Market Research

Christmas markets took us by delightful surprise in 2010. We really had No Idea that there would be so much seasonal merriment happening in Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square and, well, really All OVER Europe. Once we were hip to it, we partook of the šunka and svařák (ham and mulled wine) with the best of them. I mean, I wrote one blog post about the Prague markets and the Munich markets figured prominently in that travel post.

But we didn't make a point of seeking out Christmas markets elsewhere in 2010. (Those who read the Munich post will see that our motivation for going to Munich was to visit friends who were planning to be there, too. But that's another story. Which you can read in that post.)

This time around we were ready — excited! — about the Christmas markets!

Prague

We made our way to many of the markets around the city during the holiday season.

Christmas tree at Staroměstské náměstí (Old Town Square)

Unfortunately, my photos at Old Town's Christmas market mostly focused on the big tree and the architecture, with the market being a secondary thought.

Market stalls in front of Old Town's St. Nicholas Church.

We probably spent less time at Old Town's market. It is a Must See destination for tourists, i.e. jam packed.

Náměstí Míru (Peace Square) became a favorite destination as it was smaller, felt more authentic and charming, and had mostly hand-made crafts and food.

Maggie with the boys and me at Náměstí Míru. (Photo credit: Arlene!)

Most major hubs and squares had at least a small stretch of market stalls where folks could gather, have some mulled wine, and pick up a quick gift.

The Lesser Quarter's St. Nicholas Church rises above stalls in Malostranské náměstí (Lesser Quarter Square).

Kampa Island's Christmas market was a sweet, little oasis just off of Charles Bridge. The picture below (first featured in The Most Wonderful Time of the Year post) gives a nice overview of the market set up.

Let's zoom in a bit.

Small, but it's got it all.

A Christmas tree, a nativity scene, food, beverages, ornaments and trinkets, and a petting stall with animals. It's hard to see them, but there are sheep in the stall facing forward. Posts on either end of the stall have food dispensers — probably 5 or 10czk gets you a handful of kibble to distribute to critters.

This is your basic Prague Christmas Market installation.

Oh, and ham. Gotta have a rotisserie ham.

Mara and Char consider various kitchen accessories.

This picture gives an idea of the typical items being peddled in Prague: simple, wooden ornaments, rolling pins, and play swords. You can see colorful wooden necklaces behind the ladies.

There was a concerted effort to upgrade the Prague markets this year (2017), and we definitely noticed that there were fewer cheap, plastic wares and more authentic, hand-made goods such as woolen mittens and lap blankets, metal tools (occasionally accompanied by a forge and blacksmith), or locally packaged herbs and spices. But for more substantial items of high quality and greater variety, we found it was good to go to the source of all Christmas markets: the Weihnachtsmarkts in German-speaking countries.

Dresden

Here we are at my third post trumpeting the virtues of Dresden (fourth, if you include the one from 2011). I've become quite the Dresden devotee. I've already chronicled the Saxony-bound Christmas-market trip that Karl and I made with his mother and sisters. Now I'm going to pilfer from an article I wrote for The Bridge (online magazine for the International Women's Association of Prague) about the trip that a few of us IWAP-ers made to the market.

The history of Dresden’s Christmas market, its abundant, high-quality offerings, and the promise of fresh-baked stollen always make it a desirable destination. And at just about two hours’ travel time, the proximity to Prague is quite manageable.

There really is something special about German Christmas markets in general and Dresden’s in particular. The Striezelmarkt at Altmarkt (Old Market Square) started back in the 15th century, making it one of the oldest European Christmas markets.

It is named for striezel or stollen, the delicious cake-like fruit and nut loaf made for the Advent season. At Altmarkt you can watch bakers prep the dough and then see the golden loaves emerge from the outdoor oven, catching a waft of the zesty aroma imbued with cinnamon, candied citrus peel, and cardamom — heaven!

The market stalls themselves are über charming. Decorations on rooftops reflect the wares sold by the vendor within (leather products, baked goods, ceramic ware).

Lederwaren (Leatherware) ... with monogram, if you like!

Some rooftops have little scenes with moving parts: a baker moving back and forth as if to take bread out of the oven or fluffy animals whose heads waggle.

Yummy buns ...

... fresh from the oven!

Customer service pays off! Charming vendors peddle their wares with warmth and smiles.

I bought numerous, adorable wooden ornaments from this delightful couple.

The market’s centerpiece decoration is the Erzgebirge Christmas pyramid (named for the Ore Mountain range from whence it comes). At 14 meters it is the tallest Christmas pyramid in the world.

Erzgebirge Christmas pyramid — a tale to tell at six storeys tall!

Seven IWAP-ers made the trek to Dresden in early December to take in the scene, do a little shopping, and revel in the holiday cheer. Despite an iffy weather forecast, our group was undaunted and we approached the day strategically: do an initial walk-through to assess vendors and their products, split up to make our purchases, reunite for lunch, and then determine our needs for the afternoon.

For lunch, we made our way past the Frauenkirche to the Spanish restaurant Las Tapas (at Munzgassse 4).

Tapas lunch sampler

Our delight in the warm, cozy atmosphere and delicious food — not to mention effervescent company — was all the greater when we realized that sheets of hail had started raining down outside! Icy pellets pummeling the restaurant’s awning sounded like freight engine. We lingered over lunch. By the time we headed back out, the skies had cleared, though there was a noticeable chill in the air and on the ground. 

Frauenkirche behind the smaller pyramid in Neumarkt (New Market).

Several hours later we completed our transactions and carted our treasures back to the train station where we boarded the RegioJet bus bound for Prague. Such a wonderful way to welcome the holiday season!

Vienna

In the week before Christmas, Karl and I dashed off for a day trip to Vienna. I'm putting together a whole 'nother post about the excursion as it deserves that kind of attention. Here is a photographic sampling what we encountered in the Imperial City.

Enchanting ornaments

Olive-wood crafts

Horse-drawn carriages and market stalls at Hofburg, the Imperial Palace

Equestrian statue of Erzherzog Karl, Archduke Charles

Christmas market at Rathausplatz, City Hall Square

Hearty goulash in a bread bowl made for dinner at Stephansplatz market. 

Whimsy and whinnies

Venice

We all traveled to Venice for Christmas. I had read that Venice had all but eliminated its Christmas markets, and that certainly matched our experience. We did happen upon one very simple market in Campo Santo Stefano, where I bought some little gift cards for my mother and myself.

The sign alone conveys a rather laissez-faire attitude toward the market.

Nevertheless, found some delightful gift cards at this fellow's stand.

While we weren't anticipating Christmas markets per se, I'd expected a little more in the way of public decorations. There were lights and some trees. Hotels were decked out. Public spaces less so.

But it was okay. We were in Venice, which doesn't really require being more decorative than it already is.

Some cherubs get all the sunshine, and some all the shadow ... 

Gondolier in the afternoon sun

Detail on Basilica di San Marco

An eternal bouquet of blown glass

Of course, this is not to say the Venetians were unaware of Christmas.

Off to the market?

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UPDATED: 3 JUNE

I came across some pictures and a video of the tree-lighting ceremony that took place in Strossmayer Square (our neighborhood) on 29 November.

And the countdown ~