Where you can punch

Christmas is a thing of the past: New Year’s Eve markets open

The winter market in the Prater also turns to New Year's Eve(Bild: Lisa Kapici)

The sellers of Christmas tree decorations are clearing the field, but from today you can help your luck along 183 times in the city

Market office director Andreas Kutheil guarantees: "There are certainly enough lucky charms for the year 2025." No wonder, because from Friday, you can once again buy pigs, chimney sweeps, lucky clovers and other talismans for the New Year at 183 stalls and five official New Year's Eve markets across the city.
The official whinnies quietly: Every approved stall is legally a Viennese market area. This means that there are more "markets" in Vienna in the run-up to New Year than ever before.

The markets are also a great way to start the new year.(Bild: Lisa Kapici)

It's particularly quick here
The market in front of Schönbrunn Palace is the best place for those who want to change from Christmas to New Year's spirit particularly quickly: The turn of the year is heralded early there. At the "Winter Market" in the Prater, the transition is seamless.

Five official New Year's Eve markets

• Silvesterdorf on Maria-Theresien-Platz, 1010, Maria-Theresien-Platz; 27. 12. to 30. 12.: 11-19; 31. 12.: 11-18; 75 stands, including 21 gastronomy stands
• Silvesterdorf Schloss Belvedere, 1030, Oberes Belvedere; 27. 12. to 30. 12.: 11 am - 7 pm; 31. 12.: 11 am - 6 pm; 42 stalls, including 9 food stalls
• Favoriten New Year's Market, 1100, Favoriten pedestrian zone; 27. 12. to 30. 12.: 9 am - 8 pm; 31. 12.: 9 am - 2 pm; 17 stalls, including 3 food stalls
• New Year's market Schönbrunn Palace, 1130, courtyard of honor in front of Schönbrunn Palace; 25. 12. to 6. 1.: 10 am - 7 pm; 98 stalls, 30 of which catering
• Floridsdorf New Year's Market, 1210, Franz-Jonas-Platz; 27. 12. to 31. 12.: 8-22 h; 11 stands, including 3 food stalls

Staggered retreat
Apart from the five official New Year's Eve markets, most of the Christmas markets are now gradually clearing the field. In the city center in particular, things have to move quickly due to the turn of the year: On Rathausplatz, Freyung and Am Hof, the dismantling of the Christmas markets merges seamlessly with the setting up of the stages for the New Year's Eve Trail.

Many cultural influences
With its lucky charms, Vienna demonstrates the many influences of its history year after year: from ancient Roman (horseshoe) to Germanic (pig) and Christian (ladybug and shamrock) to new additions such as the Japanese waving cat. However, you have to make a decision with this one: If it waves its right paw, it means prosperity. But luck is something else - because it has to wave with its left paw.Lukas Zimmer