Famend for its pure landscapes, music, literature and artwork, Austria is an excellent vacation spot to go to in Europe. Austria was the third nation we visited on our European tour earlier this yr. After touring round Rome and Venice in Italy, we crossed to Austria in Central Europe, which lies within the Japanese Alps. Most of us are accustomed to some points of Austrian tradition having grown up watching the basic 1965 movie The Sound of Music starring Julie Andrews. The actual von Trapp household as soon as lived in Salzburg and the film was filmed primarily in and across the metropolis.
Whereas we didn’t get to go to the filming areas of The Sound of Music in Salzburg, we bought a style of it in Vienna. Vienna, the capital of Austria is named the “Metropolis of Music” because it’s the birthplace of many well-known classical composers like Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and Strauss. Of all of the European cities we visited, Vienna felt probably the most clear, neat, and arranged. It’s not shocking that classical musicians thrive right here. Every little thing felt so orderly.
Right here’s an inventory of some issues you are able to do in Vienna, Austria (together with free points of interest) based mostly on the highlights of our journey.
Stroll round Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens
As soon as the residence of Habsburg emperors from the 18th century to 1918, Schönbrunn Palace is an architectural masterpiece identified for housing excellent examples of ornamental artwork unfold inside 1,440 rooms.
This UNESCO World Heritage Website within the coronary heart of Vienna is nicely price a go to. You may go on guided excursions inside Schönbrunn Palace with an knowledgeable tour information to clarify the historical past, however the sprawling gardens, which function a leisure space and park, are open to the general public totally free all yr spherical.
You may stroll across the sprawling grounds every day from 6:30 am, and it’s a preferred place for locals to jog and luxuriate in nature.
We purchased meals from a close-by grocery and loved picnics within the gardens the 2 days we had been right here. We weren’t in a position to discover the entire park, because it’s large! You’ll want to put on comfortable sneakers whereas exploring.
Go to St. Stephen’s Cathedral
Austria’s most distinguished nationwide image, this magnificent cathedral is thought for its intricately tiled roof and its almost 500-foot-tall South Tower, which gives wonderful views of your entire metropolis.
We visited a LOT of church buildings round Europe that the majority have develop into a blur, however this church was one of the crucial exceptional and distinctive ones we visited.
The 137-meter-high spire and richly embellished roof are the town’s most necessary Gothic edifice and characterize eight centuries of architectural historical past. The cathedral is one other main vacationer spot you’ll be able to go to totally free in Vienna, although admission charges apply to particular areas inside the church.
Vacationers also can discover the catacombs containing the tombs of Habsburg royals, cardinals, archbishops, and victims of the Nice Plague of Vienna or go on crypt excursions. It’s additionally doable to experience an elevator to the highest of the cathedral’s north tower to get a better have a look at the mosaic-tiled roof.
Stroll round ‘The Ring’
The Ring (also referred to as Ringstrasse) refers to a sequence of broad boulevards that encircle nearly your entire historic metropolis middle of Vienna. It’s about 6.5km lengthy and (probably) has the best variety of historic sights lining its edges than every other street on this planet. The Ringstrasse is a part of the architectural ensemble that identifies Vienna’s inside metropolis as a UNESCO World Heritage Website
Vacationers can discover freely on self-guided strolling excursions to admire museums, theaters, gardens, and parks. Some notable landmarks right here embrace :
- The Rathaus city corridor with its large sq. and park
- The State Opera Home
- The Kunsthistorisches Museu (which has work by previous masters and different artwork collections)
- Varied monuments to Radetzky, Goethe, Grillparzer, Maria Theresa, Liebenberg, and Schiller;
- The Volksgarten with its beautiful rose backyard
- Stadtpark with its well-known Strauss statue, and hundreds extra.
One other key landmark typically really useful for first-timers is the Hofburg Palace, which was the residence of Austrian sovereigns for over 600 years. This sprawling complicated of 18 wings, 19 courtyards, and a pair of,600 rooms was initially a medieval fortified citadel courting from the thirteenth century. It serves because the seat of energy for the Austrian president.
Right here’s a helpful strolling map of main landmarks round The Ring from http://www.visitingvienna.com/ring/.
Admire architectural landmarks
Vienna can be well-known for being one of many trailblazers in structure. In all places you look, you’re bombarded with sights of lovely buildings, church buildings, subway stations, cafés and flats, showcasing the splendor of assorted architectural types. Vienna’s structure is a mixture of types and intervals, together with Baroque, Artwork Nouveau, Imperial and Gothic.
A few of the most notable examples of Artwork Nouveau structure in Vienna embrace The Secession Constructing, a landmark constructing with floral ornaments; the Karlsplatz Stadtbahn Station, an iconic metro station landmark; The Majolikahaus and Muse Home; and The Postal Financial savings Financial institution designed by Otto Wagner.
Even with out realizing their historical past, each random doorway, wrought iron window grill, and constructing we handed appeared so photogenic that it bought overwhelming after some time. All of the buildings are so superbly preserved and clear. Themed strolling excursions across the metropolis are an possibility for critical structure fanatics.
Strive distinctive types of native transport or excursions
Vienna felt very peaceable, walkable and secure, so it’s an amazing place to strive utilizing native transport. It was straightforward to navigate the streets whereas strolling, and simple to hop on board their native trains.
I used to be amazed at how Vienna’s trendy public transportation works with an honesty system.
Not like different European cities, there have been no ticket obstacles at stations and no formal, everlasting ticket checks on subways, native trains, trams and buses. A few of the stations like Stadtpark had been beautiful.
Those that desire a distinctive option to discover can hop on totally different native transport to go to high points of interest within the historic middle. We noticed Royal E-Vehicles and gold eco-tricycles with stay guides who provide personal day excursions.
Wander across the Hundertwasserhaus
One other enjoyable, architectural spotlight in Vienna is the Hundertwasserhaus, a colourful and distinctive residential housing that resembles a mosaic of shapes and colours designed after the thought and idea of artist, Friedensreich Hundertwasser.
The constructing’s design makes use of irregular kinds and incorporates pure options of the panorama. For those who look carefully, you’ll see that the condo complicated has rolling flooring and a roof lined with earth and grass. What’s fascinating is that anybody who lives within the Hundertwasser Home has “window rights” or the suitable to brighten the skin space of their home windows nonetheless they like to tell apart themselves from their neighbors.
The constructing additionally has greater than 200 timber and shrubs on the balconies and roof terraces, making the Hundertwasserhaus a inexperienced oasis. I like how the timber develop from contained in the rooms and the way the branches prolong out the home windows.
For the privateness of residents, the Hundertwasserhaus can solely be seen from exterior, although some areas on the bottom ground have cafes and memento outlets. There’s additionally a Hundertwasserhaus Museum you’ll be able to go to.
Proper reverse the Hundertwasserhaus is the Hundertwasser Village, which is open to the general public. Created out of a tire workshop, the complicated is a small purchasing middle with a “village sq.,” a bar, and quite a few shops within the typical Hundertwasser fashion.
Store for souvenirs
What are the preferred souvenirs in Vienna? For luxurious vacationers, the highest issues to purchase in Vienna embrace Viennese Porcelain (identified for its intricate designs and distinctive craftsmanship), Austrian Wine, Austrian-made Swarovski crystals (world-famous for its brilliance and precision-cut designs), artisanal candies, and conventional dirndl attire. Extra inexpensive and fashionable picks embrace Viennese espresso, t-shirts, baggage, equipment, fridge magnets, postcards, and hundreds extra.
Merchandise with Klimt paintings may be very fashionable in Vienna. Gustav Klimt was one of the crucial distinguished Austrian artists. His portray ‘The Kiss”, which depicts two lovers embracing with gold leaf and a background adorned with gold, silver and platinum flakes, is without doubt one of the most iconic and recognizable work worldwide.
The unique portray is presently housed in Vienna’s stunning 300-year-old Higher Belvedere Palace. In case you need to take a chunk of the long-lasting paintings house, many outlets round Vienna (and the entire of Europe) promote merchandise that depicts the portray on shirts, scarves, pillows, postcards and extra.
Throughout our journey, I began accumulating cat postcards from Europe and one in every of my favourite finds was this gold-embossed postcard of two cats within the fashion of “The Kiss” that I discovered in a restaurant in Vienna’s Hundertwasserhaus complicated. Isn’t it beautiful?! I like it!
Catch a classical Viennese live performance
Except for visiting Schonbrunn Palace, one of many principal highlights of our go to to Vienna was watching a classical Viennese live performance at Palais Eschenbach. The historic constructing was opened in 1872 by Emperor Franz Joseph I and your entire construction is preserved in and out.
We watched a classical music efficiency by the Vienna Supreme Orchestra, which featured the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert, and the Strauss Dynasty, true masters of operetta.
Whereas I used to be anticipating this to be a critical and formal efficiency, the live performance was a nice shock, with singing, ballet, and entertaining skits all through, together with a number of numbers from The Sound of Music.
The live performance featured waltzes, polkas, and a few wonderful arias and duets. The VIP Class places visitors very close to the stage and features a copy of the live performance program and a live performance CD.
Pattern schnitzel, strudel and different native delicacies
Austrian delicacies is thought primarily for its hearty meat-based dishes and desserts which share similarities with Germany, Hungary, and different neighboring nations. One of many high really useful dishes was Wiener Schnitzel (breaded and fried cutlet of meat), so we needed to strive it a minimum of as soon as.
Schnitzel is usually served with a facet of fried potatoes. The servings in Austria are fairly massive, so I’d suggest sharing one dish if you wish to strive it. I simply want it additionally got here with some form of sauce. When in Vienna, you’ll additionally need to strive a number of the Vienna sausages – even when they’re the Wurst.
For dessert, you’ll be able to strive Apfelstrudel, a flaky pastry full of apple filling, just like apple pie however in pastry kind. This nationwide dessert is a staple in each espresso home and restaurant in Vienna. Sachertorte, a chocolate sponge cake with apricot jam and darkish chocolate glaze, can be one in every of Vienna’s most well-known culinary specialties.
For those who’re searching for souvenirs to take house, Mozartkugeln (or Mozart Balls) are probably the most well-known sweets from Austria. These are small chocolate balls that include a mixture of nougat and marzipan. Viennese espresso is world-renowned so put aside some chill cafe time.
If you wish to strive a novel native beverage, search for Almdudler. This natural lemonade / tender drink is manufactured from apple juice and a mix of 32 pure alpine herbs whereas the Coke-like bottle encompasses a couple in conventional apparel.
Take pleasure in native Viennese beers
Sampling native beer is one in every of my favourite pastimes, so we needed to look out for distinctive Viennese beers.
Primarily based on grocery finds, the preferred mainstream Austrian beer manufacturers had been Gosser, Ottakringer, Schloss Eggenberg and Stiegl.
We additionally hunted down Vienna Kraft, an award-winning craft brewery positioned inside Vienna’s first neighborhood meals market Gleis//Garten.
There’s an entire vary of core vary beers and seasonal beers to strive recent from the tank, which you’ll get pleasure from, surrounded by palm timber on this beautiful beer backyard.
There are lots of bars to select from, however this spot is price a go to for beer fanatics trying to discover Vienna’s rising craft beer scene.
The place to remain in Vienna
Whereas in Vienna, we stayed in Renaissance Wien Resort Vienna, a family-friendly resort close to the town middle of Vienna. The fashion of the resort mixed Viennese custom and trendy fashion components.
From the resort, we had been in a position to stroll to Schonbrunn Palace, some high metropolis locations, and inexpensive eating spots.
There was a prepare station close by and a great grocery close by the place we purchased meals and drinks to enhance our restaurant meals, which will be fairly expensive. The buffet breakfast had an in depth choice. All of the rooms provided free Wi-Fi. Discover different locations to remain in Vienna, Austria right here.
We most likely missed lots of issues to do in Austria. Two days isn’t sufficient to discover Vienna, however the quick journey was an amazing introduction to the town highlights.
Subsequent cease, Slovakia!
