Magical Christmas markets

Christmas in Vienna is a special affair. The entire city seems enveloped with the festive spirit, which makes it much easier to bear the biting winter! Vienna pulls out all stops in the weeks leading up to Christmas – the main shopping streets of Graben, Kohlmarkt and Kärntner Strasse sport intricate designs in twinkling lights, the traditional bakeries display rich cakes and delectable cookies, there are decorated Christmas trees everywhere. And of course, the multiple Christmas markets all over the city. The biggest of them all is held in front of the City Hall in Rathausplatz, which is also home to the tallest Christmas tree in Vienna. The cobbled street of Freyung is the site for Vienna’s oldest Christmas market, dating back to 1772. Another must-visit market is the one in Spittelberg, known for its handcrafted and artisanal products. The Christmas Village at Maria-Theresien-Platz, between the Museum of Natural History and the Art History Museum is also worth a look. As you go Christmas market hopping (yes, that’s possible!) savour some typical Austrian foods – bratwurst, käsekrainer (cheese-filled sausage), ofenkartoffeln (baked jacket potato with fillings), lebkuchen (gingerbread biscuits) and kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes). Keep yourself warm by sipping mugs of glühwein (mulled wine) and punsch (hot punch). You can buy several Christmas baubles at the stalls, including snow globes, hand-painted glass balls, lace-covered decorations and wooden carvings, not to mention good quality knitwear and ceramics.