Sausage Stalls & State Rooms: One Woman’s Escape to Vienna

Vienna: A Dream Come True

Vienna had always been on my list—but somehow, despite a few camping holidays to Austria over the years, we never quite made it there. So when a surprise birthday gift turned out to be a weekend away in the city I’d long wanted to visit, I was thrilled.

A Rocky Start: The Hotel Experience

Travelling light (hand luggage only) we flew to Vienna. The hotel was a bit of a trek, but with small bags and big curiosity, we walked through the city, soaking it all in. It wasn’t long (and after a few wrong turns) before we stumbled across the Naschmarkt, where we promptly stopped for a “livener” and a local beer. (When in Vienna, etc.)

Our first hotel was... adequate. We dropped our things, freshened up, and went back to the Naschmarkt for the evening. A platter of local cheeses, our first taste of Austrian white wine, and then—of course—the obligatory Viennese schnitzel at a charming outdoor restaurant. A perfect start.

And then... the night. Let’s just say we were roasting. The aircon wasn’t working, and after a few too many attempts to “reset” it ourselves (in true British fashion: push buttons, hope for the best), we finally let reception know. Apparently, it was truly broken and help wouldn’t arrive until the next day. So, after about three hours of sleep, we woke up, checked out, and found a new place to stay—a boutique hotel that was everything the first one wasn’t.

Morning Magic: Spanish Riding School Horses

At 5:00am, we wandered the quiet streets toward the new hotel. As the morning progressed the magic happened. In a nearby park, we came across the Spanish Riding School horses out with their trainers—grazing, meandering, and enjoying the morning. Some riders were in full uniform, and the whole thing felt like a secret moment, shared only with us. It was quietly beautiful and totally unexpected.

When we arrived at the new hotel, they’d prepared our room early. It was quirky and full of charm—with a bottle of Austrian wine waiting in an ice bucket, two glasses, and a handwritten note welcoming us, along with a €50 voucher for dinner. Things were definitely looking up.

Cultural Highlights: Museums and Music

We spent the day exploring the city, and Vienna delivered. Majestic buildings, wide boulevards, grand parks, and yes—Mozart in the park. The Hofburg Imperial Palace was a marvel, the roses in the Volksgarten were in full bloom, and the government buildings in the Burgviertel stood as proudly as ever. It was a city both stately and romantic, elegant but inviting.

And of course, we made the mandatory pilgrimage to Café Sacher for a slice of the famous Sachertorte. Rich, chocolatey, historic, and possibly containing enough sugar to keep us awake for days. Worth every crumb. Ticked that box with chocolate-covered enthusiasm.

A Moment of Stillness: The Albertina Museum

One of the real highlights for me was the Albertina Museum. I may not understand all the finer points of art, but I enjoy what I enjoy—and I was utterly captivated by the Matthew Wong exhibition. His style, clearly influenced by Van Gogh, was bold and colourful, but also quietly layered and unsettled in a beautiful way. There was something deeply personal in his work that I couldn’t quite name. Learning he died at just 34 was heartbreaking. It felt like the world had lost someone with so much still to say.

There’s something so special about finding stillness in a gallery in the middle of a busy trip. It gave us time to pause, take it all in, and remember why we came here in the first place—not just for the schnitzels (though let’s not pretend they weren’t excellent), but to soak up the culture, the beauty, the history.

Dining with History: Reichenberger Grechenbeisl

Speaking of history, one of our most memorable meals was at Reichenberger Griechenbeisl—a charming piece of medieval Vienna and one of the oldest restaurants in the city. The walls are filled with the signatures of artistic and historical greats who dined there: Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Wagner, Strauss, and somehow also Johnny Cash, Tupac, and Snoop Dogg. (I can’t confirm they all shared a table) We were given a tour of the Mark Twain Room by a lovely waiter who clearly loved the place as much as its legendary guests. And yes, the food was excellent—history and in this case, a change from Shnitzel to another local dish "knusprige Schweinshaxe" (crispy pork knuckle) Bliss!

Vienna: A City of Layers

Vienna was an experience full of character, mystery, and music. From smoky sausage stalls to grand imperial halls, every moment added a new layer to the story. We laughed, we melted (thanks again, broken aircon), we marvelled, we ate our bodyweight in cheese and pork —and still, we only scratched the surface. There’s so much more waiting in this beautiful, slightly bonkers city.

We’ll definitely be back.