Oh for Vienna's Chocolate Cake!
Written: Feb 09 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Buildings, Culture, food,
Cons: Price, Too quiet for some,
The Bottom Line: The Cultural Heartland of Europe.
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| portally's Full Review: Vienna |
I visited Vienna last summer for only about a few days so can not offer an exhaustive review of the city. However my experience there leads me to write a review anyway. I have over the last few years visited London, Amsterdam, Dublin and lots of other cities on the continent. I have to say none of these compared to my visit to Vienna. Imagine, for a moment, the majestic buildings of London or Paris and multiply these tens of times. Only then do you visualise the grandeur of Vienna. During my short stay there, I rambled through endless parks and squares, all perfectly kept. Whilst in other major cities the centres are thronged and congested, the sheer size of Central Vienna means you never feel crowded.
I entered Vienna, one fine sunny day, along the river Danube via bike. The graffiti, I might add, along here is well worth a visit, like all things in Vienna, it is beautifully done. We then stopped to view the KunstHausWien, (for more information on this, see Alex G’s review of it). Needless to say, it is quite a breathe-taking example of modern day architecture. I didn’t, sadly, get to go inside it. However from the outside it is quite bizarre looking, I think there is a restaurant at the very top of its towering spire. It would certainly offer a fantastic view of Vienna! After this we cycled right into the heart of Vienna without the slightest of problems. It’s really a joy of a city to get around. Cyclists are fully catered for on the wide cycle lanes. The public transport in Vienna is the best I come across. Hopping on and off trams is so cheap and easy that hiring a car makes no sense.
We stayed at a teacher’s hostel, just a few blocks from the city center, for the reasonable sum of ㈔ per night. It was an amazing hostel with huge ceilings and marble floors. Even the elevator was an old fashioned type. The rooms were very spacious with full ensuite bathrooms. It was very clean and the receptionist was very helpful in offering advice on where to eat and so forth. Also breakfast was included in the price. Even though it was a teacher’s hostel, they had no problem accepting us. Like everywhere in continental Europe, they had full facilities for storing our bikes.
The restaurants are truly exceptional especially compared with other Germanic cities. We only eat at a few but I found them delightful. Also, many restaurants had had their own beers at very good prices which often were delicious. Of course any trip to Vienna is incomplete without tasting the legendary chocolate cake. A problem for non-German speakers is to understand the menus. I speak a little German, enough to get by, but choosing what to order was entirely pot-luck. The fact that Austrians don’t seem to speak as much English as say the Germans make it even harder. Despite this, any food I got was delicious! Maybe cycling 50 miles a day had to do with this…
The architecture is then another aspect which is minded boggling. It’s not only beauty of it but also the sheer scale and extent of it. Everything from shopping malls to subways is housed in huge elegant building. A building that has to been seen to be believed is the Stephansdom; the spire is a work of art. The surrounding Stephansplatz is great place for an evenings stroll though you’ll want to come with a lot of money to shop there. It’s lined with only the most exclusive of shops and restaurants. An activity I wholly recommend is flying up and down the glass elevator situated in front of one of the shops.
While I stayed in this wonderful city only for a few days, I as charmed by its elegance and beauty and was sad to leave. Nothing could beat lying flat on the grass in one of their many parks while you are being drenched by the spray of a water fountain. People are everywhere but you are never crowded. You get a sense of a dynamic bustling city but still with a relaxed atmosphere. Sadly a few things I didn’t get to do were, visit the Emperor’s palace or the world renowned opera houses. Definitely I will be visiting this city again to experience more of its delights. Like fine wine, it has matured over the centuries and remains the center of European arts. Some may though find it all a bit too elegant and refined; visit Amsterdam then! Lack of German is a problem for talking to Austrians but all the museums cater for English speakers.
For a quiet weekend break, I can think of no better place. Visit and enjoy its rich culture and do taste the chocolate cake, it’s heavenly.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Students
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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Epinions.com ID:
portally
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Member: Thomas Carney
Location: Ireland
Reviews written: 9
Trusted by: 0 members
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