Last year, my sister and I visited Vienna, Austria, in September, and it was a dream vacation!
Here’s what we did there:
We found cheap, direct flig
Altro...
Last year, my sister and I visited Vienna, Austria, in September, and it was a dream vacation!
Here’s what we did there:
We found cheap, direct flight tickets only a few weeks before we went. We landed at Vienna Airport, and after a while trying to find our luggage (it’s a huge airport), we finally stepped outside and looked for a bus taking us to our accommodation.
This was a very budget-friendly trip, so we used public transport, but we were also lucky that most attractions we wanted to see were within walking distance.
Our hostel, Pension City, was right by St. Stephen’s Cathedral. It also had another location close by, where we could leave our luggage until check-in time. The staff was so sweet and helpful. The rooms were clean and comfortable. They had a coffee machine and a fridge. The bathroom was spacious and clean. The view isn’t spectacular because it’s a side street, but go outside the hostel, and you’ll be standing in front of the Cathedral. From there, you can also visit so many attractions on foot, and two metro stations are right there as well.
I highly recommend choosing Pension City for your stay in Vienna.
We traveled without a plan, since we had just come back from summer jobs and wanted something relaxing. But it wouldn’t be us if we didn’t end up wanting to see and try everything when we got there. Every corner called for attention. Especially if you appreciate art and history, Vienna can get overwhelming without at least a loose itinerary.
So on our first day there, after we got our tattoos (because of course), we got to our hotel to try to organize our time well. That’s also necessary for visits to some museums because of the time schedules, so you don’t run around in circles all day.
I remember we wanted to visit the National Library and the State Hall, but it was closed that day. The ticketswere valid indefinitely during opening hours, so we left it for the next day. You can’t touch anything in there, though. It was worth it, but crowded.
Then, for the Sisi Museum, I always wanted to see it, but now I think it’s a stop you can skip. It gets crowded easily and is hot. Also, if you’ve visited one European palace (interior), you’ve seen them all.
One thing you should definitely visit is the Natural History Museum. It spans several storeys, and it’s best to visit as soon as it opens. There’s so much to see, and it’s so well organized.
Next up, you know those cute, black-and-white photobooth photos everyone is obsessed with (rightfully so, because they are the best souvenir)? Walk a couple of minutes from the Museum of Natural History to your right, and you’ll find one such booth tucked under a tree on the side of the Museum Quartier courtyard.
If you’re looking for some fun activities, you’ll love Prater. It’s a huge adventure park with a lot of cool attractions, the best of which is the Prater Turm. My sister and I loved it, although the wind that day was so strong that it almost blew me straight back to my country!
You’ll need the metro to get there, depending on where you are. We started by St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and it brought us straight to the park entrance. I find the Vienna metro system fairly easy to navigate.
We spent one entire morning in the Schönbrunn Zoo. We actually got there too early, because it had just opened, and the animals weren’t out yet. I’d still recommend doing that, because you can walk around the park and see where everything is. Later, you can circle back to what you’re most interested in seeing.
The gift shop at the end was so cute, and I bought a crow keychain because I collect those, and crows are my favorite. That’s why, even if it were a lovely day and a lovely visit, my highlight was hanging out with crows on the bench by the entrance. You can also get some pretzels there! They are delicious and huge, and crows approve!
All in all, Vienna was a perfect fall destination. There’s so much to see and to do, and even if you spend time walking around aimlessly and enjoying some coffee and a strudel, you’d still have a great time.
