Advent markets

From the end of November until Christmas, Vienna's most beautiful squares are transformed into magical Christmas markets every year. The scent of Christmas baking, hot punch and roasted almonds fills the air. The old town and shopping streets are decorated with festive lights and put the city in a Christmassy mood.

We recommend a visit to one of the following Advent markets:
Rathausplatz
Spittelberg
Schönbrunn Palace

Top sights
Vienna impresses with numerous buildings from the imperial era, such as Schönbrunn Palace, built in the 17th century, which was the summer residence of Maria Theresa and was given its final appearance under her. As one of the most magnificent buildings in Vienna, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is particularly attractive to tourists due to its pompous appearance, as the imperial family also ruled here. St Stephen's Cathedral is one of the city's most important landmarks and was first mentioned in 1137. Over the course of time, it burned down twice in the 13th century and then had to be rebuilt, giving it its Gothic style, which was destroyed and painstakingly rebuilt during the Second World War. The construction and architecture, which has been continuously renovated, is astonishing. The magnificent buildings also include Belvedere Palace, which consists of two palaces and was formerly used as the summer residence of Prince Eugene and now houses a gallery. A mixture of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles can be seen in the Hofburg, the house of Duke Leopolt VI, for which he laid the foundation stone as early as the 13th century. It has been characterised by many influences over the years and consists of several buildings and is now the residence of the Austrian Federal President.

Culture & Events
The Vienna State Opera was opened 150 years ago with a concert by Mozart and visitors have been enthralled by brilliant musicians ever since, such as opera singer Anna Netrebko. The magnificent city is also home to the Albertina, an art museum in the Palais Albrecht, which attracts over 700,000 visitors a year, including special artworks by Picasso and Monet. Art lovers will be amazed in Vienna, with many other galleries exhibiting works alongside the Albertina. The Hundertwasserhaus is not only colourful, but also lushly planted. Friedensreich Hundertwasser, an Austrian artist and painter, wanted to build a house for people and trees, for whom nature was very important and thus wanted to create a connection. Another old and special tradition of the capital is equestrianism, which can be experienced at the Spanish Riding School.

Events are very important in this fast-paced city, with opera and theatre being the main features of this magnificent city. In addition to the classic events, there are also trade fairs, festivals, concerts and art events of all kinds and sizes. There is something for every age group and every taste, whereby today's Vienna no longer thinks in terms of different groups, but is keen to share what it has created with others, without distinction.

Culinary delights
Some real classics await you in typical restaurants serving traditional Viennese and Austrian cuisine. If you want to skip the Wiener Schnitzel, Kaiserschmarren, beef and the like, you can savour a wide variety of restaurants of all price ranges, levels and nationalities. There are no limits here, but if you still want to enjoy a traditional snack before you leave, you should try a Sachertorte or a Viennese sausage stand.