Vienna Christmas markets

Punsch on Rathausplatz, stalls in the lanes of Spittelberg and the city's first market at Schönbrunn from 6 November.

Vienna has the longest market season of the big Central European Christmas cities. The Christkindlmarkt on Rathausplatz runs from 13 November to 26 December, 10:00 to 22:00 daily and until 18:30 on Christmas Eve, with the Eistraum ice rink in the Rathauspark open until 6 January. It is the one everyone photographs, so treat it as a first stop. Spittelberg, in the 7th district, fills its Biedermeier lanes with stalls from 13 November to 23 December and has the better atmosphere. Schönbrunn Palace opens earliest, on 6 November, and the Altwiener Christkindlmarkt on the Freyung and the art market in front of the Karlskirche are both close to the Ring. Order Punsch as well as Glühwein, and hand your mug back to reclaim the deposit. Weekday afternoons are the calmest time to go.