vienna

Vienna: Schonbrunn Palace

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This is my final post on Vienna, but I saved the best for last. We were staying a little way out from the city centre, but the upside to this was that we were within walking distance of the Schonbrunn Palace. This was formerly the summer palace of the royal family but is now a museum and park. The park and gardens are free to visit – but there is an entry charge for the rooms inside the palace as well as some other parts of the grounds, including a zoo.

I’ve never seen anything like this before. The gardens took hours to explore and there were surprises round every corner, but the palace itself completely took my breath away. We loved it so much that on our last day when we had a couple of hours spare before we had to be at the airport, we went back for more. 

I wanted to experience a classical concert whilst I was in Vienna so I opted to go to one of the nightly concerts held at the Schonbrunn in the Orangerie – where Mozart himself once performed. It was a little pricey, but an unforgettable experience.

Cream Top: Zara
Cream Shorts: Warehouse
Navy Playsuit: Vaudeville and Burlesque via Urban Outfitters
Sunglasses: F&F
Shoes: Primark
Bag: Jane Shilton at TK Maxx

Vienna: A Walk Around Town

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There is so much to see in Vienna that we could never have hoped to fit it all in with just 4 days there. So here are a few snapshots of things we saw while walking around town. We took in the up-market shopping district (where I did much window-gazing), followed by some beautiful gardens. Then the Rathaus (town hall), the Austrian Parliament building and the slightly controversial Liberation Monument. We tried to fit in the Belvedere as well, but sadly ran out of time.

After all that walking we were pretty hungry so we headed to Cafe Diglas for dinner. Tucked away down a side street near to Stephansdom it wasn’t as busy as other eateries, but I would definitely recommend a visit. The cafe dates back to the fifties and we noticed many locals visiting for a slice of cake and a natter. We ate traditional Austrian dishes and relaxed while the pianist played some of my favourite songs. (One thing to note if you are lucky enough to visit – they don’t take card payments, only cash.)

Top: F&F (previously seen here)
Vest: Primark
Shorts: ASOS Tall
Sunglasses F&F

(Side note: Any photos of me were very kindly taken by my lovely travel-buddy.)

Vienna: Stephansdom and Sacher Torte

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There are many, many delicious cakes on offer in Vienna. However, I was most looking forward to trying Sacher Torte – which was invented in the city.

Sacher Torte is a chocolate cake made to a secret recipe and sandwiched using apricot jam. As a girl who has eaten a LOT of chocolate cake over the years, I’d say this is definitely worth the hype.

After exploring Stephansdom (and a nearby bavarian market) we headed to The Hotel Sacher to try out Austria’s most famous cake in the place where it was first conceived.

Vienna: The Spanish Riding School and Hofburg Palace

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There was so much to see in Vienna that it would be impossible to fit it all into one post so let me start with showing you guys The Spanish Riding School and the Hofburg Palace.

The Spanish Riding School was #1 on my list of things to see in Vienna. We were lucky enough to book tickets to one of the last shows before the stallions have their annual summer break. It’s a place steeped in tradition and it completely lived up to all my expectations.

The Museum’s quarter in Vienna was formerly the imperial stables, but the horses are now stabled across from the Spanish Riding School. There is so much to see and do in Vienna, but with the weather being so glorious we spent most of our time outdoors taking in all the beautiful sights. (I have every intention of going back one winter to explore inside the many museums and palaces.) The Spanish Riding School was pretty much the only time we spent indoors – as well as the show we also booked onto the Behind the Scenes Tour of the facilities, which is worth doing. It’s prohibited to take pictures of the horses at any time (for good reason) but I did manage to get a sneaky shot of the stable cat!

Positive Vibes

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1) First things first, I am buying this t-shirt.

2) I’m visiting Vienna right now but I’ve already started planning my next adventure and I’m sure this guide to booking cheap flights will come in very handy.

3) Crossing my fingers that we have a great summer and I get to experience one of these alfresco restaurants in my favourite city.

4) Being inspired by The Tall Mama to help the Wrap with Love cause.

5) The fact that Ben and Jerry’s now have Cheesecake Brownie Ice Cream.