Running Schritti’s Christmas running weekend in Vienna
Advent in Vienna can also be enjoyed in a sporty manner. Not only the streets of the city, adorned with festive lights, but also the Christmas markets are the perfect accompaniment to a run. The passionate professional runner, Runnning Schritti, once again spent a weekend in one of our CheckVIENNA apartments. In this blog, he describes his Christmas running weekend in Vienna.
A guest blog from Running Schritti
Running into a Christmas mood
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The first Advent weekend was almost upon us and last weekend I was ready. I may have been a little ahead of time as I was already in a truly Christmas mood and my last weekend was devoted to the Christmas markets in Vienna. And what could be a better combination than visiting the markets as part of a running tour through Vienna?
„Straw as a snow substitute“
But let’s start at the beginning – after arriving in Vienna and checking into my CheckVienna apartment in Hütteldorfer Straße on Friday, the top of my to-do list on Saturday was a visit to Vienna’s Christmas markets. The starting point for my Christmas market run with Georg was Karlsplatz, whose market with its amazing backdrop, the Karlskirche (Church of St. Charles), also has a wide variety of activities for children. The “Straw Landscape”, where both the young and not so young can jump around, is particularly popular, as are the Draisinen-Express (a small train on tracks) and the Sternenwerkstatt (“Star Workshop”, where children can make some small Christmas gifts).
Surrounded by museums
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After a small round, my run continues to the Museum Quarter – here you will not find a classic Christmas market but rather a modern meeting place for young people. To be honest, as long as it is light, the backdrop is not really impressive. From here, my run takes me to the Christmas market at the Maria-Theresien Square. Here, between the two museums, directly on the Ring, you can enjoy your mulled wine while taking in the tourist attractions such as the Hofburg (Vienna Imperial Palace) or the Museum Quarter.
Rathaus as a hotspot
An absolute must is the Christmas market at Vienna’s Town Hall Square. In addition to the numerous stands, you can also go ice-skating on the small “Ice Dream”. A great advantage when you go here during the day is that you can still move around freely. On a second visit, late in the day, things were very different at the bustling Town Hall Square. At this time of the year, it is a true highlight in Vienna.
Where the emphasis is on tradition
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The Altwiener (“Old Vienna”) Christmas market on the Freyung is somewhat more nostalgic and the focus is on traditional handicrafts. After only a short sprint, you will be rewarded with a further, classic Christmas market, “Am Hof”, which is only a stone’s throw away. It is said that all good things come in threes and the third market is close by at Michaelerplatz. At this “k.u.k” (kaiserlich und königlich, literally imperial and royal) Christmas market, the uniform market huts, exquisitely designed, are particularly pretty and you should definitely look out for the original Viennese snow globes.
Final at St. Stephan’s Square
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The short city Christmas market run then ends directly in front of Vienna’s landmark. At the heart of the capital, St Stephan’s Cathedral itself provides an impressive backdrop – and St. Stephan’s Square is an absolute must on every trip to Vienna. In just under 3 kilometres we have been able to visit eight very different Christmas markets. But, no worries, we didn’t drink a mulled wine or punch at every one!
Late-night flair
The atmosphere at a Christmas market is, of course, particularly special as soon as it gets dark and the colourful lights can truly be admired. The Christmas Market at the Town Hall Square is especially impressive but also the Winter Market at the Riesenradplatz (the Ferris Wheel Square) in Vienna’s Prater has a unique flair – with colourful rides and the Ferris Wheel in the background.
However, the Christmas market at Spittelberg, with its small, narrow lanes, also has a special charm. If you feel the need of some warmth or a little rest, there are more than enough possibilities in the many restaurants and bars in this part of the city.
Finish in Schönbrunn
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To conclude our weekend in Vienna, we went on a run from our apartment in Hütteldorfer Straße to Schönbrunn Palace. The Palace park is one of the most popular running routes for runners although the runners are somewhat lost amidst the many tourists and visitors. After a run to the Gloriette and back again, we had a chance to go through the beautiful Christmas market.
Wishing you all a wonderful Advent and lots of fun visiting one or the other Christmas market, no matter where!