From Grand architecture to cafe culture, VIENNA OFFERS MY ROMANTIC EUROPEAN DREAM

The capital and largest city of Austria, Vienna has a history of attracting intellectuals and artists. It is known as The City of Music because it was home to many of the great composers - like Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms- and as The City of Dreams because it was the home of Sigmund Freud. A short walk through Vienna’s Old City and a coffee at one of its famous cafes - and you too might find yourself inspired to answer one of life’s thornier questions.

Unfortunately I seem to have gotten food poisoning halfway through my stay, so I didn’t have the energy to get to all the nooks and crannies that I’d planned. Nonetheless, I found Vienna offered all the European romance that many people dream of in a trip to Paris - luxurious cafes, magnificent architecture, and a general charm where you come to believe you can be anything.

For anyone who yearns to sit at an opulent cafe, eating a pastry, staring out at magnificent architecture while dreaming of what could be - Vienna is perfect for you. Especially if Paris is too big, too expensive, or otherwise not your cup of tea, Vienna provides a smaller, more affordable, and in my opinion cleaner alternative.

STROLL VIENNA’S OLD CITY (Innere Stadt)

The entirety of Old City Vienna is a world heritage site - through it’s currently listed as at risk because of a planned high-rise development. Here, you’ll find highly pedestrian streets surrounded by fine, opulent architecture - including the Vienna Opera House and St. Stephen’s Cathedral - and plenty of luxurious 19th century cafes.

In the mid-19th century the city walls were torn down and replaced with a road, Ringstraße, which was built up to include several of the most famous attractions of Vienna - Rathausplatz (a park with city hall), The Hofburg Palafce, and the mirror museums of the Museum of Natural History and Kunsthistoriesches (Fine Art) Museum.

The Old City is not too big, so it’s an area you can explore fairly aimlessly without missing any of the major sites.

EXPLORE Schönbrunn GARDENS

A bit out of center city, Schönbrunn is a massive, luxurious baroque summer palace with an enormous garden - including the world’s first zoo inside. I would budget at least a few hours to walk through the garden - and if it’s a warm day to bring plenty of water.

OTHER THINGS TO DO

Vienna is a major city and a cultural center of Europe, so you’ll have plenty to do. Here are some of the most common:

• Catch a Show: Vienna is world famous for opera and music generally, so if you get the opportunity, grab tickets to see a show at the Vienna Opera House. If you find affordable tickets, this can actually be cheaper way to see the interior than a tour.

• Check out a Palace Museum: The Hofburg and Belvedere Palaces are both open to explore and host museums (silver and art respectively).

• Or Any Other Museum: Vienna is home to more than 100 art museums alone - so you have plenty of options. Some of the most famous museums are the Natural History and Fine Art museums.

• Eat at Naschmarkt: This is a mile long outdoor market that is about half sit-down restaurants - and also includes the classic produce and to-go food stands that you’d expect.

Vienna is one of those cities where the charm is in just being in the right spot, though, so I’d not pack your days and give yourself plenty of time to pause when the mood strikes.