Our visit starts in Sankt Gilgen at the Lake Wolfgang in the Salzkammergut at the northern edge of the European alps. The whole town is decorated for Christmas. Also on the lake is the romantic “nativity village” Strobl with a “living nativity scene”. Mighty Advent-gates mark the entrance to Sankt Wolfgang. Bad Ischl’s Christmas market always takes place in the elegant and historic drinking hall. Gmunden at the Traunsee - outside the town, a path leads through a magical forest to the “Castle Advent”. The lake itself also looks like a floating storybook.

The castle Clam is situated in the Lower Mills District in Upper Austria. A rock wall castle from the middle ages which stands on a forested mountain ridge. An Advent market in these unusual surroundings is rather appealing to us modern folk.

Mariazell - the city with the most famous Marian shrine in Central Europe. Prince Eugen of Savoy had the castle complex Belvedere built in Vienna. A small and intimate Christmas market invites the old and the young to visit.

The picture of Advent-time in Tyrol's Rattenberg, Austria's smallest city, seems quite different. Torchlights, candles in the windows, and open fire places, the radiant Christkind and children with glowing magicians hats and stars alight. And the "Place of 1,000 Lights" where choirs recite their songs and meditative texts are performed to encourage reflection.

In Klagenfurt the small market complements the atmospheric old town. At this time of year Velden is transforming itself from a pulsating summer holiday resort into a romantic Christmas fairy tale. The romantic Maria Wörth peninsula spreads out into the lake below the churches. High above stands the Pyramidenkogel with its impressive lookout tower and deep down the lake and the romantic little area of Pörtschach with the offshore island tip.

With „ADENT IN AUSTRIA“ one can enjoy the pomp but also the calm of the various localities. A fascinating experience.