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All my Vienna 2014 vacation photos

(click on a thumbnail for that day’s photos)

All my posts on this vacation:

And here’s the Google Map with a collection of things to see and places to eat/drink:

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Wien – Day 5 “Seen too much”

Early morning start, my last full day in Vienna. I was planning to catch a performance of the Original Hoch- und Deutschmeister band at 10:45 on the corner of Kohlmarkt and Graben. Unfortunately, due to the weather (it was once again raining!), their performance was cancelled. I guess another lazy breakfast was in order, this time at Café Korb. And as the weather did not improve, I made my way over to Karlsplatz for a visit to the Wien Museum where they had a great exhibit: The Metropolis Experiment – Vienna and the 1873 World Exhibition.

After 5 days in the city, I guess I was all “looked out”: I had seen so many great and wonderful things, I found that I was simply tired. One last (long) ride on tram #1, a rainy walk through the Prater forest and some final photos of the Riesenrad: this city is great, but it was time to say goodbye.

Another stop at a good café, right next door to my appartment, and I was done.

All my posts on this vacation:

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Wien – Day 4 “Taking it easy”

The promise of another rainy day made me start with a lazy breakfast at Café Griensteidl on the Michaelerplatz (right at the Hofburg). A short walk and I was at the Heldenplatz again in front of the Neue Burg: obligatory photos taken of course!

From there, and I had seen her already earlier this week, I went into the Volksgarten to see if I could take any photos of the monument for Empress Elisabeth. Such white marble! A quick trip home and from there back to visit the Secession because I wanted to see Gustav Klimt’s Beethoven Frieze: again very impressive and gorgeous!

Weeks before I left for my week in Vienna, I had already started to create a list of places I wanted to visit, cafés I wanted to eat breakfast at, and restaurants I wanted to try. For lunch I went to a place called Heuer am Karlsplatz: service took a bit long, but it was well worth it. One of the best Caesar Salads I have eaten in a long time!

After lunch, the rain was back. The quickest way to shelter from all that wetness? Go into a church. Previously, I did not visit the Stephansdom, but now it seemed like a good idea! The inside of this church was not quite to my liking and you could get lost in all the tourist groups ambling around. Still, as churches/cathedrals go, this one still has the most awesome roof!

All my posts on this vacation:

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Wien – Day 3 “And it never stopped raining”

And it will
Rain rain
Go away, go away
Rain rain
Come back again another day
[Rain by Terence Trent D’Arby]

The weather gods promised rain and they delivered! I tried to stay inside as much as I could, but as in the morning the weather report mentioned “light” rain, I decided to do some outside photography where I could. As I had not yet visited the two other Otto Wagner Ubahn stations, I went out on U4 and hit them both: Stadtpark station and Hietzing station (near Schloss Schönbrunn).

Wet and hungry, lunch consisted of a hearty smoke cured pork with lentils: great stuff and accompanied by a glass of nice Grüner Veltliner.

My afternoon activity (and because the rain seemed to be coming down even more!) was a visit to the Prunksaal der Hofburg of the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek. Oh my word, such decoration: some times, enough is enough. After seeing this tempel to the written word, you can see why the next big art movement here in Vienna was all about “less is more” and how design should be slightly more functional.

More rain and more stops just to get warm and a bit dry, I ended up having a nice Österreichisches meal at the university brewery restaurant. Great beer, dark bread and a proper sausage: a good deal!

All my posts on this vacation:

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Wien – Day 2 “Monuments”

More to see, and more to enjoy the summer weather: the clouds are gathering and the promise of rain is upon the city!

Apart from a morning visit to see the Lippizaner horses train at the Spanische Hofreitschule, I spent as much of this second day outside as I could.

Lunch this time: just a simple sandwich in the Stadtpark, surrounded by statues of well-known composers.

Dinner however: BBQ on the Donaukanal. A great portion of pulled pork with kimchi and red cabbage, accompanied by a nice pale ale.

All my posts on this vacation:

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Wien – Day 1 “Otto Wagner”

Vacation 2014: again, a week in Vienna, the city that caught my attention and heart when I visited two years ago (do a search on my blog, loads of posts available about that trip!).

I started the day without a clear plan, just walk into the city and let’s see what happens.

city bike ftw!
city bike ftw!

I picked up a city bike and went around town, just following my nose. A morning tea break at Diglas, then back on a city bike. Lunch was a few slices decked with great spreads by the famous Trześniewski restaurant-bar. As the weather was gorgeous, sitting in the Volksgarten was just the perfect place.

Back on the road, I checked out the guided tours for the Spanische Hofreitschule: tours were fully booked, but tomorrow at 10AM, I will see their training session (with music, no less!).

Walking around, I’m slowly getting used to the city again, although my sense of direction isn’t completely functional yet! As it was fairly warm and humid today, another break was called for: reading and a tall glass of Apfelschorle at Café Sperl.

Next up was the beginning of an Otto Wagner inspired afternoon. Alongside the Naschmarkt, on the Linke Wienzeile are two buildings from the hand of Otto Wagner: numbers 38 and 40. And they are gorgeous! Followed up of course by the ever enchanting Secession building (not quite by Wagner, but wonderful and impressive: it was the start of the new Vienna). And to end this great afternoon: Otto Wagner’s Karlsplatz pavilion. So much beauty!

All my posts on this vacation:

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Planning My Trips: Tips, Tricks and Google!

[x_toc title=”Contents” type=”right” columns=”1″]
[x_toc_item title=”Paris 2015″ page=”2″]
[x_toc_item title=”Berlin 2015″ page=”3″]
[x_toc_item title=”Vienna 2014″ page=”4″]
[x_toc_item title=”Paris 2014″ page=”5″]
[x_toc_item title=”Berlin 2013″ page=”6″]
[x_toc_item title=”Vienna 2012″ page=”7″]
[/x_toc]

[x_custom_headline type=”center” level=”h2″ looks_like=”h3″ accent=”true”]Updates[/x_custom_headline]
Update: September 23, 2015 – Added Paris 2015
Update: July 8, 2015 – Added Vienna 2014 and Paris 2014 foursquare lists
Update: May 31, 2015 – Added Berlin 2015 and split Vienna 2014 from 2012; reversed order of cities, according to date

When I’m planning a trip (especially longer vacations), I always read up on the place I’m going to visit. Roughguides, DK Eyewitness Travel guides, Wikipedia and Google: my friends in planning.
While I read, I also keep spreadsheets and google maps where I mark all the addresses and places that catch my fancy.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
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Where shall I go this Summer?

Leonieke-NetPlanning a trip, checking it twice: preperation is almost always have the fun!

But where to go this year?

In the past two years, I have visited Vienna, Berlin and Paris, which other European cities are beckoning me?

Update

And I’m planning my trip! Because I fell in love with the city two years ago, I am working on the details for another week in Vienna. This time, I’ll be going in September, hoping the temperatures will be a bit lower than when I was there in June/July!

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Keukenhof: My Annual Visit

Planning my visit to the Keukenhof this year was very dependent on the weather. Last week – gorgeous and warm: great for walking around in a park filled with flowers. This week? Cold, windy and wet: what to do? I did not want to leave my visit too late, because with all the previous warm weather, the tulips (and other bulb flowers) would just grow and wilt away. Yet, walking around outside when it’s cold, windy and wet: not so charming!

Today I took the chance: no rain, not too much wind and there was even a chance of some sunshine. Working from home in the morning, after lunch I took the train and bus to get to the park.

Filled as always with foreign tourists, I noticed that there were plenty of countrymen visiting today as well. Most of them over a certain age: it was fairly crowded. Also, it seems I’m not the only one carrying a camera. At times it seemed as if people were competing with the size of their lenses1.

Weaving my way around all those lenses, I zoomed in on tulips: perfect tulips and wilted tulips, they are always captivating!

After walking around for about two hours, I had enough. Both the throngs of people and the flowers were too much for my senses. On my way back to the trainstation I thought that I might just skip next year. After all, how many tulips can you handle?

For my previous visits (and photos), please check this overview post: The Keukenhof is open again.