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http://www.mapsorama.com/map-of-vienna-2/ |
When I mentioned I was going to Vienna, Austria - I received mixed reviews from travelers who had already visited. I was up for the challenge of finding what was so great about one of the worlds top cultural epicenters for 1000 years.
I only had 2 1/2 days to discover, shop, sightsee, and eat - so doing a bit of research ahead was key. My conclusion?....Vienna is a sight for sore eyes! With every footstep and turn is a 300+ year old Baroque Palace (Marie Antoinette was from Vienna!) cafe, cathedral, museum and music. Amazingly, you dont need to Sprechen Sie Deutsch..Austria and most of Europe is multi-lingual!
1. Belvedere - means "beautiful view"
2. Its hidden from the city behind stone walls (we speculate to secure the royals from war and attack)
3. The home to Gustav Klimt's "The Kiss" painting and many more Viennesse Art Nouveau paintings, and Baroque sculptures.
4. If you dont like art, its a nice place to get a drink at the cafe, dream, think, and get exercise (I saw a handful of people running there!)
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Stone Wall, Lower Belvedere |
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Upper Belvedere |
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Rococco Facade |
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Nymph-like Greek Statue |
1. Situated in the center of the city in the Stephensplatz, this Gothic and Romanesque church dates back to early 1100's.
2. Its multi-colored roof is the city's most recognizable structure.
3. The bell tower is where Beethoven discovered he was deaf - he saw, but could not hear the bells.
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St. Stephen's Cathedral |
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| Interior and 1 of the 18 altars |
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Mosaic Roof Tiles - St. Stephen's Cathedral |
1. 1000 year old Ferris Wheel - actually THE oldest in the world.
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Millenial Ferris Wheel |
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Prater in WWII Era |
1. Its an open air food and flea market with about 120 stalls and cafe's, in the city center.
2. Culinary tour through Viennese and foreign eats and drinks
3. People watching. Night and day the market is buzzing with tourists, locals, single's and couples.
4. Gherkins - barrels of them!
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| cafe in Naschmarkt |
1. Home to kings, imperials, queens and presidents over the centuries. If the walls could talk!
2. Europe's first Imperial conference center and hosts approximately 300 events a year! (when I visited I landed on Danke Fest - Vienna's Harvest and Oktoberfest!)
3. Queen Elizabeth's or as she was known by family and friends - SiSi's - Royal Apartments with the original furniture and decor.
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| Palace main entrance and Royal Apartments |
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| Vienna's Harvest Fest - smack dab in the middle of Hofburg |
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| Beer Garden inside Hofburg Conf, Center (see Hofburg peeking out??!) |
WIENER STAATSOPER - Vienna Opera
1. Vienna's mid 19th century Opera House.
2. The busiest opera house in the world - production up t0 60 operas a year.
3. Get your Mozart, symphony and aesthete fix.
4. She's a survivor! Auditorium and stage were burned in WWII and rebuilt in mid 21st century as exact replica as original.
EAT
1. Motto
For the young, hip and social. Vienna meets NYC style dining. Amazing service. Dont be surprised if they comp a dessert or round of drinks! (also look at the ceiling -baby sculptures)
2. Plachutta
For the local cuisine lover. "Tafelspitze" is the specialty. Nicely priced - meal comes with sides. You can also pay a small price to "add on"- meaning 2 for the price of 1 basically.
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Served at the table in a copper pot |
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Tafelspitze and its accouterments |
3. Immer Voll
For local-modern plates. Best schnitzel in town. Indoor and outdoor seating. Great Viennese wine list, delicious salad (this is very hard to find in Austria!)
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Weinerschnitzle, and fresh salad w/goat cheese |
4. Cafe Sacher
Lunch, dinner, or breakfast - but do NOT leave without tasting its famous Sachertorte and Viennese coffee.
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The story on how Sachertorte was created and the menu |
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The Original Sachertorte w/ fresh unsweetened creme' |
5. Vis a Vis
Stop in for a night cap. Charming waitstaff and "boisterous crowd of actors and politicians" Food & Wine Magazine touts this wine bar as "Best of Vienna"
STAY
Why: free food, free drinks, free wi-fi, free everything, located footsteps from the beloved Belvedere, it used to be a riding school (hence the name, walking distance to city center, and its a chain - know what you are getting if you dont like to take chances.
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| Image Courtesy of Marriott |
Bargain Brow: Hotel Hadrigan
$44-$100/night
Why: price is right, free wifi clean rooms w/ up to 4 beds (stuff em in!), far but near pub trans and direct line to Stephansplatz, next to a grocery, good breakfast for good price ($5).
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| Image Courtesy of Trip Advisor |
AVOID
1. The Imperial Crypt is one Vienna's most over-rated top tourist attractions. 5 euro entrance fee to see remains of Imperials, in my opinion, creepy crypt keeper and just a basement full of tombs. Unless you are into that kind of thing or have distant relatives (like myself!) that are entombed in the Imperial Crypt.
2. Museum overkill. 2 dozen+ museums in Vienna. I would skip any exhibit and only see Habsburg or Austrian art you cant see in your local area.
3. Mozart mania is everywhere. From Mozart chocolates to Mozart walking tours. People dressed as Mozart in the streets will pester you handing out phamplets on where to get the latest on Mozart from tours to plays to concerts. Research wisely. Dont get caught in a tourist trap.
MORE INFO
Before I start planning a new trip, ask around for tips and tricks from people who have previously visited Vienna. Write them down then start fact-checking to avoid possible closures of restaurants, wrong information, or personal taste difference. (advice due to personal experience!)
My favorite research sites are:
My favorite books are:
Enjoy Vienna and stay tuned for more JeNeSeQua Travel Guides!
My favorite research sites are:
- www.tripadvisor.com Become a contributor! Help travling man-kind sort through the crap!
- www.wikipedia.org For a thorough overview on the city, people, and places. I personally love researching the history on people and places.
- http://www.timeout.com/ For amazing photos, deals, and insight and up-to-date news into major city attractions. The bummer is that Time Out doesnt always have a book or research done on every international city (like Vienna)
- http://acertainjenesequa.blogspot.com of course! I plan to do the work for you. Continue to check back for more travel guides on the top International Cities around the world. If you have a special request I am more than happy to give insight. Like Rick Steves I am fortunate enough to travel around the world and being a foodie, culture and shopping lover - I am likely to cover all bases!
My favorite books are:
- Time Out - keeps content modern and relevant. The book is short and sweet with photos - which I cant live without.
- Rick Steves - King of travel bargains, blazing trails off the beaten path and tour guide genius. His podcasts are downloadable!
Most travel books (Frommers, Lonely Planet) have websites to do extra research on. And the way you do research is very personal. I prefer visuals, others prefer loads of content.
Enjoy Vienna and stay tuned for more JeNeSeQua Travel Guides!
**all photos are taken by moi, unless otherwise noted and property of JeNeSeQua**
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