To Market

No trip to a European country is complete without a visit to its markets. Every city and town has these, mostly open-air, markets where you can buy everything from fruits and vegetables to clothes and curiosities. The Naschmarkt in Vienna is the city’s most popular market, with both locals and tourists flocking to it every day (except Sunday). It’s a riot of colours and smells, with shops stacked high with seasonal and regional produce, deli meats, seafood, spices, cheese and breads. There are several bistros, cafes and restaurants where you can stop and rest your feet (and grab a drink or a bite). And on Saturdays, there’s a swinging flea market at one end of Naschmarkt – you can find antique jewellery and furniture, books, vintage crockery and other odds and ends, often at throwaway prices. Salzburg’s Schrannenmarkt, Austria’s third largest street market, is set up opposite Schloss Mirabell in the Old Town, every Thursday from 5 am to 1 pm (on Wednesdays if Thursday is a public holiday). You are guaranteed to find the best quality, locally grown and produced foodstuff. If you visit Austria during winter, don’t miss the fun and revelry (fuelled by cups of glühwein or mulled wine) at the Christmas markets all over the country. Vienna itself holds numerous markets, from the massive one at Rathausplatz to the oldest one at Freyung, which dates back to 1772.