Saturday and Sunday. (November 14 – December 23, 2025)

The Christmas Exhibition at the Hirschstetten Botanical Gardens features, in addition to the display in the large greenhouse, a Christmas market with around 50 market stalls, as well as crafts and cookie baking for children. (November 13 – December 21, 2025)

Christmas at Schönbrunn Palace: market, museum, lights garden
The Christmas Market Schloss Schönbrunn appeals to children and families by offering a wide range of activities: children can use the innovative Glice ice rink (a synthetic ice rink) free of charge, and there is also a dedicated children’s skating rink, curling rinks, a carousel, a Ferris wheel and a craft workshop. (November 6 – January 6, 2026)

At the Schloss Schönbrunn Children’s Museum, the palace ghost Poldi has come up with a range of activities: the themed tour “It’s Christmas at the Children’s Museum” lets visitors experience imperial Christmas traditions – with surprising differences from today (Saturdays and Sundays, Nov 22 – Dec 21, 2025, as well as on Dec 8, 25, and 26, 2025; ages 7 and up; booking recommended). Starting November 22, the daily winter puzzle challenge, the treasure hunt “The Squirrel’s Golden Nuts,” and Poldi’s craft workshop will be on offer. Santa Claus will stop by on December 6, and on December 24 the hand puppet show “Poldi and Martina the Christmas Goose” will take place.

Puppet shows
At Lilarum, Vienna’s largest children’s theater, magical Christmas puppet shows capture the imagination of even the youngest visitors from age three, with the story of Hoppla the Bunny and the Christmas Tree (November 29 – December 24, 2025).

The Apfelbaum Fairy Tale Stage presents Die Heilige Nacht (The Holy Night), based on a story by Selma Lagerlöf. (December 13, 20, 21, 23, 24, 2025)

Shepherd’s carols and children’s opera
In December, the Vienna Boys’ Choir will celebrate the festive season with their Christmas concert Good Shepherds 2025, hosted in their concert hall MuTh. (December 5–9, 2025)

Opera specially for families: at the Peterskirche (Church of St. Peter), downstairs in the bright, comfortably heated crypt. The Christmas Witch flies to the music of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. In the Italian Christmas story, Befana the witch arrives too late for the birth of baby Jesus. She comes across the Three Wise Men, who are just setting off on their journey home. (December 20-26, 2026)

New Year's Eve in Vienna

At the change of year, people party across Vienna, especially on the New Year's Eve Trail in Vienna city center. The air resounds everywhere to three-four time and people dance into the new year to the Blue Danube Waltz. Join us as we celebrate life and the New Year.

Vienna is a city of pleasure. That becomes especially clear on New Year's Eve, when the whole city celebrates. High spirits abound at gala dinners, in concert halls, at the opera or in chic bars.

Vienna New Year's Eve Trail
A highlight on December 31 is the Vienna New Year's Eve Trail. From 2.00 pm in the afternoon to 2.00 am the following morning, top entertainment is guaranteed by the New Year's Eve Trail in Vienna city center. Along the New Year's Eve Trail, dozens of gastronomes serve punch, sparkling wine, and culinary specialties. Numerous areas provide entertainment with show programs, waltzes, rock, pop, disco, blues, funk, soul, and DJ lines. The New Year's Eve Trail runs from Freyung via Am Hof square, Graben, Stephansplatz, and Kärntner Strasse to Neuer Markt. The classical area on Graben is a popular fixture. Vienna's dance schools offer crash waltz dancing courses here during the afternoon and transform Graben into an idyllic open-air ballroom.

At midnight, visitors to the New Year's Eve Trail dance into the new year to the sounds of the Blue Danube Waltz and the Pummerin, the famous bell in St. Stephen's Cathedral. It so happens that the Pummerin only rings on special occasions. One of them is the change of year. The ringing of the Pummerin on New Year's Eve is even broadcast on radio and TV, followed by Johann Strauss's famous Blue Danube Waltz.

The party happens with free admission at a total of eight locations - not only in the city center, but also at Rathausplatz and Riesenradplatz in the Prater. Instead of fireworks, there will be an opulent laser show synchronized with the Danube Waltz.

Please note that rockets and firecrackers (from category F2) are prohibited throughout Vienna.

"Die Fledermaus" by Johann Strauss is performed in traditional style at the Vienna State Opera on New Year's Eve. And on New Year's Day, all of Vienna watches the traditional TV broadcast of the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert while enjoying a morning "hangover cure" brunch. The New Year's Concert will be broadcast live from the Vienna Music Society on January 1, 2026, to Stephansplatz and the Giant Ferris Wheel Square in the Prater, starting at 11:15 a.m. For the first time, a public screening will also take place at the MAK – Museum of Applied Arts. This is where the beloved ballet performance of the New Year's Concert was filmed this year. After the public screening, guided tours in German and English will be offered at the MAK to selected filming locations from the ballet film. Several Viennese hotels will also host cozy brunches with live broadcasts of the New Year's Concert.

Vienna New Year's Eve Trail
December 31, 2025
2.00 pm - 2.00 am
Food and drink from 11.00 am
wienersilvesterpfad.at