Vienna

Vienna was our last stop in our 2015 Europe trip. We spent three nights here and stayed in the city every day/night except 1/2 day trip to Hallstat. Out of all the cities in Europe I’ve been to, this was the most beautiful. The only downfall was booking our trip during the “off season” of the symphony. We went on a guided tour of the Opera House, but I would have loved to experience a show.

My favorite memories in Vienna 

Mozarthaus Concert Venue

This was a great alternative to the symphony. We found out about this private music show through our guidebook and it was such a treat. The room held about 70 people and four musicians played Mozart and Beethoven. I couldn’t stop smiling during the show. You can really feel the emotion of each musician as they played. Their facial expressions would show they were playing a sad part during the song and then you would feel the excitement during other parts of the song. It was by far one of my most treasured memories on this trip. It cost about 50 euro a piece.

The coffee

I am not a coffee drinker. I’ve always liked the smell, but never the taste….until coming to Vienna. Taber loves his coffee and he kept raving about how much he enjoyed it. So, one morning, I thought I would give it a try. Finally, coffee where I love the smell and taste! I drank my entire French press.

The food and coffee at Cafe Mozart falls into my “It’s Worth It” category. Our two coffees cost more than our breakfast!

Schönbrunn Palace

This reminded me of Versailles in Paris. It’s huge! If you’re looking to go, purchase a ticket online. We showed up around 12 PM and had to wait over two hours to tour the palace. Since you have to wait for a self-guided tour, they only offer so many per hour. The gardens are beautiful as well as the large terrace looking down on the palace.

Belvedere Palace

This was more like an art museum versus a walking through an old palace. Still, it was enjoyable!

Walking through Kärntner Strasse

This pedestrian only street is filled with shopping and cafes. We stopped by the famous Demel chocolate shop. The chocolate was good, but I wasn’t impressed with the cakes. They were a little dry and I didn’t even finish the dessert. We also walked through St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

Day Trip to Hallstat

We hit this on a rainy day, but it was still gorgeous. We wished we would have stayed a few nights here! It’s very small, but has great charm. We took a bus here and we’re allowed two hours in town. Our first stop was up the tram to the top of the town. The view was worth our time!

Visit the crypts

This was located at the Hallstat’s Catholic church. After burying people here for 12 years, they ended up running out of room. Therefore, many of the bones and skulls were dug up and placed in this chapel. Each skull is decorated differently and represent something specific.

Other things I would recommend:

Visit the Hofburg Treasury

St. Peter’s Church

Danieli Ristorante

Cafe Sacher