I took a solo trip to Vienna, Austria, in October and had a wonderful time. Here are five reasons I love visiting the capital city of Austria.
The #1 reason I love visiting Vienna, Austria – old city center
Vienna has a historic center, and you’ll want to spend much time exploring all the sights. Saint Stevens is the vast cathedral in the dead center of the city. As Rick Steves likes to say, all of Vienna revolves around it. The good news for anybody visiting Vienna is that it’s easy to get to all the sights. They’re not far away, and most of them are in the city center.
Reason #2 – music
Vienna is world famous for classical music. Suppose you think of the best-known classical composers like Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss. They all spent time in the capital of Austria making wonderful classical music. When you walk around the city, vendors will try to sell you tickets to concerts. Take them up, go to a concert, or visit the Opera. The opera house here is world famous.
Reason #3 – palaces
The Habsburgs ruled Vienna for centuries, and they liked to build palaces. The Hofburg is located in the old city and is the easiest one to visit. Be sure to see the Royal Apartments and the crown jewels. Other palaces in the city include Belvedere and Schonbrunn, the Austrian Empire’s version of Versailles. The bottom line is that if you like palaces, you should come here. There are several to choose from, and they are lovely.
Reason #4 – museums in Vienna
If you like museums, Vienna is perfect for you. The city has placed many museums together near the old city center, including the famous art museum. It is well worth visiting.
Reason #5 – Vienna Cafe Culture
The Viennese invented cafe culture across Europe when they discovered coffee from the invading Turks. There are many famous cafes in this city. Be sure to spend some time there when visiting.
One helpful hint when visiting Vienna
If you visit the capital of Austria, I recommend staying near the Naschmarkt area. This area is away from all the tourists in the city center. The old city center is within easy walking distance, and metro stops are nearby.
I am Doug Keating, and this is my letter to my sons.