Typically we try to cover as much ground as possible, but this trip, we tried to leisurely enjoy our time without feeling rushed to do everything. To do that, my hubby and I identified 2-3 things we each wanted to do, and built the rest of the time around what we felt like doing in the moment. It gave us the satisfaction of checking off the boxes while living in the moment.
Here were the top experiences we enjoyed the most and one we really 'in the moment' find we loved.
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Stradpark was often compared to NY's Central Park in many of the reviews I saw. While it is a smaller version, it was a lovely park by any standards. You have a few vendors and cafes, plenty of green space, nicely paved walking paths and plenty of green space where people were sprawled out by the many benches throughout.
Disclaimer, one of the reasons we probably enjoyed this park so much was because it was conveniently located across from where we were staying (Sofitel Hotel) and it was a nice place to stretch our legs (we love taking walks) at the beginning and end of our days. Also, quick access to Stradtpark Underground station was super convenient. The park access to left and right of this structure one of the things I loved about Vienna is how easy the metro is to navigate. Coming from NYC, a huge bonus is how CLEAN it is as well.
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The reviews for Prater seemed a bit mixed and more geared toward families, but we loved it nonetheless. We went on a Sat night which I think was key. The place was full of couples, families and teenagers hanging out in groups. It was a lot bigger than I thought with dozens of rides, lots of food stalls and a few cafes,. Overall, the place was buzzing with a clean, fun, energetic vibe. We walked around, rode the ferris wheel and ate at Schweizerhaus to try their pork knuckle (yum) and a few Budweiser (not the American brand) beers. It was a fun night!
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The Stephen's Cathedral is beautiful and in the main touristy square. This is an area that is busy all the time and especially fun to walk around at night. Great place for photo ops, walking distance to the famous Hotel Sacher Wien where they serve their world famous Sacher Torte dessert, with plenty of shops & souvenirs stores in between. Also strewn throughout are these stalls that sell Vienna sausages in french style baguettes.
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Vienna is known for their amazing museums and the one we made a point of visiting was the Belvedere Museum because I wanted to see "The Kiss" by Gustav Klimt in-person. It was a small museum that could be done in an hour which left plenty of time to walk the grounds or move onto other things. Photo above taken from the window on the 2nd floor of the Gustav Museum.
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Schronnbrunn Palace was the one palace we toured both the inside and outside. This was the imperial palace and summer residence of the Hofsburg family. The grounds are massive and you can easily spend a full day here while accumulating thousands of steps. Wear comfortable shoes!
We did the extended self guided tour and while it was nice, personally, I think the shorter tour would have been fine for us. You aren't allowed to take photos and by the 15th room you get the point. The family was rich...really rich, but material things don't equate to happy lives. Anyway, in addition to the self guided tour, we purchased access to complete the maze. The dorky me really had fun doing this. It was easy to to navigate, a nice 'different' experience and the whole area (3 mini mazes) took us about 45 minutes at a leisure pace with photos. (photo below)
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This is a bit off the beaten path and something we were happy to stumble upon. We took a stroll along the Danube during the day and went back at night which was a lot more fun. We targeted the Tel Aviv Beach as a destination and it was the perfect spot. It was a Friday night and sometime around 9 when we headed out to see what this place was all about. The canal was lined with couples, small groups of people across just hanging out. The locals were well prepared - many of which looked like there were in the twenties who had come prepared with blankets to sit on with bottles of wine or beer, sipping and catching up with friends. We bought a couple of beers from Tel Aviv Beach to take with us as we strolled along the Danube until we found a spot to sit down.
The canal was lined with people, cyclists and we saw a teenager tagging a wall. We like street art and it was fun seeing the different wall art, feeling like we were blending in with the locals and the safe, relaxing vibe of the night.
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