Vienna, Christmas Markets and Other Christmassy Things

Julia’s time in Vienna was coming to an end, but there was still one thing left on our list before she flew home — the Christmas markets.

Christmas in Vienna

My favourite area in central Vienna is Stephansplatz (St Stephen’s Square), home to the Gothic St Stephen’s Cathedral and a large pedestrian mall. It was also the starting point for our quest to find Christmas markets. And finding them we did. They ranged from small and cosy to extremely large and “please-don’t-lose-me.”

Even though the markets are open during the day, they are more magical at night when the lights come on, making them easier to spot from a distance.

We loved being rugged up against the cold night air, ordering hot Aperol Spritz topped with whipped cream, paired with chocolate-coated strawberries on skewers.

Also on the menu was soup served in a bread bowl — delicious and warming. Not to be outdone by the hot Aperol Spritz, a popular champagne bar had been set up under a marquee; however, it was hard to find an available seat.

The Town Hall Christmas market was the prettiest market imaginable. Paths wound around the market and we were constantly saying “wow” around every corner. The enormous and beautifully decorated Christmas tree seemed to be as tall as the Town Hall behind it. But our favourite was a large tree covered in hundreds of glowing red hearts.

This market was definitely celebrating love. Every thirty minutes, an enormous glowing red heart travelled overhead amongst the Christmas lights, and we were lucky enough to be underneath as it floated past.

Equally impressive was the ice-skating trail winding its way around trees lit with Christmas lights. Experienced skaters and beginners alike made their way around the trail. Not far away was a carousel — not an ordinary carousel, but a glowing two-storey vintage-style carousel.

While the Christmas market at the Town Hall was everything and more than we had hoped for, the Christmas market at Schönbrunn Palace was also special. We arrived before dark, allowing us to watch the sun set over the palace as the market came alive with twinkling Christmas lights. The palace was soon luminous in a golden hue.

A Winter Walk Through Vienna

The day before Julia flew home, we wandered into St Stephen’s Square and ordered a late lunch at a café situated opposite St Stephen’s Cathedral. We had a pasta meal and a warm Aperol Spritz, which Julia noted was the best drink she had ever had.  

From our table, we viewed the busy Christmas market wrapped around the side of the cathedral. We decided to go for a walk after our meal and just headed down the pedestrian boulevard without a firm destination. 

First stop was for dessert. Who knew you could buy vegan gelato! I highly recommend eating gelato while strolling down the boulevards. Your pace slows and everything is more enticing. There were approximately one hundred Christmas trees for sale in the middle of the boulevard, and we could walk amongst them, making it feel as though we were in a forest.

 Leaving the forest, we kept strolling, lingering at most shop windows, still eating our gelato. We passed people enjoying Christmas drinks in a pop-up bar on the boulevard. Rounding the corner and passing the Louis Vuitton store, we entered my favourite boulevard, which led to the Hofburg Palace.

With the palace in the background, the boulevard was lit by Christmas lights resembling chandeliers, which seemed to float above us.

Along the way, we stopped to admire the Dior store windows, which took my breath away. Most had an underwater theme with seahorses, starfish and shells. However, my absolute favourite was the window with a unicorn and butterflies. Each time I pass these windows, I stop to admire their creativity.

Once we reached the end of the boulevard, we turned another corner and, just past the Hofburg Palace, came to the Spanish Riding School stables. Through the glass, we noticed a Christmas tree in front of the stall closest to us. This is my favourite part of the walk. The Lipizzaner in this stall, only a few metres from the glass, seemed just as interested in us as we were in him.

We said goodbye to this handsome lad until my next visit and headed back towards St Stephen’s Cathedral.  

Who doesn’t love a chocolate shop offering free samples? We stopped at a chocolate shop on the boulevard to buy a few Christmas gifts! The variety of chocolate was overwhelming; however, we did manage to make a selection after a few tastings.

The Christmas market beside St Stephen’s Cathedral was definitely in party mode by the time we reached it. We were looking for Christmas ornaments that would be easy to pack. Julia bought some lovely wooden ornaments for herself and also for gifts.

We were on our way to the tram to head home when we decided to turn around and head back for a hot chocolate and some dessert. I was obviously trying to squeeze every last minute out of Julia’s visit before she headed home the next day.

Eventually, we left the café and wandered into St Stephen’s Cathedral, where we lit candles before finally heading home.

Thank you for reading.

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