One of the reasons we wanted to live in France for a year was to take advantage of the proximity to other beautiful European cities. So, our first major trip – on the kids 1/2 term break – was to Vienna to explore the Christmas markets.
Vienna is spectacular! Vienna was the ‘de facto’ capital of the Holy Roman Empire from 800 – 1806 and houses some of the most beautiful architecture in the world. Visiting Vienna makes you feel insignificant, merely one person in a city that has seen so many ages.
Things to do
Restaurants
Book ahead! We didn’t get to enjoy the best restaurants of Vienna because they were booked solid. We did chance upon a couple local spots that were lively and fun.
Great place to grab a drink with Vienna’s most eclectic residents.
Despite Parker’s flat face (one I’m getting quite accustomed to these days), if you are willing to give up the Austrian experience, then I recommend Shiki Japanese Fine Dining. It is close to the Opera House and has excellence sushi and sashimi.
Hotels
Definitely try to book a hotel close to the pedestrian walkway (Kärntner Strasse). We stayed at the Park Hyatt which was close to everything.
Park Hyatt Vienna is beautiful – great location, cozy beds, luxurious bathrooms and big picturesque windows – I highly recommend it!
Every morning we splurged on the most delicious breakfast at our hotel. Crafted coffees, tiered pastry plates and smoothies all presented on china dishes in a comfortably chic atmosphere. Dinner at The Bank Brasserie and bar and breakfast in the Lounge made up for our lack of pre-planning.
Getting Around
We took the train from the Airport – the CAT. It leaves from the airport every 30 minutes and is a 16 minute long ride that drops you very close to the heart of the city. From there, we walked and ran everywhere.
France Escape 