A day in Vienna, the city of music
2:26 PM
Vienna -Austria’s capital city- was on my list of places to go for quite a while. Luckily, I was able to fit a quick visit on my summer trip. After enjoying Wroclaw in Poland, I headed to Vienna. One of the most convenient things about traveling across Europe is how well connected it is by buses and trains. It makes it easy to move from one country to another and fit many destinations in one short trip.
💡 Tip: Travel by night, save time - Night buses are a reliable option when time is an issue. My schedule was very tight, I would go from Poland to Austria -around 9 hours- so it was better to do the trip at night. I took the cheapest option -a bus- but there are also more comfortable options by train where you get to have a compartment to sleep. It’s up to you which mean you prefer, but traveling during the night leaves you with daytime to explore more destinations.
I arrived in Vienna on a LEO Express night bus at around 9:00 AM. After a 15-minute ride on the underground, I left my luggage at Wombats City Hostel in front of the Naschtmarkt. While I was taking a break in the reception area, I realized that the free walking city tour was about to begin.
💡 Tip: Little time? Join a free tour - In many cities across Europe you can find free walking tours. Usually offered by people who just love showing their city around, these tours are a great opportunity to see the main landmarks and learn a bit of history in around 3 hours. Before you visit a city, do research online to see if you can find a free tour you can join.
Walking city tour
Theater an der Wien, in front of the Naschtmarkt
Vienna State Opera House
Albertina Museum
National Library
Kaizer Franz I
Hofburg Palace
Minoritenkirche
Down Graben street
St. Stephen's Cathedral
After the city tour, I had a quick wurst for lunch and went to see other spots on my own.
Schönbrunn Palace
Rathaus (City Hall)
Karlskirche (first photo on this article)
After a quick dinner, I headed back to the hostel. Next morning I would go back to Munich.
Planning on visiting Vienna? This might help:
- Stay at least 3 days: Vienna is a big city with plenty of museums. I recommend staying there enough time to visit their museums and palaces.
- About public transportation: Vienna's transportation system is efficient but not cheap. Like in Germany, look for 1-day/3-day ticket to make the most out of your stay. Your feet will thank you especially if you’ve been traveling for a while before arriving.
- Bring extra money: Compared to other cities, Vienna is expensive, especially the food. Follow your hostel’s recommendations to save money.
- Take a music tour: Vienna is called "the city of music". According to Vienna's website, more composers -including Mozart- have lived there than in any other city. Take your time to discover its music heritage and influence in the world.
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