As the Advent calendar counts down, we’ve set our sights on these three cities, where a classic European holiday experience, filled with hot drinks, traditional treats, ice skating rinks and handmade gifts, awaits.
By Bruce Wallin
The following is an excerpt from The Agency Magazinethe autumn/winter issue.
Read the full article here.
VIENNA
From the music-filled squares of Salzburg to the snowy streets of Innsbruck, Austria’s Christmas markets are second to none. The annual tradition is taken to the extreme in Vienna, where more than twenty markets can be found during the season, including one of Europe’s largest and most over-the-top examples.
The Rathausplatz Market fills the square in front of Vienna’s City Hall with nearly 100 stalls, a carousel, dazzling light shows and several ice skating rinks connected by a network of paths lined with food and drink stalls. Favorite treats at Rathausplatz, as at Vienna’s many other Christmas markets, range from bratwurst and käsespätzle (egg noodles and cheese topped with fried onions) to apple strudel, sticky raclette and mulled wine.
Vienna’s holiday markets are also notable for their variety. Instead of stretching across a square, the Spittelberg Market meanders along narrow cobbled streets in the arts district. Vienna’s oldest Christmas market, dating back to the early 18th century, takes place on Freyung Square, where live music and theater performances add to the festive atmosphere. But perhaps the city’s most striking holiday scene can be found at Stephansplatz Market, where the towering Stephansdom (Austria’s tallest church) glows with Christmas lights and decorations.
Just in time for the holidays, the Mandarin Oriental, Vienna, opened in October this year in an Art Nouveau building less than a five-minute walk from the spectacle on Stephansplatz. The hotel is located on Vienna’s famous Ringstrasse, close to the luxury boutiques along the Graben, which are already a wonder of festive decorations during the season. The Mandarin Oriental’s holiday offering includes nighttime city tours in a Fiaker carriage and access to classical and choral music performances at St. Stephen’s.
COPENHAGEN
The Danish capital is unique among Christmas market destinations for one main reason: Tivoli Gardens. The historic amusement park, which opened in 1843 (and inspired Walt Disney to devise plans for Disneyland), transforms into a winter wonderland every year from mid-November to early January. The festive, fairytale atmosphere, complete with roller coasters, carousels, live music performances and other amusement park attractions, sets a magical tone for the annual fair, with its stalls, ice skating rink, elf train and more.
Tivoli Gardens is located in the heart of the city, less than a 15-minute walk from the brand new 1 Hotel Copenhagen. The 282-room property, which opened in September, fits perfectly in progressive Copenhagen, with its sleek Scandinavian design and focus on sustainability. Nature and greenery permeate the experience at the hotel, which includes small gardens, wildflower-lined terraces, a living wall and even a ‘bee hotel’ to house a population of urban pollinators.
In addition to the Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen’s many Christmas markets include the traditional Højbro Plads and a relatively new Hans Christian Andersen-themed market in Nytorv in the city center.
See the full article
The Agency Magazinethe autumn/winter issue.
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