Austria is located in the heart of Europe and throughout the country the run-up to Christmas is celebrated by visiting its extremely popular Christmas markets.

We begin in Austria’s capital city, Vienna, on the city’s main boulevard, the Ringstraße opposite the world famous, Burgtheater. At the beginning of November, the festively-lit façade of the Town Hall attracts many shoppers to a fabulous array of Christmas stalls packed with seasonal decorations and all of the sparkle and glitter of this special time of year.

Close by, in the Old Town, the Old Viennese Christkindlmark has traditionally been held on the Freyung. This small but exquisite Christmas market opens only in the second half of November, and offers Christmas arts and crafts and special organic delicacies produced on Austria’s farms.

North of the Danube and the Old Town, the flower gardens of Hirschstetten were created by the city of Vienna with a Christmas exhibition in Advent. Here, Vienna’s gardeners have created a Christmas-themed landscape both inside and out.

Located in Lower Austria east of Vienna, close to the Slovakian border, Castle Hof is a Baroque work of art built at the command of Prince Eugen Of Savoy. The castle and its courtyards provide the perfect backdrop to its popular Christmas market. Traditional Austrian arts and crafts, as well as those of neighboring countries, are available and soon tempt those looking for a quality bargain.

In the small cathedral square in front of Salzburg Cathedral where in summer the Jedermann is performed, huts also appear at Christmas time and fiaker horse-drawn carriages take passengers from place to place through the narrow streets of the seasonally-decorated Old Town.

In Innsbruck, Christmas huts abound as do Tyrolean handicrafts and tasty specialties, including hearty food and drink! This is Yuletide in Austria, with Christmas markets galore!