Vienna — RachiePie

We arrived in Vienna on Thursday after taking a 4-hour train from Prague. Vienna is definitely a more sprawled-out city than Prague with very grand and ornate buildings. It seemed we were constantly looking UP to see all the beautiful details on each structure.

Our first stop when we arrived was Stephansdom, a gothic church with a gorgeous tiled roof. We were able to go to the top of the church and get a wonderful 360-degree view of Vienna.

We spent the rest of our afternoon exploring Parlamentsgebäude (Parliament), Rathaus (Vienna's City Hall) and MuseumsQuartier with the obligatory stop at Cafe Central for apple strudel!

Apple Strudel at Cafe Central - Opened in 1876; it was here where Sigmund Freud would come for his daily coffee!

Naturhistorishes Museum Wien (Museum of Natural History)

On our first full day, we got up early and were one of the first to arrive at Schloss Schönbrunn, the opulent summer (!!!!) palace of The Habsburgs. Inside we were able to see 40 apartment rooms open to the public in addition to the beautiful gardens. We were unable to take pictures inside the palace; however, it was interesting and the audioguide provided a detailed history of the family who lived there.

The gardens and view of the Gloriette in the background

Enjoying the view from the top of the Gloriette

After the castle, we took a subway to the Church of Assisi which resembled something out of a fairy-tale with it cone-peaked roof. The church was built between 1898 and 1910.

We ended our day at Votivkirche, the second-tallest church in Vienna.

On our last full day in Vienna, we started at Schloss Belvedere, a palace originally built for military strategist Prince Eugene of Savoy and now an art gallery. We spent our morning walking around the palace gardens and fountains.

Gardens and Fountains at the back of Schloss Belvedere

Near Schloss Belvedere is Gardekirche. Built in 1763 as the church of the Imperial Hospital and later serving Polish congregations. Unfortunately, the church was closed when we arrived, but I was able to get a picture from the outside. This church has a much simpliar exterior compared to other churches we saw in Vienna.

We then walked over to Karlskirche, which was built in 1737 and dedicated to St. Charles Borromeo. The church is beautiful from the outside with its green dome and gold accents. Inside, an elevator was built which would take you to the top of the dome where you were eye level with the frescoes on the ceiling. Although the structure was an eye-sore with all the scaffolding and did feel a bit wobbly (oh man did I not like riding in the elevator!), it was pretty amazing to see the artwork up close.

Our final attraction we saw in Vienna was the Hofburg, the home base of the Habsburgs from 1273-1918. The palace now houses the Austrian president's office and several museums.

Overall, our time in Vienna was amazing! It definitely felt less touristy than Prague. Perhaps because it is more spread out? Either way, the city had a modern feel and the people were welcoming and kind. I once again hope I'll have a chance to visit this city again in the future!

Food:

Breakfast: Joseph Patisserie & Bistro and The Bank Brasserie & Bar
Lunch: Café Central and Café Lantmann
Dinner: Plachutta Gasthaus zur Oper, Labstelle, and Sofi Vera Pizza Napoletana
Drinks: Schweizerhaus

Traditional Wiener Schnitzel at Plachutta Gasthaus zur Oper

Blackberry Lavender Torte at Cafe Landtmann