The Famous Naschmarkt Vienna
The Naschmarkt is the most famous market in Vienna. It features around 170 stalls offering a vast variety of food, spices, and international delicacies. In addition to the shopping experience, you can visit numerous restaurants and bars. In November 2025, the „Naschpark“ was officially opened at the Naschmarkt, becoming the latest attraction for visitors.
The Naschmarkt in Vienna is an extraordinary treat for the senses. Here, you can stroll through and shop at the largest market in Vienna’s city center. To give you an idea of its size: it covers an area of around 2.3 hectares, is 1.5 kilometers long, and comprises approximately 170 stalls.
It is a melting pot of cultures, aromas, and colors. It isn’t called „Naschmarkt“ (Snack Market) for nothing. You will experience all kinds of sensory impressions: the smell of fresh fruit, aromatic cheese, a vast array of spices, and fragrant flowers. At many stalls, you can sample what flavors from all over the world have to offer. It is a truly colorful mix of scents and tastes from many nationalities.
You will hear languages from all over the world—from tourists as well as vendors. At the Naschmarkt, you will find stalls for fruit, vegetables, fish, cheese, bacon, flowers, nuts and Oriental delicacies. Alongside these, numerous restaurants, bistros, and cafes have established themselves. Here, delights from all over the globe are presented to you. You can eat a traditional Wiener Schnitzel just as easily as Italian specialties, Asian dishes or Arabic cuisine. This variety is what makes the Naschmarkt so popular and unique.
Don’t Miss: The Ultimate Naschmarkt Food Tour
If you really want to dive deep into the flavors of Vienna, a guided culinary tour is an absolute must. Walking the market on your own is great, but having a local expert by your side changes the whole experience. Instead of just looking at the colorful displays, you’ll get to go behind the scenes.
- Taste your way through the market: On a typical tour, you don’t just see the food—you eat it. You’ll sample everything from traditional Austrian mountain cheese and local vinegar to exotic spices and oriental appetizers.
- Meet the „Originals“: Your guide will introduce you to the legendary stallholders and tell you the stories that aren’t in the history books—like the secrets of the old market women or how the market survived through the decades.
- Insider Tips: You’ll learn which stalls have the best price-to-quality ratio and where the locals actually buy their fish or truffles. It’s the perfect way to figure out where to come back to for your dinner shopping.
Pro Tip: Book your tour for a weekday morning if you prefer a relaxed pace, or join a Saturday tour to experience the peak energy of the market and the flea market combined. –> here you cann book the Naschmarkt Food Tour
Welcome to the Naschmarkt Vienna
Adding to this is the market’s unique atmosphere. Vendors charmingly hawk their wares and entice you with small samples. Long-time Viennese locals do their weekly shopping or enjoy a glass of wine at their regular haunt. Meanwhile, tourists stroll by, often overwhelmed by the sheer variety on offer. The best way to experience it is to simply drift through the hustle and bustle and discover the market’s very own vibe. Alternatively, you can plan ahead: guided tours are quite exciting. On these tours, you stroll through the stalls with a local guide, learn about the background history, and get to taste various items.
A special recommendation is the Naschmarkt in the evening. As the sun slowly sets, the market turns into a lively district full of restaurants, bars, and wine taverns. It is well worth enjoying the atmosphere with a glass of Austrian wine and experiencing the culinary diversity in a relaxed setting. In the evening, the mood is completely different than in the morning, and a different crowd is on the move. The Naschmarkt is particularly popular on Saturdays: every Saturday, a flea market takes place at the far end of the market. Here, you can search for hidden treasures, discover antiques, and browse through vintage clothing and curiosities.
Following the Footsteps of Naschmarkt Vienna „Originals“
In the past, it was primarily the market women who ran the stalls; men were rarely stallholders. The women held the scepter—often with very distinct personalities. Some „originals“ shaped the Vienna Naschmarkt in the 19th and early 20th centuries with their quick wit, humor, and blunt manner. This is why four alleys between the market stalls were named after them.
Minerlgasse is named after „Krawall-Minerl“ (Riot-Minerl)—a market woman who was incredibly loud and assertive. Sopherlgasse commemorates the famous Sophie Pimpernuß. She was the invention of a writer, but her humorous comments filled the newspapers of the time—a true voice of the people. Then there is Mariedlgasse, reminding us of „Haverschesser Maridl,“ a force of nature and a rough character who embodied the unvarnished side of the market. Finally, Reserlgasse goes back to „Fischkopf-Reserl“ (Fishhead-Reserl), a fishmonger from the 19th century who was a local celebrity. One man also achieved special fame, eventually becoming the „King of the Naschmarkt.“
Where does the name Naschmarkt Vienna come from?
Originally known as Aschenmarkt, the name may derive from a former ash/garbage dump or a term for a wooden milk pail („Esch“ for buckets made of ash wood). From 1820 onwards, the name „Naschmarkt“ was used more frequently, as many sweets and treats (Naschereien) were sold there. The market officially received its current name in 1905. The predecessor of today’s market existed around 1780, initially located near today’s Karlsplatz. Later, the market expanded along Wiedner Hauptstraße. From 1793, all goods brought to Vienna by land had to be sold here.
The market above the river you cannot see
Around the turn of the century, the Naschmarkt was moved to its current location during the regulation of the Wien River. The river (from which the city gets its name!) was covered and regulated. Since then, the market has sat on the paved surface between the Linke and Rechte Wienzeile. This means that when you walk through the Naschmarkt today, you are actually walking over a river, though you can’t see it anywhere. From 1902, the Naschmarkt took on its current appearance with parallel market pavilions. The middle row was roofed and designed with rounded arched passages.
Always evolving
In the 1950s, there were plans to redesign the Naschmarkt, but these were never implemented due to debates over traffic and urban planning. In 1972, the wholesale market was demolished and a parking lot was built in its place—this is where the flea market takes place every Saturday today. In the 1980s, the market was modernized, and between 2010 and 2015, it underwent a fundamental renovation to update the infrastructure and ensure barrier-free access.
New since 2025: Market Hall and Naschpark
In the area east of Kettenbrückengasse, the Naschmarkt received a new entrance with a modern „Market Space“ (Marktraum). Unlike the classic stalls, the vendors here are housed in a hall, protected from the weather. A special highlight is the accessible roof garden on top of the market hall, offering a great view over the Naschmarkt. In autumn 2024, the transformation of the former parking lot into a green space—the Naschpark—began.
How is the Naschmarkt Vienna structured?
If you visit for the first time, the layout can be confusing. There are three rows of stalls. Starting from the city center (Getreidemarkt), five large „blocks“ stand close together until you reach the Kettenbrückengasse station.
- Right row (Linke Wienzeile): Mostly restaurants and cafes.
- Middle row: A mix of restaurants and market stalls.
- Left row: Almost exclusively market stalls. Near the Getreidemarkt end, you will find many fish stalls first. Further down, you’ll find fruit, vegetables, cheese, meat, and the famous spice stalls. Samples are offered almost everywhere—from nuts to exotic candied fruits.
No more souvenir stalls in the future
In the coming years, souvenir stalls will disappear from the Naschmarkt. A new market regulation (in effect since March 2025) aims to create more space for food stalls. Souvenir vendors have a three-year transition period to change their product range to food; otherwise, they will lose their spots. The goal is to improve local supply and culinary variety.
Farmers‘ Market and Flea Market
Every Saturday, regional farmers come to the „Bio-Eck“ to offer fresh goods at the far end of the market (near Kettenbrückengasse). Here you can buy fresh bread, honey, and organic vegetables. Right next to it is the famous Flea Market (6:30 AM – 3:00 PM). It is the largest in Vienna (and likely Austria). If you are looking for real antiques, you should arrive very early in the morning.
The Naschmarkt Museum
Perhaps the smallest museum in Vienna is the Naschmarkt Museum. It is only 4 square meters big and located in a disused chapel at the corner of Naschmarkt/Schleifmühlgasse. It shows the history of the market and its „originals.“ Admission is free.
Weiterführende Links
- Überblick Naschmarkt Stände
- beachte diese Naschmarkt Öffnungszeiten
- so kommst du hin, die Naschmarkt Anreise
