The second to last stop we made on our trip to Europe was Vienna, Austria. Neither of us had been to this city before, but we are forever changed because of it. Everywhere we went in the city was pristine and gorgeous, and we have never felt like we were more with our people than in the coffee houses of Vienna. The vibe of the city is slowed and
Where We Stayed
We stayed on the outside of the old town just near the train station in Hotel Daniel – Vienna. We really enjoyed staying at this hotel, the location was great we were right by two tram stops that took us into the middle of town, and the location just near the train station was highly convenient for us as well. We stayed in a “Hammock Room” on the back side of the building which was nice and quiet, and literally, my only complaint about the room and hotel is that there was no refrigerator in the room.
For food, the hotel had a really cute cafe/restaurant on the ground floor which had some great options on the menu, but we never actually made it for a meal here (however their hot chocolate is amazing) because we were so intent on trying things in the city itself.
Where We Ate
Cafes:
Cafe culture is huge in
Honorable mention also to Cafe Landtmann, which had the most gorgeous sunroom just across the street from the Rathaus. Also to Cafe Central, which has so much varied history between being a meeting place for Alfred Hitler and Joseph Stalin, but also Sigmund Freud among others. This place really is like a peek into the past and now is a meeting place for tourists and local business-people alike.
Restaurants:
Zur
We stumbled upon this restaurant during a trip to Naschmarkt, a large outdoor market in Vienna. We went pretty late in the evening, so most of the stands were closed up but thankfully we somehow found ourselves here. It’s such a tiny establishment, with no more than 10 tables, and it really feels like one of those local hole-in-the-walls everyone is dying to find and try.
We also found ourselves at Figlmuller, the “home of the Schnitzel,” which we just couldn’t resist trying. Definitely make a reservation here well in advance or you will find yourself waiting out on the street for a table. The dinner was great, but due to its infamy, it definitely didn’t have the cozy feel of the little restaurant we visited the night before and we found ourselves surrounded by other tourists rather than immersed in the local culture of Vienna. Still, a fun place to go and try a traditional schnitzel (which might I add was the size of a dinner plate!)
After all the schnitzel and stew in the days prior we found ourselves craving a little change.
What We Did
There is no lack of local attractions, museums and churches to spend hours at in Vienna. In the three days we spent here I felt like we did so much but still had so much on my list that I wanted to do if we ever came back to this gorgeous city again. I wanted to highlight a few of my favorites from our trip here.
Firstly, you must visit the Hofburg, which houses so many of Vienna’s attractions from the Imperial Apartments to the Spanish Riding School. You could literally spend days here. We didn’t make it to all the different museums in this area but what we did see, I loved. We particularly enjoyed the Sisi Museum, which tells the heartbreaking story of Queen Elizabeth’s life while showing some of her most prized artifacts and letters and was an amazing experience. We also visited the Austrian National Library, which felt like stepping into a fantasy land and was unlike any other library I had been to before go here to feel like Belle and get a glimpse at some of the worlds most precious artifacts that travel through this library.
In addition to the amazing museums, there are incredible churches and cathedrals in Vienna. We found ourselves just wandering in and out of these whenever we passed on the street and all had something amazing to offer. My favorite, however, was St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The interior was gorgeous but what was even more special for me was the ability to see Vienna from above by way of their elevator to the lookout tower. This is definitely a must do if you are in the city even for a night.
Getting Around
Transit in Vienna was actually really easy to use, there are trams, buses and also subways to use to get around the city. Buying tickets
There you have it, 3 days in Vienna. I hope that this was helpful and that if you are planning a trip to this beautiful city you have as amazing a time as we did.
Bon Voyage!
Partners in Flight
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