This week we applied for our new work visas, went on a bowling date in Salzburg, and attended our first Christmas market of the season!

An hour from Gmunden, the small Christmas market was in full swing in Austria’s 12th largest city, Steyr.

The heavenly smell of roasted chestnuts, chocolate-covered fruits, hot cocoa, and Gluhwein filled the air surrounding the promenade as people walked between the 40 booths selling various hand-made crafts and treats.

There are two kinds of Christmas markets.

The first kind is the quaint, spaced-out kind located in small towns like Steyr.

The second is the large, over-the-top, extravagant kind in bigger cities like Vienna, London, Strasbourg, and Hamburg. While we enjoy the nonexistent crowds and the charm of the smaller markets, we hope to make an appearance at a few of the larger ones too.

After walking up and down the promenade a couple of times, we went into the old town where another Christmas market was taking place.

A tall spruce tree in the center of the town and several more wooden chalets waiting to be filled up by holiday lovers near and far.