#WalkwithChaMikeinVienna

Austria was the first country we visited in Europe and Vienna was our point of entry. It was a nice place to start our honeymoon since it is the capital and the largest city in Austria. Vienna is known for being 'The City of Music' because most of the well known composers like Mozart lived here. It is also called 'The City of Dreams' because it is the home of the first psycho analyst, Sigmund Freud. Aside from that Vienna is known for its high quality of living - everywhere we went to we noticed that all the establishments are grandiose, streets are squeaky clean, they have free wifi in most of the prominent public areas, their public transport system is efficient - it is absolutely safe even at night and locals are disciplined. Indeed, it is a perfect wealthy city.

A mix of baroque structure and modern buildings

Because of the numerous cities we have to visit, we allotted only two days to explore Vienna. Which meant that we weren't able to visit Salzburg where the famous 'Sound of Music' movie was shot. But nonetheless those two days in Vienna made me understand and appreciate Austria more. Here are the activities we did for two full days. 

Visit the opulent Schonbrunn Palace and its vast garden
The official summer residence of the Habsburg royals and now a UNESCO world heritage site. This enormous palace was under the supervision of Maria Theresa or Sisi (the only female Hapsburg ruler). They say that this enormous residence is comparable to King Louis XIV's residence in France, the Versailles. Schonbrunn has 1,441 rooms only 40 rooms are open to the public including the private rooms of Franz Josef and Sisi. Admission in the baroque garden is free, but some parts require additional charge. 


How to go:
Subway | U4, Schonbrunn station
Trams | 10 and 58, Schonbrunn station
Bus | Route 10A, Schonbrunn station

Opening Time:
July - August | 8:30 am - 6:30 pm
September - June | 8:30 am - 5:30 pm

Ticket Fee:
Imperial Tour | Visit 22 magnificent interiors
Adult | € 14.20
Child | € 10.50

Grand Tour | Visit all 40 allowed rooms in the palace
Adult | € 17.50
Child | € 11.50


We availed the Grand Tour as we wanted to visit all the 40 rooms inside the palace. Audio guide is included whenever you buy of any ticket which was actually very helpful as we clearly understood the history of the palace and the notable people who lived there.

We bought tickets in advance HERE so we can be sure of our schedule.

Take note that picture taking and video recording are not allowed inside the palace so you can notice that all my photos are at the palace's exterior.

Pay a visit at St Stephen's Cathedral
St Stephen's Cathedral is the most important religious building Vienna and the tallest church in Austria which was built in the early 1300. A witness to so many historical events such as the funeral of Mozart, Napoleon's farewell proclamation and World War II. Aside from the main section of the cathedral, visitors can check out the underground catacomb of the victims of the great Plague of Vienna. You can also climb 343 steps on top of the South Tower or use the elevator to get an overlooking view at the North Tower. Although little of the original was left, it remains an active house of worship so for tourists who wish to visit the place remember that services are still held here so it is important to be respectful. 

How to go:
Subway | U1, U3 Stephanspl station
Bus | Routes 1A, 2A, or 3A

Opening Time:
Monday - Saturday | 6:00 am - 10 pm
Sunday | 7 am - 10 pm

Ticket Fee:
Main section | FREE
Catacomb | € 5
South/North Tower | € 5

The tallest cathedral in Vienna

St Stephen's Cathedral's Chapel

Organ Gallery

Spot a celebrity
While randomly walking from Kunsthistorisches Museum to Volksgarten we saw a crowd of locals and press people waiting at the barricade. We asked what the commotion was all about and a local said they were all waiting for Prince Charles and Camilla! Good thing we weren't in a hurry so we joined the crowd and waited for the royal highness. I was completely in awe when I saw Camilla walking towards us. She even shook hands with some supporters before leaving the place, it was so surreal! Sadly Prince Charles went to the opposite direction so I had no clear photo but I did see him from afar nonetheless. 

The European version is fried and is accompanied by mustard and bread. It's juicy and very tasty, I like the European Vienna sausage more.

Listen to classical music along the street
In Europe, you will encounter so many musicians on the streets playing classical music of different kinds of instruments. It's a feast for our ears every time we hear them play so don't miss the chance of appreciating the free treat once you spot one.

Hang out and dine at the MuseumsQuartier 
MuseumsQuartier is the largest cultural quarters in the world. It is an art complex that offers renowned museums, restaurants, cafes, bars and shops. Although we didn't visit any of the museums, we went there to have our lunch and took a picture at an old-school photo booth.

A Photo Booth!

Had to take a picture here

Dined at Glacis Beisl, a restaurant that has a beautiful garden tucked away off the beaten track in the MuseumsQuartier. They serve classic Viennese cuisine and large selection of Austrian wines. 


Aside from the list of things that we did in Vienna here are some of the activities that you can do

Watch an Opera at the Vienna State Opera
Vienna State Opera is one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world. Being the City of Music it is highly recommended to watch and experience an opera whenever you're in Austria. Too bad we were pressed for time so we weren't able to schedule a visit. 

Go Shopping

There is a wide selection of designer brands in Austria and shopping here is highly recommended but because it is the first city went to, we opted to save our shopping agenda for the other cities we will visit. 

It was a jam-packed two days in Vienna but we enjoyed roaming around the highly developed city. After our tour in Vienna we rode a train going to Venice, Italy via OBB.