Vienna… Thoughts and Tips

Now when people write travel blogs, more often than not they praise the place they have visited; even if they may not have actually enjoyed it. Sometimes I feel that you have to say something is good otherwise you could get a backlash of negative comments. However, throughout all my blogs, you will get my wholehearted and honest opinion on every place I visit.

So after that introduction it probably won’t surprise you all that much with my next statement; I was fairly disappointed with Vienna.

Now, of course, I don’t mean to offend anyone from Vienna, far from it. I just thought, in my honest opinion it was a little overrated. One of the reasons for this could be down to the fact that I was only in the city for around 2 days. I’ve even said in previous blogs that it takes time to really get feel for a place, so maybe, if I would have stayed longer, it may well have grown on me. However, if I’m comparing it to other cities that I love, for example, Melbourne or Budapest, I wasn’t in awe after having been there only a matter of hours like those two! I felt that for what I like to get out of visiting a new city, something didn’t quite click, can’t really out my finger on what exactly it was though.

Anyway, getting away from the negative side of things there were certainly some things I loved, and no better place to start than the people! Everyone there was so friendly! There isn’t a better example than when I was struggling to buy a train ticket. A woman walking by noticed and proceeded to select the correct options on the (non-English!) ticket machine! I know this could happen anywhere in the world but in general, the people of Vienna always seemed like they would be willing to help if need be. I also loved how clean the city was; it was spotless! Hardly any rubbish around which made for some lovely walks through and around the cobbled streets of the old town.

What to do:

Christmas Market – Although I haven’t been any other time of year, November and December is a great time to catch the Christmas Markets! There are many spread across the city but no other more popular than Rathausplatz. Amazing smells of food and mulled wine lingered in the air and really got me feeling very Christmassy!

St Stephen’s Cathedral and the Old Town – The Old town of Vienna is really pretty. With cobbled streets intertwining laneways alike, it was a great place for an afternoon stroll. There was also no better place to finish up than a look round St Stephen’s Cathedral. You could get a lift to the top (€5) for some lovely panoramic views of the city!

Electric Scooter Hire – Vienna has some great public transport but in my opinion, there is no better way to see the city than it’s electric scooters. Just download one of the Apps (Lime or Bird) and away you go. We found Bird to be the best and the cheapest!

Buildings, buildings, buildings – There are so many amazing feats of architecture in Vienna, including the City Hall and the Hofburg. Not to mention one thing the city is well known for, the Vienna State Opera. Make your own tour on the scooters and explore all around the city, passing these buildings one by one.

Where to eat:

Zum Weissen Rauchfangkehrer – A great place and an even better Schnitzel! (££)

Flatschers Bistrot und Bar – If you want a steak in Vienna, look no further! (£££) They also have a restaurant and bar! (££)

Pizzeria Mari – There are so many pizza options available in Vienna but I wouldn’t look much further than here. Nice sized, and very tasty for a reasonable price! (£-££)