Travel tips - Austria - Royal Vienna!

Despite Vienna being massive, it’s airport is quite small. Maybe it seems that way because it’s design is long and narrow in the shape of an arch. Germans are always well organized though and the moment you are outside, boards give the bus timetables into town and one literally crosses the pedestrian crossing, buys a return for 13 euro and there's no hassling with dates, as the machine automatically gives you a month to return.

It’s a twenty-five minute ride to the main train station Haufbahnhof dropping you off at the Sud-Tirol entrance. The main train station is huge, with 4 public transport entries N, S, E and West. It’s sparkling clean and modern and the metro is down the escalator.   It's easier finding your hotel using the underground as it stops close to main hubs.  The metro is also huge and U1 is two escalators down. All more fun than a taxi ride as you'll see  little old ladies in vintage outfits, with walking sticks and hats, alongside the young,  locals and tourists. By  the time you’re at your hotel, you will have also practised some German,  and be a little direction oriented.

 

Karls Kirsche

The main squares are Karlsplatz, photo above, Heldenplatz, Schwartzenbergplatz, Stephansplatz, Swedenplatz and Sudtirolplaza, inter-alia! The latter two are main hubs for all forms of public transport. The Maria Theresa platz is where the Theatre is and where the museum quarter begins. The Volks theatre has lovely conifer gardens and grass set around a huge statue with another monumental building opposite. palaces overlooking it on either side. The buildings everywhere in Vienna are beautifully maintained and on the lawns and in parks, locals chill out on the grass or palace steps,  enjoying the weather and ambience. 

Schwartzenbergplatz by day. At night the fountain lights up in different colours

  

National Historic Museum close to Volkstuin 

 
The museum quarter 

Be aware that Vienna is so big that although you’ll be dropped off at main sites, by public transport trams or tourist bus, there is still a lot of walking to do. I walked a mini marathon even with a 72 hr transport card. But that’s if you want to see as much as possible and glorious architecture from different angles and in different light. I wandered most of the lovely landscaped  gardens of the varied city parks and palace grounds too. The weather was too good to be indoors! I didn’t, because I didn’t want a timetable, but I would suggest buying a 24 hop on tourist bus first to get the general idea and with the 72 hour pass, go back to the places you like most. Public transport rides every 6-8 mins with various lines so is quick than the tourist bus which is normally every half hour.

The city park around the corner from Schwedenplatz is lovely. At the end there is a lovely wine and dine concert hall which hosts Mozart and Strauss concerts and a terrace cafe over day in the front. It's worth viewing at night too. 

 Car entrance

 

Inside Park view 

 

Road view 

The Volkstuin (peoples' garden) is another gorgeous park and a walk through brings you to the Parliament building. The actual Parliament is currently being restored and you can enter the exhibition for free to view the designs. It is going to have a glass ceiling and be quite spectacular. Next to it is the Heldenplatz and Hofburg with horse carriages Although where they are at the moment is also wonderful!

  

 The entrance

But Vienna is famous for its palaces and the famous Schloss Schonbrunn is a UNESCO heritage protected site. It's eight stops from Schwedenplatz with the underground. Get off before the actual schloss and take bus 10A. That way you enter the palace gardens and immediately turn left towards Gloriesse view point. This saves you walking the steep hill past Neptune fountain from the actual palace entrance. So you'll see the panorama view first and pass a magnificent obelisk and fountain with so much detail you'll be in awe. Unfortunately, I had to photograph against the sun so no good picture.  But the walk to the top monument is gentle incline and as it's about a 8 km walk all in all, the walk down is easier than up the hill.

 Entrance

 One of the avenues in the surrounding park to walk to the view point

 
Gloriesse view point monument up close 

Gloriesse half way down the hill towards the palace

 Schonbrunn palace from afar from Gloriesse

 In the palace gardens

 

One of the many fountains

The fountains are spectacular and the grounds are gigantic, so you'll need at least half a day even without seeing the palace inside. There was a queue fortunately and the weather was far too nice to be indoors so I felt fine giving it a miss.  I loved the palace gardens but personally, preferred the Belvedere Schloss, which is closer to town. Trams 1 and 2 will take you along the outer ring where you can take the D tram to Belvedere palace on a hill. So if you're short of time, just do Belvedere because the gardens are on both sides, lovely and a long long walk. 

 Different entrances

 Belvedere Palace side view

 

The gardens and fountains 

Vienna is just too big to cover in one blog so don't miss next week where I'll contrast the modern and old, showcase the incredible artist Hundertwasser's work and show other monumental architectural treasures of this amazing city!