Christmas in Vienna: Three Days Before Our River Cruise

Christmas in Vienna had been on my wish list, so when a friend and I booked a Christmas Market river cruise beginning in Vienna, we decided not to wait until embarkation day to arrive. We added three nights in Vienna before our cruise.

It turned out to be one of the best decisions we made.

Those extra days gave us time to adjust to the time change, explore Vienna on our own, and enjoy experiences that weren’t part of our cruise itinerary. By the time we boarded the ship, we had already had a wonderful vacation—and the cruise hadn’t even begun.

Arriving in Vienna

There is something reassuring about walking into an airport arrivals hall and seeing your name on a sign. Our driver was waiting for us, and from that point we could simply relax and let someone else handle the details.

We arrived at Le Méridien Vienna, dropped off our luggage, and headed right back out. After all, we were in Vienna at Christmas, and there were places to go and things to see.

One of our first stops was the Vienna Tourist Information office to pick up our city cards. Today they are known as the Vienna City Card, with options that include public transportation and discounts at museums, attractions, restaurants, and other participating locations. Benefits change, so I always recommend checking the current inclusions before purchasing.

Having easy access to Vienna’s public transportation made exploring the city much simpler.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral at Christmas in Vienna

With our cards in hand, we began walking, stopping whenever something caught our attention.

Eventually we made our way to Stephansplatz and magnificent St. Stephen’s Cathedral. At Christmas, this part of Vienna is especially beautiful, with lights, decorations, and a Christmas market surrounding one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.

Cold and hungry, we stopped at a café across from the cathedral. It was the first of many hot chocolates and steaming bowls of soup on this trip—and exactly what we needed on a cold November day.

We also visited the Capuchin Church, where we bought tickets for an Advent concert. Beneath the church is the Imperial Crypt, the burial place of members of the Habsburg dynasty.

An Advent concert in a historic Viennese church seemed like a particularly fitting way to end our first day in Vienna.

Day Two: The Belvedere and Thanksgiving in Vienna

One of the advantages of arriving several days before a cruise is having time to recover from an overnight flight without sacrificing the beginning of your cruise.

We slept late the next morning.

And that was perfectly fine.

Jet lag is one of the reasons I now recommend arriving early before a European cruise. Giving yourself those extra days isn’t wasted vacation time. It can make the entire trip more enjoyable.

If you’re planning a European cruise, read Why You Should Arrive Early Before Your Cruise for more about why I recommend giving yourself those extra days.

Later that morning, we took a tram to the Upper Belvedere.

We stopped for brunch nearby before heading inside to see the museum’s remarkable collection of Gustav Klimt paintings.

We had both watched Woman in Gold on our flight to Europe, which made us particularly interested in Klimt. The painting at the center of that story, Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, is no longer at the Belvedere, but the museum is home to perhaps Klimt’s most famous work, The Kiss.

Seeing it in person was worth the visit.

A note if you’re planning a visit today: the Vienna City Card currently provides a discount at the Belvedere rather than free admission, so check current benefits and ticket requirements when planning your trip.

A Very Viennese Thanksgiving

This happened to be Thanksgiving Day, and we weren’t going to let being thousands of miles from home keep us from making an occasion of it.

We dressed for dinner and went to Meissl & Schadn, known for its Wiener Schnitzel. It had been recommended to us, and it was perfect for the evening.

From there, we walked to the Vienna State Opera for Rusalka.

I had never heard of it either, if that’s what you’re thinking.

It’s a Czech opera based on a rather dark fairy tale, and it certainly made for a Thanksgiving we weren’t likely to forget.

Day Three: The Spanish Riding School

Our third day in Vienna at Christmas brought something I had particularly wanted to experience: the world-famous Lipizzaner stallions at the Spanish Riding School.

We attended a morning exercise session at the historic riding school in the Hofburg. We were fortunate to find seats along the rail overlooking the practice area and had a wonderful view of the horses going through their training.

I managed to take a couple of photographs before learning that photography wasn’t permitted.

Afterward, we toured the Spanish Riding School and stables. Being able to see the Lipizzaners up close, along with their tack and the working areas of the school, made the experience even more memorable.

If the Spanish Riding School is important to you, I recommend checking the current schedule and reserving tickets in advance rather than relying on availability after you arrive.

And because this was Vienna at Christmas, naturally there was another Christmas market waiting for us outside.

That evening we attended our Advent concert at the Capuchin Church and later had dinner at Café Mozart.

Café Culture at Christmas in Vienna

Vienna’s cafés deserve time of their own.

One of the things I enjoyed most was realizing that there was no reason to hurry. You could sit with a coffee or hot chocolate, talk, people-watch and simply enjoy being in Vienna.

That’s something I appreciate even more today when I think back on Christmas in Vienna.

Not every hour of a European vacation needs to be scheduled. Some of the best travel experiences happen when you give yourself enough time to linger.

Day Four: From Vienna to Our River Cruise

Our fourth morning was transition day. We packed our bags, checked out of the hotel and made our way to the ship.

You may have noticed something curious about our three days enjoying Christmas in Vienna.

For a trip centered around Christmas markets, we hadn’t spent all of our time visiting Christmas markets.

That was intentional.

We knew our river cruise would give us plenty of opportunities to visit Christmas markets, including more in Vienna. We didn’t want to duplicate those experiences before we ever boarded the ship.

Instead, we used our pre-cruise days for the things that made Vienna uniquely Vienna: the Belvedere, the Spanish Riding School, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, an opera, an Advent concert, wonderful meals and, of course, Vienna’s café culture.

Christmas in Vienna Is Much More Than Its Christmas Markets

Christmas markets may have brought us to Vienna, but they weren’t what made me appreciate the city.

Vienna is filled with museums, palaces, music, history, restaurants and cafés. Even after three days, there was considerably more I wanted to see.

That’s one of the lessons I’ve carried with me from this trip.

When you’re traveling all the way to Europe for a cruise, I don’t believe your vacation should begin the moment you step onto the ship. Arriving a few days early gives you time to settle in, experience the embarkation city and begin your trip without rushing.

Our three days enjoying Christmas in Vienna gave us a wonderful beginning to our Christmas Market river cruise.

And then it was time to board the ship.

Would you like to continue the journey? Read about our Christmas Market River Cruise adventure next.

If a Christmas Market river cruise—or another European journey—is on your wish list, I’d love to help you think through the possibilities and create a trip that gives you enough time to truly enjoy where you’re going.