Vienna

Vienna’s old center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a dense mix of Baroque palaces, the Gothic Stephansdom and the grand buildings along the Ringstraße. The Hofburg, the former imperial palace, sits in the middle of it, with the big museums a short walk away around Maria-Theresien-Platz. Out to the southwest, the Schönbrunn palace and gardens are a World Heritage Site of their own and the most visited sight outside the center. For food, the city is known for schnitzel, Tafelspitz and apple strudel, and for coffee houses where nobody minds if you stay a couple of hours over one cup.

The Christmas markets are the biggest reason to come in winter. Most open in mid-November, and many close on 23 December, so the dates matter if you’re planning around Christmas itself. Summers are warm and busy, spring and autumn are milder, and winter is cold enough that a hot punch at a market is part of the point.

The center is compact enough to cover on foot, and the U-Bahn and trams reach everything else, including Schönbrunn and the Belvedere. If you’re coming for the markets, our Vienna Christmas markets guide has dates, hours and where to stay for each one.