I am so happy to finally be back in Europe for a couple of weeks! I am of course based in Milan when I do come back, but it is not uncommon for me to be traveling elsewhere most of the time. The thing I love most about Europe is that traveling is extremely quick and easy – and if you know what to look for, it can be really cheap, too!

Therefore, earlier this year, I had decided to explore a new city in Europe with one of my best friends and favorite travel buddy Giulia!

We had started looking for flights and places to stay as early as March, but only really booked with Austrian Airlines in late May. We also reserved our Airbnb then.

But without further ado, here’s what we did on Day 1 and 2!

 

Day 1

The first day started really early for us. We woke up around 5AM to catch our train from the Stazione Centrale in Milan to Malpensa Airport (which is believed to be in Milan, but it is not: it’s actually about an hour away from the city, so be aware of that when booking trips to Milan!) We got to the airport around 7AM, had breakfast there and boarded our 8.50 flight. It took us roughly an hour and a half to get to Vienna, then we took the train to the city and to our Airbnb, which you can see right here, although we took this at the end of the trip so please excuse the mess!

After we settled into the apartment, we went grocery shopping for all necessities that we didn’t find there. We went to Hofer – which I believe is Austria’s Aldi, and only spent 8.37 euros for the equivalent of two breakfasts, one snack, soap and other toiletries, and six bottles of water. We then had lunch with some pasta that was left in the apartment with some leftover pesto sauce. (one thing that I LOVE about AirBnb is being able to save SO much money by cooking simple dishes for lunch/dinner at the apartment: you really don’t need to eat out for every meal, it does add up!).

After lunch, we headed to the Kunsthistorisches Museum aka the Art History Museum. I have to say I was very jet lagged during this visit, therefore I had a bit of a mystical experience in there where I was basically falling asleep while walking and seeing painting and sculptures move in front of me. Nevertheless, it was a fun time.

Here are two paintings you might recognize.

Estate by Giuseppe Arcimboldi.

Adam and Eve by Lucas Cranach the Elder.

And here’s a picture of the restaurant inside of the museum, which was pure art in itself.

After visiting the museum, we walked around the downtown area, which was simply incredible and majestic. All of the building were white and imperial. My favorite platz was Michaelerplatz, a square that connects the Hofburg Palace to the rest of the downtown area. I usually hate seeing horses and carriages strolling around the city, but I have to say that when you see them in Michaelerplatz or in Vienna in general, it just makes sense. They look like they belong there.

We then kept walking through the downtown area. We strolled through the Graben, one of the main streets of the city center: all of the most exclusive boutiques and stores in Vienna, such as Hermes, Dolce & Gabbana, Rolex, Armani and so on are located around the Graben area. Downtown Vienna is, obviously, very imperial looking. Along the Graben we also found another attraction, the Peterskirche, a monumental church where a group of kids from a Korean choir were rehearsing for their show that night. What a wonderful atmosphere!

We then went to dinner, ready to eat some traditional Wiener Schnitzel – a breaded veal cutlet, very similar to a Milanese cotoletta. We chose the restaurant Zwölf Apostelkeller after our friend Alice, who has lived in Austria for the past year, suggested we’d pay it a visit. I wouldn’t necessarily call the restaurant “a touristy place”, because I doubt that a regular tourist would even really find it. However, I do think the place is an attraction in itself. It is located in the cellar of a building from 1339, so it definitely has a beautiful, historic ambiance. They cook traditional Austrian dishes with 100% Austrian ingredients. They also have live music every night. We ate the Wiener Schnitzel with potatoes with a good beer and it was all to die for. I highly suggest you check out this place if you’re ever in Vienna looking for some traditional food in a picturesque spot.

On our way back from the restaurant, we got caught in a severe thunderstorm and had to find shelter under the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Thankfully, uber is a thing in Vienna, so we were eventually able to make it back home. What a day!

 

Day 2

On day 2, Giulia and I woke up early, had our breakfast at the apartment, then wandered around the city for a few hours. We love walking around because that is the best way to really get the “feel” of a city. There is only one way to describe that of Vienna and it is “imperial”. Vienna is pervaded with a sense of nobleness, richness, luxury and austerity.

We visited the Rathaus – which is the City Hall – and the Volkskirche (“People’s church”) from the outside, then stopped to take some pictures outside of the Parliament.

The Rathaus.

Top of the Volkskirche.

Giulia and I feat. the Österreichisches Parlament.

We then proceeded to walk downtown and ate lunch at Nordsee, a chain restaurant that only sells fish-based dishes. If you’re ever in Vienna, I suggest you check Nordsee out as it is a healthy alternative to a fast food for a quick, on the go lunch that is still relatively cheap.

We dedicated our afternoon to visiting the Hofburg Palace, aka the imperial residency of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elizabeth (better known as Sissi!). The visit included three museums, and we decided to check out all of them.

The first museum was that of the Imperial Silver Collection, which was an ensemble of court tableware, silver and porcelain that once belonged to the Habsburg family. It was a fascinating experience! I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much bling in my entire life. My favorite piece was a 30 meters long golden centerpiece. I want it.

After that, we visited the Sisi Museum, which told the story of the legendary Empress Sissi (or Sisi – for some reason the Austrians spell it with one S!) from her childhood, through her years as the Empress, to her death. Did you know she spoke multiple languages, worked out in her room which she partially transformed into a gym, and wrote poems about her feelings? She was so modern for her age. Such a charming woman!

Lastly, we went to visit the imperial apartments which were beyond beautiful. It’s crazy to think that I walked the same hallways and rooms that once belonged to the imperial family! Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take pictures inside, therefore I guess y’all will have to travel to Vienna and check them out! They’re worth it.

The rest of the Palace from one of the windows in the imperial apartments.

After ending our visit of the Hofburg, we went to check out the most important church in the city, the Stephansdom. Its central location and its gothic features make it one of the main symbols of the city. We checked out the inside, the relics and then we proceeded to climb up 323 steps to get to the top of the South Tower, which offers a beautiful, dominant view of Vienna. Here it is!

The roof and the North Tower.

The church from below.

At night, Giulia and I met up for dinner with my good friend Tina, who lives in Vienna. We ate at an extremely good looking restaurant on the Graben called Graben30, which she chose. The ambiance and the food were great; we had a fun time!

 

This is it for day one and two! All I can say is that, on day two, we went to bed pretty early because day 3 was going to be even more hectic than the first two. So, stay tuned to find out about everything we explored on our last two days in Vienna: see y’all in my next post!