The capital of Austria, Vienna is one of the most unforgettable places I have ever visited. Nestled in the curves of the Danube River, I didn’t want to leave this magnificent city. Everything was more than amazing! Thinking back about all the impressions, colours, abundant culture, and numerous museums, I don’t think one post will be enough to say everything I want to say.
If you plan to visit Vienna, try to stay there for at least four days. This will give you enough time to explore the city but at the same time take a break, chill at some more intimate spots, and dive deeper into the Viennese culture.
Being a travel lover, I always pay attention to the things I can do, research Instagram, check Trip Advisor, and ask people to collect the best advice and discover the best places.
Let’s dive in:
Must-visits
Of course, going to Vienna definitely means exploring popular touristy destinations such as Belvedere Palace, the Prater, and The Sisi Museum. Of course, I visited all three and I cannot recommend them enough to anyone visiting Vienna. There is so much history to discover and explore, and it is extremely fun and interesting.
Starting with the Prater, because this was one of my favourite places of the whole trip. I enjoyed a couple of rides and managed to get back to my childhood years. Moreover, the Prater is known for its Ferris Wheel (Wiener Riesenrad) which is the world’s oldest Ferris Wheel. Constructed in 1897 to celebrate Franz Joseph I’s golden jubilee, it is a combination of tradition and modernism.
Being all touristy will take you to the Belvedere Palace, which is an exquisite gallery with art from different renowned people such as Gustav Klimt, known for his painting “The Kiss” and many others. There are of course other types of art in the palace as well as a great café which will give you the chance to escape the touristy haste, have a cup of coffee and taste some Sacher cake (Sachertorte).
Now, even if you don’t try the cake there at the museum, I highly recommend trying it at least once while in Vienna. It is a traditional Austrian dessert made of chocolate cake with a thin layer of apricot jam in between the two halves, coated with dark chocolate icing on the top and the sides.
Despite my cake distraction, the Belvedere Palace also offers great gardens to walk through, take photos, and capture moments with the people you’re travelling with.
If you make it to the Belvedere Palace, you’ll find the Municipality (Rathaus) and the Parliament which are some of the most expressive and impressive buildings I’ve ever seen. Just their size is astounding, let alone the architecture. If nothing else, they are both worth passing by. What’s more, there is a small park in front of the Municipality in which you can chill for a bit and stay in the vicinity of the building while not doing anything in particular.
Last but not least, I’d like to briefly mention Sisi’s museum which is one of the most interesting places I visited. We went there a bit spontaneously, but it was fascinating to learn more about the empress – born Duchess Elisabeth Amalie Eugenie in Bavaria – her husband Franz Joseph I and their life while walking through the building and seeing where they actually lived.
Everything is extremely beautiful and well-preserved. I highly recommend this museum if you’re interested in history and discovering more about the empire in the past.
Of course, I went to a few more places such as Albertina Modern, Stephan’s Cathedral, and strolled along the Danube. Depending on how long you can stay in Vienna, make sure to do it because who
knows what kind of interesting things you might bump into. Moreover, once you are near the Danube, there is a lot of graffiti and street art to see for those interested in this.
Cuisine and dining recommendation
My travel posts are always accompanied by a few recommendations about good places to eat and have drinks. Personally, I find it very important to try local things and experience something outside of the tourist baits. I went to several places which left me speechless with their food, drinks and service.
The first is Café Centrale, which is absolutely gorgeous. Ok, you may wonder what a gorgeous café means, so let me answer this question right away. The café has preserved its old exterior and doesn’t look like any of the modern cafés we’re used to. There are high stone arches and old paintings on the walls. The service is absolutely impeccable, and you can have drinks, food or desserts.
The next place that I found spontaneously is Moment Café and Restaurant. It is located not too far away from the Belvedere Palace, and it is the perfect little escape from the touristy buzz. This is a small local family-run business that is just three years old. Run by an Iranian family and hidden from the everyday busy life, you can enjoy a juicy schnitzel and talk to the owner about the history of the place. If you make it to the Belvedere Palace, make sure to stop by and grab a bite there.
If you want to enjoy dinner on the Danube and fancy a more sophisticated meal, definitely go to Motto am Fluss. This restaurant is in a building that looks like a ship connected to a bridge and I was confused as to what it was. Once we figured it out, we enjoyed a great dinner with impeccable service.
There are two more places I would like to briefly mention, namely Palmenhaus and Cro. Palmenhaus is in the middle of a great park, and it is the perfect spot for a refreshing lunch and rest from the landmark’s exploration while Cro is in the city centre and will offer you a croissant that is one of a kind. They offer flat croissants or croissants dipped in different sauces and with various fillings.
Tips and advice
Based on my five days in Vienna this is what I learned, and I would advise people who visit the city for the first time to take notes.
• First, if you want to visit the Vienna State Opera or go to a performance, check out the bookings and opening times in advance. By this, I mean one month in advance at the very least. When it comes to the tours of the Opera building, you can only do this in a group, So try to make sure that you know when this is happening. Unfortunately, I couldn’t do any of the above because I didn’t do my research in advance.
• Second, when you land in Vienna, buy tickets to reach the city from the official OBB website. Do not fall for train tickets with CAT trains because they are extremely expensive. You can save some money by doing research and finding out more about the metro lines, where they go and how to navigate them. (See Dispatches’ guide here.)
• Third, Vienna offers a weekly travel pass for 17 euros that will also save some money and you would be able to go wherever you want within the main area of Vienna.
• Finally, if you have set your mind on different performances, make sure to purchase tickets from the appropriate places. There are often people dressed up in front of the Opera, for instance, selling tickets which are way more expensive than the original price. This is a piece of advice that I actually read at the Opera’s gates.
As a travel lover, I am looking forward to going back to Vienna and doing everything I couldn’t fit into my 5-day schedule. There are still places like the National Treasure and Café Hawelka that I didn’t visit but was dying to.
Yet, my trip to Vienna was unforgettable.
Vienna has a lot to offer not only in terms of cuisine and history but also in terms of amazing places to just hang out and explore casually.
Polya Pencheva
Polya Plamenova Pencheva is a young Bulgarian journalist based in Brussels, Belgium. Polya holds a Master's degree in journalism from Rijksuniversiteit Groningen and loves writing and telling the untold stories of interesting people. You can find her dining at cute café, shopping at markets, scouting second-hand shops or just chillin' at home with something great to read.
