Following a 48 hour stop in Salzburg, our tour of Austria and Italy took us onwards to Vienna. Leaving Salzburg at 10:08, our train (one of the newer Railjet series) whizzed us through the Austrian countryside to the country’s capital city. Our route firstly took us via Linz and Sankt Pölten. Next, it was through the rolling hills and well-tended countryside of Oberösterreich and Niederösterreich. It was dotted with farmsteads, small villages and towns and crossed by the occasional river. Eventually at 12:30 the train pulled into Vienna main station and our 48 hours in Vienna could begin!
***
Day 1 – Exploring Stephenplatz
The No.18 tram from Südtiroler Platz delivered us to our hotel for the next two nights, the ibis Wien Mariahilf, a familiar stop for us on previous trips around Europe. Arriving at the hotel check in went smoothly and after freshening up, Jack and I set off to investigate the city centre!
Travelling by U-Bahn we headed for Stephansplatz, named after its most prominent building – Vienna’s famous St Stephan’s Cathedral. Emerging into Stephansplatz we were met with the sight of the huge ecclesiastical building, actually one of the tallest churches in the world, with its brightly coloured tiles shining in the sunshine.
After a quick look inside, we made our way up Graben, a shopping street running west of Stephansplatz as far as Kohlmarkt, doing a bit of window shopping as we went. Turning left onto Kohlmarkt, another exclusive shopping street lined with designer shops and luxurious apartments, we could spot the magnificent Hofburg Palace in front of us.
This former imperial palace, seat of the Habsburg dynasty for many centuries offers the visitor an opportunity to step back and immerse themselves in Austrian history and culture. The architecture is stunning and spans 700 years of development and expansion. Nearly all of Austria’s rulers marked their reigns with additions or alterations so today, the Hofburg can almost be considered a city within a city. Housing the official seat of Austrian Head of State, various museums (including the Sisi museum and the Albertina), the Imperial Chapel (where you can hear the world-famous Vienna Boys’ Choir) and the Spanish Riding School (home to the famous white Lipizzaner horses), there is something for everyone.
The Hofburg and its surroundings also offer the chance to get up close and personal to another of Vienna’s iconic attractions – the ‘Fiaker’ or more simply the horse-drawn carriage. These ‘taxis’ of a bygone era (many of the carriages are now over 100 years old) can be seen throughout the city transporting their occupants between the various sights and adding an extra romantic dimension to any visit.
Day 1 – Cake and Hofburg
It was soon time for a refreshment break and there was one place on my mind. From the Hofburg we retraced our steps a little way up Kohlmarkt until we reached the coffee house Demel. This is one of my favourite places to stop for coffee and cake in the city and it can also be seen as one of Vienna’s historic sights, as it was the city’s first address for fine pastries and it used to produce and provide confectionaries to the royal family.
After a slice of cake and a cooling drink we set off into the hot afternoon sunshine to explore more of the city centre. From Demel we walked through the arches of the Hofburg, through a number of its wonderful courtyards until we reached Heldenplatz (Heroes’ Square). The next sight on our list was the city’s town hall, a short walk away through the Volksgarten and Rathauspark.
Evening Dinner
As early evening approached, we retraced our steps back to Stephansplatz where we were due to meet up with a friend of mine from University and a Viennese local. Having visited Fiona a few years ago at Christmas time, I was keen to return somewhere we had eaten before – the restaurant being Figlmüller, the self-proclaimed, home of the Schnitzel. By the long queue outside of the restaurant on Bäckerstrasse, it was obvious that tables were much in demand, and the reputation of Figlmüller had spread far and wide. Thankfully we had booked a table in advance so we were able to fast-track the queues and head inside. After a few hours of catching up, eating and drinking, we said our farewells and strolled back in the direction of Stephansplatz. The evening had gone by so quickly!
All that was left to do was for us to head downstairs to await our U-Bahn (U3) which would transport us back to the Westbahnhof. From there it was just the 5-minute walk back to the hotel and bed.
***
Day 2 – Schloss Schönbrunn and Gardens
After a good breakfast we were ready for the day. From our hotel we walked to the Westbahnhof and caught the tram (No. 60) to Schloss Schönbrunn. The temperature was already starting to rise so we were pleased to find the tram drop us off almost directly at the entrance – saving us a bit of walking! After a good inspection of the courtyard area, the buildings, the fountains and the grand stairway, we made our way to the western end of the palace and entered the gardens. It was certainly a sight to take in; the glorious architecture, the symmetry of the main palace building and the formal layout of the gardens. In the distance we could see the Gloriette, perfectly framed with the greenery to the sides and the azure sky above. No wonder it was considered to be one of the top sight-seeing attractions in Vienna.
Day 2 – Schloss Schönbrunn; Café Gloriette
The Café Gloriette was already full of people with many enjoying the renowned Sisi Buffet and a glass of Prosecco. We however opted for some soft drinks and ice cream! While sitting on the terrace we had a good view of everything, listened to the discreet background music, generally absorbed the atmosphere.
All good things must come to an end and at 10.45 we were on our way back down the slope towards the palace, exploring the park and gardens as we went. There was plenty to see as we meandered through the various areas which together made up the Schlosspark. Apart from the formal borders directly in front of the palace (Grand Parterre) there was the statuary in the shape of the Roman ruins and in the distance an obelisk, water basins and the impressive Neptune fountain seen as the crowning element of the Grand Parterre and many other features that caught the eye. It would have been easy to spend the rest of the day here, but time was against us, so slowly we made our way out of the park via Meidlinger Tor in search of the U-Bahn.
The next stage of our journey would take us to the Stadtpark, another oasis of peace, tranquillity and home to the many statues commemorating past Viennese artists, writers and composers, as well as the neo-Renaissance style Kursalon. Originally a spa the Kursalon was soon used as a concert venue and today there are regular concerts celebrating the works of Strauss and Mozart, as well as others. The park and surroundings provided a green heart to the city and a wonderful place to stroll, chill-out and lessen the daily pace of life.
Day 2 – The Belvedere
An hour later we were ready to move on once again this time in the direction of The Belvedere, a stunning Baroque masterpiece (ensemble) built in the early 18th century and used as the summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy. The ensemble consists of the Upper and Lower Belvedere palaces and extensive gardens and is another of the gems of this imperial city and always worth a visit.
Time was getting on and the temperature was peaking (33⁰C+) so after a good look around and, of course, a few insta-worthy photos it was time to head back to the hotel for some rest, recuperation and yummy food. It was just a short walk to the tram-stop (Quartier Belvedere) and after a few minutes wait we were once again being transported by the No.18 tram back to the hotel.
Day 2 – Evening Dinner
Our evening meal, it had been decided, was to taken at Vapiano’s at the Westbahnhof, so we wandered up the road, keeping to the shady side of the street, to Europaplatz and what had become one of our favourite Italian restaurant franchises. I went for a delicious bowl of pasta, whereas Jack opted for a food-envy worthy pizza.
An hour or so later we were retracing our steps to the hotel, ready for a relaxing evening, organising ourselves in preparation for our departure in the morning and once again reminiscing of all that we had seen and done during our time in Vienna.
***
I hope you enjoyed my post on how I spent 48 hours in Vienna. If you’ve never visited, I would certainly recommend a weekend away in the beautiful Austrian capital. If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch! Love V x
