A wee trip to Vienna

Being an 'orphan' in another country at Christmas often means that you have to make a concerted effort to be anywhere but stuck at home on your own, so this time we headed off to lovely Vienna with some friends. (Last year it was New York - read about it here.) Sadly the trip was blighted by sickness and angsting over lost luggage, but we did make the most of the famous Christmas markets which are dotted around the city.

The best markets were at Schonbrunn Palace, which we visited on Christmas Day. There were oodles of Christmas baubles and decorations on offer, as well as traditional Austrian and German Christmas crafts.

Admittedly some of it strayed towards naff territory, but some of it was truly lovely, like straw dolls, hand-carved wooden nativity sets and intricately iced gingerbread.

And the food. Oh lordy. We indulged in all the festive treats on offer, from raclette on bread and pretzels to twisted fried potato crisps and chopped up apple pancake, all washed down with copious mugs of warm gluhwein as we huddled around a table in the biting cold.

 
Afterwards we headed out of the cold and took a tour around the palace itself, which is rather like a mini Versailles with gilt furniture and flocked wallpaper. Definitely worth a visit.

There were more culinary adventures to be had at the Sacher Hotel, which is home to the legendary Sacher torte. The cafe is quite sumptous and rather conveniently located opposite the Albertina gallery, so the rich chocolate cake provides the perfect antidote to gallery fatigue.

And if you're after a truly excellent Wiener schnitzel, you might like to head to the very cosy Figlmuller restaurant, where the super-thin portions arrive bigger than your dinner plate, and accompanied by a traditional potato salad with lamb's lettuce.

p.s. We didn't do it this time around, but I also thoroughly recommend a visit to the the wonderful Hundertwasser Museum - and don't miss his wonky apartments up the road.

Comments

[Caroline, No.]

Oh my. My stomach is absolutely rumbling now. All of that food looks delicious, especially the CAKE. Need to visit Vienna.

[Fionnuala]

I'm not quite sold on the snowglobes or Bambi decorations but those nativity sets are just GORGEOUS! And the food ... oh my goodness.

[Make Do Style]

Oh my perfect! Love it all particularly the naff xx

[Helena]

Firstly, I can't get my eyes off that white-lace-iced gingerbread.

Secondly, Hundertwasser! He was a huge inspiration of mine when I was in high school, and I still have such a soft spot for his work. I have never been to Vienna but I want to go just to see Hundertwasser house!

[nath]

looks completely wonderful. i love those hedgehogs. and the food, i love raclette. have you had it at neals yard dairy at Borough? their cornichons are so good!

[susie_bubble]

Yes to the twisty potato crisp things please... I quite like the naff stuff as well...

[bridebug]

Mmm yum the food in Vienna is mouth watering!

[Cate]

Okay, that food looks like the best thing you could do over christmas, how fabulously naughty and yummy...I'm sure I can even smell the gluhwein!!!

[Mrs Trefusis]

Oh Lord, I so love Austrian food. It's not wildly fashionable, but done well it's just so delicious. Gorgeous post with beautiful pics. xx

[Chaucee]

Ah these are JUST the kind of pictures that I love to look at! They remind me of warmth, love, and the holidays!

[Agatha]

Wow! It sounds like a lovely trip you had, despite the luggage loss (have you got it back yet?)

I just adore those pieces of hand carved wood - I would love one to put on a bookcase or something. And the food looks devine!

Another inspiring post,

--

Agatha x

thehouseonbloghill.blogspot.com

[Top Bird @ Wee Birdy]

Agatha - yes, our luggage thankfully arrived on Christmas Day. You can imagine our relief... xx

[Heidi]

Vienna is one of my favorite cities and your pictures and stories (food, schoenbrunn, hundertwasser) brought back some fab memories. Thank you!!!

[Rose]

Ah Vienna! It gives a good challenge to Paris as the best short break destination in my mind. i am fairly obsessed with the food- the snitzel and the sacher, the potato and the chocolat chaud. I don't smoke but I used to love that there were cigarettes on the menus in the cafe society cafes. I love the pharmacies, the Klimt, the open air market thingy on weekends. The Art Noveau architecture. Sigh. Sorry about the luggage but thanks for all the pics- takes me back! x

[Poppy]

Oh wow those little hedgehogs are just adorable! Squee! ^_^

[Becky]

I visited Vienna quite a few years ago to go see all the Klimt for an art project. We went just before Christmas and all your photos take me right back, longing for some frothy hot chocolate and Sacher torte now!

[Natalie]

I love your Viennese food photos - Sacher torte.....delicious. Hope you had a lovely break!

[skirmishofwit]

I loved Vienna so much when I went in the summer - it was super to see your pics of the city in the winter. The markets look wonderful, and I remember just how yummy the food is!! Hope you sorted out the luggage problems :S

[anabel Fournier]

Love those cookies, especially the birds.

[Sam]

So, so pretty! I bet those deserts were mouth watering!

[shayma]

happy new year, dear weebirdy! what a gorgeous, gorgeous trip. foodporn at its best. love love love the photo of the sacher torte. brings back memories of two lovely trips i did to vienna. hope you had a lovely new year's even. x shayma

[Suzy Nightingale]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh *Homer Simpson type food-wanting noises*

Oh god that food looks obscenely good. Craving this now, and we so want to visit Vienna - definitely near the top of our list. :)

[SaraKate]

These are just the kind of things that remind me why I miss living in Germany so much. The markets there are the best! I've always wanted to go to Vienna and I think someday I'll have to make that trip at Christmas ;)

[Singaporean in London]

Was in Vienna last Christmas season for its Christmas markets. There's something about nursing a cup of mull wine (we brought back the cup as souvenir) with musicians playing cellos and violins in the background.

Thanks for bringing back the fond memories.

C K

[Polly Green]

Inspiring post and great photos. Love the gingerbread especially. Must drop 'not so gentle' hint to hubby about weekend trip to Vienna !

[Katherine aka. Urban Flea]

that post made me very hungry indeed... yummy!

xo katherine aka. urban flea :)
http://www.urbanfleadesign.net