Vienna was the middle leg of our December 2022 Christmas Markets tour, where we visited Christmas markets in Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, and Budapest before meeting up with family in London. Every country does their markets a little differently, from the charming square in Bratislava to the multiple blocks of markets in Vienna. But all have delicious food, including chestnuts literally roasting on an open fire, warm beverages, and European charm that really gets you in the holiday spirit.
We took a 4.5-hour train from Prague and stayed on the Ringstrasse for three nights. The Christmas markets at Rathausplatz and Schönbrunn were the highlight; Vienna does Christmas at a different level than anywhere else we've been.
We gave ourselves three full days — enough to do the markets at proper pace, plus the obvious museums and a long evening of coffee and cake at a Kaffeehaus without feeling rushed. From Vienna we took a short 1-hour train to Bratislava to continue the loop.