Vienna’s Christmas Markets

My walks home after school are taking much longer than usual now that the Christmas Market season has begun here in Vienna. In the last week, markets have sprung up all over town – series of wooden cabins selling arts & crafts, Christmas decorations, imported wares, and lots of food & drinks (especially gluhwein – mulled wine). There are 3 popular markets on my usual walk home, and I detoured a few blocks one evening to take in the one at City Hall.

The atmosphere at these is quite fun – the Viennese are very social people, and it seems that standing around in the cold chatting for hours holding a cigarette and a ceramic cup filled with mulled wine is as typical here as spending hours over a cup of coffee and pastry at a cafe during the day.

Each market has 20-60 cabins filled with colourful stuff.  I only saw one or two things that I thought would make nice gifts, but when I realized they were made in China and could be found in 2-4 cabins at each and every market, I was glad I hadn’t spent my money on them.  There aren’t actually a lot of artisans at these markets – mostly commercial and imported stuff except for all the cheese, meat, and other edibles. Still, if you’re into shopping, you could find some neat gifts here. I can’t imagine being one of the vendors, however.  These markets last all the way until Christmas and some until New Year – there may be little heaters in each of the cabins, but it’s not warm.  I shared a table the other day at my favourite Vietnamese restaurant with a girl who said she’d worked at one of those markets before and had been miserable.  We’re still a couple of degrees over freezing here, but the wind and humidity add to the cold for sure.  And it’s getting colder.

Here are some iPhone shots to give you an idea (sorry for the blurriness – I’m thinking of going back with my real camera, but just in case…)

Maria Theresa Square:

Once I leave school and the palace area, I cross the street and through the square between the twin Art History and Natural History museums with a monument to the empress Maria Theresa.

Museum Quarter:

Across the street from that is the famous Museum Quarter, with its dozen or so museums – a popular hangout space in any season.  There are no gift vendors here – simply several establishments selling mulled wine and punch and the occasional live music show. There’s also what I believe is a curling rink, but the stones look different.

Spittelberg:

This one covers a few of the cobblestone alleys off of Burgasse, the main street I walk on between my place and downtown.

City Hall:

This one looks most like Christmas with all their Christmas lights, a children’s village and impressive backdrop – all that’s missing is snow.

I’m sure I’ll be exploring more of these markets around town and maybe even outside of town (I just found notice for a boat trip to a castle near the Slovakia border for a few hours at a traditional market there… a tempting treat for 50 Euros including an on board buffet… part of my financial priorities is experiencing Austria while I’m here).  OK – time to head to school – have a great day!