Elegant, captivating and just downright delightful! This is exactly how I would describe Vienna.
But it was never a city which was high on my list to visit. In fact, it took a fair amount of persuasion to get me to even consider it. I pin this hostility towards Vienna down to my sheer ignorance and lack of research. However, I soon discovered that the phrase ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ could not have been more pertinent.
What is Vienna known for?
Austria’s capital city is known for its rich history and culture. It was home to the now extinct Habsburg family (one of the most influential royal houses in Europe) and housed several famous dead guys at some point; Mozart, Beethoven, Freud and Hitler, to name a few. It is also known for its coffee house culture, including their two famous dishes; the schnitzel and the strudel.
If you don’t care for museums or palaces then Vienna is not for you – WRONG.
Being completely honest, this was my original view. I am not a big museum fan and having visited several palaces in my lifetime, they all start to merge into one. But it wasn’t until we started to walk around the city and take in the sights, that I realised how wrong I was. You do not need to visit every museum or palace to appreciate how breathtakingly beautiful this city really is.
Every baroque building, every cosy coffee house and every horse drawn carriage is what makes Vienna magical.
Firstly, the architecture is incredible. Secondly, the streets are immaculately clean and safe. Put them together and you’ve got yourself the ultimate walkable city! You can easily spend hours walking around Vienna aimlessly and in absolute awe of its beauty, without getting the slightest bit bored. When its time to give your feet a rest, simply pop into one of their many coffee shops and treat yourself to a slice of Sachertorte!
So is Vienna the most beautiful city in Europe?
I haven’t been to every city in Europe so it would be premature of me to make this claim. However, Vienna offers the splendour of cities such as London and Paris, but with just a fraction of their crowd levels. We visited during summer and were blessed with warm weather and sunshine. However, if I thought Vienna was magical then, I can only imagine how magical it is in winter!
To discover more about Vienna, read my highlights for first timers!
