Wien for the Win: Vienna in 2 Days

I only got to spend a few days in Vienna, but it left such an impression on me that I’m planning a return this year, COVID-19 be damned. 

Arriving by Plane

There are multiple ways to arrive in Vienna if flying into the international airport. The cheapest is taking the S7 bus just outside of baggage claim. It only costs about $10 one way and takes about 20 minutes. A close second in price is the CAT rail that costs a little more than the bus at about $15 one way, however, it takes only 15 minutes to get to the center of the city. The most expensive (but more comfortable option) is a taxi that will run you about $40 and takes between 20-25 minutes. The best thing the taxi has going for itself is it can take you directly to your hotel or Airbnb, rather than you having to make a transfer on the bus or train and walk the rest of the way. 

Arriving by Train

The most common way to arrive in Vienna is not by plane, but by train. I took the night train from Zurich in the evening and arrived in Vienna shortly after 9am the next day. If you go this route, be mindful of what train terminal you will be dropped off at, as there are multiple terminals scattered throughout the city. I made the mistake of confusing “Wien Hauptbahnhof” with “Wien Westbahnhof” and ended up being over 2 miles away from my Airbnb. 

Getting Around

The best thing about Vienna (in my opinion) is the public transportation, most notably the streetcar/subway system. One of the reasons I fell in love with this city was because of how efficient, simple, and expansive the grid was. Some of the rail cars might be slightly outdated, but never once had I experienced any language barriers when navigating the trains to get to my destination. 

Walking is another suitable way to get around, as the city grid is well laid out with pedestrian-friendly sidewalks. Vienna is only about 500ft above sea level and is relatively flat, so you shouldn’t be out of breath while exploring on foot. 

Day 1, Prancing Ponies and Museum Row

I arrived in Vienna around 9am and checked into my Airbnb shortly after. After a quick inspection of my new home for the next few days, I was out the door by 10am. The first thing on my list was visiting one of the most historic institutions in all of Austria - the Spanish Riding School. Some people may disagree with this choice, but I felt this school was fascinating and extremely educational. The Spanish Riding School isn’t for everyone, but it’s an affordable activity for all ages. Keep in mind that there are different programs offered to tourists depending on which time of the year you visit.

I visited the school in early November, so there was only the morning exercise available for public viewing, which was perfect for me. Seating is first come first serve, so I arrived to line up at the gate about 30 minutes before the doors opened and got a great front-row seat. Morning exercises are typically about 2 hours long, but you are in no way required to stay for the entire show. I watched for about an hour and left to join a tour of the grounds and stables. 

If you only had time for one - 100% sign up for the tour rather than the show. The grounds tour is immersive, and you get to go behind the scenes and learn what it takes to keep the school in operation. Depending on your interests, your favorite room on the tour might be the saddle room or the exercise grounds, but for myself, it was the stables. Horses are in general dumb animals, but this breed of horse is something else. Lipizzan horses at this school go through extreme training and discipline that make them some of the best in the world. You are allowed to take as many photos as you’d like, except for when the tour group is in the stables - the school is extremely protective of the horses and they don’t want to take the chance of a flash photo spooking the animals. 

Lunch

Once the tour concludes, the next stop is to get a quick bite to eat for lunch and the best spot for a classic quick Austrian bite is Trzesniewski where you can get cheap yet tasty open faced sandwiches. Knowing a few phrases in German will help when in Austria and learning how to say “I want one of these” goes a long way. After pointing at my sandwich selections and paying, find a table inside or have your sandwiches to go and find a nearby park to enjoy. If eating inside, make sure to grab a beer as well with your meal - the pairing of the ale and sandwiches is fantastic.

If you have more confidence than me and aren’t afraid to dine alone or if you are traveling with a small group (no more than 4), I highly recommend checking out Sibel’s. This restaurant caters to small groups or single diners and has a daily updated chalkboard menu with specials. The interior is funky and unpretentious with a chill atmosphere that is great for all ages to enjoy. 

Museum Row

After a quick bite, I recommend visiting the Heldenplatz that hosts a spacious garden and several historic landmarks. The park is beautiful and well maintained with rows and rows of historic buildings lining the edges of the gardens. This area is commonly known as “Museum Square” since it contains a wide range of museums that showcase natural history, the arts, politics, and everything else in between. I decided to visit the history museum and perhaps visit the others another day. It was around 3pm by this time and the museum closes at 6pm - ‘plenty of time to explore every floor,’ I thought. 

There wasn’t enough time. The museum is massive - even bigger than the Natural History Museum in New York, so there were some exhibits that I had to breeze through in order to have time to see everything. The flow of the museum was excellently laid out - the first room discusses the big bang, and each room after that is the next step in the evolutionary process of the universe and our planet. The 2nd floor seemed to have every species that ever walked on the planet on display in taxidermy form. The very last exhibit on the top floor explored the progress of the actual museum, from its early start, to what they have planned in the coming months and years. 

If Natural History isn’t your thing, the other museums that call the Heldenplatz its home is: 

• Kunsthistorisches Museum

  • An art museum housing all the art and antiques acquired by the Hapsburg

• Papyrus Collection and Papyrus Museum Vienna

  • Quite literally a museum that contains ancient documents and scrolls made out of papyrus. 

• Collection of Old Musical Instruments

  • Quite literally a museum that contains classic and old instruments

• Ephesos Museum

  • A gallery dedicated to artwork and antiques all from the city of Ephesus, in modern-day Turkey

• The Hofburg

  • The former palace of the Hapsburg family that now displays the imperial apartments, the family’s collection of dining ware and an entire wing dedicated to the Empress Elisabeth of Austria otherwise known as the Sisi Museum. 

• Leopold Museum

  • An art museum that contains famous artist like Klimt & Kokoschka

• Albertina

  • Another art museum that contains artwork from Picaso, Monet and a rotating exhibit of modern art.

Dinner

Nearing dusk, for dinner near the city center if in the mood for a down-to-earth vibe, I recommend trying ULRICH. I love chalkboard menus and this place is no exception with food that is both regional classics and modern spins. Though you are in Vienna thus you want classic Austrian dishes - if you are in a small group of 4 people or less, try ef16 BUT if you are in a large group of 4 people or more, then try Zum weißen Rauchfangkehrer. 

Day 2, Hapsburg and the Arts

This is the only full day you’ll have in Vienna, so let's not waste it - be out the door by 8am and head to the Schönbrunn Palace. The Palace opens at 9am, and I was the first one through the doors. I highly recommend you do the same. It’s an enchanting experience to roam the vast halls and ballrooms in pure isolation as though you live there yourself. If anything, try to breeze through the first few rooms until you enter the Great Gallery, then stand in the center. The sensation of standing in this grand room, alone in silence, is something words can’t describe. Technically you aren’t allowed to take photos inside, however, since I was the only one there, no guards noticed as I snapped a few.

By the time you arrive at the Great Gallery, you will have only a few minutes to experience the room alone until the hidden doors slam open and suddenly you are in China. Out of nowhere, there was a booming voice on a microphone followed by 50+ Chinese tourists who poured into the room. Being the optimist, I told myself I will just wait a couple of minutes for the crowd to pass and then continue to enjoy the silence of me and the big grand ballroom alone again. But just before the Chinese group left, another group 50 strong of Japanese tourists also joined the mosh-pit. And then another group, and another. I started to realize that my moment was gone and I should just move on. 

Once you are done exploring the interiors of the palace, take your time to roam the gardens and be surprised on how much there is to do outside. The park on the palace grounds is absolutely stunning, especially during the autumn months. The grounds are massive so you can easily get lost in thought roaming the trails and burn a good chunk of time exploring. If you are on a schedule, always keep an eye on the time when here - I spent a good 3 hours at the palace grounds and had to skip my lunch reservation. One of the best attractions on the property is the Schönbrunn Zoo that contains a wide range of exotic animals as well as multiple greenhouses. If zoos aren’t your thing, I highly recommend checking out the greenhouses of both the Palmenhaus (tropical plants) and the Wüstenhaus (arid plants). When visiting in the off-season in the colder months, going to both is a welcome relief from the temperatures where I spent a good chunk of time in the desert house.

Amusement Park or Museum

Depending on how much time you plan to dedicate here, the next stop you could take is Prater Park. I went here in November, and despite the park being open year-round, this is one of those times where being the only one at the park isn’t a good thing. It was slightly depressing to roam the area and think it was an abandoned theme park. 

If going to an amusement park isn’t high on your list of attractions while in Vienna, I recommend heading back to the Heldenplatz and choosing another museum to visit. With the day slipping away, I decided to burn the last of the sunlight hours by visiting the Jewish Quarter where the memorial and museum was located. I spent a good two hours there and was literally the only one in the museum. After the museum closed I was left to wander the streets and eventually meander to my final destination in Vienna - the opera house. 

Evening Attractions - Opera House

For each new place I visit, I allow myself one splurge to indulge in, and the Vienna Opera House was my choice to spend my last evening. The front of the opera house is somewhat average looking walking up to the building, but the beauty and historic charm of the venue really shines once you enter the doors. Adorned in polished brass chandeliers and marble statues with a grand staircase leading you to the private suites, the interior of the opera house is breathtaking. 

Tickets at the opera house are generally quite affordable, however, I went all in and booked a box suite for myself. The entire room was splendid - beautifully maintained velvet seats, glimmering lights, and a chandelier that would make the Habsburgs envious. If, however, you are on a budget, you can still get access to the venue outside of performance hours by getting a behind the scenes tour instead. 

After the performance, I headed back to my flat for the final time. My train destined for Prague leaves in the morning and I wanted to get a head start on packing. My time in Vienna was brief, but the time spent there left a lasting impression that made me quickly fall in love with the city. Vienna is a town rich in history, culture, and a smartly laid out grid. If you are in the eastern part of Europe, I highly recommend you spend a few days here.