Vienna

It has to be said that Vienna does the most excellent Christmas.

The Rathaus (yes, it’s a funny name, my children thought it was a house for rats) is the largest Christmas market in Vienna and it is not to be missed.

It is welcoming and friendly, and the Christmas lights that festoon the entrance are simply outstanding.

It’s certainly crowded (but not in a mosh pit way) and it has the most prettiest little holly covered wooden stalls packed with mulled wine, gingerbread, candles, hand decorated glass baubles, pastries, handicrafts and wooden toys.

It is straight off the front of a Christmas card. Absolutely gorgeous. We could not have been more mesmerised.

It was unreservedly delightful in its authenticity. It was the most perfect place to be on the night before Christmas Eve. The lights adorning the front of the Town Hall (the meaning of Rathaus) had the hugest butterfly, a magnificent wing span bejewelled with sparkling blue and white fairy lights; it was a sight to behold.

The night was quite cool actually and tiny (and I mean tiny) snowflakes were swirling but not quite making the ground as snow. It was at least a bit reminiscent of a white Christmas.

We were all rugged up included the children in leopard skin ear muffs and feather down jackets, a far cry from a few days ago at home with a shorts and T shirt ensemble.

I had honestly never seen anything quite like it, Vienna in winter, it was like all my white Christmas dreams had come true and I was now sharing this experience with my children. I could not have been happier, it was so perfect.

I stood there and soaked it up, all of that Austrian Christkindl yuletide spirit, I couldn’t help myself, I was in love, in love with Vienna.

That feeling has never left me.

Big Love Jane x