10 Things to Do in Vienna at Christmas

Vienna is considered one of the best destinations in Europe and the world to visit at Christmas. This reputation is well-earned thanks to its beauty at this time of year. Its palaces, churches, museums and buildings look more beautiful than ever thanks to the Christmas lights. Its streets also dazzle thanks to the care taken in decorating them. The Christmas markets deserve a special mention.

All of this makes Vienna the Christmas city par excellence. Among so many plans, activities and places that the city has to offer, it is difficult to decide which are the best. For this reason, I have made a selection of the 10 best things to see and do in Vienna at the most magical time of the calendar.

Vienna is the city of music as it is linked to names such as Mozart, Beethoven or Strauss. That is why the capital of Austria is a paradise for classical music lovers and classical music concerts are one of the best things to do in Vienna. Especially at Christmas, when special concerts and gala dinners are held to celebrate the festive season.

Perhaps the best place to do this, apart from the opera house, is the Kursalon. But concerts are also organised in such wonderful places as St. Anne's Church in Vienna, the Musikverein or Golden Hall, St. Charles Borromeo Church or St. Peter's Church. Here are a few options:

• Classical concert tickets for St. Anne's Church Vienna - from CAD 57.
• Mozart and Strauss concert tickets in Vienna - from CAD 96.
• Mozart concert tickets in Vienna - from CAD 87.
• Vivaldi's Four Seasons concert tickets in Vienna - from CAD 52.
• Classical concert tickets for St. Peter's Church in Vienna - from CAD 63.

Christmas markets are undoubtedly the most symbolic element of Christmas in Vienna. There are dozens of them spread all over the city, but without a doubt the biggest and most popular of them all is the one that is set up on the city's Town Hall Square.

Known as the Rathaus Park market, more than 150 Christmas-focused stalls are set up in front of the beautiful town hall building, selling food, decorations, crafts, toys and many other Christmas-related items. Most of them are handmade. A paradise for Christmas lovers.

The market also has a merry-go-round and a Ferris wheel, as well as a spectacular Christmas tree in the centre of the square. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays there are small Christmas carol and choir competitions. This market is open from 12 November to 26 December and is open every day until 9.30 pm on weekdays and 10 pm on weekends. An ideal way to find out all you need to know about the market is to book a private tour of Vienna.

Of course, another of Vienna's great attractions at Christmas time is the Christmas lights. As you would expect from a city with such beautiful architecture, the lighting is up to scratch and attention is paid to the smallest detail. Major buildings and monuments, such as palaces and churches, have their own special lighting. It is a unique time to photograph their facades and get some memories in the form of photos that you can only take at this time of year.

The streets and shops are also decked out in their finery. The streets of Graben, Karntner Strabe and those adjacent to Stephansplatz are the best in this respect and the ones that put the most care into their lighting and shop windows. Naturally, they look their best at night, and strolling through them at sunset is one of the best things to see in Vienna at night.

Vienna is a very child-friendly city and an ideal destination to visit with children. Since they are the stars of the Christmas festivities, they deserve a treat in the form of an amusement park. In Vienna, the Prater amusement park becomes a fairytale place at Christmas.

This famous park is located in the large green area of the same name and is home to numerous attractions such as the giant Ferris wheel from which you can see the whole of Vienna, various roller coasters, merry-go-rounds, bumper cars and much more. At Christmas time the park is decorated for the festive season with toy stalls, fairytale characters and lots of activities to make Christmas even more special for the children.

One of the main Christmas activities in Vienna is ice skating. Ice skating is very popular with locals in the winter months and ice rinks are set up all over the city. The two most popular are at City Hall and in the Wilhelminenberg Palace Gardens. The first coincides with the Christmas market in the town hall square. This ice rink is called Little Ice Dream and admission costs from €3.50 upwards. You can find all the information and book your tickets on their website.

The second, located in the gardens of the Wilhelminenberg Palace, is more spectacular. There are almost 3,000 square metres spread over several rinks suitable for different levels, from beginners to experts in skating.

Both rinks offer skate rental and are generally open until 18:00 in the evening. If you have your own skates, it is completely free to skate on them. I recommend getting a Vienna Pass as these dates may include entry to some ice rinks.

I have left for last what is Vienna's most famous and international Christmas event. The New Year's Concert. This concert has been held on New Year's Day since 1939 and has become so famous that it is televised in more than 50 countries and has an estimated audience of 1 billion people each year. It is held in the Great Hall or Golden Hall of Vienna's Musikverein near St. Charles Church.

Getting a ticket to an event of such calibre is no easy task, as tickets are raffled, and they are far from cheap, but it is worth trying to get a seat. In fact, bookings usually start in February and sell out as soon as they are released.

But there are more options for enjoying the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. On 31 December there is a pre-concert, the St. Sylvester concert, and on 30 December there is a dress rehearsal. To see both, tickets must also be ordered in advance, and although they are cheaper than those on the 1st, they are also very expensive. In any case, there are many other ways to enjoy music in Vienna, such as the music house, the opera or the Kursalon - the options are diverse!

The Vienna Little Singers' Choir is the oldest children's choir in the world. It is also one of the most prestigious. It was founded in 1498 by order of Emperor Maximilian I and since then has been used to sing at masses and special celebrations. One of these is on Christmas Day.

On 25 December itself, a special mass is held in the Wiener Hofburgkapelle, or Hofburg Chapel, in Vienna's imperial palace (one of the best palaces in Vienna to visit) in which this choir participates with a series of special songs.

The musical beauty of the choir of little singers attracts hundreds of visitors on Christmas Day, so it is almost obligatory to book your ticket in advance. The mass starts on the morning of the 25th at 9:15 a.m. and tickets start at €12.

I could spend thousands of words listing all the Christmas markets in Vienna. But I have chosen to highlight the two most important and, in my opinion, the most beautiful in the city. The first, the town hall market, has already been mentioned, and the second is the one held on the square next to St. Stephen's Cathedral.

This market is especially visual thanks to the backdrop of the cathedral. The building is illuminated with lights and Christmas shapes that enhance its beauty, and a beautiful Christmas tree several metres high is set up next to the cathedral and the numerous stalls.

The wooden stalls are set up from 12 November to 26 December and the opening hours are from 11:00 to 21:00 every day. Due to its location in the heart of the city centre, it is an obligatory stop.

The Church of St. Charles Borromeo on Karl Platz is a must-see all year round. But it is at Christmas when it is at its best. This church, erected in honour of the Saint of St. Charles Borromeo after the plague epidemic that hit the city in 1716, becomes one of the best Christmas postcards in Vienna. Firstly because of the illumination of the church and the square, and secondly because of the spectacular Christmas market in front of the church, which stands out for the sale of authentic Christmas trees.

But Christmas also comes inside the church. In addition to its architectural and artistic value, special masses are often held that include Christmas concerts with carols and songs, perfect for rounding off a 100% Christmas experience. As a curiosity, right next to this church is the Musikverein where Vienna's famous New Year's concert is held.

Christmas is not only in the streets, but also in the restaurants. In Vienna, gastronomy plays an important role in the festive season and there are many special dishes and menus that can be sampled in the restaurants. Typical dishes at dinner are carp served fried and coated in breadcrumbs or roast chicken or pork.

Other typical dishes, especially at Christmas, are Lebkuchen, which is similar to gingerbread, Stollen, which is a fruit-filled cake, or the typical Christmas biscuits known as Weihnachtskekse.

Cookies, cakes and typical sausages can also be found at the Christmas markets. Roasted chestnuts are also a mainstay and are sold at numerous stalls throughout the city. The latter, together with Weihnachtspunsch, a hot alcoholic drink, are your best ally in combating the cold in the streets of Vienna.

As you'd expect, if you're travelling to the Austrian capital at Christmas, you'll want to be warm and well prepared for all the plans, activities and sights to see in Vienna. Temperatures in late December and early January range from a high of 5 degrees Celsius to an average of minus 3 degrees Celsius. Rain and snow are also common at this time of year.

On average, there is a 20 per cent chance of rain, while December is the month with the highest chance of snow. Although it's cold, the humidity is almost non-existent, so if you dress warmly it's a very bearable climate. So don't forget your Christmas jumpers at home, you'll almost certainly need them.

Vienna's Christmas charm has a downside. And that is the large number of people in the city at this time of year. Although the summer months are considered the high season, Christmas is a break in the middle of the low season and the city fills up with tourists. It is a time of high demand for hotels, long queues at the main monuments and crowded streets.

With the high number of people and the high demand , prices are also on the rise. In general, Vienna is not a city that can be considered cheap, although there are always options for all budgets, but at Christmas prices go up considerably. Therefore, if you want to visit the city at this time of year, it is best to book your trip as far in advance as possible.

If you're wondering what to pack if you're visiting Vienna at Christmas, the answer is simple. To be brief, warm clothes, but if we go into detail what you should not miss in your suitcase:

• A good coat is essential, preferably waterproof in case it rains or snows.
• Cotton jumpers and thermal T-shirts are the best combination.
• Don't forget accessories such as gloves, hat and scarf.
• Choose comfortable, waterproof footwear with good grip in case it snows.
• An umbrella or mackintosh is a must.
• Take a spacious suitcase as it is quite likely that you will want to buy some gifts or souvenirs at the Christmas markets.