This week I also returned to Austria as I have been meaning to visit Vienna for quite a while now. It was a relatively spontaneously decision to come to Vienna after visiting Prague but it turned out to be a great idea. Coincidentally and unknowingly, my visit in Vienna would be at the same time three of my neighbours from Zurich would also be in town. One of whom, a Viennese, with insider knowledge of the best places to go to.
The Hofburg was once home to the Habsburgers and is situated right in the middle of the Austrian capital.
This meant that I was able to do both the obligatory sightseeing as well as party in Vienna with Viennese students. There's plenty to see in Vienna, the whole city is beautiful and – if you fancy it – it's possible to take a boat over to Bratislava, the Slovakian capital. However, I didn't bother this time. Of course, anyone coming to Austria can't avoid Wiener Schnitzel – nor should one want to – although I perhaps had more of it than I was anticipating. I'm sure there are probably other Viennese delicacies that one must try...
From the Schönbrunn manor you can see the whole of Vienna.
Like Prague, there are masses of tourists here, however Vienna still feels distinctly Viennese. By exploring the narrow side streets for example, you can sample any kind of coffee you can imagine in the many Kaffeehäuser, perhaps accompanied by Sachertorte and served authentically with(out) a smile by a Viennese waiter.
The infamous Hundertwasserhaus, designed by architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser (formerly Friedrich Stowasser).
The night life too is pretty decent, and it's always nice to be able to actually afford to buy a pint or two of beer. From occasionally listening to the Austrian radio station FM4 (based in Vienna), I knew that there's a great club scene in the city with all kinds of music genres, however I'll have to return again at some point if I want to see a live gig or perhaps visit the Danube Island festival this Summer...
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