Vienna

Between Berlin and Prague, I stopped in Vienna for a couple days.  I'd been told that it was the prettiest city in Central Europe, so I was quite excited and expecting a lot.  Although the city was nice, I was unimpressed as a whole, possibly because I am not a huge fan of classical music, but probably more because it was sandwiched between Berlin and Prague, two cities that I fell in love with and that represent two eras - the twentieth century and the late medieval era - that I love.  Berlin has a hip, edgy charm while Prague has an ancient cobblestoned charm.  Vienna had neither, although it did have a lot of lovely Hapsburg era buildings and wide tree-lined boulevards along the ring streets.

Vienna - Opera

Unfortunately, for the days I was there, I was still working on my final project from my course in Berlin, so I didn't get to explore the city as much as I'd like.  The first afternoon, we hung out in the park, walked around the ring streets that surround the old town.  The streets are wide and shaded by magnificent old trees and have tram car lines running by pedestrian and walkways.  We ended up by the canal, and then walked inward to Stephansdomplatz to view the the famous cathedral.  We walked down Kaertnerstrasse, a pedestrian shopping street all the way to the famous State's Opera House, the other symbol of Vienna, stopping for dinner in an overpriced area along the way, though it had a great view and atmosphere.

Vienna - St. Stephen's Cathedral

The next morning, we went to the Hofburg Complex, where we wandered around the gardens and Hapsburg buildings.  We then took the tram out to the Schloss Schoenbrunn and the Schloss Belvedere, which was undergoing renovations and spent the rest of the afternoon there.  We spent a long time in the Schoenbrunn gardens, which were lovely.

Before leaving, we stopped in a Vienese coffee house for coffee and pastries.  I wish that I'd gotten to see more of Vienna, but travelling on a budget prevents me from going into too many expensive palaces and musuems.  But, I honestly think one of the best ways to experience a city is just by walking around and hanging out, especially in outdoor spaces.

Vienna - Hofburg Gardens

Things I Loved Doing:

1.  Hofburg Palace - Hapsburg Palace - magnificent complex

2. St. Stephen's Cathedral - had the heart of Vienna, this magnificent medieval church is amazing.

3.  Stroll along the Ring Streets which encircle the center city and are beautifully lined with nineteenth century buildings and huge trees.

4.  Schhoenbrunn Palace - Huge palace and gardens complex slightly outside of the city.

5. Belvedere Palace - now houses an art collection

6.  Kaerntnerstrasse - pedestrian street that lines the center of the city.

Vienna - Hofburg Palace

Vienna - Schoenbrunn Palace

Vienna - Belvedere Palace