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The Good, The Bad, The Wonderful, and The Ugly.
What an honour to visit such a captivating and idyllic city in the middle of its most beautiful time, Christmas. Firstly, picture it, snow falling, old European streets, the smell of freshly baked treats, and booths filled with jewelry, ornaments, and gluhwein (mulled wine).
However, picture it again, it’s freezing, you can’t feel your hands, and you forgot to put on your long johns. Furthermore, there are people everywhere, that you can hardly move and the smell of gluhwein is enough to make you vomit.
Take note, that there are always two sides to a story. To some, a dream comes true to others a nightmare. However, wandering around Christmas markets was a huge bucket list tick, for me. For my dad, although captivated by the historical city that is Vienna, walking around Christmas markets following my mom and me was, perhaps, less of a ‘must-see item’. I was also adamant about going to as many markets as possible. Here is the list of markets we went to - the good, the bad, the wonderful, and the ugly. I will hopefully provide enough insight for you to create your own Christmas market itinerary.
The First Day
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... Well, actually, on the first day of our holiday, we went straight to the city center. We threw ourselves in at the deep end. It was a Saturday morning and we traveled up the escalators from the subway, straight onto the main street. Consequently, we were bomb barded with locals and tourists doing their Christmas shopping. Finally, we got over the initial shock of people and marveled at the spectacular light display towering over us. We had made it. We then turned to be captivated by, the symbol of Vienna, St Stephens Cathedral, surrounding it, our first Christmas Market.
1. St Stephens Square
This was the moment, this was when all my expectations would come to fruition, well, to my disappointment, not really. As I basically sprinted to the market, I was almost crushed by the crowd waiting to get their hot wine. I was however still determined and pushed my way further to discover some beautiful craftsmanship. However, I was unable to get close enough to inspect the work. It was just not the time to get the full experience of these markets. As mentioned and as a reminder, It was a busy Saturday morning. Therefore, the first bit of advice is to think about the day and time you jump on the Christmas market train.
Finally, we got to progress around the market coming to some food stalls where we were offered, by a lovely lady, who politely said "try some horse meat, it's fucking awesome". Upon hearing this I looked to my right to see the beautiful horses that have, in my opinion, been enslaved to pull carriages around for tourists' shameful pleasure.
Of course, we declined the horse meat and instead tried a more local delicacy of, simply put, ham in a roll (Yes, vegans, why is it ok to eat a pig but not a horse? I hear you, I agree with you, but that is, perhaps, a conversation for another time). I, myself, am not a big meat eater, therefore I can't say it was delicious but I also can't say it wasn't. When in Vienna! The first market was sadly too crowded and a little overwhelming. We would have to try our luck at the next one.
2. Wintermarkt at the Riesenradplatz
Luckily on the same day, we decided to explore Vienna's huge Ferris Wheel, which you are greeted with upon arriving in the city. Thankfully, my Christmas Market expectations were about to be redeemed, well kind of. This is a Christmas Market to an extent but also a type of Winter wonderland with endless rides to fancy your inner child. This was also my first taste of Gluhwein, I was mostly drawn to the mugs the wine came in and wanted to start a collection.
This is a big thing with Christmas Markets, there is even a map that you can follow in order to collect the mugs! I had emptied half my hot wine down the drain and chose to just enjoy the mug rather than the heavily strong clove taste in my mouth, proceed with caution, you either love it or hate it.
This market or fair is a take off your tie and let your hair down type of experience. Therefore, enjoy the alcohol, food, and fun with no pressure to Christmas shop. Ultimately, it is a wonderful family experience, sure to complement everyone. It was a memorable experience with belly laughs and screams of joy on rides. I would highly recommend it as a break from the museums and the pressure to feel cultured.
3. Belvedere Palace
Now, this is where dreams come true. Ahhhh, 'what a wonderful world'. This market was placed in front of the palace. Arriving on a Sunday morning, we were greeted with beautiful architecture and the sweet smells of carbohydrates and sugar. Of course, after our photoshoot, as you can see below, it was time to explore. There are specific time slots that you are given in order to enter the museum, so while we were waiting we had the perfect opportunity to stuff our faces and make a few purchases. This market was less crowded with more freedom to move around and take a closer inspection. It is a smaller and less frantic market. Below are a few treats you should allow your taste buds to enjoy.
Cheese Spaetzle with Caramelised Onions
I mean, cheese and pasta, why are you questioning it? Unless you are lactose intolerant, vegan, or gluten intolerant, then I am sincerely sorry. It's important to note that the markets are not as vegan/vegetarian, or very specific dietary requirements, friendly, not to say that you won't enjoy it at all. Spaetzle is a condensed egg pasta. This one, in particular, is mixed with grated cheese, typically Emmental, and fried onion. It is an Austrian version of mac n cheese, satisfying and warm.
By Takeaway - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0. Ok, I didn't take this picture, because I was too busy stuffing my face, but I wanted you to get an idea of what this dish looked like. I know you want to try it now.
The Hotdogs/Sausages
If this wasn't expected then what are you doing in Vienna? This is a delicacy, food you will see on every street and market, bridging the barriers between class. To experience the place you must experience the food. I know the meat topic is up for debate, so this will be at your own discretion as most sausages are made from 'pork and/or beef and/or goodness knows what'. I was brave and tried three different varieties while placing my ethics in the back of my mind, I enjoyed it. Check out the Vienna Sausage glossary for some more insight.
"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home" James Michener, American author.
The Jewelry
I have a little ring collection, each ring is from a different city, I HAD to get a ring from Vienna. There were some beautiful stalls filled with Jewelry for everyone. A common theme is amber and boy was there a wide selection of beautiful pieces to choose from. I purchased a beautiful green amber ring set in sterling silver at a reasonable price of 16 euros (R330). There were handcrafted wooden ornaments, scented candles, toys, and hats. The perfect unique and meaningful Christmas gifts for friends, family, and yourself.
4. Hofburg Palace (k.u.k. Weihnachtsmarkt)
On the same day, we headed for the imperial and royal Hofburg Palace. To be honest, there was not much exploration of this market, rather more, exploring of the spectacular palace and Sisi Museum. (Keep an eye out for my post about Empress Elisabeth of Austria). This market is another smaller market and is perfectly located in the city. It is captivating, the white booths are draped with fairy lights and concaved by the dome of the palace. If not to go to the market then you must go for the beauty, notably visible at night. This market is said to avoid all forms of tackiness and embrace the true fashion of its location, with the opportunity to purchase gold pieces embedded with Swarovski crystals, hello!
5. Christkindlmarkt on the Rathausplatz
On this very same Sunday, yes we went to 3 different Christmas Markets in one day, they're everywhere and hard to avoid. As I saw the picturesque sign 'Frohe Weihnachten' (Merry Christmas) and the astounding light display, a huge smile graced my face, as my dad sighed. It was the evening, it was time for dinner and rest after a long day. I fluttered my eyelashes and was assured we would only stay for a short while.
This sadly came true, as this is Vienna's biggest and BUSIEST market. I don't really know what to say, Woah, it was stuffed with people, like a One Direction concert. We were in and out within 15 minutes, as this was time mostly spent on finding each other. My boyfriend and I did manage to find a romantic seat under a light display of hearts, this was appropriate as we had a little cuddle while we people-watched.
This is a common debate among avid Christmas Market-goers, the smaller and in turn more cultured markets vs the historic, iconic, and most popular larger markets. I would have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the smaller markets as it was more of an experience rather than a survival tactic. However this could all be due to timing, as mentioned earlier, perhaps a Sunday evening or weekend for that matter is not the correct choice. Standing, looking at the market, and its' light displays, still satisfied the idyllic expectations of a Vienna Christmas Market.
6. Schonbrunn Palace
Our final Christmas experience in Vienna and one of my favourite experiences. The tour of the palace and its gardens is enough to captivate everybody. The art lovers, the architecture students, the imperial and monarchy historians, the landscape experts, and the lovers of food and coffee, with the added bonus of the Christmas Market.
This is a highly populated attraction and the irony is that the market is seen as small, although it can get busy. We went on a Tuesday around midday, it wasn't crowded with plenty of opportunities to buy something to eat and drink while we waited in the cold. A tip from Visiting Vienna is to 'go at dusk, around 4 pm, on a weekday. Consequently, the darkness adds a little extra to the atmosphere, but it’s not peak visiting time.'
This is the height of the imperial family with the cascading palace as the backdrop to the market. This is another opportunity to buy unique Christmas gifts with the offering of artisan jams, cheeses, salami, honey, or anything you can think of. There are many traditional decorations and ornaments, noticeably avoiding plastic as their material of craftsmanship, smart consumerism at its best.
Here we got our bodies ready for exploration with a coffee from Coffee Gota, Austrians Barista Champions in 2018 & 2019 (Another mug was collected at this pitstop), paired with a classic cinnamon crepe. We were happy, satisfied, and warm, ready for a day at the summer palace.
My Top Three
Belvedere Palace
Schonbrunn Palace
The Wintermarkt at the Riesenradplatz
The biggest tip is to consider what day and what time you are going, as this will greatly impact your experience. If you are only in Vienna for a short period, above are my top three must-sees. Start off at the little (smaller) markets and get a real taste of Vienna at Christmas. I believe you should be well-equipped to begin your ultimate Christmas Market itinerary, Good Luck, and don't forget to enjoy the little things!
If you are eager to explore Europe you can read more on my post here.
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