Vienna, Austria’s capital, lies in the country’s east on the Danube River. Its artistic and intellectual legacy was shaped by residents including Mozart, Beethoven and Sigmund Freud. The city is also known for its Imperial palaces, including Schönbrunn, the Habsburgs’ summer residence. We decided to visit in early summer ahead of the crowds and took a very time friendly flight from Dublin arriving mid afternoon. Typically efficient in mainland Europe The CAT ( City airport train ) has you in the city centre in 15 minutes, linking with the local metro, we were at the Intercontinental Hotel 10 minutes later. An unattractive hotel, from the outside, plush bar and restaurant areas remind you of opulence, but possibly not elevating it much beyond a 4 star status, certainly other InterContinental’s we have stayed in would surpass.
However location is key on a city break so that came up trumps.
The hotel overlooks the Stadtpark, an English-style, 19th-century public park with a river, ornate bridges & gilded Johann Strauss statue.
Top To Do :
Belvedere Museum : The two Belvedere palaces one of Europe’s most stunning Baroque landmarks and extensive gardens , is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The palaces house the greatest collection of Austrian art complemented by the work of international artists such as Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, and Max Beckmann. You can have a guided tour or stroll freely yourself which we choose to do .
The Schonbrunn Palace,World Heritage Site is the star attraction in Vienna and although little outside the centre it is well worth the short trek by train or tram or bus !
A must visit museum for anyone with an interest in the Habsburg empire is the Hofburg convenientluy located in the centre of the city .
There are many other museums to consider including Kinsthistorisches ,Albertina and Natural History but when time is limited you have to prioritise. For animal lovers the Vienna Zoo oldest in the world well worth a visit even if in my case it was mainly to see the Giant Pandas !
Dining :
We couldn’t resist a visit to the Palmenhaus, world famous botanical restaurant for lunch .Menu is Austrian meets the med with great selection of wines and cocktails to accompany ! No visit to anywhere in the world is complete without an Indian meal and Vienna certainly didn’t disappoint with a large seletion of Indian restaurants to choose from ! We choose Om Namo based on its menu and reviews but also as we could sit outdoors in balmy evening after the 30 degrees day temperatures! For dinner on our second night we went for the more authentic Austrian restaurant Wiener Wia Haus !
No visit to Vienna would be complete without sampling the Sacher Torte, choclate dream cake at the original 1832 Cafe Sacher Wien .
Lots of street food available for a simple snack or even more full meal along with lovely glass riesling !
Shopping:
Lots & lots of great shopping included some familiar chain stores but lovely to see their very own shops too! Another #mustvisit city to add to your list !!
Points of Interest:
- Belvedere : https://www.belvedere.at/en
- Hofburg : https://www.sisimuseum-hofburg.at
- Schonbrunn : https://www.schoenbrunn.at/en/
Dining :
- Lunch : https://www.palmenhaus.at/en/
- Indian : http://omnamo.at/
- Cafe: http://sacher.com
- Dinner : https://www.wiener-wiazhaus.com
Hotels :
- Luxury : Hotel Sacher – http://sacher.com
Intercontinental – https://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/us/en/vienna/vieha/hoteldetail
- Mid 4 * : Renaissance Vienna – https://www.marriott.co.uk/reservation/
