Vienna is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, and the best part is - it is beautiful whatever the season is, and you can find interesting things to do no matter what the season is.
This was a girls trip for me, I went to Vienna last September with my friend Agnese, and we had a blast! It this post I will talk about things you can manage to do in Vienna in 3 days without any rush. Let’s go!
Where to eat and drink
We had the best weather - it was +25 degrees celsius in the middle of September. So outdoor cafes were a must! We really enjoyed Cafe Mozart which is next to the Vienna Opera for breakfast. With fancy dressed waiters, elegant dishes and the best view. Very ‘Vienna'.
Another favourite was Cafe Opera - outside seating area next to Opera house. We went there a couple of times, especially when we were heading back to our hotel after a long day. We just sat there and talked, watched people passing by. Wine was pretty cheap for a European city - just 3.50 euros for a glass.
You MUST visit DO&CO hotel’s Onyx bar - it has THE BEST view over St. Stephens Cathedral (see a photo below) The interior is just perfect. We had a coffee and a glass of prosecco. I cannot remember the price of the coffee, but I clearly remember that a glass of processo was 8 euros. Not that cheap, but totally worth it. I recommend going there as soon as the bar opens to get the best tables - 11 am.
Palmenhaus is also an amazing place - very unique and it has a retro vibe. The waiters are really funny, and they will make fun of you if you will try to make the perfect Insta-pic, but don't mind them - those are just some friendly laughs. You can get a very delicious breakfast there.
Amusement park
Wiener-prater is the coolest place! It is an amusement park a little bit outside the city. I felt like a child again - giggling and trying to win stuffed animals. There is NO entry fee. You must only paid for the rides separately. We went on two rides. I believe they costed 4 or 5 euros each. There are also a lot of cafes, shops, there is music everywhere. Such a fun place! We got there by metro from Karlsplatz station in just a few minutes.
Transportation
We only used metro from and to the airport. And also from and to the Wiener Prater amusement park. Elsewhere we just walked around. Metro is very easy to use and in my opinion - very affordable. You can get to the city centre from the airport for 4.20 eur. You will have to take 2 trains though - you’ll have to hop off at Wien Mitte train station, and from there go either to Karlsplatz or Stephansplatz. The first one is where the opera is, and the second one in where the cathedral is located.
Belvedere museum
A place where there is not only one, but two beautiful palaces! It is one of Europe’s most stunning Baroque landmarks. This ensemble - comprising the Upper and Lower Belvedere and a gorgeous garden is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. I highly recommend this place - either you want to go inside and look at the gorgeous details or to just walk around the garden - it is worth it. The price of the ticket to enter the museum is 16 euros. But the garden is for free. We walked here from the city centre - it is not far at all.
Wiener Staats-oper
Ohh.. This is my favourite place in Vienna. The opera house is just wonderful. Impressive. There’s nothing like it. I first saw it 6 years ago when I visited Vienna for the first time. That time I got to go inside and see a performance. The inside is very beautiful, but outside is even more impressive in my opinion. There is this viewing platform (if you can call it that) from Albertina museum - you go up the stairs and you get to see the most gorgeous view over opera house. If you go there in the morning, there will be almost no people, if you go in the afternoon or in the evening - there will be plenty of people trying to get the best photos. We went there several times, because our hotel was super close to this site. I could stare at this stunning view for hours! Such a nice place to just sit and relax. P.S There is this super cute kiosk between Albertina and Wiener Staats-oper where you can get food and drinks. The line is always super long there, but totally worth the wait. It was so funny and also so nice to drink wine from a mug with this beautiful view. You should try it!
Where to stay?
I just mentioned that our hotel was very close to the opera house - and it really was. It is called Motel One Wien-Staatsoper and it is located right next to the opera - in the middle of the city centre. The perfect location! I am not sure why is it called motel (maybe because of the simple concept, simple breakfast etc) but it is just wonderful! I first stumbled upon one of these motels when I was looking for a place to stay in Amsterdam. These motels are located in a lot of European cities, including Paris, Munich, Zurich, Barcelona. If there is one where I am going - I am going to choose to stay there. It is not expensive at all. 320 euros for 3 nights in the centre of Vienna. Other hotels around the same area were 500 euros and more. It is right next to a metro station so you can easily access it from the airport. Couldn't recommend this hotel enough!