Ahhhh Vienna (thank you Midge Ure)
Architecture, beauty and a solid embrace of Christmas. What I didn’t expect, being the last week of November, was SNOW. No complaints, but….
I booked a City & Christmas Markets 3hr Segway Tour, to orient myself to this vast city and it’s array of Markets, not expecting it to snow for most of that 3 hrs. Jiggling along cobbled streets with a mix of ice pebbles & huge floating flakes accumulating on my jacket. Truly memorable.
The Christmas markets tend to blend after a while, mostly the same offer of Gluwein’s, fast foods and mass-market supplied gift ideas, but an Art Advent market in front of St Charles Church, set itself apart with unique Artisan offers. Hand painted, etched, carved and created items, and a more spacious layout with a petting zoo in the centre. Well done Vienna.
The atmosphere in all Christmas Markets are colourful, joyous and full of life. Whilst its hard to “buy up” on many things without a return shipping plan, it’s certainly a fun way to spend time.
Only a short while into this trip, and already getting more picky on attractions to visit. Many Castles & Palaces have reduced the amount of rooms available to experience during winter, hard to fathom their reasoning given the volumes of people that are around. Here are the highlghts.
And Schonbrunn Palace with the magnificent Gloriette atop the hill behind. (no photos allowed during that palace tour)
