Vienna is a beautiful city, showing off its gorgeous Imperial style architecture and Baroque streetscapes, painting itself as an artistic city. Along with its historical setting, the city is also known for its cultural and musical experiences. While I was there I fell in love with the buildings and the architecture and I couldn’t hide my excitement. I think I used up most of my time photographing the buildings as opposed to giving time to the tourist spots. Oops! However, there’s a few things I enjoyed most about Vienna. I’m going to share with you my list of top eight things ‘to do’ in Vienna. Remember, this is a completely personal opinion and definitely biased by my interests but, if you’ve been to Vienna or are planning to visit I’d love to know what your top ten list is! Here goes:
Use Public Transport
The trip to Vienna came as a surprise, our original destination was supposed to be Budapest. However, because I was ‘patiently’ waiting for my visas we couldn’t book the trip until the last minute. Now, obviously we were both on a budget and Budapest was waaaaay out. I mean we almost didn’t go anywhere and just stayed in London, I know… depressing! But then, we got a sick deal for Vienna and grabbed it, just a few days before we flew out. The only thing we had confirmed was our flights and accommodation. We had no clue or plans about what we were going to do in Vienna so we evidently had no tours or transport booked. We got there all excited but had NO IDEA on how to get to the hotel and neither of us speak German…great! We managed to figure out the station we had to get to closest to the hotel and since the airport is outside of Vienna, this was about an hour train journey, not too bad…That’s what we thought! After getting to the station we realized we didn’t understand the next instruction well, so we looked for someone to help us. With the language barrier this was pretty difficult and Google’s instructions just seemed like another foreign language. We eventually found someone that helped us out and got to the hotel, about an hour and a half later. Haha! That night we realized we only had to use one train to get to and from the places we needed to, from the same station we were lost at! Turns out that was the first and last station the train went to and we simply needed to take a 7 minute bus ride to get to the station. The whole time we were there we stuck to using public transport because of this. The best part was it was so much cheaper than paying for the Hop on Hop off bus or any of the tours, and we used a single ticket for the 4 days we were there. It’s a perfect way to stick to budget and see parts of the city as a local. Naturally, after the end of the trip we both thought we were masters of their public transport…
2. Breakfast at the Landtmann's Jausen Station & a full day at the Schonbrunn Gardens
From my posts on Instagram it’s pretty clear that I fell in love with the gardens and the palace. The thing is Schonbrunn gardens is a massive place and apart from the palace there’s a number of things to see; from the zoo, the monuments, all up to the maze, so I would advise give yourself time when you visit, at least about 6 hours. We didn’t realize how big the gardens were so we ended up going back on the last day when we had a few hours to spare before our flight. I would suggest get there early enough, have breakfast at the cute little café, Landtmann's Jausen Station. They have so many varieties, both light and heavy and they’ve got all dietary needs sorted. I had the Ice Coffee and a croissant with Nutella, it was a perfect choice for the temperature that day and it tasted so good! The café is really pretty and colourful, it is located in a great spot with the view of the gardens, so peaceful especially on a sunny day. You’ll be fueled with enough energy to walk all over the gardens, the palace, the zoo and cover everything, maybe even take a nap on one of the benches… like I did!
3. Walk around the main streets
Vienna is fairly a small city, in the sense things are not too far away and not too long a walk. If you’re able then walk around to the different tourist attractions in the city center rather than using a tour bus. This naturally happens when you use public transport because stations aren’t right near the attractions and you may have to walk a bit. You’re probably wondering why I enjoyed this; firstly, you get to see all the different architectures of the buildings while walking and you can stop and actually examine them. Secondly, you get to interact with the locals and understand more about their culture, sometimes just by watching their routine and their body language. Yes, you could also see this while travelling by bus or by car but it’s not the same. Lastly, you see places that may not necessarily be on the map or on tourist spots to visit and you will be amazed. The Hogburg area had some of the most interesting architecture, followed by the Rathaus and of course the National History Museum. The most obvious is enjoying the fresh air and the beautiful flowers and trees growing, especially in spring time. Oh, yes! It saves your cost by quite a bit! Walking past cafes, pubs and restaurants, that are almost always full, makes you forget how tired you are or how much your legs are aching! It does make a difference because we were there on Easter Weekend so almost everyone was on holiday anyway, nevertheless, walking around was just a different experience. I mean try it one day, if it’s not your thing that’s completely fine, like I said it’s a very biased opinion.
4. Try a local brew
This is one is especially for the beer lovers, like me. It’s natural to want to stick to something you’re so used to or know of, I was the same when I was about to order my first beer in Vienna. This was at the Naschmarkt, to my surprise, there were no international beers on the menu and instead they were all local brews. I hesitated at first and then I just quickly researched the ones available to find what sounded close to what I would like. I settled with a brew from the Ottakringer Brewery that lies in the heart of Vienna. It was called the Ottakringer Helles Bier and became my favorite... it still is! Thankfully, this was on the first day of my trip so the rest of the trip I knew exactly what I wanted. Since this was the first country from my Europe trip, I made a deal with myself that I’m going to try a local brew from each country. I tried a number of different tastes but I still feel the Ottakringer Helles was my favourite! The time I enjoyed the beer the most was after a long day of walking at the Schonbrunn gardens and Hofburg. The next stop was St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Stephenplatz, the biggest and most iconic Roman Catholic Church of Austria and a historical landmark for Vienna. The church is beautiful and gorgeous and so rich with history, I loved every bit of it. But, what I loved more was the street opposite it, the Spiegelgasse 1. It seemed like a high street with all the massive shops (including H&M, Zara, etc.) around as well as a huge number of restaurants in the middle of the street. By the time we got there we were pretty tired from all the walking around and starving. So we took a break, picked up a snack from the street vendor and I obviously got an Ottakringer Helles Bier too, and sat outside one of the shops. I loved having my beer here because the atmosphere was so lively and everyone just seemed to be having a good time. It reminded me of Sunday markets in Cape Town and I had forgotten how much I loved the feeling. It gave me a sense of freedom and hope, something I needed after a crazy year. We sat there for about an hour and relaxed while I enjoyed my beer, that’s when (the second day of the trip) I was sure I really loved the Ottakringer Helles Bier. Surprise yourself, try something different, you never know…
5. Breakfast at the Museum Quartier
Again, this was completely unplanned. We wanted to visit the Museum Quartier that day and the Museum of Natural History but we also needed to have breakfast first. We stayed in a hotel just bed so we could enjoy different breakfast spots in Vienna. We had no idea where to go but saw on Google maps there were a few cafes at the Museum Quartier and decided to head there straight. We got there pretty early and there was only one café that was open at that time, it was the Halle Café.Restaurant. The breakfast here was interesting, it was different and very healthy. The coffee tasted like heaven and the food presentation was incredible. The atmosphere in the Quartier became bubblier as the time went on. By the time we finished the place was filled with people and all the café’s were open. I was only then we realized there was more than one choice. In the quartier they had these bed like plastic seats where people could just sit back and relax. Since the sun was out and I had spent a week in rainy London the sun was my best friend. I sat there soaking in some sun for at least half an hour before we actually went to our next stop. We saw lots of people who just came and sat in the seats and took in the sun. It was the perfect start to Easter Sunday. Eventually, we decided to leave and continue the rest of our plan for the day. The area around the Quartier and the Natural History museum was so artistic and inspiring, especially seeing how many creative people were out here. It was a pretty great start to the morning.
6. Visit the Naschmarkt
The Naschmarkt is the biggest and best known market on Vienna and a must-see destination. With about 120 stalls, you have a variety to choose from. The stalls range from serving fresh fruits, foods, delicacies and spices from around the globe, to clothes, souvenirs and restaurants. There’s so much to see and try. During the day, the market is booming with stalls of food, spices, and teas serving not only Viennese specialties, but also specialties from all over the world. At night, the market is radiant and alive, with music and restaurants, the perfect place to enjoy a drink or two, especially for the youngsters. The market is crazy, filled with so many different sights, colors and smells… something you definitely need to experience! Because of this vast collection you need enough time to look around and take in all that is being offered, I would suggest giving yourself an hour and a half, at least, and an empty stomach.
PS. This is where I tried my first Ottakringer Helles Bier. You need to experience the market both during the day and night so a perfect time to go would be around 4/5pm giving yourself enough time to view the stalls before they shut. However, since it’s always crowded make sure you get to the place you’re planning to have a drink/ dinner early enough to actually get a seat, or book it earlier! And guess what? The station is right opposite, I mean you walk into the market as soon as you leave the station…just perfect right? If you’re a foodie or a market lover, the Naschmarkt is a must to visit! While there we had a Vienese specialty - ‘Schaumrollen’, a cone like pastry (usually filled with cream) filled with nutella, it was so delicious… especially because I am a nutella freak! You’ll definitely find something you love, it’s a promise!
7. Visit the Museum of Natural History
I generally love history and reading about things that existed years before my existence but, this museum was different, it was really cool! The museum consists of 39 exhibition halls and each room was dedicated to specific subjects. From rock material and precious stones, to the wild species up until evolution and history as well as fossils and dinosaurs. The way each were presented was what motivated me to keep going further and further.
The museum is one of the most important and world-famous museum, partly because it is home to 29,500-year-old Venus of Willendorf, the Steller’s sea cow that became extinct over 200 years ago. Apart from the exhibitions, the museums interior is filled with oil paintings, stone carvings and ornate marble archways that is just as amazing as the scientific exhibitions. Take your time to walk through each exhibition hall and allow yourself to take in all the science and history existing before you.
The museum itself was beyond incredible but the gardens outside were even more beautiful. As you know, Vienna is a city that praises and encourages art and music. You will find so many different creative minds all around you. I noticed this the most outside of the Museum. I noticed musicians, artists, dancers, singers showing off their talent. There was one act that particularly caught my eye; a musician playing the Accordion and singing, dressed in a horse head costume. It was weird to see this his/her singing was melodious, he/she was really really good! It was confusing because I just wanted to understand what he costume meant, if it represented a message or was it just to hide his/her identity? Just as much as the museum shows off Vienna’s scientific and historical research, the garden outside celebrates Vienna’s artistic talent.
The museum is constantly being updated, refurbished and reformed depending on new findings and research done by 60 scientists (approximately) in different faculties. While we were there a new side had just been created, new Digital Planetarium, in order to keep up with the times. It’s amazing to see research come to live and represented in a way that not only celebrates history and science but also appreciates the accomplishments of the researchers. This is probably why it is one of the most iconic museums.
8. Sunset at Danube River
Saving the best for last, end your day by the Danube River. If you are there during summer/ spring you might not actually see the sunset but just sitting by the river is so scenic. Our original aim was to watch the sunset by the river however, the sun was setting way later than the time we arrived (because it was Spring) and it was setting on the opposite side. I was bummed about this however, we decided to have a drink at The View Restaurant Café and Bar by the river. This was actually the best decision we made because firstly we didn’t realize how tired we actually were from the whole day of walking and secondly the vibe was so peaceful, there was a small breeze and the evening sun shining on us. There was no noise and sitting there I felt very calm and very content with life at that exact moment. I would recommend visiting the café because I had never felt that much peace in a long time. For me this was a special evening, my friend and I finally enjoyed a heart to heart conversation after not seeing each other for a whole year, the setting was perfect for this. For those two hours it seemed as though time had stopped giving us a chance to catch up to it. We eventually did see a beautiful view of the sun close to setting, but not setting yet, behind a gorgeous church. I guess at the end of the day everything happens for the right reason, just like this spot and just the trip to Vienna!
