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Pure Advent magic

Traditional Miners’ Advent in Bad Bleiberg

The advent season is particularly lovely in the high valley of Bad Bleiberg. A round of events surrounding the miners’ advent traditions help the visitor to get ready for Christmas, either reflectively or with enthusiasm. The Miners’ Advent is opened with the traditional Barbara Market, the only one in all of Austria. Following that is the Barbara Mass, held 300 m inside the mountain, a Christmas slide down the 68 m slide in Terra Mystica, ‘Advent in the Pub’ with musical interludes by small singing groups and brass, i.e. saxophone performances, a torch hike after dark to a Glühweinstandl (mulled wine booth), the traditional star soup dinner, the big Christmas concert play ‘On the Path to the Stable’ with over 70 performers in the Gesundheitshotel Vivea and much more.

Whether young or old, here at 920m above sea level, where winter is still winter, it’s never boring having to wait for Father Christmas.
Bad Bleiberg in the Nature Park Dobratsch offers an unforgettable advent season in a fairy tale landscape.

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Advent in Villach

The old town of Villach offers a very special atmosphere at Christmas time, when the church tower of the parish church (Stadtpfarrkirche) shines like a lit candle above the rooftops. People meet at the lovely decorated huts, enjoy the culinary delights, the wonderful light decorations and fall into Christmas anticipation with the smell of cookies. While the children have fun on the ice rink at the town hall square (Rathausplatz), the market stands offers a large selection of handmade gifts. This is the Advent season in Villach - the city of light!