There was one goal in mind for our Christmastime 2022 international trip: visit as many Christmas markets as possible! After several years of anticipation, we couldn’t wait to experience all of the wintry magic under the bright lights with a mug of Glühwine in hand. Our first stop: the City of Music, Vienna.
Hotel Sans Souci Wien
We picked a beautiful boutique hotel for our three night stay in Vienna. Conveniently located just down the street from a metro stop but also within walking distance of most of Vienna’s biggest attractions, Sans Souci Wien impressed us from the moment we walked in the door. As we gawked at the large chandelier handing in the center of the reception area, we were graciously offered a Viennese coffee or espresso as we completed the check-in process. Throughout our stay, Matthias, who took us to our room well before check-in time, was our go-to guy for dinner reservations and Christmas market recommendations.
Our accommodation was roomy and comfortable, just what we needed at the end of each wintry day in the city. We loved the coffee room service that is offered by the hotel free of charge. And the breakfast, a combination of buffet items and made-to-order eggs, was a great start to every morning. Regretfully, we had no time to relax at the hotel’s spa, but it looked very nice.
Vienna City Center Free Walking Tour
With a great flight schedule that granted us an early afternoon arrival in Vienna, we had several hours of daylight remaining. In our usual fashion, we started the trip with a Free Walking Tour of Vienna’s Historical City Center. We walked to the meeting spot after grabbing a bite to eat from a street hot dog stand – delicious! Our tour guide, Inga, did a nice job of orienting us to the city and sprinkling in some history despite the growing crowds in the streets. It was a Saturday afternoon, but not just any Saturday. With the Christmas holiday just around the corner and a several-years hiatus due to COVID-19, several people informed us that this was likely to be the season’s most crowded evening at each of the city’s Christkindlmarkts. Inga battled through the crowds as afternoon became evening to show us some of Vienna’s most important sites.
One thing I will always remember about Vienna at this time of the year is the captivating Christmas lights displays. Several different streets in the city center are draped with dazzling lights displays that rival any city’s effort. Trying to listen to poor Inga’s tour details was a challenge, as in every direction we looked there was a shimmering spectacle that stole our attention.
Viennese Christmas Market at Rathausplatz
The biggest and most well-known Christmas market in Vienna is the Viennese Christmas Market on City Hall Square, or Christkindlmarkt am Rathausplatz. Here, you will find the stately city hall building, Rathaus, surrounded by dozens of cabin-like stalls selling everything from food and drink to ornaments and toys. There is a large ice-skating course as well. This is the market from Vienna that commonly appears on the lists of the world’s best Christmas markets.
As it was a Saturday evening, this Christmas market was insane when we arrived. There were hoards of people everywhere, making our plans to eat at the market all but impossible. We did buy our first mug of hot, mulled wine, called Glühwein, though. Side note: Emily mispronounced Glühwein just about every time she ordered it throughout the entire week, a comedy each time she handed another Austrian her mug for a refill.
For those less familiar with Austrian Christmas markets, the most popular tradition to enjoy is the Glühwein. Each market produces its own mug which can be obtained by paying a deposit, usually €2-3. One may then fill it with Glühwein purchased from any of the stalls at the market. Alternatively, in Vienna especially, many of the vendors offer hot fruit punches – everything from orange to apple to pomegranate, in alcoholic and non- varieties. When filled to the brim with Glühwein, or just ready to head to a different Christmas market, one can return to mug to receive the deposit back or keep it as a cheap souvenir!
Spittelberg Christmas Market
We tried to sit down at a few different restaurants in the area but all had no room without a reservation. Café Raimund was not far from out hotel and was able to seat us, though. I have no photos to share, though, because the meal was not good. We can leave it at that. Still, we were finally fed and had been awake for many hours, so it was time for some sleep.
The Hofburg
We began our first full day in Austria with the great breakfast offered by Hotel Sans Souci Wien before making our way to the Hofburg. The Hofburg is the former imperial winter palace of the Habsburg dynasty. Today, it is an impressive group of museums in the heart of Vienna. A ticket includes entrance to see the imperial silver collection, the imperial apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife Sisi, and the Sisi museum. Dedicated to the Empress Elisabeth, the Sisi museum guides visitors through the mysterious and often complex life of Sisi from childhood until her untimely assassination. It is impossible to escape the Habsburg history when visiting Austria, so this made the Hofburg a great place to start. There is also a small Christmas market in front of the Hofburg, but it was nothing special compared to many of the others.
Following the Hofburg, we visited the Imperial Treasury. We learned about this interesting museum during our walking tour the evening prior. The Imperial Treasury houses many rarities that once belonged to the Habsburgs and date back over a thousand years. Emily mainly wanted to see the imperial crown and regalia, but we also got to see oddities such as the horn of a unicorn (actually believed to be the tusk of a narwhale) and the Holy Grail (well, one of them).
No pictures were allowed in the Hofburg or the Imperial Treasury. After the morning of Imperial history, we explored more of Vienna, hoping to find an Imperial Viennese Café for a coffee stop. Unfortunately, they all had long waits, and the weather was cold. We opted for a quick coffee instead and moved on with our day. One of the busiest areas in Vienna is the Graben, a street and long, public square lined by shops and restaurants. At this time of the year, massive chandeliers of Christmas lights hang above the Graben, making it extra special at night. In the center of the Graben is the Plague Column, a very unique monument made to commemorate the Great Plague of Vienna. There were Christmas tree vendors selling them along the Graben for the local Viennese.
Christmas Village at Stephansplatz and Stephansdom
After a morning of learning about Imperial Austria, it was about time for some Glühwein. The Christmas Village at Stephansplatz, is situated right in front of Vienna’s most prized place of worship, Stephansdom. It is a nice market with a fair number of booths and plenty of foot traffic. We enjoyed a chimney cake as a quick snack. Then, we visited Stephansdom, the most recognizable structure in Vienna due to its multi-colored roof tiles. Inside, the cathedral is very similar to other Gothic cathedrals we’ve seen. But what made St. Stephen’s special was the ability to view the surrounding Stephansplatz and the city from a viewing platform on the North Tower. One can also ascend the taller South Tower by climbing many stairs, but the North Tower has elevator access. From above, Vienna was spectacular on this clear day, and it was neat to look down at the Christmas village below.
While we were away for the day, Matthias at the hotel was thankfully able to find us a dinner reservation. We were looking for a great Austrian meal, so he sent us to Gösser Bierklinik. Advertised as the oldest still-operated restaurant in Vienna, Gösser Bierklinik is a cozy restaurant in the heart of Vienna where traditional Austrian cuisine is served. One would think that due to its location within steps of Vienna’s busiest pedestrian center, the restaurant would lose much of its authentic value. But this is not the case here. We both first enjoyed a nice bowl of soup, pumpkin for Emily and goose soup for me, before our main dishes. Emily loved her veal schnitzel, and my wild boar stew packed a ton of flavor. Washed down with beer from the Austrian brewery Gösser, this meal did not disappoint.
Am Hof & Old Viennese Christmas Markets
Following an enjoyable dinner, we walked to the Weihnachtsmarkt Am Hof, another of Vienna’s Christmas markets. Located on the large Am Hof Square with the Marian Column at its center, this Christmas market is just down the street from the Graben and still very easy to access. The gently falling snow made this market memorable for us, as we worked magic with our camera and miscellaneous other items to take a picture for our annual Holiday card. Just down the street from Am Hof is the Altwiener Christkindlmarkt at Freyung, or the Old Viennese Christmas Market. Freyung is the supposed location of Vienna’s first Christkindlmarkt more than 100 years ago. These two markets blend together a little bit because they are only a block apart, but they are, in fact, separate. We know this because they had different mugs, and each market will not fill mugs from the other! We ultimately took a great picture at the Freyung Christmas Market for our card!
Classical Music Concert at Peterskirche
Everyone knows that Austria, Vienna in particular, is known for classical music. With Mozart souvenirs everywhere you look and instrumental music playing in every lobby you enter, it’s quite impossible to escape, really. Many tourists in Vienna will reserve a night for an Opera at the famous Vienna Opera House, but we knew that we weren’t cut out for this. So instead, we attended a quick Classical Concert at St. Peter’s Church. It was a great way to see the opulent Rococo gem while also connecting to an important piece of Vienna’s culture. The string quartet played beautifully in the evening ambience of Peterskirche. And thank goodness it was only an hour! There’s nothing like a classical music piece that flirts with ending over and over again to make you realize you’ve drunk too much Glühwein and NEED to pee!
Thankfully, one great thing about Vienna is its presence of public water closets! It is not uncommon to find the in subway stations or signs pointing to them in the city streets. Most are €0,50 and very clean, making my near tragedy manageable.
Not quite ready to call it a night, we walked to a cocktail bar called Truth & Dare. It was still pretty early for a night out in Europe, but the bar was packed. Luckily we found a seat and ordered some cocktails made by the guest bartender from Barcelona. This was definitely a great space for expertly-made cocktails.
Schönbrunn Palace and Christmas Market
Our first stop on Monday morning was Schönbrunn Palace. We took the Vienna U-Bahn to the Schönbrunn station, and the palace was just a short walk from there. Originally wanting to find a tour of the Habsburgs summer residence, we were not able to find any that had spots remaining, so we booked tickets with an audioguide. This is an impressive palace. There are many rooms open to visitors, and the audioguide is very well done and not overbearing (unlike those at many places, in my opinion). The Great Gallery rivals that of Versailles in Paris, and each of the individual rooms with vastly different wall coverings and matching furniture make Schloss Schönbrunn very special. Unfortunately, pictures were not allowed within the palace walls. This Palace is a cannot miss for those that geek out about royal living.
The Christmas Market at Schönbrunn Palace stood right outside the palace and was one of our favorites in all of Vienna. It was cold and windy on the day of our visit, but Glühwein warmed us right up as we shopped the numerous stalls. These vendors sold higher-end items compared to those at some of the other markets we visited. We left with several goods, including a ceramic Christmas flower, a hanging dried fruit and spices potpourri, a handmade wooden cooking utensil, and my first Christian Ulbricht nutcracker made in Germany.
We had planned to use the afternoon to take a Vienna Food Tour that we were excited about, but unfortunately the guide was ill. We had read great reviews about it, though, which means anyone traveling to Vienna should give it a shot.
It isn’t difficult to find something to pass the time in a city like Vienna, particularly because it has many world-renowned museums. Instead, though, we chose to continue Christmas market hopping for the afternoon.
Art Advent Market at Karlsplatz
A convenient stop on the U-Bahn back toward the city center, Karlsplatz has a large market called Art Advent. This Christmas Market was also really great and very different from the rest. Art Advent at Karlsplatz is one of the most popular markets in Vienna because the exhibitors are hand-picked and sell various well-made arts and crafts pieces. Set in a charming space looking up at Karlskirche, this Christmas market felt the most authentic to me in many ways and was the only one we visited with animals. A few sheep nestled under a shelter in front of Karlskirche created a nativity-like feeling. We came home with a few keepsakes from Art Advent: a small turtle for Emily’s collection, a red, handmade snowflake ornament, and a wool beanie made and sold to us by the sweetest Austrian lady.
Karlskirche is considered the most impressive baroque church in Vienna. As was typical for most of the Catholic churches in Austria, there was a large Advent wreath hanging above the altar to celebrate the season. For an extra cost, we were able to climb the stairs up the the organ loft and then out to the balcony overlooking Karlsplatz and the Christmas market below.
As it was time for lunch, we decided to give the Christkindlmarkt at Rathausplatz another try. We knew they had quite a few food options and that it would be less hectic during the afternoon. It continued snowing as we bounced around trying different Austrian market specialties. We tried arancini (stuffed, hot rice balls), a poor man’s apple strudel, and spicy sausage wrapped in cheese dough before moving on to another market.
Christmas Village at Maria-Theresien-Platz
We had one more Christmas village to explore during the afternoon, the Weihnachtsdorf Maria-Theresien-Plaz. The Maria-Theresien-Platz is a stately plaza located between the Museum of Natural History and the Kunshistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Art). In the middle of the plaza is a large monument dedicated to the Habsburg empress. The market was nothing special other than the fantastic garlic soup bread bowl that we devoured. When I say fantastic, I mean it. And when I say devoured, it mean it, too!
A little bit of time back at the hotel to warm up was necessary before dinner at Gasthaus Reinthaler. Once again recommended and booked by Matthias at our hotel, we were very pleased with this evening meal. This spot certainly felt like an authentic Austrian restaurant with tables crammed into every nook and cranny of an old Viennese building. We even walked through the kitchen to get to our table in the back. There was a table of 12 Austrian men seated next to us that kept the restaurant joyfully loud as we enjoyed our beef goulash, bratwurst with sauerkraut, and pork schnitzel.
After dinner and a long final day in Vienna exploring Christmas markets, we returned to our favorite market at Spittelberg, where several of the stalls were sponsored by different brands of liquor or schnapps. I got a gin punch at the Hendrick’s Gin booth, and when I ordered extra gin, the vendor responded with “Tell me when to stop!” Needless to say, the Spittelberg market has the very authentic feeling of many Austrians coming together to enjoy a drink (or several). Here we also tried a Christmas market favorite, Raclette, a potato smothered with melted cheese.
The next morning we left Vienna by train for a gorgeous, snowy ride to the Austrian Alps. We were headed to Aqua Dome, a thermal spa where we would be spending a night to remember!