How did you get through the period of long ten months and a few moments
for this to happen? Eventually. What a long wait. Christmas markets are back.
Vienna, home to glamorous cafés, traditional Fiakers (horse carriages) and home
to the very romantic waltz, is dressed in sparkly Christmas lights to welcome visitors.
Millions of lights are lavishly sprinkled all over the city, they are a real
feast for the eyes. For all, who are hungry for Christmas.
It is a magical time
of the year. Is there anything more romantic than walking under all these
Christmas lights? Even the horses are flirting with each other.
Vienna, the capital of Austria, sits in the east of the country. Known
the world over for Mozart and Beethoven, for ballroom dancing and museums, for
the Hapsburg monarchy and Art Nouveau architecture and chocolaty Sacher Torte
and Apple Strudel. These make it worth to visit but wait till you see all the
Christmas Markets. The atmosphere in Vienna during Christmas time is wonderful.
1. Royal and Imperial Christmas Market Michaelerplatz near the Hofburg Vienna 2023
The
Michaelerplatz, a baroque style square is directly next to the famous Hofburg
of Vienna. Designed in 1725, albeit finished only at the end of the 19th
century. In the centre of the square, off the Christmas Market, you have the
chance to marvel at archaeological excavations. The illuminated square has only
a few selected stalls, and there are horse carriages parked everywhere. Can a
Christmas Market be more enchanting?
As one
stallholder tells me "the Austrians love to drink their punch at
Christmas. There are many different Punsch (Punsch called in German), varieties
on offer in this city."
Did you
know that punch originates from India? English navigators brought the mixed
drink to Europe in the 16th century. Its name stems from the Hindu word panch:
five. It refers to its original five ingredients: water, wine, lemon juice,
fruits and spices. Today star anise, vanilla beans, orange zest, ginger, and
often rum is added to the drink. A speciality of this Christmas market is the
Sisi Punsch.
Did Sisi,
the Empress and her husband, Franz-Joseph, the Emporer of Austria enjoy drinking
punch? I later visit a Sisi exhibit and won't find information to what extent
and if at all. The stallholder says, “people devotedly order drinks named after
the royal couple.” The guy caught me red-handed. Exact the reason I order the
Sisi Punsch. I take my time sipping the hot drink so that I can enjoy it
thoroughly and see Sisi right before me. The drink tastes as marvellous as I
imagined her to be.
One can
buy handmade cribs, toys, crafts, classic headwear, and wonderful spice
decorations in this market. Farouk sells all things "Spice" with a
big smile. He moved from Algeria (People's Democratic Republic of Algeria) to
Vienna for love. Married to a “very lovely Viennese lady,” he “loves his life
in Austria.”
Information K.u.k. Christmas Market Michaelerplatz, 1010 Vienna. Hours 10 November
till 26 December 2023: 10am to 8pm. 24 December
2023: 10am to 5pm.
2. Christmas Market Stephansplatz Vienna 2023
This is a small Christmas Market right in the centre of town. Stalls run
all around the majestic St Stephen’s Cathedral. The Cathedral, completed in
1160, has ever since become the national emblem of Austria. Exhibitors offer
quality products, all made in Austria. When the wind howls around the cathedral
grounds, the icy cold air adds to the festive atmosphere.
Andrea and her partner, one of the proud stallholders, make diaries from
scratch. The two autodidacts from Romania are proper artisans. When they
started their business, they dissected vintage books. After a while, they began
to understand the art of bookbinding. They use a secret mixture to alter the
thick paper and achieve these well-worn haptic only old books have. Andrea tells
me with a cheeky smile that “one ingredient is cinnamon, but I won’t tell you
more …”
Information:
Christmas Market Stephansplatz. Stephansplatz, 1010 Vienna. 10 November
till 26 December 2023, 11am to 9pm. 24 December
2023, 11am to 4pm. 25 December and 26 December 2023, 11am to 7pm.
3. Christmas Market Am Hof Vienna 2023
The “Platz am Hof,” located right in the historic centre, is one of the
oldest squares in town. On the square are the former armoury and the
"House of the Golden Ball." In the middle of the square sits a tall
Baroque-style column. From here Maria prays to the Gothic "Kirche am
Hof," a church with a Baroque-style facade. Composer Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart is Austrian. It was at the Collalto Palais at this very square where, in
1762, the then six-year-old together with his sister Nannerl gave their first
public concert.
The square has always been a place for tournaments and events. The
Christmas Market fits right in. Sylvia Praehofer from Franz Tausch Lebkuchen is
a living example of how food-obsessed Austrians are. They sell 40 different
gingerbread varieties. She can describe them so wonderful to me that as a
result, I buy some. My choice gets at first narrowed down with a few questions:
“Do you love your gingerbread to be fruity?” … “Do you like it fruity and soft,
or spicier and more delicate?” ... She keeps asking until it is clear what I
like best. Make your own choice. This stall is Gingerbread heaven. Before I leave,
I receive one last piece of advice. “It is best to store the Gingerbread in a
tin can. Should they become hard, simply place some fresh apple slices into the
box.”
42 artisans. 13 commercial craftsmen. Seven traders. Two Maroni huts
(selling sweet chestnuts). Twelve food and drink stalls. Combined they make
this a magnificent Christmas Market. Drink a glass of punch at one of the many
stalls and look around you. It is easy to imagine how it was in 1280 when the
first market was held on this square.
Info Christmas Market
Weihnachtsmarkt am Hof. Am Hof, 1010 Vienna. 10 November to 23
December 2023. Monday to Thursday 11am to 9pm, Friday to Sunday 10am to 9pm. Food stalls close at 10pm.
4. Christmas Market Town Hall Square Christkindlmarkt Vienna 2023
Building works on the city hall in neo-gothic style finished in 1882.
The guy sitting on top of its tower, the city hall man, has without a doubt the
best view over this Christmas Market.
Viennese merchants enjoyed the privilege of a "December
market" for the first time in 1296. Today three million visitors per year
come to check out the 150 stalls. Be prepared it is busy with visitors buying Christmas
tree ornaments, handicrafts, traditional delicacies, and hot drinks.
Each year the lights of the massive Christmas tree get switched on to
boisterous cheers of the crowds. It is a delight to see people’s eyes shining just
as brightly as the lights of the Christmas Tree. Enter through the archway made
with candles and be enchanted by a merry-go-round, a reindeer train and all the
light installations in the park.
The market located between the famous Burgtheater and the Vienna City
Hall is easy to reach on foot.
Information Rathausplatz Christkindlmarkt Vienna. Rathausplatz, 1010 Vienna. 10 November to 26 December 2023: 10am to 9.30pm. 24 December to 26 December 2023:
10am to 6.30pm.
Ice-skating Rathausplatz Christkindlmarkt 19 November 2023 to 7 January 2024. Visitors
can skate on a 3,000 m² ice rink and numerous paths through the park. Hours
10am to 10pm. 24 December 2023, 10am to 6.30pm. 31st December 2023: closed.
5. Spittelberg Christmas Market Vienna 2023
They call Spittelberg a village in the city and it is obvious why. Spittelberg was independent until it became a
borough of the city of Vienna in 1850.
It is here where you find lots of glorious houses of the Biedermeier
period. Walk along narrow cobblestoned lanes and small squares. Hop into cafés
and restaurants and browse small shops.
Around mid-November, everything is decorated for Christmas. There is a
festive spirit everywhere. Go for a walk to browse the 100 stalls of the Christmas
market. You’ll find these all over the village. Drink a glass of punch to stay
warm. If you visit in the early evening it becomes very merry and cosy.
Hundreds of visitors gather in the cold to have a fun night out.
Information Christmas Market
Spittelberg. Spittelberggasse, Stiftgasse, Schrankgasse, Gutenberggasse, 1070 Vienna. 16 November to 23 December
2023. Hours: Monday to Thursday 2pm to 9pm, Friday 2pm to 9.30pm, Saturday 10am to 9.30pm, Sunday 10am to 9 pm.
How to get to Vienna
By car from Bratislava approx. 80 kilometres.
By car from Budapest approx. 250 kilometres.
By car from Maribor in Slovenia approx. 250
kilometres.
By car from Munich in Germany approx. 435
kilometres.
By plane. Visit the website of Vienna airport to check flight connections. Also, think about using the train.
Austria – Currency and how to pay
Austria is a member of the European Union. The official currency in
Austria is the Euro. Exchange money on arrival at the airport, or get some cash
at an ATM. You can pay in cash still almost everywhere (some
shops/restaurants/cafes will only accept cash). Credit cards are widely
accepted.
More Christmas Markets in Europe 2023
Read about the markets on The Touristin.
Travel Austria. 2023 Guideto Christmas Markets in Vienna
2023 Guide to ChristmasMarkets in Hamburg plus one off-the-beaten-path
Travel Germany - Wonderful Gut Basthorst Christmas Market
Travel Germany. 2023 Guideto Christmas Markets in Munich
2023 Guide to Christmas Markets in Dresden
Canaletto Christmas Market 2023 in Saxony’s Pirna
Travel Germany: 2023 guide to off-the-beaten-path Christmas markets in Berlin
Travel Germany - 2023 Guide to Christmas Markets in Berlin
From Berlin with love
The article has been updated in October 2023 for accuracy.