calebmwilson

I had to fly into Bratislava in order to get to Vienna, so I stayed at the Blues Hostel on Spitalsky. Take the #61 bus from the airport into town, especially if you don’t speak Slovak because you WILL get ripped off by the cabs. If you do take a cab, set your price before getting in. Bratislava is only worth a day, and I spent most of mine in the Christmas Market in the Old Square and at the castle, looking over the city and the river into the old Communist ghetto. It’s a depressing feeling looking into the red history across the Danube, but the Christmas Market makes you feel alright again. Don’t expect super cheap goods unless you’re coming from Britain. Everything there is about the same price as it would be in the United States, so almost half of what you’d pay in Britain. I won’t be going back, but I’d suggest a day trip from Vienna if you have the time. If not, don’t bother.

I was able to spend three days wandering through the streets and platz’s of Wien (Vienna to me). If you’re on a budget and want a quiet, tranquil place to stay, try the Palace Hostel. It takes about 25 minutes to get to the hostel from the city, but the view is unbeatable and the accommodation great. If you’re there during Christmas, I’d recommend the Rathausplatz Wienachtsmarkt and the apfel-punsch, the Schonbrunn Palace Wienachtsmarkt and a walk to the Gloriette during a sunset, and Stephansplatz in the evening. Stop into Demel on Kohlmarkt (right off the Michaelerplatz) for some sacher torte and tour the Spanish Riding School, home of the Lipizzaner horses. After that, if you’re into tours do either the Schonbrunn Palace or the Hofburg, but don’t do both because it’s just repetitive. If you’re looking directly at the front of the Staatsoper, on the left side of the building is the door for the standing room only tickets, and that line opens about 80 minutes before show time. Get a ticket, go and mark your spot in the area you choose, then head across the street to Aida for some coffee and a strudel before the show. Other than that, just walk around the city and enjoy the fact that every corner you turn is going to bring some fabulous architecture or a park dedicated to composers or a line of cafe’s, all perfect for an hour’s stop for coffee and cake. Also, a small tip for art lovers: The Kunst Wien Haus is not the same as the HundertwasserHaus, although they both are dedicated to Hundertwasser. I wanted the Hundertwasser but got the Kunst Wien and wasn’t too impressed. I would go back if I had the endless resources that are needed for such a trip.