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The Vienna Vacation – 2019 Backpacking Trip
The Viennese Way
So 2019 really commenced in Vienna. It was here that the entire crew had the initial rendezvous, after our shindig in Stockholm. There were some experiences to be had – a crazy hostel, monuments and museums, a strudel diploma, massive metro fines, “Vietnamese coffee” and more!
Below is a breakdown of sections if you want to jump straight to something.
- The Hostile Vienna Hostel
- Big Time Museums
- St. Stephens, Schönbrunn and Strudels
- Festivities at Prater
- Caught in the Metro
Enjoy!
The Hostile Vienna Hostel
Ok, so to clarify, all the hostility was our own doing. The hostel we chose was called Ruthenstiener and it was a hell of a time. Circumstances were already at concerning levels when it was discovered that the market across the street supplied a Viennese Ice (Smirnoff alternative), also known as Eristoff. Probability of reputation ruining photos? High.
Despite all that, the hostel was a great choice. The rooms were decent, but the real kicker was the lively common area. We somehow found ourselves at the bar with everyone, every night. Well, everyone except for this one dude who went cosmic level from intake. Otherwise, people were generally social, outgoing and looking to have a good time.
The hostility really came from activacion aftermath when Ices were planted. Then, at some point, you find yourself boxing your buddy in the snow-covered streets outside the hostel. I’m pretty sure we hurt ourselves more from slipping on the frozen ground than actual fist impacts. Never again.
Big Time Museums
When it came time to finally doing something productive, Vienna was actually a perfect place to have a stroll and educate one’s self on history. There were a variety of museums and the two that we went to I’d revisit anytime. Exceeded expectations.
Natural History – this place was yuje. Unless you are the Flash, you’re gonna need at least a full day just to get through some of the sections. In a nutshell, the museum starts with minerals and rocks, and goes through the creation of our planet, dinos, neanders, animals and much more.
Music Museum Vienna – The museum thoroughly covered many of the great composers and had sections that explained how we perceive sound. The highlights for me were playing “Smoke on the Water” on their piano staircase, the Waltz Dice Game and the modern Beethoven soundtrack by Obermeyer.
St. Stephens, Schönbrunn and Strudels
In addition to museums, there were also some points of interest to mention.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral – Personally, I think it offers some of the best views from the center of the city – if you’re daring enough to walk up a very narrow, steep, stone spiral staircase. The prize is at the top.
Schönbrunn – This palace and its surrounding grounds were impressive. Since we were there during the winter, the gardens, floral arrangements and labyrinth were unfortunately not open. However, there was still plenty to see, including Gloriette, atop of Schönbrunn hill. You want Viennese views? Ya, this place has it.
Strudel Mastery – Right inside the entrance of Schönbrunn, there just so happens to be this legendary Viennese strudel-making show. If your negotiation skills are top notch, you’ll be able to haggle a ticket to the show (which includes a strudel and coffee). In all honesty, one of the reasons I went to Vienna was to get a strudel mastery diploma. The show (more so a teaching lesson) was really well done. The instructor walked the audience through the entire strudel process with fun facts along the way. True enlightenment. As a result, if I ever lose my job, I know I can make strudel in Austria with my diploma!
Strudel Fun Fact
When making strudel, the dough should be thin enough to be able to read a newspaper when placed on the other side.
Festivities at Prater
Lastly, I cannot leave out the winter times at Prater. When we were there, the amusement park was lit up with Christmas lights and had a bunch of booths around the main square selling seasonal drinks and food. The main attraction was the Riesenrad, an almost 65 meter tall ferris wheel. Being straightforward, I think the ride is worth skipping, and better off just taking a picture.
Riesenrad Fun Fact
The Riesenrad was built in the 1897 as the tallest Ferris wheel. During WWII, it was almost destroyed, but rebuilt again.
Other than the wheel, there are many other games and rides in the park that looked fun if it was not winter! However, I did eat at a place called Rollercoaster Restaurant, and the concept was pretty unique. Once you are given the iPad menu, the orders you place are brought to your seat via an intricate rail system. The food literally comes down a spiral rail on a roller coaster pot thing. Afterburners engaged.
Caught in the Metro
Because the fun isn’t over, we played a dangerous game in that good ‘ol Viennese metro. Being model world citizens we DID purchase metro passes. Unfortunately, they happened to expire for our last ride to the airport. We decided to play it by beer. Bad move.
Shortly after our VERY LAST stop, we were approached by two undercover metro officers. For a split second, I was honestly thinking about going Jason Bourne. However, the adrenaline subsided and we were all taken to an ATM to pay the fine. I even checked with the metro police and ticketing office to figure out if this was legit. It was. The process was pretty direct, but the morale of the story is: just buy a metro pass regardless. It’s not worth a $100 USD fine per person. They banked on us.
Overall, Vienna was a fun stop with the crew for a few days. Next, we take a train into Prague. And on a positive note, we did end up getting our “Vietnamese,” Viennese coffee!
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Michael Lakus
IT professional, athlete, musician, ponderer of many things... Born and raised in Florida, I began traveling internationally after college. I created this site primarily to remind myself of where I've been and to share my experiences on traveling with a quirky, stress-free, travel attitude.
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