Confession: I have an unhealthy obsession with street vendors. One time, I was unknowingly in a bad…read moreneighbourhood in Toronto because I was attracted by the street vendors selling things on the ground (which almost never happens in toronto). It turned out they were second-hand, likely stolen, goods. I ended up getting chased down the street by a homeless man. And even with this story, I still retain my love for street vendors - likely because in Taiwan, where I was born, street vendors are where you go for the best food and cheapest goods.
Why do I give this story as the introduction to my review for Karlsplatz Christmas market? Probably because I just feel the need to talk about myself, but also the fact that the best foods I have tried in Vienna, was actually, and perhaps embarrassingly, from street vendors in this market.
My first time in this market was a little after noon. We had 30 minutes before our Vienna sightseeing bus arrived by the opera house, so the bf and I decided to check out this nearby Christmas Market by the St. Charles's Church Sq. It was then, as we walked in to the fringe of the market that I tried the best open faced sandwich with mushed up paste (way better than trzesniewski, imho). I downed it quickly with gulps of Gluhwein. The stall is called "Lukashof"
After eating it, we walked into the centre of the market, there was a little farm where children can pet the animals and play in the hay and ride little ponies. Also a really cool merry-go-round with retro transportation vehicles (see pic). We didn't have time to really look around too much so that evening, we headed back for more.
Our second time there, my boyfriend had an amazing gluhwein with berries in there while we looked at all the arts and craft. I also smelled these amazing potato puffers that I really wanted to eat. Unfortunately, we just finished dinner elsewhere and I had no room for it, so I dragged my boyfriend back the next day, before I had to leave for the airport, just so I can eat it. It was worth it. I wish I can go back for more. We also both had the berry gluhwein, again. Best ones I've ever had.
This Christmas Market is my boyfriend's favourite market for the following reasons:
- it's a lot less crowded than the other ones we've been to
- it has a lot of unique handcrafted art, which my boyfriend loved
As I do my research after the fact, as per usual, I see on visitvienna.com that:
"The market is organized by an arts and crafts association called divina art. One of the requirements for those wishing to run a stand at the advent market is that the products on sale must be made by the applicant themselves (no traded goods) and must gain the approval of a qualified jury."
For someone like me, who is the definitive middle-class consumer, the stuff is less interesting as I'm not very artsy, and the stuff is not very commercial. For someone like my boyfriend, he wanted to buy so many things, but balked at the price tag (leather football helmet for 95 EUR, handknit wool cap for 85 EUR). We left all three times empty-handed but with full bellies.
