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Vienna
Vienna is a city located in Central Europe a banks of the Danube on Valley of the Vienna Woods, at the foot of the first foothills from the Alps.
It is the capital of Austria and one from their nine federated states. It is surrounded by the federal state of Lower Austria.
How to get from the airport
Vienna airport is located 20 km from the city center. To get from Vienna airport to the center, you have these options:
Train: The fastest way to get to the center is to take the direct train from the airport to Wien Mitte. It takes 15 minutes to make the journey and there are trains every half hour.
Private transfer: If there are 2 or more people, look for the private transfer by car in which a driver will be waiting for you with a sign at the airport. It is much cheaper than the taxi and you go with a fixed price. The best option if you want comfort to the door of your hotel.
Cab: It costs around €40 to the center of Vienna, so the private transfer option is better.
How to get around the city
If you want to visit Vienna without queuing and with a tourist pass that allows you to save money in places like museums, tourist buses, etc, I recommend the Vienna Pass. You have passes of 1 day, 2 days, 3 days or 6 days. Ideally, you should start using the pass in the morning because, for example, if you validate it on a Saturday at 11 pm it will count as 1 day, so in that case, wait until the next day to start use it.
Subway: Vienna's modern metro is known as the U-Bahn and construction began in 1969. With it you can reach the city's tourist spots. Its trains usually run every 5 minutes during normal hours, in peak hours they take less than 4 minutes and after 10:30 p.m. They pass every 8 min. The five lines that make up the Vienna metro have underground and surface sections.
Tram: For short distances, traveling by tram is comfortable and fast. Its network, with more than thirty lines, is one of the largest in the world. You have underground sections. As a tourist the most interesting lines are 1 and 2. .
Bus: During the day, the metro and tram are used more often in Vienna. However, at night the only alternative to taxis are buses. But of the rest it is the least recommended means of transport.
Taxi: Vienna can be traveled safely and conveniently by metro and tram. But for those cases where you need a taxi, keep in mind that it is not the cheapest option. It is requested at taxi stops or by calling, but paying a surcharge. You pay more if there is more than one passenger, if you carry luggage if it is between 11:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m., if it is a Sunday or a holiday.
What to see in Vienna
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Schoenbrunn Palace It was the summer residence of the famous Empress Sissí and is one of the most incredible places to see in Austria, especially for its huge and well-kept gardens, in which the views from the gazebo and a beautiful garden standout. It is located about 8 kilometers from the center, but it is easily accessible by metro or tram.
Located next to the Hofburg Palace, this 18th-century Baroque-style library contains more than 8 million documents, including old books, maps and papyri from the House of Habsburg. Its great Imperial Hall stands out, surrounded by tall wooden shelves full of books and also its statues, frescoes and ancient globes. It is certainly one of the places to visit in Vienna
It is the largest and oldest in Vienna, it is another of the most important palaces what to see in Vienna The complex is huge and includes, in addition to the imperial rooms, the Sisi Museum, a church, the Austrian National Library or the Winter Riding School, among others. The palace was the official residence of the Habsburgs for a long time and is now the residence of the President of Austria.
Itis another of the great imperial palaces of Vienna. This Baroque-style palace is made up of two buildings, the Upper Belvedere and the Lower Belvedere. It was the summer palace of Prince Eugene of Savoy and is notable for its beautiful three-tiered gardens with large fountains.
T he Vienna Opera House is one of the most emblematic temples of opera in the world. In the opera, the Vienna State Opera, one of the most prestigious companies, performs its functions. The interior of the Renaissance-style building can be explored by buying a ticket for any of its functions, the prices are not high.
It is located in the central Plaza de San Esteban and was built on the ruins of two churches, standing out its high tower in the form of a needle from which you can see its characteristic colored brick roof with the imperial and royal double-headed eagle, as well as the coats of arms of the city of Vienna and Austria.
It is the oldest amusement park in the world dating back to 1895 maintaining attractions of that time perfectly preserved. The Giant Ferris Wheel is its symbol that allows you to enjoy beautiful views of the park and of Vienna from its 60 meters. It is located about 3 kilometers from the center and is easily accessible by metro
One of the most surprising places to visit in Vienna is the Hundertwasser House of the artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. The colorful facades with irregular shapes and with trees coming out of the rooms are a real wonder. It is advisable to visit it when you go to the Prater, since it is close by.
It is a circular avenue of more than 5 kilometers that surrounds the historic center. It was built on the site of an old wall that protected the city. In addition to walking the Ringstrasse, you can get on a tram and enjoy the views of its parks and buildings such as the Opera, the Parliament, the Museum of Fine Arts, the University, the Hofburg Palace, among others.
It is a large municipal park that stretches from Ringstrabe in the first district of Innere Stadt to Heumarkt in the third district of Landstrabe. The park is divided into two sections and has a total area of 65,000 square meters.
One of the most beautiful places in the park is where the golden monument to Johan-Strauss is located.
Wiener Schnitzel: large fillet breaded and fried, about 6-8 mm thick; if it is well done, the meat should be juicy and tender, with a uniform, crispy and tasty batter, without being oily.
Gulasch: it is a basic dish of Austrian cuisine closely linked to Hungarian and Bohemian gastronomy. This beef stew admits different variants depending on the region or the cook, but the main thing is to get a stew of tender meat with a high content of collagen to thicken the sauce during slow cooking.
Paprikahuhn: paprika chicken stew. The sauce is also enriched with lemon, concentrated tomato and sour cream, to give it more creaminess. The most typical side dish is the Nockerln, similar to the Spätzle, a very neutral dough that absorbs the aromatic sauce wonderfully.
Apple strudel: pie with Very thin and crunchy dough, a very juicy and aromatic filling of apple, raisins and spices and, optionally, the tasty hot vanilla sauce with cream.
Kaiserschmarrn: dough similar to that of waffles or pancakes, which is cut into pieces and served mixed with raisins, icing sugar, fruit compote or jam, cream, fresh fruit, or whatever you like. If you prefer the “whole” dough, in Austria they also really like crêpes, but here they are called Palatschinken.
Marillenknödel: sweet balls of tender dough that wrap a heart of sweet apricot; there are variants with other summer fruits.
Knodel: meatballs prepared with wheat, potato or breadcrumbs that are cooked in water and then coated in a mixture of breadcrumbs, butter and cinnamon. It is a hearty bite, which is why many Viennese take it as a summer main dish.
Tafelspitz: it is prepared by cooking a large piece of veal in a broth enriched with veal bones and vegetables (carrot, celery, yellow beet, onion, leek) for several hours. The meat is sliced into portions and wine is added to the sauce.
Viennese cuisine
Vienna is a majestic city that has become in a fashionable tourist destination. Viennese identity is the product of many cultural influences, and so is its cuisine.
In your recipes we can find similarities with Czech, Hungarian, Polish, German, Serbian, Slovak and even Italian.
Usually the most typical dishes are based on meat, veal or ox and pork. There are also traditional recipes based on chicken being trout is the most common fish, something logical if we think that this country does not have access to the sea. In addition, there are many restaurants serving Viennese cuisine in the purest Bohemian tradition. Here are some typical dishes:
salzburg
Salzburg is surrounded by the majestic landscape of the Alps and an attractive mix of old and new. It is a city full of charm capable of making its visitors fall in love. Salzburg is the fourth largest city in Austria and one of its main tourist destinations along with Vienna .
How to get to Salzburg
Airplane: There are few options to fly to Salzburg and even less with a low-cost airline. Ryanair flies to Salzburg but only from London, so you would have to change in London. It will be slower but there is a good chance that it will be cheaper than flying with a traditional company. Of the few options that there are, it is to look at flights with Airberlin or Lufthansa and precisely they are not cheap.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Airport is only 5 km from the city. Access is very simple, for example you can go by bus with line 2 that leaves from the main station in Salzburg.
Train: it is the most practical transport for the quality of services. Going from Vienna to Salzburg (300 km) there are trains from early in the morning until late at night. The trip takes around 2 and a half hours.
Another alternative is leaving from Munich (150Km) in trains that are also very comfortable taking the journey a little more than 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Bus: it is the cheapest way to get there even if it takes longer. The trip from Vienna takes almost 3 hours while from Munich it takes a little over 1 hour and 50 minutes. In both cases a little more than the train.
Car: it is an option expensive due to the cost of fuel and tolls on the Austrian routes. Go from Vienna to Salzburg It takes just over 3 hours by highway. While the option from Munich has an approximate duration of 2 hours.
How to get around the city
Public transport: the network of trolleybuses and public buses provide a very good service. In addition, the local train line connects with Lamprechtshausen and Oberndorf bei Salzburg.
Taxi: they are reliable and you can stop them on the street. The flag drop is fixed at 3.60 EUR and after that, you will pay around 1.70 EUR for every 1.6 kilometers travelled.
Car: a bit difficult drive through Salzburg. Its traffic signs will not always be legible to you and it is mandatory to carry snow tires between October and April, as well as appropriate chains when it snows .
It is interesting to buy the Salzburg Card that allows you to save on access to tourist attractions, free public transport and discounts on some attractions.
What to see in Salzburg
Built in 1077, it is the best preserved fortress in Europe and one of the most characteristic monuments of Salzburg. Inside the fortress you can tour the beautiful rooms decorated with medieval pieces and a museum dedicated to the terrifying torture elements of the time.
Opened in 1880, the museum located in the house where the famous composer was born has become a place of pilgrimage for many music lovers. The rooms are still preserved in their original state, in which the instruments that passed through the hands of the artist are displayed.
Built in 1612 as a summer residence for Prince-Archbishop Markus Sittikus, Hellbrunn Palace is an architectural gem surrounded by wonderful surroundings. It has the oldest open-air stage in Europe, excavated in the rocks, and with a peculiar composition in which water takes on special importance.
Decorated with an attractive facade and a huge dome in the Italian style, the Salzburg Cathedral is the most emblematic religious building in the city and one of the most important baroque monuments north of the Alps. Despite its history full of numerous fires, it is unblemished while contemplating life in the city impassively.
With a curious mixture of works of art and modern multimedia installations, the Salzburg Museum offers a complete vision of the city throughout its history for those interested in knowing her in an entertaining way.
Getreidegasse
This elongated and narrow street or "grain street", trapped like all the streets of the old town between the river and the mountain, it is bordered by old houses with 4 or 5 floors that harbor courtyards and passageways.
is the most famous and with more tourists in the city, On this shopping street in the historic center, you will find at number 9, the house where the musician Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born and lived for 17 years.
Capitelplatz
It is one of the most beautiful squares in Salzburg, from which you will enjoy good views of the Hohensalzburg Fortress and where you can see the well-known giant chess on the ground and a large golden sphere with the figure of a man standing on top. , so well known in the city. It is also a very popular square among locals who choose it as a meeting place for different celebrations throughout the year, such as the beautiful Christmas market that is held in winter.
Saint Peter's Abbey
Located in the old town, it was founded in 696 by the Franconian missionary Rupert and is part of the Benedictine monastery of Saint Peter, which is worth entering just for its rococo-style interior. Here is the San Pedro cemetery, one of the oldest in the world where you can see the tombs and mausoleums of important personalities of the city next to ancient catacombs carved into the stone.
Residenzplatz
It is one of the most popular squares in the old town of Salzburg where two bishops' palaces are located. The cultural events that are held throughout the year and for having the largest fountain are also highlighted. which was filmed in the musical "Smiles and Tears".
Mirabell Palace Gardens
Nice place built in 1606 by the prince Archbishop Wolf Raitenau. These charming gardens are undoubtedly one of the main attractions.
From this place we can highlight the pegasus fountain and the stairs where Julie Andrews and the children sing in the well-known movie The Sound of Music.
Salzburg gastronomy
salzburg It is one of the most expensive cities in the country. It is difficult to find restaurants at affordable prices, even the city boasts of having in its historic center the largest concentration of luxury restaurants in the world. The most convenient thing to do when eating is to get away from the tourist circuit and look for the traditional taverns frequented by the inhabitants of the city. In Austria they are called "Gasthaus", they are family establishments and they maintain logical prices since they live off regular customers and not passing tourists.
Some of the traditional dishes:
Griessnockerl, Frittaten or Leberknöde Suppe: Almost obligatory first course, it is a soup.
Schweinebraten: roast pork with garlic and accompanied by sauerkraut.
Rindsrouladen : veal escalope stuffed with pickles and bacon.
Mozartkugel: chocolate, nougat and marzipan
Salzburger Nockerl: typical dessert of Salzburg, three portions of a dough based on flour, egg yolk, sugar, vanilla and milk that symbolize the three mountains that surround the city.
As for the drinks: The Gespritzer It is a drink made up of half wine and half sparkling water. The bottled water that is sold is also carbonated, the tap water is pure mountain water and is called Leitungswasser. Coffee is an institution, not only in Vienna, and it has many preparations.
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