Vienna in late November has frigid temperatures, short days, and lots of cloud cover. At first glance, why anyone would want to visit or even go outside is a mystery. But the Viennese go out in droves to crowd the many Christmas markets sprinkled throughout the city. Every major church, shopping thoroughfare, museum, and park seems to have its own market.
The best asset of the markets are the stalls ladling out spiced warm beverages into individually branded ceramic mugs (well worth the 2 euro deposit). As you browse the abundant stalls of Christmas knick-knacks and handicrafts, the steaming mug warms your hands while the contents of punch or mulled wine warms your insides. Of course, even dressed in many layers (and drinking many punches), we couldn’t keep up with the Viennese and only lasted a couple of hours in the cold before heading inside to regain feeling in our toes.
In the United States, it’s practically unheard of to voluntarily spend your winter evenings outside unless you’re participating in a snow sports activity. For those of us who are less sports-inclined, the European Christmas markets are a great excuse to get some fresh air in the otherwise bleak season. The festivities will only continue until December 25, though, so we don’t recommend a January visit!
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