For the last 2 1/2 days, we have been visiting as many of Vienna's Christmas markets as we can. It has been quite the undertaking but, with a certain amount of planning - plotting them on a map, putting them into groups according to their location, and figuring out the transportation to get to them - we are doing very well. There are at least 12 Christmas markets in this city and we have managed to see most of them. We bought a 72 hour pass for the buses, trams and U-bahn which has saved us a lot of walking and Uber fares.
So, as detailed in the previous blog, we visited Stephansplatz market the first evening we were here. The following afternoon, we went to the Michaelerplatz, Altwien, and Ab Hof markets; then, in the evening, Rathausmarkt and Rathauspark. Then, Saturday, we checked four more off our list: Museumquartiers (not open yet), Maria-Theresienplatz, Spittelberg, and Karlsplatz. We are going to skip the Schonnbrunn Palace market as it is out of town and would take over an hour to get there. We saved the one at Belvedere Palace for our last evening.
By now after seeing all these markets here plus the ones in Munich and Passau, we are noticing similarities among them. It isn't exactly like "you've seen one, you've seen them all" or "been there, done that" because each one has unique characteristics. However, you do see much of the same stuff being sold and there is certainly a commonality with the offerings of food and drink. That being said, you can always find something unique to eat or drink in each one. For example, I have only seen a champagne bar in Ab Hof and a Prosecco stall in Karlsplatz.
However, there are always drink stalls offering similar hot punches in just about any concoction you can imagine. I am intrigued with the Aperolpunsch which seems to be everywhere and I plan to sample one somewhere before I go home. As an aside, the way these stalls work is that you pay a deposit for the mug or glass your drink is served in and you then have the option of returning it to get your money back or keeping it as a souvenir. Each market seems to have its own style of mug. For example, in Karlsplatz, the mugs were shaped like Christmas stockings while in Maria-Theresienplatz they were heart-shaped. Some have an image of the market on them such as the mugs from Passau. The price for the deposit varies as well. In Passau, it was 1 euro; in Munich where we tried a punch there, it was 4 euros; we have seen it to be as high as 5 euros in other markets. It would be nice to collect some of them but so far I only have one.
The main thing, particularly in Vienna, which does set each market apart though is its setting. For example, the lighting on the city hall (Rathaus) and nearby illuminated park made that market unique (as detailed in the previous blog).
Stephansplatz and Michaelerplatz seemed somehow more sophisticated with their white and painted stalls rather than the typical rustic wood.
Spittelberg's market is found along the cobble-stoned alleyways found in that part of Vienna. That setting was like none of the other ones we'd seen. We really enjoyed wandering up and down these narrow alleys and checking out things we hadn't seen before; for example, a man from Lorraine in France selling salamis made in that area.
We also had a delicious and inexpensive lunch there (3 courses for 12.90 euros) in an opera-themed restaurant called Boheme. The squash soup was very good.
The market in Maria-Theresienplatz is set between two very large and impressive buildings and, while there wasn't anything different about what was being sold, the setting gave it a certain classical or perhaps more formal style.
At Karlsplatz, the backdrop is the beautiful Baroque Karlskirche. Also, this market, like the Rathsaus one, seemed to be themed toward families with large spaces for children to play. In Karlsplatz that included a "hay park" (not sure what else to call it) where kids could chuck handfuls of hay at each other - and they seemed to be having a lot of fun doing it! There was also a child-powered carousel where older kids peddled bikes to move the carousel. Some were working harder than others! The Karlsplatz market also seemed to have more local crafts than some of the other markets we have seen.
Then, at Belvedere Palace, it was a completely different atmosphere as the backdrop to the market was the beautiful palace and its gardens.
With that, our days in Vienna have come to an end. Tomorrow, we take the train to Praha (Prague) the capital of Czechia has to offer, to see what that city has to offer!
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