insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 21 - November 2016 | Page 83

CHRISTMAS
CHRISTMAS MARKETS cont.

Vienna Christmas Markets, Austria
12th November – 24th December
In Vienna, you get a number of markets for the
price of one, as the ‘main market’ is actually a
few smaller ones linked together to create one
impressive and festive marketplace. The stalls
contain arts and crafts (Viennese beeswax candles
are a fixture here), food and drink (such as
vanillekipferl, special Christmas biscuits), and
clothing too amongst other things. And to make
it even more magical, the market in front of the
City Hall has one floor dedicated to the children
– toys and games galore!
The 100-year-old Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof
has large, spacious rooms with Baroque style
décor, a massive spa with two saunas and a
steam room, and it’s right in the middle of the
most historic district in the city – St Stephens’s
Cathedral (and the Christmas market) is about a
five-minute walk away. Slightly (but only very
slightly) further away is the Hotel Sans Souci
Wien. It’s an extra 10 minutes to the market on
foot, but the fact that the hotel has an indoor
pool and a well renowned restaurant makes up
for that.

Zurich Christmas Markets, Switzerland
24th November – 23rd December
Zurich is home to the biggest indoor Christmas
market in Europe (it’s located in the main train
sta tion and has over 150 different stalls), so if
you aren’t so keen on the cold, this could well
be the ideal place for you to shop ‘til you drop.
The centrepiece of this market is the enormous
Christmas tree which is decorated with over
7,000 Swarovski crystals. Munch on roasted
chestnuts, sip mulled wine, and admire the sights,
sounds, and smells of Christmas all around you.
The immediate area around the Christmas market
is surrounded by hotels, and so finding one
shouldn’t be too onerous a task. The Townhouse
Boutique Hotel is nice and close to the action,
and it has all the mod cons you might want to
make your time in Zurich comfortable. For
something a little more luxurious, there is the
Zürich Niederdorf – Grossmünster. This hotel is
stylish and stunning, and will certainly make your
stay more memorable.

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Union Square Holiday Market, New York, USA
17th November – 24th December
New York in the run up to Christmas is certainly
something special, and if you’re there you’ll want
to visit the Union Square Holiday Market. Artisanal
woodwork, unique knitted clothing, plenty of
delicious homemade food, and you can even
blow your own glass Christmas tree ornament!
There are around 150 different stalls, and
approximately one million people attend this
market each year.
Downtown Holiday Market,
Washington DC, USA
25th November – 23rd December
For foodies everywhere, this market is pure
heaven. But this is not just any food – there are
some truly exciting things to be found here
including the unique and tempting ice cream
made with liquid nitrogen. This market can be
found in front of the Smithsonian American Art
Museum and National Portrait Gallery, so many
of the stall holders are artists too. Everything is
handmade and one of a kind and includes pottery,
paintings, prints and textiles.