36 hours in Vienna

Only have a long weekend in Vienna? Not sure how to fit everything in?

Here is my cheat sheet to spending two days in the vibrant capital of Austria, full of incredible architecture and delicious food.

Accomodation

Firstly, I recommend staying in Wombat's hostel - it has a good location right next to the Nachstmarket, and the rooms are clean! It is easy to access the rest of Vienna from here, although the city is fairly small so this shouldn't be much of a problem anywhere. It has a large kitchen space with plenty of seating options, breakfast for a price, and a lovely bar area with decently-priced pints and a social atmosphere.

When choosing your hostel, look at the reviews, the location, and the activities on offer. Find one that matches your personality - you're much more likely to find other people you will get on with that way!

Activities

One thing I cannot recommend enough, is attending an orchestral concert in one of the gorgeous churches throughout Vienna. We went to Vivaldi's Four Seasons in St Charles' Church and had an incredible evening, the music was brilliant and the church was stunning. I'd definitely go again.

There is lots of sightseeing in Vienna - mainly through the architectural lens.

Schonnbrun Palace and Belvedere Palace are two main attractions just outside the city centre, however I recommend not going in the autumn because it meant the gardens were unkept! The view from Schonnbrun however was still incredible.

The Cathedral in the city centre stands out among modern, high-end shops. It is an incredible feat of architecture and the roof tiles are beautifully placed, creating a pattern rather than just one solid colour. Definitely surprising to see such incredible work right next to a Zara!

Getting Around

The metro is simple to use in Vienna. I have one hint - use the S7 to get to the airport and back. It takes 22 minutes, instead of the 16 of the Airport CAT, but it is over 10 euros cheaper. I spent 4€50¢ to get to the airport from the hostel, compared to my friend who took the CAT on the way into the city for 17€, and then a taxi back to the airport at the end of the trip for 30€. Each to their own - just letting you know the prices!

The metro itself requires a ticket, and although there are no ticket inspectors or barriers, its important to buy a ticket and validate it before travel. One-way costs 2€40 and can be bought from machines in the stations. You can buy a 24 or 48 hour pass if you think you will use public transport enough to make it worth it! Personally, I think everything is walking distance, save a few palaces or walking at night - then its comfier to get the metro.

Food

As always, some of the main attractions in Vienna revolve around food. I personally love burek, to the point of having an unhealthy obsession with the spinach filled pastry, and was delighted to find these on sale at street stalls and also inside Billa (a supermarket chain).

Viennese schnitzel is a main call for a lot of meat-eaters, and even some vegetarians! The breaded chicken is a cult classic in Vienna and apparently for good reason.

The Nachtsmarket offers plenty of food - both ot have in, and take away. Stop for an hour or so to have a beer and a cheese platter, and then move down through the markets picking up caramelised nuts, churchkela (walnuts covered in fermented grape juice - delicious), or nougat. All are perfect to bring home, as are a packet of Viennese biscuits!

The croissant originated in Vienna, and so it would be rude not to pick up a pastry whilst in town. Similarly, the apple strudel is incredibly popular and each place puts their own little twist on it. I recommend trying the one in the market for an authentic recipe.

Hopefully this guide has given you some inspiration of things to do in Vienna! There is so much to be said for just wandering through the streets, which is always my favourite thing to do, because the architecture is stunning and the city is incredibly walkable. Have fun!