…”Routine is like rust…”
G.G. MARQUEZ
During all my life, the only place I travelled to, in the winter, is my home country – Poland. And even this did not happen too often 😀 Yes … as you probably guessed, I am not a fan of winter. I will tell you more – what might I expose not only to my countrymen, but also to other winter enthusiasts – snow is getting on my nerves 😀 …
Winter views, mountain landscapes covered with white fluff, wonderful forest scenes with a wooden house with a snow cover – yes – but only on the picture 😀 My aversion to low temperatures grows together with my age..,unfortunately … That’s why, one day I thought, I was starting to fall in a dangerous kind of routine. The one from the quote: rusting … And then a small red light bulb switched on in my head: when, if not now? …. 😀 When, if not now, go to cooler places from time to time? … Maybe they are beautiful too? … 🤔🤔
So, approaching the subject carefully, I thought, that the next trip to Austria, this time of year, just before Christmas, would be perfect for starting new path, not only for destinations, but also for travel climates. And those, who know me, can only imagine that this decision was indeed heroic 😉 … Even if the winters are not so severe in this region anymore…
However, since the decision was not so easy, I had to convince myself, that it is worth 😀 I do not like winter sports, I do not like skis or skates, I do not like the war on snowballs … So how do you spend time in Vienna in winter time ?? ? … 🤔🤔
And yet the answer was so obvious: Christmas markets !!! 🎄
Today I know, that it was a great idea 😀 And although my time was quite limited, I was able to see how beautiful Vienna and the surrounding area, is before Christmas. The atmosphere at fairs has a unique, warm climate. The wonder wares, that you can buy, see and try there, is literally hard to describe. Stalls with handicrafts, home-made liqueurs and all kinds of products, cute reeds, attract crowds of both locals and tourists.
Christmas and New Year markets, full of music, singing, wonderful lights and amazingly beautiful fragrances, turn Austria into a fairy-tale land since mid-November. The most popular fairs include, first of all, the fair at the Schönbrunn Palace, Art Advent at Karlsplatz, the bazaar at Michaelerplatz, Advent Market near the Vienna Opera, as well as at Stephansplatz and Maria-Theresien Platz.
On each of them you can not indifferently pass the stands full of glass snow figurines : snow-globes, originating from Austria, which even have their own museum in Vienna. For culinary specialities lovers, I can definitely recommend Sacher cake, Viennese pretzels, and above all a traditional Christmas punsch – tincture related to our Polish mulled wine. And exposing myself to my compatriots a second time, I must say, that especially the orange-flavoured punsch definitely wins with any of Polish mulled wine 😀 ! For this, you can also try fried or grilled sausage, roasted chestnuts, but that’s only, if someone likes such specialities ;).
Choosing Austria for my winter trip, as usual, I stayed in Baden near Vienna. The town’s decor equally beautiful as Viennese decorations. The charming stands of local producers in Kurpark, Christmas Carroll on Josefsplatz in the evening, or stalls around the local Town Hall create a truly unique atmosphere, even on quite cold evenings. Inhabitants as a whole families meet around tiny tables, sipping Christmas specialities, or looking for the last gifts in beautifully decorated shops. Everything looks so colourful and warm, that you can completely forget about the low temperature.
Are people running there in a shopping fever? If so, believe me, they do it very discreetly. Especially in this small town near Vienna, regardless of whether you celebrate Christmas, you still succumb to this real, family atmosphere. Even travelling alone 🙂 . In such places it is best see, that not only gifts matter, but the climate, above all the climate 😀 …
Until now, I’ve only had the opportunity to see my hometown – Krakow, Christmas fairs. After visiting Austrian markets, I thought maybe it is a time for a new, fresh routine in my life – going to new places every year, just in winter. Because thanks to the Christmas markets, in one place, you can get to know local traditions , try local dishes, and buy or even just watch regional products. And this is me saying – a person who does not like to make any shopping 😀 This alone, is proof of the unique atmosphere of such places 😀
MyTravelPhilosophy 