Schönbrunn Christmas market 2026

The Schönbrunn Christmas market fills the main courtyard of the Habsburgs’ summer palace with more than 90 huts, and it runs longer than almost any other market in Vienna: from November 6, 2026, to January 6, 2027. It is also no longer just a crafts market. Between the stalls you now find an ice rink, curling lanes, a carousel and a small Ferris wheel, which makes it one of the best Christmas markets in Vienna for families.

What to expect at the Schönbrunn Christmas market

The market is set up in the Ehrenhof (the main courtyard) directly in front of the palace. The yellow façade is lit up after dark, and a large Christmas tree stands in the middle of the rows of huts. The setting is the main reason to come: no other Vienna market has a backdrop on this scale.

Do not expect a quiet market, though. With more than 90 huts and attractions for children, Schönbrunn now feels closer to Rathausplatz than to small markets such as Spittelberg. If you want the palace setting with fewer people, come on a weekday morning, or between Christmas and January 6.

Things to do for children

• Ice rink: a Glice rink (synthetic ice, no water or cooling needed), free for children
• Curling lanes: Austrian Eisstockschießen, a team game similar to curling
• Carousel, Ferris wheel and children’s train
• Craft workshop: traditional handicrafts to watch and try

Eisstockschießen looks simple, and it is: you slide a heavy “ice stock” with a handle toward a target. Nobody expects you to know the rules, so just watch one round and join in. Early afternoon on a weekday is the easiest time to get a lane.

Shopping and souvenirs

Most huts sell Austrian crafts: ceramics, wood carvings, glass, textiles and Christmas decorations, plus edible gifts such as jams, honey and liqueurs. You will also see plenty of palace and Gloriette motifs, and souvenirs themed around Empress Elisabeth (“Sisi”), from jewelry to soap.

The quality of the Sisi souvenirs varies a lot. Some are made by Austrian craftspeople, others are mass-produced. Ask the stallholder where an item is made before you pay a palace price for it.

Food and drinks

The food is the Viennese market classics: Bratwurst, Käsekrainer (sausage filled with cheese), Maroni (roasted chestnuts) and Kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes), with Strudel, Kipferl and Lebkuchen (gingerbread) for something sweet. To drink there is Glühwein (mulled wine), Punsch and alcohol-free Kinderpunsch for children.

Drinks come in a mug with a deposit, which you get back when you return it, or keep as a souvenir. Our guide to Christmas market food and drinks explains what everything is and how the deposit works.

Schönbrunn Christmas market 2026: dates and opening hours

This is one continuous market. It does not close after Christmas like most markets in the city center, but from December 25 it closes at 7 pm instead of 9 pm. That makes Schönbrunn, together with Belvedere, one of your few options if you are in Vienna between Christmas and Epiphany. Check the official website for last-minute changes.

Imperial Lights: the light trail in the palace park

Parallel to the market, the palace park hosts Imperial Lights, an evening light trail through the gardens. It is a separate event with its own ticket, sold through imperial-lights.at. The trail is open daily from 4:30 pm to 10 pm until January 6, 2027, with last entry at 8:30 pm. The entrance is not in the courtyard, so check which park gate is printed on your ticket.

Combine the market with a palace visit

The palace itself is open daily from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, so you can easily fit everything into one afternoon. Do the tour of the imperial apartments at Schönbrunn around 2 or 3 pm, walk out into the market as it gets dark around 4 pm, and finish with Imperial Lights. If you still have daylight to spare, the walk up to the Gloriette takes about 20 minutes and gives you a view over the palace and the city.

Book a time slot for the palace tour online in advance, especially for weekends in December. If you only get a ticket on the spot, your slot may be after dark, and then you lose the order that makes this afternoon work.

Schönbrunn or Belvedere?

Frequently asked questions