I moved to the Austrian capital in September 2019 and took great delight that year in the Christmas markets — the twinkling lights, the crush of tourists, the smell of steaming glühwein on a cold evening all made for a magical experience. That, of course, was before everything abruptly went into lockdown the following March. But in March 2022, when life was regaining normality, I was walking around central Vienna and came across something I had never heard of or seen before: an Easter market. Now the thought of them instantly gives me the same warm and fuzzy feeling as the December markets — I associate them with new beginnings and spring on multiple levels.
Easter Markets are mainly a tradition of Catholic countries in eastern Europe: Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic and southern Germany. Some like the one in Nuremberg have been around since medieval times, while others in Berlin are just a few years old. They were originally intended as ways to welcome spring, to rejoice in new life and celebrate the resurrection of Christ. If the recent popularity of Christmas markets is anything to go by they’ll likely catch on in other places in the coming years.
The markets at this time of year are gentler and less flamboyant than their Christmas cousins, with generally fewer stalls and a more limited range of things to buy. However, the markets, which usually start a few weeks before Easter weekend, are still worth your time with their abundance of decorated eggs, handiworks and delicious local food and drinks. This year there are three markets, each with a different character in Vienna alone; so here’s what to expect and where to stay in the Austrian capital, plus a few other suggestions across Europe too.
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1. Freyung Square
Set in a small square outside a monastery founded by 12th-century Irish monks, this market greets you with the tinkling of barrel organ music, the smells of salami sausage and the 30 colourfully decorated stalls. But what will immediately draw your eye is the sight of thousands of chicken eggs, each beautifully hand-decorated with myriad patterns. The ribbon allows you to hang them on “Easter trees” (or even a few branches in a vase) at home. While not cheap at about £7 an egg, you have to admire the craftsmanship; open until April 1 (altwiener-markt.at).
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Fancy staying in that 12th-century monastery? The Benediktushaus im Schottenstift’s no-frills guesthouse is my best tip for a cheap central Vienna stay, with twins, doubles and triple rooms available. They come with basics including hairdryers and kettles — but there are no TVs, enjoy contemplative views of the courtyard instead.
Details B&B doubles from £129 (benediktushaus.at)
2. Am Hof
Perched over the remains of Roman Vienna, the market at Am Hof covers a greater area than nearby Freyung with more than 70 stalls dotted around this medieval square. A huge rotating coloured egg greets visitors while behind it are stalls selling small decorated wooden eggs, religious artefacts, jewellery and flowers. Have a leisurely drink at the champagne bar and try the traditional chocolate biscuits. The size and variety of chocolate eggs and Easter hares is something to behold; open until April 1 (ostermarkt-hof.at).
You can’t get closer than the Park Hyatt Vienna, which is situated right in Am Hof in a grand former bank building. All mother-of-pearl and chandeliers, it’s a splash-out kind of stay.
Details Room-only doubles from £533 (hyatt.com)
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3. Schönbrunn
A 20-minute train ride whisks you from central Vienna to the House of Habsburg summer residence at Schönbrunn, where the Easter market takes place in the front courtyard. Set against the splendour of the ornate palace, about 75 stands jostle for attention selling handmade wooden eggs, jewellery made from recycled postage stamps and fancy tablecloths. You can snack on sweet kaiserschmarrn (pieces of sponge cake with jam) or traditional spätzle (egg noodles with cheese), while the drinks of choice are local beers and Himbeersturm, a raspberry wine; open until April 2 (ostermarkt.co.at).
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The old-world splendour of the Schönbrunn Palace is a short walk from the Austria Trend Hotel Maximilian. Tram stops and Braunschweiggasse station (for the U4 line to the centre) are all within ten minutes on foot too.
Details Room-only doubles from £78 (austria-trend.at)
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4. Krakow, Poland
For Poles, Easter is a far more important occasion than Christmas and the long tradition of beautifully decorated eggs is a feature of the Easter market on the Main Square (Rynek Glowny). In the past, these hard-boiled eggs were coloured using natural dyes such as onion but these days brightly coloured paints are used. To celebrate Palm Sunday, you can find gorgeous palms made from dried flowers and grasses, which Polish people take to be blessed in church, before using to decorate the house. The market is also famous for bread baked in the shape of hares or chickens, Polish sausage and smoked cheese; open until April 1 (krakow.travel).
Housed in the former palace of the Polish princes, the Grand Hotel just off the Main Square has been greeting distinguished guests since 1887.
Details Room-only doubles from £135 (grand.pl)
5. Prague, Czech Republic
Dating from medieval times, Prague Easter markets were linked to religious festivals and therefore banned during the Communist period from the 1950s to the late 1980s. Since then, however, they have flourished and the main markets take place at the Old Town Square and the nearby Wenceslas Square. Here you will find the most beautifully decorated eggs — either made from wood or hens’ eggs. Try trdelnik, or chimney cake, made from a cone of cinnamon-flavoured pastry with a variety of delicious fillings — but don’t expect to be able to manage dinner afterwards; open daily until April 7 (prague.eu).
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The Mozart Prague, overlooking the Vltava River, is where the composer wrote several pieces for the Pachta family, who once owned this 17th-century palace. Today there are 70 extravagantly decorated rooms with frescoes, four-poster beds and antiques.
Details Room-only doubles from £211 (themozart.com)
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6. Berlin, Germany
This Easter market takes place at Potsdamer Platz for only the second time. Experts from the Sabrodt Easter Egg Museum will be on hand to demonstrate how the traditional eggs are dyed. Guests can also enjoy a beer garden, stalls selling household goods, jewellery and olive-wood products as well as a visit from the Easter Bunny on Easter Sunday. The lively atmosphere is added to by a daily roster of street musicians; open until 14 April (berlin.de). Other markets take place at Alexanderplatz and Karl-August-Platz too.
The Circus Hotel’s location by the underground at Rosenthaler Platz makes getting around the city easy, while the individually designed rooms feature bold Persian print wallpapers and geometric patterned rugs in cheerful colour palettes of orange and blue — perfect for a spring stay.
Details Room-only doubles from £92 (circus-berlin.de)
• 14 of the best affordable hotels in Berlin for under £150
7. Nuremberg, Germany
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Easter markets in Germany are closely connected with spring-cleaning, so you’ll often find household items for sale. This market takes place at Hauptmarkt, Nuremberg’s 16th-century central square, and is known as Häferlesmarkt, which comes from the German word for a ceramic mug. The stalls sell table linen, baskets, tableware and cooking pots — you can even pick up curtains here. Traditional Bavarian Easter fare includes coloured eggs and honey from the local producer Bienes Honighaus; open until April 1 (tourismus.nuernberg.de).
Close to the Hauptmarkt, the sleek Karl August hotel has eight different room categories plus family-size apartments.
Details Room-only doubles from £115 (karlaugust.de)
Have you discovered any Easter markets? Let us know in the comments below
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