Vienna's Newest Christmas Market at Maria-Theresien Platz
The Maria-Theresien Platz market is nestled
between two of Vienna's best museums.
A great Christmas market at the Maria-Theresien Platz has sprouted up only within the past few years. The market stalls form a ring around the monument between Vienna's Natural History Musuem (Naturhistorisches Museum) and Art History Museum (Kunsthistorisches Museum) and offer a nice assortment of handmade ornaments, foods, beverages, and other gift items. The market has more small-scale charm and a fresher feel than the Rathaus market, yet it is nearly just as centrally located.
Vendor highlights include a stand selling jewelry, bowls, and clocks made from recycled electrical parts. Proceeds from purchases made there support a social program to give jobs to people who would otherwise be unemployed. The earring selection is particularly tempting. Another stand offers a staggering array of chocolate items from all over the world. The sales assistant will happily tell you about the available flavor varieties, which include Italian chocolate bars infused with mint crystals, Salzburg-made Berger chocolate bars topped with pistachios, and exotic Fair Trade Zotter chocolate bars and drinking chocolate in flavors like Curry Pineapple.
Also recommended is the Wald & Wiese honey products stall. Out of all the Christmas market honey product vendors, Wald & Wiese has one of the best selections of honey candies, beauty products, and candles. As for food and beverages other than those that are honey-based, the Maria-Theresien Platz market has a great Gluhwein and Punsch vendor on the path closest to the Museums Quartier. As an added benefit to grabbing a drink there at night, you can stand and watch the colorful spotlight snowflakes dance across the facade of the Museums Quartier. When hungry, the stand selling farmer's donuts (Bauern Krapfen) is a good choice. The fresh-fried donuts come with your choice of sweet or savory toppings.
To get to the market with the metro, take the U2 line to Museums Quartier or Volkstheater or the U3 line to Volkstheater.
