Having spent many Christmases in Vienna it is well worth a visit. Vienna, the cultural city of music and art, has so much to offer, and is even more magical in December with many festive opportunities.
Children would usually be listening out for the bell to ring on Christmas Eve, waiting for the Christkind (Christ Child) to deliver presents, then eating carp fried in butter. This is usually followed by Sachertorte, Vienna's most famous cake, or cookies such as Vanille Kipferl (crescent-shaped biscuits made with nuts).
Being one of the most cultural cities in the world, Vienna is famous for its composers such as Mozart and Strauss. A highlight for the adults is attending an advent concert at The State Opera House.
Visiting their Christmas Markets is another highlight. The Viennese markets have been running for centuries, since 1298. There are 12 key Christmas Markets in Vienna, located in front of beautiful historic buildings and old towns. A favourite of mine is the Christmas Market in front of the city hall, the Rathausplatz, with over 150 stalls. The atmosphere here is so magical with the illuminated city hall, huge Christmas tree, wooden huts and delicious smells of Weihnachtspunsch (Christmas punch – also non-alcoholic available) and cinnamon.
For a festive skate, the Eistraum transforms the Rathausplatz into a huge ice-skating rink of 8500 m². When you’ve worked up a hunger, head to one of the many sausages stands for a Bratwurst. It’s a true Viennese experience.
