Ahhh, Vienna… I think this has to be in the top 5 of favourite cities in Europe. With winter drawing in, the cosiness of the Christmas lights and warmth coming from within restaurants and other buildings was so welcoming. The people were friendly, the transport was good and easy to navigate, and the whole atmosphere in the city was just buzzing.
So here we are, a guide to winter in Vienna…
Where to stay
I stayed at Wombat’s City Hostel Vienna Naschmarkt. It cost £82 for 3 nights in an ensuite 6-bed female dorm room. The room was very spacious and clean, the beds were comfortable and the bathroom was modern and clean. I guess the only “issue” in the room was that there are no lockers – it didn’t bother me but I know that some people prefer to lock their belongings away. The hostel is located close to a metro station and within walking distance to Wein Train Station (the main train station in Vienna) and the city centre.
What to do in Vienna
There are, of course, lots you can do in Vienna. Here are a few suggestions of what you can do…
Schönbrunn Palace
While I didn’t go into the palace, I did have a walk around the vast grounds. As it was winter, the trees were bare and there weren’t the usual colourful flowers adorning the gardens but you could picture how stunning it would be with everything in full bloom in the spring and summer. Tickets into the palace with an audio guide are around €30 (there are several different tickets and types of tour so just double check the website for which one you’d like).
Vienna Zoo
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Located within the vast grounds of Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna Zoo is enormous and is one of the nicest zoos I’ve been to. Entrance to the zoo costs €27 for adults. There are multiple entrances and exits so make sure you pick up a zoo map and take note of which entrance you came in so you don’t miss out on anything. There are your typical zoo animals such as tigers, lions, elephants, but there are other amazing animals such as cheetahs, giant pandas and even a polar bear!! You can spend hours here exploring and the entry ticket is valid for a full day.
Christmas Markets
I love Christmas and when I booked my Europe trip, I immediately noted when each of the Christmas markets started in each place. I must say, the Vienna Christmas Markets are fantastic. There are several different markets, I went to three;
Marie-Theresien-Platz
Rathausplatz
Schönbrunn Palace
Each of the markets was slightly different but each had a mix of craft/gift stalls and food and drink stalls. My favourite market was probably Rathausplatz, it’s the biggest market and has so many stalls to check out as well as fair rides and a Christmas light trail. It was just fantastic! Whichever market you go to, you have got to try Glühwein (hot mulled wine) – although make sure you eat before and/or with it because that stuff is strong!
Or you could also take a day trip to another country… to hear more about this, keep an eye out for the next blog…
I really enjoyed visiting Vienna and I would 100% go back to visit the Christmas markets again or go during summer. Vienna is a really nice city with good transport links and a great variety of things to do.
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