They say that music nourishes the soul and what better place to stir the spirit than Vienna where the genius of Strauss, Mozart, and Beethoven can be heard all over the city – and especially at Christmas time when the snow is on the ground, the trees are decorated and the Christkindl markets are in full swing and doing a brisk trade in Christmas knick-knacks, hot chestnuts and Christmas cheer as eager customers revel in the winter ambience.

Vienna is one of those cities that everyone has heard of, but few know much about. Most people are aware that it is the capital of Austria and has strong links with classical composers such as Mozart and Schubert, and, of course, the famous holiday market, but that is about as far as it goes. 

Context Travel, organizer of critically acclaimed walking tours, unveils a new experience that places the history of Vienna’s Jewish community front and center.

A new 3-hour Jewish Vienna Tour visits the historical sites of Jewish life and memorialization in Austria’s capital in order to trace their story—a centuries-long narrative that spans the spectrum from triumphant success to devastating loss.

Cloves. Citrus. Almonds. Hazelnuts. A hint of cinnamon. Those smells seem to come back to me every time I think of the Vienna Christkindlmarkt (literally translated, “Christ child market”).