Wien, September 8-14, 2014

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Photo album: https://leoniekephotos.nl/s/public/vienna-2014

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, 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!

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!

Day 2 Monuments

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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.

Day 3 … and it never stopped raining

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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!

Day 4 Taking it easy

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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 a_ond 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!

Day 5 Seen too much

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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.

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