Know Before You Go: Visiting Vienna in Winter

Temperatures can fall as low as 30°F (-1°C) in the coldest month of January and snow is a possibility, so make sure you pack accordingly—don’t forget a warm hat, thick socks, and gloves. Easy-to-remove layers are the most convenient choice, as the majority of indoor attractions and cafés are fully heated.

Vienna can get busy in the run-up to Christmas, so visit the Austrian capital in late January or February for far fewer crowds. The time you’ll save by skipping the lines and waltzing right into top attractions can be spent fitting more activities into your trip. As an added bonus, this time of year also brings lower prices on flights, accommodations, and tours. For the best value, consider investing in a Vienna Card or take a hop-on hop-off bus tour.

Celebrate the holidays by exploring Vienna’s lively Christmas markets, where you can warm your hands on a steaming cup of glühwein (mulled wine) while browsing for gifts against the fairy-tale backdrops of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere Palace, and Rathausplatz. Once you’ve done your holiday shopping, admire the illuminations on a horse-drawn carriage ride around the city, or try out your skating skills on the gigantic open-air ice rink in front of Rathaus (Vienna City Hall). 

As the days get colder, Vienna’s legendary cafés make great escapes from the cold, and there are endless choices dotted around the streets and squares of the Ringstrasse. Try the renowned Café Central, favored haunt of Leon Trotsky; or Café Mozart, where Graham Greene preferred to get his caffeine boost. Alternatively, dine in style with a dinner date at Schönbrunn Palace, catch a classical concert at Kursalon Vienna, or enjoy a Christmas Eve banquet at the magnificent Weikersdorf Castle.