AUSTRIA: Vienna – Mozart, Strauss, and Klimt

I hit Vienna in the middle of a heat wave so that killed some of my sightseeing, but I did manage to take in some of the essentials. All in all, I had a rewarding visit, but I barely scratched the surface of this vibrant and expansive city. Thankfully, I had booked a nice guesthouse with air conditioning. On the worst day of heat, I ended up leaving a walking tour to take refuge in my cool room. Needless to say, I’ll return to Vienna one day to cover some of the things I missed. Salzburg would be worth another visit as well since it is so charming.

The entry to my guesthouse – K&T Boardinghouse 2

Look them up on Hostelworld.com – A super place to stay in Vienna. If you need something a little more economical and social then go with Wombats City Hostel Vienna – at the Naschmarkt. They have a bar, breakfast buffet, kitchen, laundry, the works, but no A/C just a fan.

The enormous room for only 50 euros a night with air conditioning. Such a value!

FIRST LOOK AT VIENNA

Schonbrunn Palace

Gardens on the side of Schonbrunn Palace

The Gloriette

There is a beautiful restaurant inside where you can get a nice meal or just a crisp apple strudel.

The Gloriette from the rear.

A Fun Maze

CAFE FRAUENHUBER – The oldest coffee shop in Vienna and a favorite of Mozart and Beethoven.

Belvedere Palace & Museum – The Klimt Collection

The back of the palace.

Photography was prohibited, but here is a shot I managed to sneak.

I love modern art, but this looks like a giant cat got sick. A beautiful room though.

Gustav Klimt – The Kiss

I spent the afternoon with Klimt and the evening with Mozart and Strauss. Not a bad day, really. My friend Danika who is traveling the world with her husband got some alone time with “The Kiss” to photograph it for her blog at nodestinations.com   So jealous! I had to sneak this shot from the wings.

The Great Hall – The Location of the Mozart and Strauss Concert

I had a decent seat, and the concert was pure heaven. The sights and sounds were truly magnificent. It was a great way to spend the final evening in Vienna. The heat lifted after a thunderstorm, and I had a delicious meal on one of the palace terraces as the rain drummed away on the overhang.

These were all candles before electricity.

Farewell to the Queen. Thanks for having me.