Coming from Český Krumlov, I took another early morning train (8:56 am) to Vienna. It briefly stopped in České Budějovice, and České Velenice however there wasn’t enough time to really explore. I arrived in Wien Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof (Vienna’s Central Train Station) at 1:30 pm.
Again, I had prebooked a hotel in Vienna, which was only about a 15 minute walk away from the train station. The hotel I stayed in was called Hotel KUNSThof. It was very clean and spacious, and best of all within walking distance from most major attractions in Vienna.
The weather in Vienna was very different than in Prague and Český Krumlov. It was very hot, humid and sunny – typical July weather. I thought the weather really helped highlight the beauty and colors that Vienna had to offer. Seeing as Vienna is a heavily industrialized and booming city in business, I was expecting skyscrapers, high condos, and lots of traffic – similar to Toronto, Canada. It was the complete opposite. The highest “buildings” in the city were mostly churches/cathedrals, opera houses and/or universities. It was nothing like the Toronto skyline, where everything is high, and narrow. I loved the detail, yet modernist and “graceful” approach within each structure, given most of the city embodies a Rococo influence.
The city is literally overflowing with sidewalk cafes, landscaped parks, wine bars and pastry shops making it an ideal place to stop and relax (or people watch) for a while. I really enjoyed this aspect of the city, as it allowed me to decompress and truly appreciate my whereabouts.
As is with the common stereotype of Austria itself, Vienna offers an abundance of galleries, opera houses, museums and notable buildings and/or palaces. Many of them date back to the late 18th century and are associated with the Habsburg dynasty. However there is much more to Vienna, as is with the rest of Austria. One must visit Vienna to truly comprehend what writers/bloggers mean by this.
I cannot wait to be back and explore even more of Vienna’s cultural richness!
During my 2 night stay in Vienna, I visited the following sites:
Naschmarkt: Dates back to the 16th century. The market inside is amazing, but I did not like the Flea Market outside.
Inner Stadt: Old Town Center
Hundertwasserhaus: Apartement house
Soviet War Memorial: Built to commemorate 17000 Soviet soldiers who fell in the Battle for Vienna of WII.
Schoenbrunn Palace: Home of the Habsburg monarchs
Imperial Palace (Hofburg): Today, this is the official seat of the Austrian Federal President.
Spanish Riding School: Traditional riding school for Lipizzan horses
St. Stephen’s Cathedral: Originally built in 1147, however has undergone reconstruction many times. Mozart was married here, while Beethovan discovered the totality of his deafness when he couldn’t hear the bells. The Roof of St. Stephen’s Cathedral is a mosaic of the double-headed eagle that is symbolic of the Habsburg dynasty (Austrian flag!).
Schonbrunner Gardens: The gardens along the palace create an amazing Baroque ensemble
Belvedere Palace and Museum: Once home to Franz Ferdinand, and Prince Eugene, it is now an art museum housing major works by Van Gogh, Monet and Klimt.
Rathaus: Serves as the seat both for the mayor and city council of the City of Vienna
Wurstelprater Amusement Park: This place dates back to the time of the Austrian Empire.
Best Food/Entertainment:
Café Restaurant Landtmann ($12-32): Traditional Viennese strudel. This cafe was first founded in 1873. It was once the preferred coffeehouse for Sigmund Freud. Loved the apple strudel and lemonade here!
Tichy: Rated as the “best” ice cream in Vienna. It was alright, but very expensive!
Café Sacher Vienna: The BEST Sacher cake in Vienna. The traditional Austrian Sachertorte was invented in 1832 for Prince Wenzel von Metternich. This was first served at THIS hotel in 1876 with its own secret and original recipe.