The Magic of CHRISTMAS IN VIENNA (ice skating, Christmas markets, illuminations, best things to do)

Between sparkling lights, magical markets and delicious food, Vienna is a veritable winter paradise with enough to keep even the most intrepid explorers occupied over several days. Welcome to Vienna! Many people say that this is the most magical destination to visit in winter in Europe and in this video we're going to show you the best things to do in the Austrian capital this winter time. Vienna is the capital of Austria and is famous for its music legacy, regal buildings and iconic cafe scene. So without further ado, let's get into the best places to check out at Christmas in Vienna. If there's one bucket list activity you can't miss in Vienna, it's having the chance to indulge in a historic coffee house visit, specifically at Cafe Central. There are two must-try things on the menu, the Wiener Melange, which is similar to a cappuccino but made with a milder coffee and the Apfelstrudel, which is served by the slice and is perfect for sharing. The cafe also boasts a number of a la carte pastries, which you can select from yourself from the central glass cabinets. If you want to avoid waiting long lines to visit, arrive at opening time or reserve a table at least a month in advance. There are a number of other illustrious coffee houses in the city, including Zacker, where Zacker Torte originated, and Demel, which is another direct competitor of Cafe Central. Even if you don't have time to wait in the queue to enter, I recommend heading to see the gingerbread replicas of the Grand Cathedral in their shop windows. Aida is yet another competitor that you won't be able to miss thanks to its pink façade. Finally, Cafe Landmann has existed since 1873 and is directly opposite the town hall. If it happens to be raining during your time in the city, then there's a myriad of beautiful covered spots to check out, including Passage Firstall, which is actually in the same building as Cafe Central. All ornate carvings with a beautiful ceiling and intricate details, the passage is free to visit and is a time-warp straight back into 19th century Vienna. If you happen to have some extra time, you can even enjoy a coffee while sat in the passage. We're entering the Marie Theresaen Platz, and this is between the Art History Museum and the Natural History Museum. There's a lovely market here, so let's go and explore. Over 70 stalls fill the spaces between historic fountains and carefully manicured topiary bushes. The entire area is lit up with twinkling lights, meaning that it's best seen in the evening. This is also one of the markets where you can get an iconic boot mug, including purple ones. We've just been to a stand with so many different hot options. I got this eggnog, and it's kind of creamy and alcoholic, and strong. While this was one of the busiest markets we went to, it was definitely one of the most beautiful, not to mention that there were lots of different shopping opportunities. There were loads of different kinds of Christmas decorations for sale, as well as other trinkets that you can gift to your loved ones. Most Christmas market stalls are cash only, and so you'll need cash. Do not use these ATMs if you can avoid it, because they do charge you a fee. We're now on our way to Spittelberg, which I've heard has a more locals vibe to it. So let's go and check out the market. Between Marienplatz and Spittelberg, you'll actually come across a courtyard which is home to a pop-up. The best time to head to this one is in the evenings, when everything is illuminated and you can enjoy activities such as curling or getting a hot drink with your friends. Nestled in the 7th district of Vienna, Spittelberg market is not held in one large square, but is instead a sprawling collection set out over the various streets and lanes which cut their way through this area. This is one of the biggest Christmas markets in Vienna, and has well over 120 stands selling everything from fun gifts to delicious foods. The historic fraying square is triangular in shape, and was where many aristocrats established their residences in the 17th and 18th centuries. Today, the market hosts the Altwiener Christkindlmarkt, as well as a small local farmer's market. Though this market isn't as old as some of the other Christmas markets in Vienna, the illustrious Amhoff Square does boast a long history of being associated with markets. After all, it was here where a wine market was held in the Middle Ages, as early as the 14th century. Today, the Amhoff market boasts over 70 stalls selling everything from local food and drink, including spiced wine, to stands selling small goods such as Christmas ornaments, lights and clothing essentials. There's quite a large assortment of food here, and we personally tried the Spätzle, which is kind of German macaroni cheese. This is also the German market where you can get the soup bread bowl, i.e. the soup is actually served in a bowl made of bread. We've just arrived on Stephansplatz, which is home to Vienna's gorgeous cathedral. Groundbreaking of the cathedral began in 1137, but wasn't completed until the 16th century. At Christmas time, Stephansplatz is home to an amazing Christmas market. There aren't a huge deal of chalets at this Christmas market, just a dozen or so, but you can get a drink in the shadow of the great cathedral. We're here on a Sunday night, and it isn't too busy, but last night, Saturday night, was so busy you could hardly move. I got my first glimpse of our next market from the tram, which is what you can see here, and then we stood outside to admire the view. We're at the Rathausplatz, which means town hall in German. This is the most wondrous Christmas market here in Vienna, and it's probably also the most busy. It's where you'll find the ice skating rink. This is undoubtedly the largest Christmas market in Vienna, and there are over 100 booths to explore. Though once one of the more tacky markets, a focus on sustainability has turned things around for this Christmas market. As of 2022, stalls wanting to sell goods at the market are required to meet sustainability criteria. Food stalls include the classics such as roasted chestnuts, hot wine, and giant pretzels. A nearby park hosts the advent of surprises, including the iconic Tree of Hearts light display. I recommend visiting both during the daytime and at night. While during the day you'll definitely be able to enjoy more of the food and drink and shopping booths without the crowds, there's no denying the beauty of a nighttime visit under all of the twinkling lights. We've just got a deep fried langos with sour cream and cheese on the top. You can get ham too, but I'm vegetarian. The next day we got up bright and early to visit the grounds of the Belvedere, a complex comprising of two palaces. The grounds are free to visit and perfect for strolling around on a sunny day. We've just arrived at the Belvedere Palace Christmas Market. Now this is one of the smaller and more intimate markets in the city as there's only two dozen chalet stalls. It's also a little less busy than some of the other markets in the city as it's a bit further out. The market is set against the backdrop of the illustrious Upper Belvedere Palace, which dates all the way back to the early 18th century. There are only around two dozen stalls here, though there remain plenty of food, drink and shopping opportunities. As I mentioned, there's a huge variety of different kinds of drinks at these markets. This one is an apple strudel lily punch. Made with lily and apple. Wow, that's really tasty, but very sweet. We're also trying these kartoffelpuffer, which are also known as reibekuchen, they're served with apple sauce and are very tasty. We've just arrived at Karlskirche and here there is one of the more local markets here in Vienna. We're on Karlsplatz and this market is full of arts and handicrafts and local vendors selling small handmade goods. The Christmas market itself is a vast, sprawling affair on the south side of the city and what is particularly special about this event is that the Christmas market food on offer is some of the best in all of Vienna, including mulled wine, punch and several quintessentially Austrian foods. The stalls here are focused on arts and crafts. The formal name of the fair is actually Art Advent, with many of the items for sale being handcrafted souvenirs such as Christmas ornaments, jewellery, household goods and clothing. In fact, one of the requirements to run a stall at this market is that the applicant must have made the goods themselves. We're now back at Art Advent and honestly the ambience is amazing. As you can see, there's people everywhere, the illuminations are so beautiful and what's more is a church that's illuminated. Like most Christmas markets, this market too has its own Christmas market mug and it's black. One of the greatest joys of a visit to Vienna is simply to stroll around and allow the city to reveal itself to you. Vienna is full of baroque architecture and many of the city's most famous buildings were constructed during the 17th and 18th centuries. Wander around the city centre for any amount of time and you'll soon be rewarded with postcard worthy shots of all the grand buildings. While a city stroll during the daytime is a must whatever time of the year you visit Vienna, if you're visiting for the Christmas markets and the illuminations then you have to make sure that you wander around the city at night as everything is illuminated in thousands and thousands of twinkling lights. You might recognise this brand as it's one of the most famous wafers to come from Vienna. Although you can go to the dedicated store, my top tip would be to go to any supermarket as they also sell them and you'll have to queue for less time. To be honest, one of the best things about visiting Vienna during the Christmas period is that you'll get to wander around and see all of the beautiful illuminations. They're down all the side streets too so if you want to avoid the crowds then just head off to a side street. One of my favourite spots is this passage which leads from Micheleplatz to the inner city. If there's one festive decoration you won't want to miss in Vienna it's the giant red bow which adorns Pop and Kretschmer. At night it's illuminated but if you want to see the bow with no one there then you'll have to visit at sunrise. Just down the road, Gassner also has its very own beautiful illumination. The most iconic lights can be found on Graben. Here you'll find no fewer than 250,000 LED lights in the form of larger than life chandeliers. There's a ballroom like atmosphere and even Christmas trees for sale in the centre of this pedestrianised road. One of the smaller and local Christmas markets can be found at Liechtenstein Park. There's only a small handful of chalets here but we love sipping on the Feuerzangenbowle. We've just arrived at the Schönbrunn Palace which was the summer residence of the Habsburg rulers. There's a small Christmas market in here so let's go and check it out. With the 20m high first tree and all of the lights it already feels worth the metro ride to get here. There's lots of lovely little details and I love this advent calendar where each door opens up to a little piece of history. Come nightfall the entire area is bathed in a golden glow including the 13th century Hofburg Palace itself. This Christmas market boasts around 75 booths selling handmade arts and crafts as well as delicious food and drink. Other highlights of this Viennese delight is a 250 piece nativity set and a performance stage where live performances take place across the festive season. One peculiarity about this market is that it also continues right up into the new year as a New Year's market. If you want to escape the crowds for a few hours and it's sunny weather then I recommend heading to Stadpark. This beautiful green space was designed in the style of English gardens and today you can soak up the views and even spy a Christmas tree in the middle of the lake. Getting around is super simple thanks to the metro and tram system. Just be sure to validate your ticket before you board any public transport to avoid fines. To make the most of your visit I recommend buying the 24, 48 or 72 hour city card. Thank you so much for watching and don't forget to like and subscribe for more travel movies.