Belvedere Christmas Market 2026: New Market, Dates & Hours

Yes, there is a Christmas market at Belvedere Palace in 2026, but it is not the market you may remember. The organiser of the long-running Belvedere market has moved to Schwarzenbergplatz. In its place, the new K&K Christmas Market Belvedere Palace opens in front of the Upper Belvedere on 20 November. It is smaller than before and stays open until New Year’s Eve, which makes it one of the few Viennese markets you can still visit after 26 December.

Updated November 2026. In early September it looked as if Belvedere would have no Christmas market at all this year. At the end of September a new organiser confirmed the market below.

What is different at Belvedere this year?

The new market is deliberately small: a maximum of 35 huts, all on the square in front of the Upper Belvedere. The organiser keeps the market to that area to protect the historic palace gardens, so do not expect stalls spreading into the park.

The concept has two sides. During the day the focus is on traditional music, crafts and Austrian food. In the evening the market switches to lounge music, jazz and electro swing. There will also be performances, activities for children, craft demonstrations and charity events.

“K&K” stands for kaiserlich und königlich (imperial and royal), the old label of the Habsburg monarchy. Here it is simply branding, but it suits the setting: you are drinking your Punsch in front of the palace that houses Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss.

Why Belvedere is worth the tram ride

What has always set Belvedere apart from the markets in the city centre is the backdrop. The baroque façade of the Upper Belvedere lights up after dark, and the huts stand against a palace instead of a row of shop windows. It is calmer than Rathausplatz and less crowded than Stephansplatz, and with only 35 huts you can walk the whole market in twenty minutes. Come for the setting and a drink, not for a long shopping trip.

Arrive shortly before sunset, around 4 pm in late November and December. You see the palace in daylight first, and then watch the façade and the huts light up as it gets dark.

Belvedere Christmas market 2026: dates and opening hours

The organiser has not published separate hours for Christmas Day, so check the website before you go on 25 December. If you are in Vienna between Christmas and New Year, when most markets in the city centre have already closed, Belvedere is one of your best options.

How to get to the Belvedere Christmas market

Tram D stops at Schloss Belvedere, right next to the Upper Belvedere. You can catch it on the Ringstrasse, for example at Oper or Schwarzenbergplatz. Tram 18 and tram O stop at Quartier Belvedere, a few minutes’ walk from the palace’s southern entrance. From Vienna Central Station (Hauptbahnhof) it is about a ten-minute walk. See our guide to public transport in Vienna for tickets.

Combine the market with the museum or Klanglicht

A visit to the Upper Belvedere and the Christmas market fits easily into one afternoon. Visit the museum first and step out into the market just as it gets dark. Book a time slot for the museum in advance, especially at weekends in December.

Staying a little longer? From 23 October 2026 to 10 January 2027 the Schwarzenberg Garden next door hosts Klanglicht im Park, an evening light and sound trail. You need a timed ticket, but it combines well with the market on the same evening.

Where did the old Belvedere market go? Schwarzenbergplatz

The organiser of the former Belvedere market now runs the new Weihnachtszauber am Schwarzenbergplatz (Christmas Magic at Schwarzenbergplatz), around the Hochstrahlbrunnen, the large fountain at the southern end of the square. The fountain and the surrounding park are illuminated, with stage performances and activities for children. It is about fifteen minutes’ walk from Belvedere.

Schwarzenbergplatz is long rather than compact, so do not stop at the equestrian statue near the Ringstrasse. Keep walking south towards the fountain and the Soviet War Memorial. Tram D stops at Schwarzenbergplatz and links both markets in a few stops, so you can easily visit both on the same evening.

Both markets are new this year, so we cannot give a first-hand review yet. We plan to visit after they open and will add our impressions, photos and practical tips to this page.

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