Hofburg concerts you can book now
Each seasonal concert has only a few performances. The list shows every Hofburg concert that is on sale now.
- Vienna Hofburg Orchestra: Christmas Concert at the HofburgTraditional Christmas concerts in the Festsaal of the Vienna Hofburg, featuring classical music by Mozart, Strauss, and Kálmán.Tickets
- Vienna Hofburg Orchestra: New Year's Eve Concert at the HofburgNew Year's Eve concert at the Vienna Hofburg. Admission from 20:00; duration approx. 90 minutes.Tickets
- Vienna Hofburg Orchestra: New Year's Concert at the HofburgNew Year's concert with morning and evening performances. Admission 30 minutes before each performance; duration approx. 90 minutes.Tickets
Concert halls inside the imperial palace
The Hofburg grew for six hundred years from a medieval castle into a complex of wings, courtyards and squares. The concert halls used today lie in the Festival Hall wing behind Heldenplatz, the last major part of the palace to be completed in the early twentieth century. The Festival Hall is a monumental room of almost 1,000 square metres with marble columns and chandeliers; the adjoining Ceremonial Hall, with its coffered ceiling and crystal chandeliers, hosted imperial receptions and later the first balls of the republic.
For concert-goers this means an evening in genuinely imperial surroundings rather than in a purpose-built concert hall. Seating is arranged for each event; ticket categories reflect distance from the stage, and the listing shows every category with its final price.
- AddressHofburg, Heldenplatz 1, 1010 Vienna. The concert entrance is signposted from Heldenplatz; allow a few minutes to cross the square.
- Nearest stationsHerrengasse (U3) and Volkstheater (U2, U3) are five to seven minutes away; trams D, 1, 2 and 71 stop at Burgring.
- Festival Hall (Festsaal)Almost 1,000 square metres, the main hall for the Christmas, New Year's Eve and New Year concerts.
- Ceremonial Hall (Zeremoniensaal)Next to the Festival Hall, with a coffered ceiling and crystal chandeliers; once the room of imperial receptions.
The Vienna Hofburg Orchestra and its seasonal concerts
The Vienna Hofburg Orchestra has celebrated the turn of the year in the Hofburg since 1980. Its New Year concert plays on 1 January in the morning and the evening and again on the evening of 2 January, and pairs Strauss waltzes and polkas with overtures and vocal selections from Viennese operetta; it is the Hofburg Orchestra's own event, distinct from the Vienna Philharmonic's concert at the Musikverein. The New Year's Eve concert on 31 December starts at 20:30 and is a concert performance, not a dinner or midnight party. The Christmas concerts run from 25 to 27 December and add Mozart arias and duets to the festive programme.
All three formats last about ninety minutes with four vocal soloists, and admission opens thirty minutes before the start. Each event page shows every ticket category with its final price. Because each has only a handful of performances, December and January dates are best booked as soon as your travel dates are fixed.
- New Year concert, 1 and 2 January1 January morning and evening, 2 January evening; Strauss and operetta.
- New Year's Eve concert, 31 DecemberConcert at 20:30, waltzes, overtures, polkas and operetta arias.
- Christmas concerts, 25 to 27 DecemberMozart, Strauss and Kálmán in the Festival Hall.
Planning your Hofburg evening
Heldenplatz is a large open square, so give yourself time to find the signposted concert entrance, especially in winter when the square is dark. The Hofburg's daytime attractions, the Imperial Apartments, the Sisi Museum, the Spanish Riding School and the Imperial Treasury, are all in the same complex, which makes a palace visit by day and a concert by night an easy pairing.
There is no formal dress code, although guests tend to dress up for the Christmas and New Year dates because the halls invite it. Your e-tickets arrive by email with the booking confirmation.
Hofburg, Schönbrunn or Musikverein?
Vienna offers imperial concert settings at both palaces. Schönbrunn's Orangery hosts Mozart and Strauss concerts on most evenings in the room where Mozart and Salieri once competed; the Hofburg's halls are larger and more ceremonial and shine at the seasonal concerts. The Musikverein is the choice if the concert hall itself is the point. All three are within easy reach of the centre and are covered by their own guides.
Hofburg concerts at a glance
| Concert | When | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New Year concert | 1 January morning and evening, 2 January evening | About 90 minutes |
| New Year's Eve concert | 31 December, 20:30 | About 90 minutes |
| Christmas concerts | 25 to 27 December, 20:30 | About 90 minutes |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Hofburg New Year concert the same as the Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert?
No. The Vienna Philharmonic plays at the Musikverein and its tickets are allocated by ballot. The Hofburg New Year concert is performed by the Vienna Hofburg Orchestra in the Hofburg Festival Hall on 1 January, in the morning and the evening, and on the evening of 2 January, and can be booked here.
Does the New Year's Eve concert include dinner or a party?
No. It is a concert performance starting at 20:30 and lasting about ninety minutes. Dinner and midnight celebrations are not part of the ticket.
Where is the entrance for Hofburg concerts?
The concert entrance is signposted from Heldenplatz, the large square in front of the Neue Burg wing. Follow the signs for the Festsaal.
How early should I book the seasonal concerts?
Each seasonal concert has only a few performances, so book once your travel dates are fixed. The event pages show every date that is still on sale.