Holidays in Vienna: My Favorite Things

I’ve said it before, but Vienna recalls The Sound of Music for me.  There are, truly, cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strudels, doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with…potato salad.  (I don’t think schnitzel with noodles even exists.  It would be the equivalent of serving Thanksgiving turkey with lasagna:  kind of wacky.)  And during Christmas, Vienna is especially, well…magical.  On top of—and literally in front of—the normal postcard-worthy scenes, there are glowing bulbs and displays and….Christmas markets!  I adore Christmas markets.  I can’t think of a better way to usher in the season than with Glühwein, sausages, and all manner of handmade gadgets. 

Last weekend, I went to the Vörösmarty market in Budapest with a friend, followed by the Advent fair at Néprajzi Múzeum.  Both were fantastic and really put us in the spirit.  But this weekend, my husband and I tackled the epicenter of holiday shopping and the mother of all Christmas markets:  Vienna and the Magic of Advent market.   

Here are my top ten favorite things from my day in Vienna—including some of the originals.

Apple strudel at Hotel Sacher.  I know that I’ve mixed my traditions here, but I don’t love the renowned torte.  Plus, it was early in the day, and it would be a shame to pass up strudel in one of the few countries in the world where it is considered a legitimate breakfast.

A Starbucks dark cherry latte.  (Only later did it occur to me that the Lebkuchen flavor = gingerbread, which is what I really wanted). And yes, this counts!  There’s no Starbucks in Budapest, and I’m a sometimes-homesick American.  Allow me this!

Talking for the rest of the day about the fact that I paid $7.50 for a latte.  For me, the strength of the dollar is best understood relative to units of milk and espresso.

Outrageously oversized Christmas ornaments.  In the streets, on the buildings, in the trees.  Aesthetically speaking, I think Vienna is the over-achiever of Central Europe.

City-Hall-turned-Advent-Calendar.  This is a common practice in European cities, but since Vienna’s City Hall is especially imposing, it was the most impressive calendar I’ve seen.

Glühwein.  I didn’t partake this time, but everyone was strolling around the market with it (at noon, even).  It’s basically mulled wine (see:  Tokaj), but there’s no need to worry about pesky alcohol restrictions, and you get to use real mugs!

Wiener schnitzel from Österreicher im MAK.  The best you can find anywhere.  It’s the schnitz.

The “locals.”  We drove for three hours—all the way to another country—only to find ourselves surrounded by Hungarians.  Love it.

Bright blue sky and immaculate white buildings.  Walk, turn, repeat.

A regular city bus headed for Rudolfsheim (“Rudolph’s home”).   Since I was the only one clapping and laughing, I assume that this destination is only entertaining for holiday-minded, semi-German-speaking Americans.

There, in brief, are some of my favorite Viennese things.  If you have some favorites about Vienna or the holidays in general, please do share.  Now that it’s Monday, and we’re all back to the grind—some after a very long weekend—perhaps we should simply remember our favorite things, and then we won’t feeeeel sooooo bad.  Okay, okay!  I’ll stop with The Sound of Music.  I hope everyone in the U.S. had a great, lasagna-free Thanksgiving!

Tagged as: Advent, apple strudel, Christmas, Christmas market, favorites, Holidays, Hotel Sacher, Starbucks, Vienna, Wiener schnitzel