June 16, 2021
Buying a train ticket to Vienna proved to be a bit tricky. OBB kind of tries to scam you; I think because this is such a popular route. I suggest using Westbahn or experimenting with booking OBB to Bratislava, because it can actually be cheaper than booking to Vienna. You’ll just skip your transfer in Vienna.
It’s time to buckle down and study for my classes so I chose Hostel Ruthensteiner. It looks like it has lots of common space and is quiet. Unfortunately it’s not really in the city center but the public transport is so good that it shouldn’t be difficult to get around. Vienna is so big anyway you’ll have to use public transport in order to see everything.
Lucky for me, they put me into a double room alone due to COVID regulations. Only one out of two bunks is allowed to be occupied. This means I get the room to myself! It has a sink, a table with chairs, and lockers with a charger inside all in the room. This is incredible!
They have a nice (but old) kitchen facility, which will be more than enough to make breakfasts and lunches in. As expected, there are great common spaces, but the outdoor space is closed at 7 pm due to noise complaints (which sucks). There are older people here but it feels a lot more friendly than the other hostel because it has been being used as a co-living space during the pandemic, so there’s a sense of community. The hostel is near Westbahn which is good, and there’s plenty of restaurants and amenities within walking distance.
After doing some research, I decide to take the metro to Erich, a trendy taco restaurant, for dinner. I snap a picture of the National History Museum on the way because the architecture is gorgeous. The draft beer was alright and the tacos were also alright. To be honest, I’m not quite sure why this restaurant is so popular.
June 17, 2021
As I said yesterday, I need to buckle down and do some homework, so that’s what I did today. I bought some food at the grocery store around the block so I don’t even need to leave the area.
June 18, 2021
Again it’s a work day, but today I am treating myself to some kebab. Berliner Doner is about a 15 minute walk from the hostel. They have tasty kebab. I ordered the spicy chicken doner which was cheap and delicious, and I ate it while sitting on a bench on the way home.
June 19, 2021
It’s the weekend so I take some time to explore Vienna for real. The Naschmarkt is a really large market with all kinds of things. On Saturdays there’s an antique flea market which I’m excited for. I bought some strawberries and peaches from the the produce section and then wandered around the antique market. I ended up buying a little necklace because I’ve been needing some jewelry to take my outfits up a notch.
Now it’s time to try a famous Vienna tradition: the Wurstelstand. You can just get a basic hot dog, but it’s recommended to order the kasekrainer. I’m a bigger fan of kebab, but this is also a great cheap bite.
Rick Steves has a lot of Vienna content, including an audio tour. I walk around the city center guided by Rick and makes stops at many sites including Hofburg Palace, Paalmenhaus, the Neubau district, Stephasnplatz, Rathaus Vienna, St Stephen’s Cathedral, Wiener Staatsoper, Parliament, and Kaisergruft. This was a nice self paced alternative to a walking tour. I also stumbled onto the Vienna pride celebration in one of the squares which was fun to see.
I want to try kaiserschmarm, which is a traditional dessert here, so I stop at Café Central. It’s beautiful inside, which I only see because I go in to use the bathroom. I sit outside to enjoy the weather and order an iced tea. The place is overall a bit expensive and I recommend bringing a friend to try to the kaiserschmarm because it’s a pretty heavy portion. I use their WiFi to call my dad and spend quite a while resting here because it’s super hot and I’ve been walking around for hours.
I head back home thinking the day is over, but then I meet a nice Russian girl in the hostel named Maria, so I agree to get dinner with her (this is becoming an expensive day, but I’ve been studying all week so I don’t sweat it). We choose a restaurant about a 20 minute walk away called Liebling. It’s a modern restaurant and I opt for a pasta salad, which ended up beings very delicious. The street is lively because of the European Cup game going on. We have a fun conversation and I find out she lives in Prague, which I’ll hopefully be heading to soon.
June 20, 2021
Again, it’s a day full of homework, but I actually chat with some people for a change in the kitchen. I met Luis who is a teacher taking a couple months to travel the area, which he had planned to do before COVID hit. We drink beers and talk about our plans to head to Bratislava the next day.
Check Out My Guide to Vienna ⧉
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