VIENNA, AUSTRIA
Best Time To Travel:
I would recommend mid-May through July for ideal Spring/Summer weather. Vienna comes alive during this time and still isn’t blisteringly hot. The end of September and early October are also magical! The golden fall light is absolute perfection. The only time I would visit in the winter is the end of November through December for the Christmas markets. They are not to be missed! January through April are miserable, grey, and freezing cold. Avoid at all costs. (Seriously. We get winds coming down from Siberia.)
Transportation:
Public transport is the easiest way to get around and is some of the cheapest and cleanest in all of Europe. (Trust me. I’ve tried a lot of public transport.) A 24-hour ticket will put you back 8 Euro while a week ticket is 17.10 Euro. This allows you access to all trains, metros, buses, and trams throughout the city.
Pro tip: if you travel from the airport, don’t use the green airport train. It’s a total scam. Just take the normal train and you’ll pay a third of what they charge and end up in the same place.
Food:
I plan my trips around food and Vienna has plenty of it! For a delicious Austrian schnitzel, Figlmüller is a must. But make reservations a few weeks out and make sure you book at the Bäckerstraße location. You’ll have a better chance of getting in as the line for day-of tables is always at least an hour long. Order lingonberry sauce with your schnitzel, get Kaiserschmarnn for dessert, and thank me later.
There are lots of bakeries and casual places to eat for quick lunches or snacks. I would highly recommend Öfferl for its amazing walnut bread and cinnamon sugar cruffin. Stop by any of the wurstel (sausage) stands and you won’t be disappointed. Demel, Gerstner, and Oberlaa have incredible cakes. (The chocolate mousse cake from Oberlaa is life-changing and my birthday cake every year). Naschmarkt is a long stretch of stalls with all sorts of food and delicious restaurants at a variety of price ranges. Mochi is fabulous Japanese. I highly recommend their sushi. Han am Stadtpark is delicious Korean run by the cutest mother and daughter duo who make the most killer kimchi jjigae. Le Burger makes a great burger and they create their own dipping sauces which you can have in unlimited quantities. Klyo overlooks the river and has incredible avocado toast. And for dessert, go to Gelateria La Romana. They are based out of Italy and recently opened a store here and it’s the best gelato I have ever had in my life.
For a fancier sit-down dinner or lunch, I would recommend Chez Bernard or Trattoria Martinelli. Chez Bernard is on the top floor of a hotel with wonderful views and delicious food. Trattoria Martinelli is an Italian restaurant with an eccentric owner and delicious Branzino, their specialty.
Sights:
Most major sights are located on The Ring, a literal ring around the center of the city. You can take trams or walk it. The famous Opera House is located on the ring along with a variety of museums, the Parlament, the Rathaus (Town Hall), and one of the oldest universities in Europe that feels right out of a Harry Potter set.
For those that love art, the Albertina is my absolute favorite art museum in Vienna. It has a lot of impressionists and always has some kind of exhibition. And bonus, it has an incredible view of the Opera from the lookout. The Kunsthistorisches Museum is also amazing with more classical works from the medieval and Renaissance periods. Directly across the way is the Naturhistorisches Museum which is a kid's dream! Rock collections, tons (and I mean tons) of taxidermied animals from sharks to birds to lizards.
The local palace is right off the U4 metro stop Schonbrunn. Schonbrunn Palace is gorgeous and worth a visit. Plan a few hours for this one as you’ll want to do the longer self-guided tour and walk around the expansive gardens as well. This is a favorite local spot for a walk. If you want to just walk around the gardens, I would recommend getting off at the U4 metro stop Hietzing and walk from there as there’s a back entrance.
If you visit during the summer, you must go to Prater! It’s an amusement park in the middle of the city where you only pay to ride the rides you want to ride. My favorite is the giant swings! You get a 360-degree view of Vienna for only a few euro. But all of the rides are super cheesy and fun.
Be sure to just walk around the center of the city! Vienna is small enough to get lost in without really getting lost. You’ll find the greatest little gems!
Shopping:
I have to plug some of my favorite local shops that deserve all the love!
&Friends - Owned by the lovely Yasmin and her adorable shop dog, &Friends is a concept store filled with leather goods, candles, shirts, decor, and jewelry. All made sustainably and minimal in design. Her shop is a short walk from the Karlsplatz metro station. (insta: @andfriends_store)
W.O.W. Boutique - A mother-daughter duo design their own fashion line with limited releases each season called Meijerhof. They also carry Eve’s Jewel jewelry in their boutique. I happily own a few of their pieces! (insta: @meijerhof, @eves.jewel, @wow_vienna)
Luv the Shop - A Scandinavian clothing store with some funk! There is something for every type of style in this shop. You won’t be disappointed! (insta: @luvtheshop)
Makaro Jewelry - Ethical, sustainable, dainty jewelry made in Europe! For something more special, I highly recommend taking a look at Makaro. They are beautiful, timeless pieces that are made to last. (insta: @makarojewelry)
Herr und Frau Klein - All things baby and kids! Europe has the best kids clothes and toys and this is a one-stop shop for everything adorable. It is on the pricier side being that it’s a smaller boutique so just bear that in mind. (insta: @herrundfrauklein)
Insta: @kyramenzel
Meet Kyra
Hey! I’m Kyra and I’ve called Vienna, Austria home for the last six years. I’m originally from Colorado, USA but after spending some time in France, I met a cutie German boy and we got married and just had the cutest baby boy two months ago! We wanted to start our marriage in a neutral location but still German-speaking so I could learn the language (spoiler alert: German is so hard!) and Vienna seemed pretty cool. Turns out it is!
Called the gateway to the east, Vienna is the capital of Austria and is a beautiful blend of Eastern and Western European cultures. Its location makes it ideal for day trips to the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Hungary. Not to mention all the beautiful sites in and around the city! Vienna is the perfect size, easy to get in and out of but not too small that there’s nothing to do.
