Apartments and Guest Houses – where to stay in Vienna.
Vienna is without a doubt one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. There are a wealth of breathtaking sights in the city and you’ll find yourself worrying how to fit in time to see them all. The city has a fascinating history and is great to walk around. It is extremely safe and clean and you can wander around at any time of day without feeling intimidated or threatened.
Café culture is huge in Vienna and you’ll find you come away from your trip a few pounds heavier if you choose to indulge in the many cakes and desserts on offer in the city. As you’d expect, Vienna has a large selection of hotels and hostels available for visitors. There are alternative accommodation options available too such as apartments or guest houses. Why not experience Vienna from a different perspective and find a short-stay house or apartment?
Fun Facts
There are 60,000 registered dogs in Vienna.
Young people are able to vote when they are 16 in Vienna.
Europe’s highest waterfall, the
Krimi Falls, is located by Vienna.
Vienna’s most famous palace, the Schönbrunn Palace, has 1440 rooms.
Europe’s second largest cemetery in located in Vienna and has 2.5 million tombs – almost double the population of Vienna!
Vienna is home to 1.7 million people and is an extremely diverse and bustling city. Throughout history, Austria’s influence has reached far and wide and they have taken what they have discovered and made it their own. There is no better example of this than in Austrian cuisine and the international food culture in Vienna. Vienna will not disappoint those visiting to see the architecture – there’s a large amount of stunning buildings in the city centre that will leave you awestruck. The influence of the royal
Habsburg family can be felt throughout the city and many of the Vienna’s museums, churches and palaces are the result of their 7 centuries of rule.
Architecture
What can we recommend you see in Vienna? No trip to Austria’s capital would be complete without seeing a selection of the city’s palaces.
Hofburg is one of the grandest palaces and is a good example of Habsburg-era design at its most lavish. The Austrian empire ruled from this palace and today it is the official residence of the country’s President. There are three museums located in the palace which give an insight into life for the Habsburg family through the ages. The family’s summer residence was the
Schönbrunn Palace. This palace, located west of the city centre, is a UNESCO world heritage site and is understandably awe-inspiring. The sculpted gardens are worth seeing and they are free to enjoy. There are three different tours available of the palace interior and audioguides are available which are detailed and accurate. Much of the interior of the palace is designed in the
Rococo style with lots of gold decoration. After seeing these two palaces, you’d be forgiven for thinking that you’ve seen the best of Vienna’s palaces. However, there is one more that trumps both Hofburg and Schönbrunn. The
Belvedere Palace features two palaces, several gardens and many additional buildings. The architecture is stunning and the size of the complex will take your breath away! Few opera houses are more spectacular that Vienna’s Opera Haus and we recommend you see a concert at this world class venue. The acoustics are regarded by many to be some of the best in the world.
Things to do
The
River Danube is always at the heart of the city and we suggest you take a walk along the banks of this beautiful river. It is the inspiration for many famous classical music pieces and the banks are lined with walking and biking paths, cafes and green open spaces. Take a dip in the river too - it’s very clean and safe! There are many cafés in Vienna and you’ll find it hard to decide where to go. We suggest you find
Café Drechsler, a traditional café which faithfully recreates the style of an old Viennese coffee house. Such cafes were traditionally places where people could meet and enjoy classic cuisine. Travelling around a city has never been more fun than in Vienna – take the ring tram which circumnavigates central Vienna. There is no shortage of famous architecture along the route and you can even pick up an audio guide to help you get your bearings. The
Naschmarkt is worth a look, particularly on Saturdays when the 1.5km market comes alive with street food, market traders and small restaurants.
Prater Park is a great place to get away from the busy city streets – there are small lakes and plenty of green spaces. The Prater Park is good for children and there is a large Ferris wheel located there.
Getting Around
Flughafen Wien, Vienna’s airport is situated 18km to the southeast of the city centre. The best way travel from the aiport into the city is with the city airport train (CAT). Trains depart every 30 minutes and the journey takes approximately 16 minutes.
Bratislava Airport is located 60km away and there are several bus and train services operating between the two – perfect if you are getting a connecting flight. We recommend you use Vienna’s extensive and reliable public transport system to get around the city centre. There are 5 underground metro lines, 28 tram lines and 90 bus routes.
The Vienna Card is a ticket designed for visitors to the city. For less than 20 euros, you can get free access to public transport and significant discounts at Vienna’s tourist attractions. The card is available from most advanced sales point, vending machines in subway stations and tobacconists. Vienna’s public transport system runs until midnight.