Austria: To Vienna in the Advent Time I – Downtown Christmas Market

Experience the Christmas atmosphere in Vienna is sure to pay off, but it is also important to choose the right way to travel. It depends on how much time you spend in the city and what activities you have planned. If you decide to go by car, you have to prepare for various traffic constraints in the city center related to the Christmas markets. Therefore, it is better to leave the car outside the city and to move by public transport or on foot. The second option is to use public transport directly from Slovakia and the Czech Republic, especially if you want to taste Viennese punch.

The Christmas markets in the capital of Austria begin in the middle of November and last until December 26, when it mostly changes to New Year's Markets. Refreshment stalls and various products are concentrated in several places in the center and beyond, from morning to evening all Vienna is one Christmas town. Atmosphere is different in every market and depends enough on the weather. The best thing, of course, is when the ground is covered with a white snow cover. If you want to spend the whole day on the markets, not only to take in the evening luminous atmosphere, we recommend creating a program where you can combine the historical and cultural advantages of the city with a visit to the markets. Go for a visit to one of the museums.

Getting Started at Maria-Theresien-Platz. The statue of Empress Maria Theresa takes place in a smaller and more spacious market. There are about 70 booths and one can listen to Christmas carrols. This square is known to all lovers of art history who will surely visit the Kunsthistorisches Museum, but also head towards the natural science museum Naturhistorisches Museum.

Hned za parkem na Maria-Theresien-Platz se nachází muzejní čtvrť MuseumsQuartier. Zde přítomné množství muzeí slibuje zaručený program a samozřejmě zde nechybí ani proslulé vánoční trhy. Zajímavé jsou tím, že jsou trošku nápaditější a rozdílné od zavedené klasiky. Toto místo je centrem moderně pojatých vánočních trhů s hudbou, tancem a uměleckými projekcemi na fasádách muzeí.

In the immediate vicinity of Spittelber, there are many Biedermeier-style buildings and narrow streets with restaurants and craft shops. It is thanks to the annual Christmas markets that this "village" in the middle of the center of Vienna is well known for outside the city, at this time this area is very popular.

It is really easy to combine a visit to the Viennese Christmas markets, exploring the city, its art and monuments. Markets are held not only on squares in museums, but at almost every major landmark.

Christmas is about paying visit to churches as well. And there are so many of them in Vienna. The place we would recommend, for example, is Karlsplatz featuring the Baroque church Karlskirche (1715-1735). The local market around the sacred building is very popular and offers organic food, craft products, concerts and activities for children. In the nearby Resselpark, which forms the square in front of the church, there are busts of well-known people, as well as interesting cultural institutions such as the Vienna Museum and the Künstlerhaus. Also noteworthy is the Otto Wagner Art Nouveau-style station on Karlsplatz.

Then we went to the famous Kärntner Straße, shopping street directly in the center of Vienna at Stephansplatz, a magnificent symbol of the city - St Stephen's Dome. Around this largest Viennese 12th century cathedral there are booths offering mainly Austrian products.

Next to the Christmas shopping street of Graben in Vienna, we moved to Am Hof with the bronze Marian column (1667) and the church of Am Hof, also known as the Church of the Ninth Angelic Choirs (1386-1403). Here are Christmas markets that specialize in handicraft products.

Be sure to visit the building of Kunstforum Wien Bank Austria, where you can discover the works of renowned artists like Monet, Van Gogh, Klimt and many others. Just follow the schedule of this gallery. From Kunstfora you will come directly to the old Viennese Freyung market. Its history goes back to 1772. There are also refreshments, craft and artistic products, Christmas music and the right atmosphere.

We will bring you more from the Christmas in Vienna. We are about to visit the largest and most romantic Christmas market in the city. But wait till the next week.

GPS: 48°12'30.1"N 16°22'20.4"E

Text and photos: Mgr. Anna Nociarová

Edited by: Infoglobe