Zurich Christmas Market (aka Wienachtsdorf at Sechseläutenplatz)
My ode to the gorgeous red and twinkly lit outdoor Christmas Market in Zurich (Wienachtsdorf).
With the enormous Christmas tree in the center and all the little red houses full of food. The gorgeous fondue chalet, yummy raclette, the endless amounts of glühwein. I feel the need to go a few times a week as it will all be over December 24th. This is the first year for this gorgeous outdoor Christmas market in the large square front of the Opera House (Sechseläutenplatz). The entrance from the Bellevueplatz begins with the intricate wooden Christmas ornaments from Germany. I might need to put one of them on my wish list for next year.
My normal visit to the market goes like this. We take the bus to the Burkliplatz. If the farmer’s market is going on, we wander through first to see all the amazing produce, Christmas wreaths, holly, mistletoe, and gorgeous fresh pink peppercorns. Since we already made our candles at the Burkliplatz, we can walk over the Quaibrucke to the market. We love walking through the tiny wooden ornament shop as we enter.
Our main goal is always eating. So we get right to it. Hadley wants the Miso Ramen, André finds some sort of burger or sandwich, and I make a bee line for the raclette and glühwein area next to the gigantic Christmas tree. I get the raclette with potatoes. Of course it comes with tiny onions, tiny pickles, and an even tinier wooden fork. Heike has not figured out her meal option at the market but usually gets a bratwurst with bread. If it is too cold out, we go into the fondue chalet and sit on the right and order at the counter. There is an amazing sit down reservations fondue to the left, but we have not done that yet as Hadley is a bit cheese averse. Also, there is a fantastic fireplace with nice living room style seating where I would like to spend an entire day drinking glühwein one day, but alas. Perhaps if all has gone according to plan, the girls will get a Berliner for dessert.
The ice skating rink is tiny, but gorgeous as the opera house is the scenery, along with the Christmas Market. There is a little shop to buy warm drinks and snacks for the hungry skater. In 9 days they will pack up these cute red houses, my fondue chalet, and the girls ice rink. The Opera House square will be bare again. Until next year perfect Christmas Market.