Here are some glimpses of lively Christmas market and Christmas decorations:
Apart from roaming the streets and Christmass markets, goal challenged travellers might enjoy hanging out in world-famous Viennese coffeehouses, great examples of which can be found all around Vienna. Surprisingly, it is allowed to smoke inside, but to no detriment of the non-smokers, as most of these establishments have high ceilings and are very well ventilated.
We couldn’t leave Vienna without trying their traditional wurst. There are many varieties, but we opted for what seemed like the most basic choice. It sure tasted good after spending 4 hours in Albertina museum.
»Arhitektonische Schatzkammer«, we called Vienna in my German class in highschool. I would like to add that it is also an art treasure cove without a rival in this part of Europe. Apart from famous Austrian painters like Schiele and Gustav Klimt, whose paintings are obviously part of the permanent collections in several Viennese galleries, Albertina Museum, e.g., also houses an exquisite collection of pieces ranging from Impressionists to Picasso, which are on permanent display. These may not be the most famous paintings by Sisley, Monet, Picasso, Kandinsky, Cezanne, Degas, Kokoschka, Chagall, but they are nevertheless very, very good pieces and can serve well for educational purposes if you like this period and would like to learn about these styles and respective painters. I would, as for any exhibition actually, warmly recommend getting an audio-guide.
Additionally, there are temporary exhibitions, like Miro in Albertina until January 11th, which I saw and was not disappointed, even though I am not a fan. Another great museum, Belvedere, which unfortunately we did not have time to visit, apparently holds a temporary exhibition of Monet, one of my favourite impressionist painters. Who knows what’s up for next year this time?
Tip for achievement challenged travellers: visit one big museum per two full days of your stay. Don’t expect to be able to soak in any more art after 4 hours in a museum.
Despite its reputation of being on a rather conservative side, I perceived Vienna as a city that invests a lot into art and lives strongly interconnected with it, which makes it an inspiring city to visit. Another thing I really liked was that, unlike Paris, most points of interest are within walking distance inside the center, so you lose much less time by commuting from one place to another by public transport. Vienna can be reached within 4 hours or less from Ljubljana, Prague, Cracow, Budapest, Zagreb, Brno, … so if you live in this part of Europe and love art, it makes for a really rewarding little getaway.
Hope you enjoyed this post and I am wishing you a peaceful and affectionate remainder of holidays!
Love,
Maruša
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