Christkindlmarkts Vienna Style!
This weekend I got the chance to experience the magic of European Christmas markets for the second time! Last year, Skye, Renne and I traveled to Köln, Germany (revisit the post here!) to see firsthand the seven amazing Christmas markets they offer. This year, Elena and I opted for the beautiful city of Vienna, Austria. We had an incredible (and full) two and a half days of city exploring and spending time in nine of their Christkindlmarkts!
My moms friend from her time studying abroad in Switzerland, Elisabeth, kindly let the two of us stay with her for the weekend while experienced everything Vienna has to offer. We had two wonderful breakfasts with Elisabeth in her home and it was lovely to see her again after I had visited with my parents back in June pre Alps bike trip!
Elena and I headed from Santander to Bilbao on the bus after work on Friday to catch our flight to Vienna. After an uneventful flight and taxi ride, we arrived at Elisabeth's a bit before midnight, shared some yummy vegetable soup and crashed hard. It had felt like a long week for both Elena and me and we were so happy to get away for the weekend!
On Saturday morning, Elisabeth and I went to the local bakery to get some bread, cheese, eggs and other breakfast items for our stay. The three of us made and shared a delicious brunch spread and headed out to start our days. Elena and I said goodbye (for the day) to Elisabeth at the post office and continued on to the train station so that we could get our three day pass for the tram and underground.
Once Elena and I were in the city center, we tuned into a Rick Steves audio tour of the most famous landmarks in Vienna starting with the Vienna State Opera. Rick Steves has these podcast-like tours available for a lot of European cities but it was my first time ever listening to one. The crowded streets made it difficult to time our walking with the voiceover but it was still a very nice way to learn more about the rich history of the city.
Among the highlights were the Hofburg palace (previously inhabited by the infamous Habsburg family), the famous St. Stephen's Cathedral and some posh public restrooms that were once wine cellars. I had seen many of these sights (exincluding the bathrooms) when I visited Vienna with my parents in June, but it was lovely to get a refresher on the historical significance of these places. Also, the ~feel~ in Vienna between June and December was remarkably different.
After a quick to-go lunch, Elena and I ventured to our first Christmas market in Karlsplatz! This selection of punch sellers and artisanal vendors is known for local, organic products since it is more of a “hippie” spot. They even have a merry-go-round for children that is fully powered by parents peddling two bicycles! We got ourselves some glüwein and strolled around the stalls admiring all of the craftsmanship.
I remember being head over heels for the markets in Köln and this Vienese version had the exact same effect on me! There is something so uniquely festive and joyful about sipping some hot wine in such a beautiful, bustling location. I am so glad that Elena got to experience the magic of these special places and that she loved them just as much as I did!
From Karlsplatz we walked towards the city hall plaza, Rathausplatz, to see the ice skating rink and stalls there. This market was much bigger and more crowded, but the Christmas tree and large tree adorned with glowing heart ornaments alone made it worth the stop. We got some more wine and after getting bumped around on our vendor lap, we found a quieter spot to listen to some German Christmas carols.
Continuing our market tour, we headed into the city center to check out two smaller markets that we were told were less touristy. Freyung and Am Hof had a delightful selection of food and drink that was slightly different from the bigger markets. Since it was nearing dinnertime, Elena and I split a cheese raclette and each got a potato pasta dish! Everything was so hearty and delicious :)
Before heading home for the night, we stopped by the market that is located in Maria-Theresian-Platz between the Natural History Museum and the Art History Museum. Elena bought a special edition mug in the shape of a stocking and I grabbed us a small assortment of desserts to try. My favorite was definitely the pistachio filled cylindrical pastry, but they were all very tasty.
We arrived back home exhausted and very grateful to finally be inside. Although it was not bitterly cold this weekend, we spent so many hours outside that it was always a relief to come inside and warm up. After a hot shower and some Rummy (a favorite card game of mine), we called it a night.
On Sunday morning after saying goodbye and thank you to Elisabeth, we again headed to the city center to begin another day of adventuring. Instead of staying around the central area, we hopped on another train to one of the palaces in Vienna, Belvedere. This spralling complex of Baroque style buildings was once the summer home of Prince Eugene of Savoy and now is preserved as a museum.
We decided to skip the museum part and chose to walk the grounds of this magnificent building. There we admired the architecture of the sculptures throughout the gardens and got a wonderful view of the palace from all angles. There was another Christmas market here which we briefly visited, but continued on with our day after deeming it a bit early for mulled wine.
Back in the center, we went to a famous Vienese sausage stand called Bitzinger Sauage Stand for lunch. Elena tried the classic Käeskrainer (a famous cheese filled sausage) in a roll and I got the only vegetarian option: cheese stuffed potatoes (are you sensing a theme here). We ate our lunch on the balcony of the Albertina museum (right next door to the stand) and got ourselves organized for another Rick Steves tour, this time on the tram.
The old, historical part of Vienna is surrounded by the “ring road” which is now one of the busiest roads in the city. We took the tram around the ring, having to change lines once, to learn about some famous sites and the history of the old town. It was a really nice excuse to get out of the cold and we got to see a whole new part of the city which was really cool!
After our tour, we hopped on the underground to visit another famous palace in Vienna, Schönbrunn. This palace was once the summer home to the reigning Halzburg family and it is regal in every sense of the word. I had come here with my parents and Elizabeth in June but it was so worth another visit.
We arrived right around sunset (4:30!!!) and decided to stop for a hot drink in the markets in front of the palace before touring the grounds. This time instead of glüwein, Elena tried an apricot punch and I got hot apple cider. I really loved her drink but was not as big of a fan of mine.
Mugs in hand, we wound through the hairpin paths of the grounds to the highest point of the garden which has wonderful views of the palace and the city beyond. The light was just leaving the sky so we were able to get a glimpse of a Vienese sunset which was just lovely :)
After another hot drink, small snack and watching some very comical ice skating attempts, we got back on the underground to return to the city center. Since the day before, I had had my eye on both the mugs and the soup in a bread bowl at the Stephansplatz market so we walked directly there.
I ordered pumpkin soup in a bread bowl and it was everything I had hoped it would be! So warm and delicious and in a completely edible container. What could be better than that! We akso got our last gluwein of the trip in the adorable boot mugs of Stephansplatz and since I was keeping them, we began our walk to the train. It felt colder because of the strong winds so we were calling it a bit of an earlier night. Plus, we needed ample time for cards and Christmas songs before bed.
On Monday morning we made a quick breakfast and cleaned up a bit before walking to the Vienna woods for a nature walk. It was so tranquil and quiet in the forest and a perfect way to start our travel day :)
Elena had been hoping for another Wien sausage before we left so we returned to the stand for lunch. I opted for a baked good this time instead of what I had ordered the previous day…I think my body had had enough of potatoes and cheese.
After doing some last minute shopping and sightseeing around the downtown area, we got on the train to the airport and headed out of town. The public transport system in Vienna made it so easy and convenient for us to get everywhere we wanted to go and I already miss it.
Elena and I had an absolutely amazing experience in Vienna with the markets, food, and famous sites. It was truly the perfect winter weekend and I am so happy we made this trip happen! European Christmas markets are always worth it :) And a HUGE thank you to Elisabeth for being such a gracious host!
I have a short two day work week coming up before flying back to Boston on Thursday! I am soooo excited to be home for the holidays and am really looking forward to this upcoming trip!! This will be the last blog update for 2024 so thank you for following along<3 Happy holidays!
Did you end up getting a mug?