Our local tips to Vienna
Hi travelers!
We know summer is the perfect opportunity to take a quick pause on everyday life, and go off to a traveling adventure (maybe cross off that bucket list travel destinations?). Whether you choose to do a road-trip or to change time zones, let’s face it - the planning process could be a little daunting. And with so many beautiful backdrops around the world, even just choosing the right city is hard!
There is a ton of information out there to help with your travel plans, but we know that the only way of getting the right travel insights is from the locals themselves. So, since we happen to have over 1,000 culture gurus across the world, we thought we would share with you a series that can help you plan (or decide) your upcoming trip.
Eastern Europe is such a cool destination. It has such a different feel from the rest of Europe, both architecturally and culturally. Which is why we’ve chosen Vienna for our next city to highlight.
Shoot My Travel photographer, Andi helped us out with this one, and gave us so many amazing tips for being a local-like tourist in this city.
Who should visit?
Vienna is a perfect city for people who love history, culture, music and beautiful architecture. You'll find streets from the medieval age, palaces of emperors remain from World War I and II and contemporary architecture. It's also a great place for relaxing or having a walk in a park as Vienna is one of the greenest cities in Europe.
One thing to know before visiting?
All shops are closed on Sundays! (There are very few exceptions, like souvenir shops and some shops at the train station). And you hardly find a place to eat after 10 p.m., so make sure to have dinner before that!
If you were in Vienna for a day, what are three must-dos?
1) Take a walk in and around the first district (the historical city center).
2) Go to a traditional Viennese Coffeehouse and have a Sachertorte (chocolate cake) or an apple strudel. Many of these coffeehouses are full of tourists, but there are also others like Cafe Tirolerhof where you have the traditional Viennese atmosphere and probably the best apple strudel in town.
3) See the castle "Schönbrunn." It's a few metro stations away from the city center and it's an impressive palace similar to Versailles near Paris.
What’s your favorite hidden spot?
Vienna has a lot of beautiful and hidden courtyards, in a lot of them, there are also restaurants. A very beautiful courtyard with good an inexpensive food can be found at the open cultural space WUK. There you'll also be surrounded by remarkable architecture!
What is your favorite photo backdrop in the city?
If you want a wonderful view of Vienna, go to the top of St. Stephen’s Cathedral (which is the very city centre). Other than that I mostly enjoy any of the old historical streets with its beautiful buildings as a photo backdrop.
What are some travel hacks to help unlock a true local experience?
Go to Prater, Vienna's biggest park. It's mostly known for the amusement park, but there's also a big forest area and open meadows where you can have a walk, a picnic or just relax. You will hardly find any tourists there, it's mostly locals who hang out there. And if you are in Vienna in summer/autumn, go to a "Heuriger," which is a kind of restaurant offering traditional Austrian food and their own wine. (You'll usually find them near vineyards at the outer districts of Vienna).
P.S Here are a few of our own travel tips for Vienna:
Pack for all weather. The Viennese climate can be unpredictable when it comes to sunshine or thunderstorms and there may even be snowstorms in early April
Downloading apps is always an easy way to figure out where to go and how to get there. The app “qando” is great for public transportation, Wien Isst is a go-to for info on restaurants and Shopikon helps you discover lesser known shops
Always tip. Usually in Europe, the tip is included in the bill, and you can practically out yourself as American by leaving a large tip, if any at all. But here, 10% is the norm
With photographers in over 250 cities around the world, our team has not only seen traveler adventures be captured, but stories created! After-all, a photo is more interesting when you also have a story to tell. Remember to book a photo tour and get our local photographers share more of these tips and unlock the full travel experience!