Vienna

Day One: Feb 17, 2024

Arriving in Vienna from Schwechat by bus the first issue we had was that we ended up in a random suburb in the outskirts of the city haven getting off the bus too soon, thankfully we found a nearby train station and from there grabbed some tickets from a machine and made our way into the centre of the capital.

Upon arriving, we were immediately taken aback by the grandeur of the city’s architecture. Vienna’s imposing buildings and rich history greeted us as we entered, and the first thing on our minds was food. We stopped for a kebab, which turned out to be one of the best we’ve had in Europe—perfect fuel to begin our exploration.

Our first stop was the iconic St. Stephen's Cathedral, a stunning example of Gothic architecture. After soaking in the beauty of the cathedral and the surrounding streets, we found a cosy café to sample some traditional Austrian desserts. We indulged in Sachertorte, Esterházytorte, and Apfelstrudel, which were as delicious as they were decadent. Once we had satisfied our sweet tooth, we made our way to our apartment to check in and stretch our legs.

In the evening, we wandered over to the Rathaus area, where we stumbled upon a winter wonderland surprise—a Christmas-style ice rink that was still set up despite it being months after the holidays. It was a strange but delightful sight, adding a touch of festive magic to our visit.

We wrapped up the day at a traditional Austrian restaurant where we feasted on local specialties. Bobby enjoyed Spätzle, Tammy opted for Schnitzel, and Kyle had Sauerbraten. We topped it all off with some shared Kaiserschmarrn with plum jam for dessert and a few local beers too! Though it came to around £35 each, it was well worth it for the delicious meal and the authentic Austrian dining experience. Afterward, we grabbed some snacks and more drinks from a nearby supermarket, heading back to the apartment to relax and end the night. It was a day filled with food, drink, and unforgettable memories in the heart of Vienna.

Day Two: Feb 18, 2024

On our last day in Vienna and we was up pretty early, as a result we had a few hours to explore before catching our bus to Bratislava. To our surprise, the streets were eerily quiet—turns out Sundays in Vienna mean most places are closed for the day. With almost everything shut down, we wondered if we’d find anywhere to grab a meal before leaving the city. Thankfully, we stumbled upon a Bosnian restaurant that was open, offering a pleasant culinary surprise in Austria.

We ordered our favourite Bosnian dish, Cevapcici, served with Ajvar and Kaymak, and couldn’t have been happier. It may have been an unexpected meal to have in Vienna, but it was absolutely delicious and made our last meal in the city memorable.

After enjoying our food, we made our way to the city bus station, which was conveniently nearby. While we were sad to be leaving the beauty of Vienna behind, we were excited for the next leg of our journey and to experience Slovakia for the first time. As we boarded the bus, we reflected on our time in Vienna—a city filled with incredible architecture, food, and culture that we’ll surely return to one day.

You can read about the Bratislava adventure from here.

Day Three: Feb 19, 2024

On our final day in Vienna, after returning from Bratislava, we had a few hours to spare before our flight home. We decided to spend it doing something a bit unconventional—we went to try horse meat! Bob and Kyle were up for it, though Tam wasn't too keen, but in Austria, unlike in the UK, eating horse meat is culturally accepted, so we thought, “when in Vienna…”

It turned out to be quite nice! We had it in a burger form, served in a crusty bread roll with sweet seeded mustard. The burger had cheese embedded into it, which made it even tastier.

After that unique experience, we decided to indulge in some more Austrian cakes, given how much we enjoyed them when we first arrived in Vienna. With our sweet cravings satisfied, we headed to the airport.

Kyle, however, realised he still had a beer on him from Slovakia, which made going through security a bit more interesting! But all in all, it was a memorable and fitting end to our Austrian adventure.