Austria 3 days. Charming vein. Annual events, holidays and non-working days
If you read my previous review, you probably already know that I really liked the capital of Austria. This is a real museum open air, a masterpiece city, a city on the level of space. There are so many beautiful and interesting places in Vienna that you can easily spend a whole month here and discover something new and unknown every day. That is why I decided to split my review of the sights of Vienna into two parts. In the first article that was published on the blog a few days earlier, I wrote about the main attractions of Vienna that are worth visiting on the first day (be sure to read it). Today I will tell you about those places that were left behind the scenes of the previous material (about those places and attractions that I personally left for last). So, what to see in Vienna if you come here for 2,3 or 4 days? Read about this and much more in my new review.
Karlskirche
I'll start with her. One of the most beautiful cathedrals in Vienna and at the same time the very attraction that I really should have added to my first (main) review. Honestly, I was even a little worried about this. This building is one of the symbols of the capital of Austria (and is even depicted on the magnet that I brought home from this city). As written on Wikipedia, Emperor Charles VI of Habsburg began to build this Catholic church in honor of his saint Carlo Borromeo, as gratitude for the end of the terrible plague epidemic. Construction began in 1716 and ended 21 years later (this is what I understand, long-term construction). It would be better if they hired some Tajiks. By the way, Emperor Charles died without waiting for the construction to be completed. Subsequently, his father’s plan was brought to completion by his son.
What to see nearby? The building of the Philharmonic Music Society (also known as the Society of Friends of Music).
Vienna Concerthaus...
And the monument to Karl Schwarzenberg that stands nearby.
How to find: Karlsplatz metro station.
My great-grandfather on my mother’s side took part in the battles for the capital of Austria. Therefore, I immediately designated this place as one of the obligatory points of my Vienna program. Because of the sun, which hung directly behind the monument, it was very difficult to photograph it properly. I constantly changed angles, filters, and camera settings. But no way. In the end, it turned out what happened. There are no other photos. Sorry.
As for my personal impressions, I really liked this monument. He looks great. However, I was really surprised by the fact that the Soviet soldier was depicted on the monument with a golden shield and a gilded helmet. I don’t know why, but I smiled unconsciously, imagining Soviet soldiers in golden helmets on the battlefield. Do Austrians even know that gold is a very soft metal? You can't really fight in golden helmets.
This is how I imagine this picture: “Ivan, put on a normal helmet.”
“No, she's ugly. I'll go to the gold one. This is Vienna."
The architects of Vienna generally have some special feelings for this metal. In the capital of Austria, gilded elements are found everywhere. It looks beautiful. But the soldier in the golden helmet still made me smile. As did two young Austrian women who spent a good 10 minutes taking selfies in front of this monument. You should have seen how they pouted their lips. I wish everyone had a gold helmet... In general, it would be great. Look for 3000 likes.
How to find: next to Karlskirche and Karlsplatz.
Vienna University of Economics
When you arrive at this place after a walk through the historical center of Vienna, you get the impression that in just 30 minutes on the metro you have traveled the distance from the 18th century to the 21st. The landscape around is changing dramatically. And ornate town halls, churches and palaces are replaced by real masterpieces of modern architecture.
One of these, for example, is the complex of buildings of the Vienna University of Economics. I do not impose my opinion on anyone, but I will emphasize: my personal delight in this place far outweighed my impressions from visiting, for example, Schönbrunn Palace. This is a real masterpiece. This is how real architecture of the 21st century should be – light, original, futuristic and memorable. For me personally, the complex of buildings of the Vienna University of Economics was a real discovery. I really hope that instead of typical square high-rise buildings, someday such architecture will begin to appear in Belarusian cities. However, see for yourself.
The design of this place belongs to many architects and designers, including the cult author Zaha Hadid (author of the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku). In addition to educational buildings, there are exhibition halls, libraries and numerous cafes. I was also struck by the fact that many things here have inscriptions made in Braille (for the blind). Would you like to study at such a university?
How to get there: Messe Prater metro station. Then another five minutes walk.
Vienna Prater Park
This is a local amusement park. It is located just a 10-minute walk from the complex of buildings of the University of Economics. On one side there is a park and a park. But it's worth going here for at least two reasons. The first of them is a huge Ferris wheel, which regularly appears on various postcards and souvenir magnets associated with Vienna.
The second is the Vienna “branch” of the famous Madame Tussauds museum. In Austria it is located in this amusement park. Cool place. After winning the Oscar, Leonardo DiCaprio looks very good. Schwarzenegger too.
But Ukupnik is not like that. Quickie.
As for the park itself, during the off-season it was a little deserted, and therefore reminded me of the set of some Hollywood horror film. Scary clowns, deserted streets that look like a post-apocalyptic city, and silence hanging over it all.
Under the gray February sky, the remote corners of the park looked eerie. In summer it’s probably a completely different picture here.
DC-Tower, local TV tower, Vienna City and UN City
Don't be alarmed - it's all one place. Arrive at the Kaiserm?hlen VIC metro station and you immediately find yourself in Vienna's skyscraper district. The famous DC-Tower is visible right from the subway platform. Like the other tower - the New Danube residential complex, which stands on the opposite side.
In the evening, in the light of many hundreds of lights, the business center of Vienna looked incredibly beautiful and stylish. If you walk a little forward behind the DC-Tower skyscraper, you can see the sharp needle of the Vienna TV tower.
And if you go in the opposite direction - to the right of the metro station - you will come across another interesting building - the Austrian “UN City”, which is also called the Vienna International Center.
After New York and Geneva, this is the third UN building in the world. Here is one of the offices of the IAEA (nuclear energy agency), the drug and crime commission, as well as the refugee agency. The buildings themselves are made in the shape of the letter Y, but personally that evening they reminded me much more of the Moscow Cosmos Hotel (only cut in half).
Buy a metro pass and go there if you have time. I liked it here.
Vienna gasometers
I found a story about this place on the blog of one of my colleagues, Russian traveler Daniil Privolnov. He liked this complex. But I still have mixed feelings about him. Gasometers and gasometers. Maybe the omnipresent wind, which literally blew me away that day, was to blame?
In a nutshell... Vienna gasometers are four round buildings built at the end of the 19th century to supply the city with gas. A century later, gasometers lost their original function, but they appeared in films (in one of the Bond films in the film “Sparks from the Eyes”). By the way, my favorite James Bond, Timothy Dalton, is starring in this film, so I simply could not help but go here. However, gasometers themselves are interesting not only for this reason. Today they are equipped with residential apartments, which subsequently formed a kind of “city within a city” - with a cinema, an archive and even its own online community (VGazometre). A kind of gated community. Subsequently, a number of works in psychology were even devoted to this phenomenon.
How to get there: Gasometer metro station.
Museum Quarter
We return to the historical center. There are still a few interesting points here that I didn’t tell you about. One of them is the famous museum quarter, which unites several interesting museums. The main building of the complex once served as the imperial stables. Today, exhibition pavilions are located here, which were opened for the first time back in 1921. Even if you, like me, are not particularly fond of all kinds of museums, I still advise you to take a walk here. This Viennese quarter is an excellent example of a skillful combination of modern and classical architecture. What is the MUMOK Museum alone worth?! I called it “Navel”... Funny name.
Speaker in a scarf. Next to one of the museums.
Some kind of art installation. Inside the container is a hefty screen with some old notes.
weed (classical translation) - weed; the colloquial version is to smoke weed (which is like our “puff” or “get high”).
What to see nearby: Auersperg Palace...
Here is this cool statue of a hallucinogenic fairy, enticing some thoughtful guy (who apparently has already “pulled the weeds”) to be close to him.
And the nameless palace is right behind them.
As a bonus, I note that it is next to this building that we have our only free toilet in Vienna.
Votivkirche (Vow Church)
Located in Freud Park, half a kilometer from the Vienna City Hall. I still remember beautiful buildings next to it is some cool two-story bus stop.
University of Vienna
Founded in 1365. One of the oldest universities in Europe. Looks okay. But the Minsk Institute of Management is cooler.
Monument to Liebenberg
Located directly opposite the University of Vienna. Dedicated to the victory over the Turks. Although, how do you say “victory”? Considering the number of Turks and Arabs to whom the government of modern Austria pays reparations in the form of various subsidies and benefits, such a victory seems at best interim. There are a lot of emigrants in Vienna.
Monument to Conchita Wurst's grandfather
It is also a monument to a pregnant man. Located next to the Franciscan Church.
Let's assign it as the last Viennese attraction on our list, since I was already pretty tired while writing these five pages of text. In short, I'll finish. If you know any other interesting sights of Vienna that were not included in either of my two reviews, write in the comments. I think people traveling to Austria will find them interesting to read. By the way, me too.
BONUS. Bratislava
The most unusual tip on our list. But this was also worth mentioning. If you come to Austria for at least 3-4 days, be sure to think about going to the capital of neighboring Slovakia at least for a day. Vienna and Bratislava are the two closest capitals in Europe. It takes 1.5 hours to travel from one city to another. And travel for many bus carriers operating in this direction costs from 2 to 5 euros. Compared to Austrian prices, this is a ridiculous amount. And in Bratislava itself there is also something to see. Plus, such a trip is also a great opportunity to go shopping. In Slovakia, everything costs two times cheaper than in Vienna. Basically, think about it.
How to save money when traveling to Austria?
Replace hotels with apartments. Most often, they are both cheaper and more comfortable than hotel rooms. Personally, during my trip to Austria I filmed. I looked for options through the AIRBNB website. There are many good offers here.
In addition, if you register on the site using this link, you will immediately receive a small bonus for your first booking. It's a small thing, but nice. You can read how to save a larger amount on this site.
Hotels. If you don’t want to understand all the nuances of renting apartments, but you are somehow more accustomed to living in hotels, you can save a little by booking accommodation through search engine sites. In fact, with their help you can search not just one hotel system, but dozens of sites at once. The thing is that the same room can cost differently on sites such as Booking, Agoda, Hotels.com, Ostrovok, HRS and so on. If you search for a hotel through such search engine sites, you can immediately see where a particular room costs the cheapest. For example, I use the Rumguru website for these purposes. Although there are other sites of a similar nature.
Tickets. The most comfortable and fastest way to get to Vienna is by plane. It’s better to look for tickets through the Aviasales website. Its search form is presented below. The running line indicates the cost of tickets to Vienna from Minsk, Kyiv, Vilnius, Warsaw and Moscow.
Insurance. I write this in almost all my articles: insurance is different from insurance. Therefore, do not grab the first policy you come across near the embassy. Read contracts, compare insurance conditions. The easiest way to do this is through . This is a kind of “hypermarket” of insurance, where policies from different companies are presented. Set the duration of the trip, the country of destination, the age of the travelers - and this system itself will show you the best policy in terms of price and quality ratio. This site mainly presents products from Russian and European companies (including such large companies as Liberty, ERV, VTB-insuranse, etc.). The only negative is that all prices are indicated in Russian rubles. This is inconvenient for me. But in general, I trust this platform more than Belarusian state-owned companies.
Charming Vienna
So, you have arrived in Vienna, and most likely landed at Vienna Airport, located in the town of Schwechat. The journey to Vienna is approximately 30 minutes.
How to get to Vienna from Schwechat Airport
If no one meets you. You take a taxi (the cost of travel to the city is approximately 40-45 euros) or you can use regular buses, which follow to 3 points in Vienna:
- Morzinplatz/Schwedenplatz. Departure from the airport at 01:20 at night, at 02:50 at night, then from 04:50 - every 30 minutes until nightfall. Travel time is 20 minutes.
- Westbahnhof (via Vienna Meidling Station). Departure from the airport at 6 am to 24:00, every 30 minutes. Travel time to the station. Vienna Meidling – 30 minutes, to the western station – 45 minutes.
- Donaumarina, Hotel Hilton Danube, Kaisermuhlen Vienna Int. Centre, Julius-Payer-Gasse, Donauzentrum, Kagraner Brucke. Departure from the airport at 07:10 am until 20:10, every hour. Travel time is from 17 to 42 minutes.
You will probably stay in a hotel that you booked back in Russia.
Do you know where you want to stay? (Vienna hotels)
If you are visiting Vienna for a short time, we offer a program that allows you to see the sights in three days...
By the way: having a Vienna ticket, you can take advantage of many benefits.
What is a must-see in Vienna? For example in 3 days...
Day 1: Romantic Imperial City
Very detailed map of the city center, with the location of the main attractions...
Before lunch: Getting to know the city
Start your stay in Vienna with a tour. Is waiting for you sightseeing bus, operating on a “hop-on-hop-off” system, which allows you to get on and off exactly where you find it interesting. Stops are located at the main attractions of the city.
Or take a guided walk through the old town to see old houses and tranquil courtyards, wander through idyllic alleys and immerse yourself in times gone by. Then experience the splendor of a bygone era at the Hofburg Palace - the Treasury with the Imperial Crowns, the Imperial Apartments and the Silver and Cutlery Collection. Or take a look at the State Opera House, visit the Tomb of the Emperors in the crypt of the Capuchin Church, or visit one of the symbols of Vienna - St. Stefan.
For lunch, try Viennese cuisine in one of the small restaurants, so-called "beiseli", in the old part of the city; In summer, the best place is to go to the "schanigarten", as in Vienna they usually call the tables of an open-air restaurant. Some hotels in Vienna also offer very good Viennese cuisine.
Afternoon: Imperial Splendor
Spend half a day on Schönbrunn: visit the palace, the former summer residence of the Habsburgs, with its luxurious rooms.
Wander through the spacious Palace Park. View the magnificent carriages from the Historic Carriage Collection. Or admire exotic plants in the Palm Conservatory. On Glorieta you can have a cup of coffee while enjoying stunning views of the city.
This was our first trip to Austria and its capital - Vienna. Since Vienna is full of attractions and museums, you should plan at least a week to explore it. We only had 3 full days
, during which we were able to walk around the historical center and look into a couple of museums.
I must admit that I was not prepared for the fact that there are so many places to see and visit in Vienna. I received basic information about Vienna on the official website of Viennese tourism vienna.info: I looked at the list of attractions, prices for entrance tickets, opening hours of museums and the calendar of events. We didn’t have any booklets or guides for Vienna; I expected to pick them up at the information center upon arrival. Vienna centers tourist information
located at the airport, at the railway station, we went to the central one at Albertinaplatz. The most useful thing we managed to get was a map of Vienna and a magazine in Russian, “Vienna Now or Never.” If you are traveling to Vienna for the first time, it is better to sightsee systematically. To walk around the historical center of Vienna, use my map with descriptions. Walking routes in Vienna 2 routes for 2 days. The number of monumental buildings in Vienna is amazing. The Austrian Empire in its heyday created real masterpieces of architecture. Most of them are built around the perimeter "» - Garden Ring Ringstrasse street
. You can go around this ring by tourist tram or, as we did, by two regular city trams (No. 1 and No. 2 with a transfer). For trips around Vienna and sightseeing, I advise you to buy Vienna card . We had one like this tourist map
for 3 days (72 hours). I considered the benefits of using it in the article Vienna Card or Vienna Public Transport Pass? In addition to architecture,. Here you will have to choose, since visiting large museums takes a lot of time, and entrance tickets are not cheap. We chose the Belvedere and the Sigmund Freud Museum. Initially, I wanted to spend more time in parks and outside, but we were unlucky with the weather - half of our stay in Vienna was raining and strong winds were blowing. In such cases, a trip to the museum becomes especially desirable.
Gazebo consists of 2 parts: Upper and Lower. We bought a combined ticket. It seemed to me that all the most interesting things are in the Upper Belvedere. Particular attention is drawn to the room with the famous painting by Gustav Klimt “The Kiss”. This painting is displayed on a separate completely black wall, the gold colors shine against this background. I love the impressionists, so it was interesting to see paintings by Monet and Van Gogh. We bought a fan with a fragment of a Klimt painting in a museum store.
Sigmund Freud Museum is located in his former Viennese apartment. I wanted to go to this museum because I studied the theory of psychoanalysis at the Faculty of Psychology of the University. When the Nazis entered Vienna, Freud, being a Jew, was forced to leave for England. He took the entire contents of his apartment with him to London. Freud traveled a lot; in one of the rooms there are excerpts from his letters home from different countries. At the entrance to the museum they give an audio guide, there is a Russian language.
Among the sights of Vienna, the most memorable visit was Karlskirche. Admission ticket Quite expensive (€10.00), but we had a 50% discount with the Vienna Card. Inside you can climb to the very top, to the frescoes. There is an elevator built right in the middle of the church, and a staircase leads from the top platform to the dome.
Another one interesting church - Peterskirche. On weekdays at 15:00 it gives free organ concerts. We came and listened to the organ and choir for an hour. Donations are left at the exit (optional), but I think this is a mandatory thank you for the wonderful concert, you can donate any amount at your discretion. I really liked it.
From what else must do in Vienna: drink coffee with Zaher cake, have lunch in Heuriger, try ice cream in Eissalon.
3 days is very little for Vienna. I would like to come again and not rush anywhere.
Its history is surprisingly rich. The Romans, barbarians, and knights brought special notes to the sound of Vienna. This European capital has been through a lot. All this was reflected in her image, which is captured in the photo by each of her guests.
Graceful park ensembles, museums, galleries - these are not all that make up the flavor of the ancient place. Vienna managed to preserve its identity. Thanks to the diverse opera houses, solemn churches, monumental avenues, elegant squares, the city amazes with its richness. However, even such a multifaceted Vienna could not avoid standards and stereotypes. The city is often associated with coffee, schnitzel and apple strudel. On the streets of the city there are many cozy cafes offering these delicacies. This European capital is often associated with the names of Strauss and Mozart. However, this is precisely what brings special charm and sophistication to her image.
When is the best time to go on vacation to Vienna?
The climate of Vienna is called subalpine, that is, temperate. Summer here is quite long and hot. As for the winter months, they are cold. Vienna traditionally receives a lot of snow. However, a peculiar business card European capital is the predominance of winds.
Concerning tourist season, then, according to reviews from travelers, it starts in April. Its duration is quite long - until mid-autumn. It is believed that the best time to walk around Vienna, explore its streets and see its sights is in early autumn or late spring.
Prices for tours to Vienna
When going to Vienna, it is worth considering that the cost of the tour may vary. It all depends on the season. Naturally, during the high season, ticket prices will be slightly more expensive. Many tourists look for hot deals, but using them is not always profitable. Early booking- this is the most acceptable option. It allows you to find the most profitable flights, calmly pack your suitcase, complete all the documents and choose a hotel room.
Types of recreation. What to do in Vienna?
Vienna is unique place. Thousands of tourists come here every year not only to see with their own eyes the ancient sights, the history of which goes back several centuries. Shopping in the Austrian capital is especially profitable. Once in this city, around the boutiques and shopping centers Even those travelers who are indifferent to new things are definitely worth a stroll.
Deserves special attention local kitchen. When you come to Vienna on vacation, you shouldn’t deny yourself tasting traditional Austrian delicacies.
Shopping
Vienna has many shops. You can buy luxury items there. Brand boutiques are concentrated within the Graben, Lohlmarkt, Karntner Strasse. Other streets full of boutiques and sales centers include Landstra, Favoritenstra, Mariahilfer and Meidlinger Hauptstra. Design outlets are located on Margaretenstrasse. The Samstag boutique is especially popular among young people.
Antique lovers can find a lot of interesting things in the Dorotheum. It is considered the largest auction house in Europe.
Gastronomic tourism
Vienna's calling card is rich coffee. All bars, restaurants and cafes serve the most unusual varieties of tart drink. To experience the entire culinary flavor of the city, it is worth visiting a local sandwich shop. The ancient spirit of Trzesniewski is indescribable. It's also worth checking out the shanigartens. These open cafes have a special charm. Staying there is incredibly relaxing.
Culinary tourism is incomplete without taking a look at the heurigers. These city restaurants are presented in the format of wine taverns. Many of them are located on the outskirts, as well as in the areas of Stammersdorf and Grinzing.
Vienna is a city full of attractions. Once here, you shouldn't stay in hotel apartments, although local hotels quite up to the level of decorating the city. Numerous sightseeing tours tours of the Austrian capital will be unforgettable. It will seem difficult to get around all these objects during one trip of standard duration.
Beaches and their types
There are many beaches in the capital of Austria. The oldest of them is called “Gänsehäufel”. It is located on the old Danube. Many beaches are located on the Danube Island. They are all different. Among them there are pebble, sandy, and even grassy ones. However, they all differ in convenience and coziness.
Here you can rent a boat, surfing equipment, and a pedalo. Vienna's beaches are also equipped with restaurants and cafes. By the way, there is also a nudist beach in the Austrian capital.
The sandy beach is located not in the capital itself, but in Baden. It is not just a recreational facility, but a whole complex of entertainment.
Sights of Vienna
Since the Austrian capital has a long history, it offers travelers a special perspective. Here you will find it interesting to take a look at the numerous museums, galleries and theaters. Each of the attractions is unique and has a special history. It is not surprising that tourists who have once visited Vienna return here again to explore every corner of the city.
Gazebo
The luxurious and sophisticated palace complex is located in the heart of Vienna. It was built in the 18th century as summer residence famous commander. The complex was created in the spirit of exquisite Baroque. It is decorated with a marble gallery and luxurious frescoes. The palace has luxurious apartments, a classic stable and a huge hall.
Vienna Woods
Visit Vienna Woods assumes large-scale excursion route. It involves a visit to the Cistercian monastery, Lichtenstein ( medieval castle), the village of Mayerling, where there is a hunting lodge belonging to the Habsburg dynasty. You can also explore the Helenenthal valley and take a walk along the underground lake.
Hofburg
The key attraction of Vienna is the Hofburg. This is the residence of the Habsburgs, which they visited in winter. Today, this landmark is designated as the official residence of the current president of the country. The complex is striking in its scale. On the territory of the residence there are 2,600 rooms, apartments and halls. What’s remarkable is that modern tourists can admire the iconic landmark in almost its original form, which has survived to this day since the 19th century.
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