There is just something magical about celebrating Christmas in winter. Maybe it has something to do with all those Christmas movies I watched as a kid! Being a Kiwi, we usually celebrate Christmas in the middle of summer, so this year Jake and I decided to do a romantic Christmas holiday with all the trimmings!
There's nothing quite like a Christmas market to get you into the festive spirit, and where better to experience one than in Vienna! It's listed as one of the best Christmas markets in the world!
We absolutely loved the Christmas markets. The streets smelled like mulled wine with a hint of roasted chestnuts. The Christmas stalls looked like a fairy tale next to Vienna's pristine white architecture.
Can you spot the two love birds on the ice skating rink?
As it turned to night time the town lit up with all it's christmassy magic! Wandering around the markets at night is especially romantic and the food and hot mulled wine alone make it a worthwhile trip.
We took a walk through the first district. Graben is decorated with glorious chandeliers and the streets with shimmering, hanging sheets of sparkles, stars and garlands. You can see why Vienna makes the ultimate Christmas get away!
Did someone say room service!? Breakfast in bed while unwrapping presents and seeing what Santa left us! The best part about staying in a hotel for Christmas is you can forget the stress, relax and be pampered for the day. We stayed at the Sofitel in Vienna, we love this range of hotels and always find ourselves staying at Sofitel's when we travel.
After opening our presents we decided to make our way to the hotel's Spa where we spent our time relaxing and unwinding, I had also pre-booked us a couples massage! There are definitely some perks to staying in a hotel on Christmas day…like not having to make the bed or do the dishes!
After the spa we put on our Christmas best, nothing screamed Christmas like this beautiful red dress that I found at Zara! We made our way up to the sky bar on the 18th floor which has a 360 degree panoramic view of the city....the perfect place for a cocktail or two!
More beautiful red dresses ~
We sat back enjoying our cocktails watching day to turn in the night and all of the Christmas lights go on over the city!
That evening we made our way to a highly recommended quaint and charming restaurant and wine bar called ef16. It was located down a quiet alley with a huge Christmas tree in the middle, we were greeted with a welcome hot orange punch in the courtyard.
Having read the reviews, we reserved a table in advance. We were so happy we did as we found out later that the place was fully booked for the night. Inside the restaurant we found candlelit tables creating a wonderful ambience.
We had the four course meal from the menu proposed by the Chef. The food was incredible and it was nice to try some local Austrian dishes that were scrumptiously, hearty and flavoursome.
The next day we spent our time trying to see as much of Vienna as possible. We spent hours exploring this truly beautiful city and getting lost amidst the beautiful views we found around each corner.
Vienna is dotted with cafes that serve the most amazing cakes and coffee. Central is among the most famous and traditional ones. We stopped in for breakfast and loved the chilled vibe of this old fashioned Viennese café.
Champagne for breakfast? Don't mind if I do....
We were expecting a white Christmas however it was actually pretty warm when we went. It had been snowing the week earlier, so we had only just missed out on a white Christmas. I love ponchos as they feel like a great big blanket or oversized scarf. The perfect accessory to keep you warm!
Shop ponchos ~
Vienna is the perfect city for those looking for a city break filled with culture. It has a selection of impressive art galleries and museums, not to mention the stunning architecture, cathedrals and other historical buildings. We spent the afternoon seeing as much as we could.
Of course it goes without saying that nothing can replace spending Christmas with friends and family but it was actually nice to spend the day together, just the two of us…Vienna is romantic, lavish and a magical display of Christmas joy!
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