Weddingbee Blog

We recently took a trip to Europe and I wanted to share with the hive our favorite highlights from our time in Vienna. We were only there for a short time (one evening, one day, one morning) and so we didn’t experience much, but a little bit of research before we left ensured that we would love to go back and do it all again! Feel free to play the song below while you read this post. I don’t think the lyrics apply at all, but I had the line “Vienna waits for you” running through my head while I wrote this post.

We stayed at the Imlauer based on a recommendation from my father-in-law. Our room was much larger than what I had in Rome with my mom, and they had free internet, which is a must for me.

After our trip I was talking about my love for Julius Meinl and people said “There is a Julius Meinl in Chicago!” Why yes there is a store called that here, but it is nothing like what they have in Vienna. There it is a grocery store filled with produce and snacks all around the world (focusing on European offerings), and the best section by far is the candy section. Rows and rows of chocolate from different countries, all with tags sticking out identifying what country they were from. Mr. Avocado was able to get some of his favorite candies from childhood, and I spent a lot of time debating between going for something local, or going for something Swiss. It also has a coffee shop and cafe, which I didn’t visit but wish we had.

Before we left I found an article from the NYTimes called 36 Hours in Vienna and decided to structure most of our trip around the places they suggest we visit. Genius idea! I’m going to be looking for similar guides for every place we travel from now on.

Dark Star At Night provided me with one of the best meals I’ve ever had, and I feel like this is saying a lot from a food snob like myself. I believe our bill came out to around 60 euros, but based on what we’ve paid for similar meals in America we didn’t feel that was enough and so left them a hefty tip.

We skipped out on dessert at Dark Star At Night and visited Palmenhaus for drinks and something sweet. Our virgin drinks were fancy and fun, and this place was bustling so I think it’s a very popular spot in Vienna. I wouldn’t rate the dessert as the best I’ve ever had, but the atmosphere was chic and unique so I’d tell a friend to go there.

Saint Charles Alimentary is one of the most interesting places I’ve ever eaten, but well worth the walk. It’s a tiny shop next to an apothecary that would be able to seat no more than 8 people at a time. Run by the same people that own the apothecary, the shop advertises food cooked by the husband and glass blown creations by the wife. There is no menu here, you walk in, sit down, and the chef places your meal in front of you. It’s local and made entirely from scratch, and the tomato soup with wheat bread washed down with water had us moaning with pleasure (despite its simplicity). Another meal where we left an extra large tip.

Schönbrunn Palace! I liked that we were able to spend several hours there without paying for anything. It was enough for us to walk the grounds, taking pictures and hiking the hill just behind the palace. You can also wander through a labyrinth, visit the zoo, or take a guided/unguided tour of the interior. Those of course cost money though, and we wanted to save our money and spend it on food. We were confused at first, because they of course don’t make it very clear how to get behind the house without paying. When facing the entrance we walked down a gravel path to the left, until we were able to enter the gardens on the right side.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral is one of the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever seen, and when we visited they were in the middle of restoring the exterior, which meant we could see what it looked like due to centuries of standing strong in the middle of the city, and what it will look like after the renovation is complete (as is pictured below). We entered in and tried to see the crypts in the basement, but services were about to start and we were unable to do so.

I’m glad I asked for recommendations regarding the best schnitzel in Vienna, because Ash wrote and told me that her husband had served an LDS mission in Vienna and that I should visit Figlmuller for my first schnitzel experience there. We waited in a long line and sat rather close to the smokers, but I’d say it was worth the wait! Is it the best in Vienna? I have no idea, I’ve only had it once but if you’re going to go anywhere to have it for the first time I’d highly recommend waiting for a seat here.

We ended our trip with a quick stop at Hundertwasserhaus. Very fun to take pictures of but I think the highlight was the Mozartkugel we picked up to take back to Poland with us. They are really delicious, and I think the perfect gift to bring back for friends and family (that’s what we did!)

I hope this can be a resource for anyone who is lucky enough to visit Vienna. We really enjoyed our time there and if somehow we manage to visit every other European country before we are told to travel I would definitely love to go back.

If you’ve visited Vienna and have some favorite places to eat and things to do, please comment below and tell us about it. I’m hoping this post can be a resource for those planning a trip there as well!