Once is not enough!
If there’s one thing the Christmas Market can do, it’s shorten the time before Christmas and heighten the anticipation of the big festive season – because here, every day is Christmas Day. Whether you’re strolling across Rathausplatz and sampling the wide range of delicacies and buying Christmas presents, ambling leisurely through the park, enjoying the wonderful sea of lights while gliding across the ice with your loved ones, or taking a photo at the Bussiplatz (“kissing spot”). There’s so much to discover! One day at the Vienna Christmas Market is usually not enough to fully experience the enormous variety of Christmas activities and atmospheric attractions that appeal to young and old alike.
Extras for everyone: special features to marvel at, experience – and fall in love with
Falling in love at the Christmas Market? Oh yes, it’s possible. The charmingly arranged park, which gleams with brilliant colourful lights and surrounds the entire Vienna Christmas Market, touches the hearts of all. And the attractions nestled within it are the perfect setting for this – such as the legendary Heart Tree, which is illuminated in a particularly spectacular way every half hour after dusk. And for anyone who isn’t attending with their soulmate, perhaps you’ll be struck by Cupid’s arrow – at the very least, you’ll fall in love with the Vienna Christmas Market. After all, Christmas is the celebration of love.
Highlights
A symbol of life and love
What would the Vienna Christmas Market be without its famous Heart Tree? Whether as a photo opportunity or meeting point for couples in love: the maple-leaved plane tree decorated with around 200 illuminated hearts is a fixed point in the Christmas goings-on at the Rathauspark.
The hearts are a symbol of love, which is what we all come back to in the Christmas season. Undoubtedly, many a visitor has wished they could take one of these hearts back home with them from the Christmas Market. Now you can fulfil this wish at the Herzerl Standl (“heart stall”) under the Heart Tree.
Vienna with a heart: love for all
There is once again a very special focus on the Heart Tree: every half an hour from dusk till 21:00, the Christkind sends a huge heart along a cable from a 13 metre-tall tower straight over Rathausplatz to the Heart Tree, gradually lighting up the tree on its 75-metre flight there. There’s plenty of space for emotions here!
Yours is my heart alone
“Yours is my heart alone” or “Two Hearts in Waltz Time” are just two of the hits from the era of Viennese operetta. The Danube metropolis has always been a wonderful city for people in love. This year, romantics can give their sweethearts a very special gift at the Vienna Christmas Market: the Heart Stall, located right next to the Heart Tree in the park, offers hearts at 36 euros apiece on which visitors can digitally record their own heartbeat and give this gift with the words “My heartbeat. From Vienna for you”. In addition to the special souvenir hearts, lovingly designed mugs with Christmas motifs from Vienna are also available to purchase – a unique gift that is only available at the Vienna Christmas Market.
A stroll through the park from manger to manger
Before Catholic families had Christmas trees, the nativity scene with the manger was the centrepiece of the Christmas celebrations. In Austria, the building of nativity scenes goes back a long way. One of the most famous “crib builders” was an Austrian. Alexander Schäffer’s works of art were a hot commodity the world over – from Germany to Canada. Schäffer even had the honour of building a nativity scene for the Summer Olympics in Mexico City in 1968, as a representative showpiece for Austria.
The Nativity trail in the Rathauspark has been paying tribute to this lovely tradition since 2018. This year, the nativity figures play the leading role, artfully and creatively set on display by the Viennese Nativity Association in a whole range of different cribs. The association has existed since 2001. The nativity scenes are built by the members of the association or as part of regular courses under the guidance of master crib builders. Want to become part of a nativity scene? Even this is possible – in the life-sized, walkable nativity scene that is the culmination of the Nativity trail.
Everybody to the ice rink!
Those who have big ice skating ambitions start practising early on. The 110 square metre children’s ice skating area in the Rathauspark at the Vienna Christmas Market is the ideal opportunity to do so. Accompanied by adults, the little ones can find support from fun mascots skating alongside them until they find their feet and can glide along the smooth ice by themselves. Use of the children’s ice skating area is free of charge!
View the Christmas world from above
The Vienna Christmas Market also boasts an attraction that provides glorious views of City Hall, the park and the Christmas market. The romantically lit nostalgic Ferris wheel is an unforgettable delight for all ages. Even Emperor Franz Josef and Empress Sisi are watching.
Romantic hotspot in the Rathauspark
The Bussiplatz contributes to the peaceful and cordial coexistence of all people in the city in the run-up to Christmas. Until 26 December, visitors can exchange all kinds of tokens of love and heartfelt wishes at this carefully chosen location under the atmospheric, romantic Heart Tree. Naturally, the Bussiplatz is placed in such a way that visitors can take a perfect photo or selfie with the Heart Tree in the background, ensuring that they have an unforgettable memory of their visit to the Vienna Christmas Market to take back home with them.
Daily prizes with the giant Advent calendar
A countdown full of possibilities: in cooperation with the Austrian Lotteries, visitors to the Christmassy Rathauspark have the opportunity to win prizes with the giant scratchcard Advent calendar. Three prizes per day await guests behind the calendar’s doors. Come and try your luck!
Festive melodies
Christmas sounds from tower brass ensembles from Vienna and the Austrian provinces can be heard from the roof of the large nativity.
