In short: November 2026 is when Vienna turns festive. The first Christmas markets open on 6 November (Schönbrunn and Stephansplatz), the big Rathausplatz Christkindlmarkt follows on 13 November, Vienna Art Week (6 to 13 November) is free to attend, Wien Modern runs all month, and around Martinstag on 11 November the whole city eats roast goose. Bring a warm coat: highs drop from about 11°C to 5°C and it is dark by half past four.
We are Prime Tours, a local team that has been guiding visitors through Vienna since 2016. November is one of our favourite months: the summer crowds are gone, the coffeehouses are cosy and the markets are not yet packed. Here is everything worth knowing, plus the tips our guides share with friends.
November 2026 in Vienna at a glance
| What | When | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Erste Bank Open final | 1 November | Wiener Stadthalle |
| All Saints’ Day (public holiday) | 1 November | Cemeteries city wide |
| Viennale ends | 3 November | Gartenbaukino and other cinemas |
| First Christmas markets open | 6 November | Schönbrunn, Stephansplatz |
| Vienna Art Week (free) | 6 to 13 November | About 70 venues |
| Martinstag and goose season | around 11 November | Restaurants and Heurigen |
| Christkindlmarkt Rathausplatz opens | 13 November | Rathausplatz |
| Sisi Museum: 12 new rooms | from 19 November | Hofburg |
| BUCH WIEN book fair | 25 to 29 November | Messe Wien |
| Wien Modern | all month, until 30 November | Konzerthaus and venues city wide |
The Christmas markets open
The season starts on 6 November with the markets at Schönbrunn Palace (until 6 January) and Stephansplatz. On 13 November the famous Christkindlmarkt on Rathausplatz opens, daily from 10am to 10pm, together with Spittelberg, Am Hof, Art Advent on Karlsplatz and Schwarzenbergplatz. The Altwiener Christkindlmarkt on the Freyung, a tradition with roots in the 18th century, follows on 14 November, and Maria-Theresien-Platz, Belvedere and the Wintermarkt at the Giant Ferris Wheel on 20 November. For every date and opening time, see our complete guide to Vienna’s Christmas markets.
All Saints’ Day and the Zentralfriedhof (1 November)
On 1 and 2 November the Viennese visit their family graves, and the cemeteries glow with thousands of candles. The Zentralfriedhof, resting place of Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms and the Strauss family, is especially moving at dusk. Trams 11 and 71 run more often and start earlier than usual on 1 November. As it is a public holiday and falls on a Sunday this year, most shops are closed.
Vienna Art Week (6 to 13 November)
For one week, around 70 galleries, museums, studios and off spaces open their doors under the 2026 theme “Navigating Angst”. Every event is free, which makes it one of the best value culture weeks of the year. Pair it with the new exhibitions: Picasso and Bacon at the Albertina, Cleopatra and Ephesus at the Neue Burg, and “Feminist Futures Forever” at Belvedere 21 from 5 November.
Martinigansl: Vienna’s goose season
Around Martinstag on 11 November, roast goose with red cabbage and dumplings appears on menus across the city, and surveys suggest more than four out of five Viennese eat at least one. Classic addresses include the Gmoakeller near the Konzerthaus and Nigls Gastwirtschaft in the 16th district, where goose is served on pre order. Martini is also the day the new vintage officially becomes “Heuriger”, so it is the perfect excuse for a glass of young wine.
Music: Wien Modern and the Philharmonic
Wien Modern, Austria’s largest festival for contemporary music, runs until 30 November. For the classics, the Vienna Philharmonic plays Gershwin, Dutilleux and Ravel’s Boléro with Rudolf Buchbinder at the Musikverein on 29 November and at the Konzerthaus on 30 November. At the State Opera, Otto Schenk’s much loved production of L’elisir d’amore is on 14, 17 and 19 November.
Our guides’ secret tips for November
- Get your first Punsch a week early. Schönbrunn and Stephansplatz open on 6 November, a full week before Rathausplatz, and weekday evenings there are still relaxed.
- Follow the chestnut smoke. Vienna has around 100 licensed Maroni stands from October to March, most of them in the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 7th and 12th districts.
- Say “Mahlzeit”, not “Prost”. If you catch the last Sturm before Martini at a Heuriger, this is how locals toast with it.
- Hide from the rain in a classic coffeehouse. Café Sperl (since 1880, with billiard tables) and Café Prückel (a beautiful 1950s interior) are perfect for a long, slow afternoon.
- Visit the Wien Museum for free. The permanent exhibition on Karlsplatz tells the city’s story in about 1,700 objects, and entry costs nothing.
- Head to the Danube for a quiet ritual. On the first Sunday after All Saints, the local fishing club floats a raft of wreaths and candles at the Friedhof der Namenlosen in Albern, one of Vienna’s most atmospheric and least known places.
Practical tips for November
Average highs fall from about 11°C at the start of the month to 5°C at the end, and the sun sets around 4pm by late November, so plan sightseeing for the morning and markets for the evening. Shops are closed on Sundays and on 1 November. Our free walking tours run every day, and the old town is at its most beautiful once the lights go up in mid November. For a cosy alternative, our food and drink tours keep you warm between stops.
Frequently asked questions
When do the Christmas markets open in Vienna in 2026?
Schönbrunn and Stephansplatz open on 6 November 2026, the Christkindlmarkt on Rathausplatz on 13 November, and Maria-Theresien-Platz, Belvedere and the Prater Wintermarkt on 20 November.
Is November a good time to visit Vienna?
Yes. It is quieter than December, hotels are better value, the first Christmas markets are already open and the cultural calendar is full, with Vienna Art Week, Wien Modern and new exhibitions.
What is the weather like in Vienna in November?
Cool and often cloudy, with average highs between about 11°C and 5°C and lows close to freezing at the end of the month. Pack a warm coat, a scarf and comfortable waterproof shoes.
What is a Martinigansl?
It is roast goose served around Martinstag on 11 November, traditionally with red cabbage and bread or potato dumplings. Many Viennese restaurants serve it from mid October until late November.
Want a local at your side? Our Christmas Market Tour with tastings starts with the market season, and on a cold evening a classical concert is the most Viennese way to warm up.
