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AUSTRIAN TRADITIONS

Heilige Drei Könige: What’s open on Austria’s public holiday on January 6th?

Austria's first national public holiday of the year after January 1st is Epiphany - so what closes down and what stays open on January 6th?

Published: 5 January 2024 10:26 CET
Updated: 6 January 2024 11:14 CET
Heilige Drei Könige: What's open on Austria's public holiday on January 6th?
January 6th is a holiday celebrating the Three Holy Kinds in Austria (Photo by Jonathan Meyer on Unsplash)

In 2024, January 6th falls on a Saturday, so most people on a regular working calendar won’t really be able to make the most of it.

However, just as with any other holiday in the country, almost every store and supermarket will be closed, leading to long lines and packed stores on Friday as people hunker down for the weekend (Sundays are also rest days in Austria, so if you need to fill up the fridge, now is the time). 

Why is January 6th a public holiday in Austria?

Like most national holidays, this one also has religious roots – more specifically, Catholic roots. On January 6th, Catholics celebrate “adoration of the Magi” when the three kings visited the newborn Jesus Christ.

In Austria, the holiday is known as Heilige Drei Könige, or Three Holy Kings. 

READ ALSO: Reader question: What happens in Austria when a holiday falls on a weekend?

What’s still open?

Most stores and supermarkets will be closed because it is a public holiday. However, restaurants are still open, and if you find yourself with an empty fridge, convenience stores in petrol stations and supermarkets inside train and metro stations are still allowed to open in Austria, even on public holidays.

Some bakery businesses also stay open – but might have special hours, so it’s best to check with your local Anker, Ströck, Der Mann and Felber. 

Vienna supermarkets

Billa in Herrnhuterhaus (Neuer Markt 17) extends shopping hours from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, catering to customers’ supply needs. Billa am Praterstern is open between 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM, providing a late shopping option.

Billa at Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof / Julius Tandler Platz (9th district) operates from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM, offering additional convenience for residents. Billa at Westbahnhof / Europaplatz (15th district) is open from 5:30 AM to 11:00 PM for their shopping needs.

Spar in AKH / Währinger Gürtel (9th district) serves customers from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Interspar at the central train station (10th district) operates between 8:00 AM and 11:00 PM, offering convenience for travellers staying nearby.

READ ALSO: Everything you need to know about supermarkets in Austria

Spar in the Floridsdorf clinic (21st district) is a supply option for Floridsdorf residents.

BIPA store at Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof in Vienna remains open on Sundays, offering various cosmetic and household products, including detergents and cleaning materials.

OKAY markets across the city, including those at the main university and Wien Mitte, operate with varying opening hours. U3 supermarket at Westbahnhof welcomes shoppers from 7:00 AM to midnight.

Another easy (though likely expensive) solution is to head to a convenience store at a gas station. Some of them can offer quite a large selection of food and drinks and stay open over holidays – they are also a good alternative for late-night shopping in some cases.

How do Austrians celebrate the holiday?

Several traditions take place on this date, involving various customs and practices. It’s common for people to take down their Christmas decorations and pack away their Christmas trees for the year.

READ ALSO: COMPARE: How do Austria’s public holidays stack up against the rest of Europe?

Another common tradition observed on this day is the Sternsinger (star singers), a group of young kids dressed as kings who visit homes, singing in groups of four. They might sing, offer blessings for the home, and typically seek donations for charitable causes organised by the churches.

It’s not uncommon to see homes marked with chalk just above the door in Austria. This marking signifies that the Sternsinger has blessed the house. They mark the year of the blessing and the three kings’ initials – Kaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar – over the doorway.

Religious families may go to a solemn mass at the church and gather for a significant family meal to commemorate this date. For Orthodox believers, January 6th also marks Christmas Eve. 

READ ALSO: Which days off will workers in Austria get in 2024?

When is the next public holiday in Austria?

After Saturday, people in Austria will have to wait a while for the following public holiday, as there are no official national ones in February or March. However, Easter Monday (again, a Christian celebration) will fall on April 1st.

As this holiday is always celebrated on Mondays in Austria, it will give you a chance to enjoy a long weekend.

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LIVING IN AUSTRIA

Labour day: What to do on May 1st in Austria

The Day of Labour, or Tag der Arbeit, is a public holiday in Austria and a great opportunity to join a demonstration, a parade, or explore some of the other events taking place on this specific day. Here is what is going on and what will be closed.

Published: 30 April 2024 09:29 CEST
Updated: 1 May 2024 06:32 CEST
Labour day: What to do on May 1st in Austria

The Day of Labour is a nationwide public holiday which celebrates and highlights the history of labour struggles and protests.

The movement for workers’ rights traces back to the US in the 19th century when conditions for factory workers were very poor and dangerous to their health. The poor conditions motivated the workers to gather and start fighting for improvement. This movement spread worldwide and reached Austria in 1886.

Nowadays, the 1st of May stands as a symbol of workers’ solidarity and serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight for fair labour practices and social justice. It honours the achievements of workers and the labour movement.

Group of female workers. Photo by Austrian National Library on Unsplash

What is happening in Austria on this day? 

In Austria, most people do not have to go to work or school as this is a bank holiday. In Vienna, just like in many other Austrian cities and towns, the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) arranged Labour Day rallies to celebrate the occasion. In the capital, they gather at the town hall, Rathausplatz, to celebrate the day and promote their agenda for workers’ rights and social justice through speeches, presentations, and debates.

In most cities and towns, parades, demonstrations, and various events are being organised. In Salzburg, a parade under the motto “We walk together for peace” takes place, starting at 12 am at Residenzplatz, accompanied by music from live singers. In Graz, SPÖ arranged a parade starting from their pavilion at 08:45 am, and ending at the city’s main square, Hauptplatz. In Innsbruck, the SPÖ organises a celebration event at Rapoldipark starting at 11 am.

In general, May 1st offers a great variety of activities, no matter where in Austria you are. If you feel more like spending time in nature, a wide range of group outdoor activities are offered in different regions. For example, in Klagenfurt, you can participate in a family cycling event in the countryside. And if you are in Vorarlberg and in the mood for a market, you can visit the handicraft market, called “Wälder Markt”, with over 70 exhibitors presenting their handicrafts in the municipality of Hittisau in Vorarlberg, where you can also enjoy some snacks and drinks.

Maypole traditions

In addition, the maypole (Maibaum in German) is celebrated in different villages, which is one of the most important traditions happening on this day—though not connected to Labour Day but to the general start of the month of May (and the start of a nicer weather season).

The maypole celebration is a long-standing Austrian tradition where the locals of a village raise a maypole on the village square on May 1st as a symbol of fertility.

Maypole climbing, stealing the maypole, dancing around the pole, or maypole parades with brass bands are common traditions in most regions of Austria. The Maypole celebration is a very popular traditional event which strengthens the community spirit. 

 
 
 
 
 
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READ ALSO: Which days off will workers in Austria get in 2024?

What will be closed?

Since May 1st is a public holiday in Austria, banks, post offices, supermarkets, and general medical practices will be closed. Most pharmacies will also be closed, except for those functioning as emergency pharmacies, which are scheduled to remain open during the holidays. In Austria, around 220 pharmacies function as “Notdienstapotheken” or emergency pharmacies. Find them listed here. 

Hospital emergency departments will remain open if you need medical care. Additionally, each region offers a holiday on-call service (Wochenend—und Feiertagsbereitschaftsdienst) if you prefer not to go to the hospital. You can call 141 for medical services during holidays, such as a doctor’s visit or to obtain certain medications.

Public Transport

On May 1st, public transport operates all over Austria, although sometimes with a reduced timetable, similar to that on Sundays.

In Vienna, trams, metros, and buses run with slightly reduced timetables. For information on the timetable for different lines, click here.

Mainline train services often run with a near-normal timetable during May 1st. You can check out the timetable for ÖBB here.

READ NEXT: Eleven unmissable events in Austria in May 2024

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