The French Croissant was Actually Created in this Austrian City
And the French also didn’t make the French fry. . .
As I continued to bounce around from capital city to capital city, the road in Eastern Europe led back to the west.
I arrived in Vienna, Austria with my friend. The bus ride there was nice. Only about five hours in total from Budapest, Hungary. We had a quick stop in Slovakia’s capital city, Bratislava.
Hostel
When we arrived in Vienna, Kaddi and I went to our hostel to drop off our luggage. We stayed at HI Hostel which was about $19 per night. I do not recommend staying here.
The vibe was bad. There are too many rules, horrible WiFi, uncomfortable beds, and not your typical backpacking crowd. There were more older folks.
Food
We met up with another friend in Unplugged. There, dinner is affordable. The pizza was around $7, the beer was around $4.
Another night, we went to Cosmopolitan, a restaurant in the middle of the city center. I got traditional Austrian Goulash and dumplings ($10).
Nightlife
We made our own pub crawl around the city center. Here’s where we went:
Café Benno
We went to Café Benno, a nice bar/café a little bit outside of the center of the city. Their beer was reasonably priced at $4/pint.
They offered board games and a private room that made me feel like we were inside a room of a log cabin. We stayed there for quite a while playing cards.
Dick Mack’s, Pickwicks, Kitsch, & White Rabbit
We went to an Irish pub, Dick Mack’s, before going to three more pubs; Pickwicks, Kitsch, and White Rabbit. They all had different vibes to them which gave the night a little bit of zest.
- Pickwicks happy hour: 10–12pm every day
- Kitsch drink deal: $3 vodka drinks all weekend
Schönbrunn Palace
The next day, we went to check out the Schönbrunn Palace where Kaiser Franz and Sissi lived for many years. It was breathtaking from the front side. And only got more beautiful around back.
It had the most stunningly maintained gardens I’ve ever seen. Fountains, and a big hill showing off the best view of the city.
Sightseeing
In the following days, we attended concerts on back-to-back nights. So, we were scraping for inexpensive things to do during the day.
The Hundertwasser House, which I was actually most excited about, was disappointing.
The house needs a new paint job. The growth of the roof-top garden, although a nice initiative, obstructs the view of the art.
We stopped at the Belvedere Palaces, too. It was my favorite sight of Vienna. It is a beautiful area and a must-see.
Later, we took a stroll through Weiner Reisenrad park for a bit.
Other attractions, bars, and restaurants. . .
- Hofburg Palace — Baroque palace with museums.
- St. Stephen’s Cathedral — city icon in the middle of the city center.
- Prater — amusement park.
- Museumsquartier — A baroque district with museums.
- Kolar — can get lunch/dinner and a beer for under $13.
- The Sign — voted the best bar in Vienna two years in a row.
It was a relaxing few days, but I found myself getting bored of Vienna. It is one of the cleanest, most beautiful cities I’ve ever been to. Still, it lacks character. And inexpensive or alternative attractions.
I would go back to Vienna, but only if I had a reason for it. It truly is a great city but not the most exciting place to visit in the region.
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** This article was originally published at www.adamcheshier.com **
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