Day 1 – Wednesday (12/24/2014)
We left from Mandlk in the morning and we arrived at the train station Vienna Westbathroom, in Vienna, 1 hour later. We walked to our hotel, because it was the best way to get there according to Google Maps, but later we discovered that we could just take the subway and get off 2 stops later. The 20 minutes of walking with 15 kilos on Celo's back were for nothing. We had a bad start… 🙁
Our hotel
We stayed at Star Inn Hotel Wien Schonbrunn (rating 8.2), because we found the price to be great (54 euros per night), as well as the reviews on Booking. It is not in the city center (Ring), but like the metro station Langenfeldgasse It's right across the street and the trains are very frequent, in less than 15 minutes we were in the center. We wanted a comfortable hotel to spend Christmas, since this would be the first time away from our families, but we also didn't want to pay too much, so that was our choice.
We left our bags in the room, picked up maps at reception and took the opportunity to buy the Vienna Card (23 euros each for 72 hours), which gave us discounts on several attractions, as well as free transportation. According to our calculations, it was definitely worth it, so if you want to see the city's attractions and need to take public transportation, it will certainly be worth it too. Be sure to check it out!
We took the subway to the station KarlPlatz, which is located on RingStrasse, which is the avenue that borders the famous Ring, which is really beautiful. This region is home to several tourist attractions, restaurants and shops, and the streets are simply delightful to stroll through.
Stephansdom
We went straight to the city's cathedral, the Stephansdom, considered the soul of the city. We entered the Cathedral, which is beautiful both inside and out, and then decided to climb the nearly 400 steps of the South Needle to see the view of the city, which is super famous. Detail: we paid 4 euros each to climb these extremely claustrophobic steps and when we got to the top, we found ourselves in a caged shop, with no outside area, which was very frustrating. The view is really beautiful, but you have to ignore the bars, the glass, the little shop up there, in other words, practically everything. I would say it's almost a rip-off... lol.
NOTE: The Dom site has housed a church for eight centuries, but all that remains of the original Romanesque-style building is the Giants Gate and the Pagan Towers. Badly damaged after World War II, it underwent an intense renovation that mobilized the entire country..
Peterskirche
We left there and walked through the streets around the Cathedral, which are very pleasant, and we arrived at Peterskirche, which is one of the oldest churches in the city (founded in 792). Beautiful!
As we wanted to go to the the city's most famous Christmas market, Christkindlmarkt Rathausplatz, we passed in front of the Hofburg Imperial Palace and then to the Parliament, until we reach Rathaus Square, which is the square where the city hall is located and where the little fair was taking place.
Vienna's town hall building dates back to 1880, but is currently undergoing renovation until 2023. It is considered one of the most beautiful in Europe and is truly impressive with its neo-Gothic style.
Christkindlmarkt Rathausplatz
The Christmas market was quite large, with most of the stalls selling Christmas decorations, and not restaurants or snack bars, as we had expected. Even so, we managed to try some tasty snacks (mainly bratwurst) and stave off our hunger. The idea was to buy our Christmas dinner there, but we didn't find anything interesting to take back to the hotel.
When it started to get dark, we went back to the hotel hoping to buy dinner at the SPAR next door, but unfortunately it was already closed. We asked the guy at the hotel reception for tips and had to go to the train station. Vienna Westbath, which was the only place in the city with shops/markets still open. We indulged in our dinner with champagne, wine, cheeses, olives, special breads, sausages, salads and other treats.
To top it off, we also watched the classic Home Alone (They Forgot About Me) in German, until we took the subway around 10 pm to attend midnight mass at the Stephansdom. We were impressed by the number of people who were at the door and who calmly entered the cathedral when the gates opened. We found the experience interesting, although we didn't understand a word that was said, of course. When we got back to the hotel, it was time to talk to our family members, because it was already close to midnight for them and thankfully the internet worked fine. It warmed our hearts!
Day 2 – Thursday (12/25/2014) – CHRISTMAS!!!
We woke up hoping to see snow on the street, but all we saw was rain. We took the metro back to the Ring and started visiting the museums that were on our wish list. We bought the Sisi Ticket, which cost 23 euros each with the Vienna Card discount and gave us access to Hofburg Palace (Sisi Museum, Silberkammer and Kaiserappartments) and at the Schonbrunn Palace, which are the city's main attractions related to the Habsburg Empire era.
Hofburg Palace
We start with Silver Chamber, which is where the royal family's silverware and ceramics collection is located. The amount of items on display is impressive, as is their beauty. You leave there wishing you had attended those wonderful dinners, you know? Everything is beautiful!
Then we enter the Sisi Museum, which explains the history of Empress Elizabeth, known by the affectionate nickname Sisi, with more than 300 of her objects. It's a journey through time, because there are so many, so many details...we were impressed.
For anyone interested in its history:
She married her cousin Franz Joseph when she was 16, when he was actually supposed to marry her older sister. However, he was enchanted by her and, it is said, remained so until his death, which was not reciprocated. The empress was considered one of the most beautiful women of her time, with her long black hair, which took about two hours a day to style. She was neurotic about dieting and exercising to stay thin, so she always had excellent physical shape.
They had children, but one of them, Rudolf, committed suicide and killed his wife, which came as a shock to everyone at the time. From then on, Elizabeth went into mourning and no longer saw any joy in life, always wishing for death while always wearing black clothes. She began to travel a lot to escape the life of an empress, until on one of her trips, she was assassinated by an anarchist, who in fact intended to kill the Duke of Orleans. More information here (I read what I wrote above in the museum, but I think it is in accordance with the website.)
We then entered the Kaiserappartements, where we were able to visit the rooms used by Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elizabeth, with all the impeccable furniture and details. It was jaw-dropping. Unfortunately, it was not possible to take photos, so take the visit, it is well worth it.
National Library
We left the Palace and then entered the National Library, which is located at JosefsPlatz. We paid 12 euros to enter and it was worth every penny, because it really Prunksaal (Hall of Honor) is beautiful and deserves the title of most beautiful library in Europe.
Augustiner Church
Then we went to Augustiner Church, from the 14th century, which is the church where Emperor Franz Joseph and Sisi were married, as well as Napoleon Bonaparte and Maria Luiza. In Gothic style, it was renovated to acquire the Baroque style, but later returned to its origins. It is there that the silver urns with the hearts of the members of the Habsburg family and Napoleon's son are kept, but we could not see them because they were closed.
We passed by Kapuzinerkirche and in Kaisergruft Also, since they were located nearby. This crypt was built in 1617 to house the remains of the Habsburg family. Today it houses around 138 members of the dynasty, with only the last emperor of Austria, Charles I, who is buried on Madeira Island, and Ferdinand II, who is in a mausoleum in Graz, missing. The visit cost 11 euros for the two of us and the tombs are beautiful, often made of marble or metal, with many luxurious finishes. It's kind of creepy, but as Celo insisted, I let myself go.
Karlskirche
We crossed Karlsplatz towards Karlskirche, which is south of the previous attractions. This church was promised to the city by Emperor Charles IV once it had been freed from the plague that devastated Vienna in 1713. At 72 meters high, it is the tallest Baroque structure in the city. Beautiful inside and out.
We went looking for the Naschmarkt, which is close to that area, but unfortunately it was already closed. This market is the most famous in Vienna and has more than 120 stands of food for you to try everything.
Greek statue
As it was already dark, we took the subway to the station Schwedenplatz, because we wanted to know the Greek statue, what is it the oldest tavern in the city (1447) and was frequented by Schubert and Beethoven. It's fancy, right? Yes, and so be prepared to spend a little money, especially because the waiter asks if you want side dishes and you excitedly say yes, thinking that they're included. Sweet illusion...lol.
We took the subway back to the Dom area and as we wanted to kill time for the House of Music (from 8pm onwards the price dropped by half, 12 euros for the two of us), we went to eat the famous Sachertorte, in the luxurious cafeteria Hotel Sacher. This is the most famous chocolate cake in the world, whose recipe dates back to 1832 and is kept under lock and key. More than 360 thousand pieces are produced each year by hand – that's right – by hand. Unfortunately for me, the pie is not very sweet, so I didn't fall in love with it. As for Celo….
Since there was still some time until 8pm, we tried to get in Casino Wien to go sightseeing and spend a few euros, but we were surprised with a registration fee of 30 euros per person. How absurd! Of course we didn't go in, right?
House of Music
We then walked around the streets, even though it was cold, until we finally entered the music museum. Man, what a disappointment! I found the museum confusing, too alternative and a lot of the equipment was broken (speakers, headphones, etc.). I didn't like most of the things I saw/felt/heard, especially because some of the things were only in German. The only thing I thought was cool and that didn't make the visit in vain was a room where you can virtually be the conductor, so you can have some fun with the movements and wrong sounds that come out of the musicians. That's it. It's not worth the money or the time spent.
From there, we returned to the hotel to rest. That was our first – and hopefully only – Christmas away from our family.
Day 3 – Friday (12/26/2014)
Schonbrunn Palace
We took the subway in the opposite direction to visit the famous Schonbrunn Palace, The summer residence of the imperial family. The metro station is located inside a park, so you have to walk a bit to get to the palace. As we walked to it, we saw more than 10 buses arriving with huge groups of tourists, which is why I think it is one of the most visited attractions in the city. We didn’t have to wait in line, since we had already bought tickets the day before, so if you can buy them in advance like we did, I recommend you do so. Also, since it was relatively early, we were able to go straight in, without being allocated to groups with set times. It seems that if you arrive a little late, this happens and depending on how many people are in front of you, you can end up waiting for hours to get in. Anyway… arrive early to avoid any problems. 😉
The palace is beautiful inside and out, especially because of the official rooms decorated with beautiful rococo style ornaments. Grand Gallery, the Chinese Round Cabinet and the Old Room – Lacquer are impressive, as is the garden at the back of the palace, which needs to be visited calmly. After some time admiring the beauty of the palace and gardens and therefore feeling cold, we went to warm up at the Christmas market that was still open in front of the palace, eating and drinking delicious hot things.
We took the subway towards State Opera, Vienna Opera House, which opened in 1869, as we had tickets for the Nutcracker ballet, which was scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. Since we arrived a little early, we decided to stop for a bite to eat at a traditional café, the Tirolerhof, which was right there near the building.
State Opera
I must point out that the theater is beautiful on the outside and very chic on the inside, so it's worth going in. I know there are guided tours, but if you can get tickets, it's even better, because you'll kill two birds with one stone. We found tickets for 11 euros in a part of the theater that didn't have a full view of the stage, but it was enough to watch the show and be impressed by the beauty of the interior architecture. Take a look before you arrive in the city, but if you don't make it in time, don't worry, because there are lots of people selling shows all over the city. It can be annoying, because they know you're a tourist and always offer you something...
Belvedere Palace
From there, we went to the Belvedere Palace (22 euros for both of us) It was built as the summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy, a military commander who managed to defeat the Turks in 1683. This complex has two palaces connected by classical gardens designed in the French style, arranged on three levels. As it was close to dark, we only bought a visit to the Upper Belvedere, which is the largest of the palaces. We didn't see decorated rooms like in the other palaces, but rather a large exhibition of paintings and sculptures. Attention here, if you don't want to see art!
From there, we tried again to go to the Naschmarkt, but we found it closed again. Apparently, it wasn't just at Christmas that it was closed... We'll have to wait until next time!
Park Prater.
We took the subway to Praterstern Bf, because that's where the park is Prater. The cool thing about it is that you don't pay anything to get in, but if you want to go on the attractions, you pay for each one. The most famous attraction is the Riesenrad, Ferris wheel built in 1896. The view is beautiful and the carriages are not too crowded, so you can enjoy all the views without feeling like you are in a can of sardines. There are some romantic carriages too, but they must be much more expensive than 16 euros for a couple. We took advantage of the kiosks with snacks and had dinner there, enjoying the first snowfall of the Viennese winter. It was a great way to end the city on a high note!
Saturday (12/27/2014)
We left the hotel early, as our train stopped Budapest left at 9:12 am Vienna Central Station, which is the city's main train station. We took the subway and two stations later, we arrived. How easy this city life is with efficient public transportation! 🙂
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