Amy and the Great World

Austria

A Letter to Vienna (Austria)

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dear vienna

Dear Vienna,

I’ve been putting off posting about you for a while because I’ve been dying sick for over a month now, and because I’m afraid I won’t have the words.

Even you might find this interesting, Vienna, as I definitely talked a lot while we were there (mostly to E…he’s a lucky man). Most who know me will agree–I rarely run out of words when I’m given the opportunity to speak.

I’m worried I won’t have the words to describe you as a city, because to be honest, we didn’t connect that well. I’m still not sure why, because I was completely charmed by Salzburg and I was in love with Hallstatt before I even arrived.

Don’t take it personally, Vienna, for you have many wonderful things that I (and many, many others) love. Gorgeous architecture, friendly people, horse-drawn carriages, grand and unique cathedrals, great food (including possibly the best meal I’ve had so far in Europe, except maybe in Paris), and coffeehouses that I still dream about.

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Yet, when family members or friends who may be visiting ask about Vienna, I recommend we go somewhere else.

There are many reasons why this is the case. Please don’t take offense, because I really didn’t hate you.

Perhaps it was because it was really, really cold while we were there, as well as dark and gray. Maybe it’s because E and I booked bus tickets on the wrong day and lost money, which led to a fight. Maybe because our pension was in a strange area of town and wasn’t very comfortable. Perhaps it’s because I knew both Hallstatt and Salzburg were on the horizon, places I’d always dreamed of seeing (especially Hallstatt).

Looking back, it probably was just my attitude. I’d come off a stressful week, I was anxious about our hastily planned trip and our hastily packed bags, I was bummed at the expensive yet not great hostel, and everything seemed so much more expensive than Prague–which is true, because a large chunk of Europe tends to be that way.

Still, I enjoyed your architecture, and the horse-drawn carriages, and hearing the famous Vienna Boys’ Choir sing just before they kicked us out of the hallway. It was great to see the Hofburg Palace, the former imperial palace of the Habsburg empire (back when Austria ruled a lot of Europe), and wander the massive grounds. One weird aspect, though, was accidentally walking into some military fair on the grounds. I was not expecting to see tanks and tents full of military technology in front of a decadent palace (while I’ve got you, Vienna, can you explain that? I’m still flummoxed).

IMG_6841 IMG_6829IMG_6799^^see? tanks. In front of this palace.

My favorite part of your little city, Vienna, was the coffeehouses. Can we just talk about these for a minute?

Vienna, on this level we really connected. I take my coffee seriously, and so do you.

I tried one of your speciality coffee drinks, called an einspänner, that was essentially espresso and whipped cream. I savored it, surrounded by gorgeous, 19th century furniture, listening to a man play dreamily on the piano. I will recommend that everyone going to Vienna visit Café Sperl for atmosphere (piano player!), tradition (it opened around 1880, and the furnishings haven’t changed since!), and of course, the coffee.

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At another coffeehouse I ordered the famous Sachertorte and a coffee beverage called a fiaker, similar to the drink I’d tried earlier but with a shot of rum. I don’t recall the name of the place–it was just one near the Hofburg that we stumbled upon–but I will recommend this traditional torte…especially with coffee!

IMG_6816^^Please excuse my extremely awkward face…this is the only picture I have of the torte!

In addition to your lovely coffeehouses, we ate one spectacular meal (just one because we were too busy spending money in said coffeehouses…no regrets). This restaurant, Gasthaus Pöschl, was recommended to me by a high school friend who stopped in Prague after visiting you, Vienna. She raved about the pumpkin kraut and frankly (because I’m…basic?) anything with pumpkin is something that catches my interest. E and I shared the tafelspitz, a boiled beef dish in broth with a side of potatoes and the pumpkin kraut. The meat was fall-off-the-bone delicious, and the pumpkin kraut was even better than I anticipated.

IMG_6832^^the famous pumpkin kraut.

In conclusion, I’d like to apologize. Vienna, I know I will not love every place I visit (I do struggle with this idea, because I want to love them all), but I feel that I dismissed you too quickly. I will be back, someday, to give you another try. In the meantime, don’t change a thing about your coffeehouses…and save me some pumpkin kraut!

XO,

Amy

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Comments

  1. Isn’t it interesting how our attitude can completely affect our perspective of a place ( especially when comparing it to other destinations)? Perhaps if you went in the summer, you would enjoy it more? I, for one, LOVED Vienna and I went over Christmas, but I love the winter and I hadn’t been abroad in a while, so looking back, I probably would have loved anywhere new lol. 🙂

    • So true! It’s amazing how the time of the year can impact your trip. I’ve heard Vienna is amazing at Christmas–and I love winter too! It was the end of October so I was expecting the trees to have beautiful color, but instead it was freezing and there were no leaves left, so maybe that bummed me out. We weren’t prepared for the cold, either, so that didn’t help. It’s funny, though, while I was writing this post, I was like “um these pictures are amazing! what was I thinking?” so I definitely need to give it another chance 🙂

  2. Sweet pictures 🙂 I really do think circumstances had a LOT to do with how much you enjoy a place sometimes. The first time I went to Vienna, my travel buddy was terribly ill and we barely got out, taking the U-Bahn everywhere. Butttt having been back a few times since then, I do think it’s one of those cities that you really love the more you get to know. Thanks for the cafe & restaurant recommendations…. I am hoping to hit up every beautiful cafe in the city eventually (which I realize is a silly goal, but hey… you know Vienna coffee houses and that one looks fabulous!).

    • That is a great goal for Vienna! My parents are really interested in visiting and even though I feel a little “meh” about it…I remember the cafes and feel better haha :). I hope you make your goal! Cafe Sperl is seriously amazing, especially if the piano guy comes in (around 11 am when we were there!).
      It’s a good reminder that a lot of cities grow on you over time–I try to remember that when I don’t love a place but have an opportunity to go back. New places are not always better–sometimes places get better the second time around!

    • Thanks, Ellen! I always struggle to write about places I didn’t love without making them seem either better or worse than I thought–but this was really fun to write! 🙂

    • Thanks! I hope so, too…it’s never-ending! My 6th month update might be REALLY boring since I’ve been sleeping so much 😉

      I’m glad I’m not the only one who has these feelings–I kind of feel guilty when I do, because I want to love everywhere so much!

  5. Love this post. I felt like this towards Paris. I wanted to love it but ended up feeling a little indifferent towards it. Circumstances played their part as it was super cold even though it april and we were not prepared!

    • Yes circumstances can impact so much! I really loved Paris but after a week, I was ready to leave. Part of it was the crowds, we figured it would be deserted in December/January but neglected to factor in NYE! Yikes!
      Thanks for reading, Sarah 🙂

    • It really is beautiful! Even writing and picking out pictures I was like “um, that place is amazing, what were you thinking?” haha. So definitely must go back 🙂

  7. First let me say I loved this post! Whether the city was a favorite stop or not this post was AMAZING! But I definitely know what you are talking about, I think for me Copenhagen was a bit like this, rushed, not quite what I expected (complete with getting on the wrong train and getting kicked off at a rural station)…but still with some great selling points. I think that mood and perspective, and even things that you will laugh about later like a bus ticket for the wrong day, just sort of turn you off from a place! But I think you found things to love which is the key! And with this as your first experience, I would bet it can only go up from here! MISS YOU

    • Aww, Thanks! I miss you too, so much! It’s amazing how messed up travel connections can impact your opinion of the whole city. Mood is so key, you’re right! I really need to give Vienna another chance because I think I could love it…do you feel that way about Copenhagen? We are thinking about going there, but it’s pricey so I’m not sure it would be worth it. Love ya! xo

      • I do think that if I spent more time in Copenhagen, maybe not such a rushed few days, that I would have a different perspective. It was also the middle of summer and pretty hot! I think spring could be a good time to go, they have some amazing gardens outside the palace that I bet are gorgeous! And there was a very cute village that we went to outside the city that was pretty charming! I guess my advice is that maybe it would be worth exploring for a few days along the way somewhere else! And if you do go I’d love to hear your perspective!!! Miss you! Love ya! xo

        • We were debating going with some friends who are visiting in May but we chose Ireland instead. We might still make it though, who knows! My parents went and loved it, but it was also their first trip to Europe ever haha. That tends to hold a special place in your heart ;). Miss you and love you mucho mucho!!

  8. Hello, I’m hopping over from Travel Tuesday 🙂 Love this post on Vienna – so cute! I have to agree, I was in Vienna two year ago for Christmas and while I appreciated things in the city, I didn’t connect with it. (Those coffeehouses though…so wonderful!) But I love other places in Austria, and I would to visit Hallstatt someday!

    • Hi! So happy to have you 🙂 I agree completely about Vienna, down to the incredible coffeehouses haha!
      Where else have you been in Austria? We only made it to Salzburg and Hallstatt besides Vienna. I absolutely LOVED Hallstatt though and want to take everyone I know there!!! It’s a must!

      • I would love to see Hallstatt – I’ve been reading so many great things about it lately! I’ve been to Salzburg years ago. But for the past 2 Christmases I’ve been going to Seefeld, Austria (about 20 min from Innsbruck). It’s known for its cross-country skiing circuits and is just the cutest place in the winter!

        • I feel like Austria just has a plethora of cute mountain towns (or so I keep hearing). It must be nice to have a traditional place to visit for Christmas!

  9. Gosh Vienna is definitely a destination I HAVE to make it to eventually! I even lived in Austria for 6 weeks a couple of years back and never made it there. Still mad at myself for that!

    Anyways, just wanted to say hi from the Travel Tuesday linkup 🙂 Glad I found your blog!

  10. I really love your honesty here! Every place we visit when we travel can’t always be amazing (it just can’t!) – I’ve definitely been to those places that I’ve just felt a bit “meh” about – nothing in particular, but just overall in general! It’s kind of nice to know I’m not alone!

    Carly xo

    • Hi Carly!
      Thanks so much for your response–I was a little worried when I posted this that everyone would say “Um, get over it, you went to a beautiful city in Europe, what are you complaining for?” haha. I’m so glad I’m not alone is just not connecting with some places! I think it’s important to share that that can happen while traveling, too, although most of the time I do love the places 😉
      love having you as always! xo

    • Thanks Sammy! I’m glad you appreciate it but I hope I didn’t turn you off from Vienna TOO much haha. It really is a nice city! I bet it would be nice and warm and spring-like in April (one would hope) so maybe you will enjoy it more than I did. Are you going anywhere else in Austria?

  12. Those coffee drinks look incredible! I’ve never been to Vienna, so I can’t comment on it, but I know the feeling you’re referring to in general… sorry that it didn’t live up to your hopes and dreams, but thanks for sharing what you did love. 🙂

    • They were my favorite part of the city, haha!
      I’m glad you liked the post–I always struggle when writing about places I just felt “meh” about it. It’s usually easier to write about a place I loved (or really hated lol). I tried to go into Vienna without expectations but I did feel disappointed, so I must have had some…as always 😉

  13. Great honesty, but the photos still make it look like a beautiful place to visit. And those coffee drinks are something I definitely would love to try!

    • Yes I was thinking that as I went through my pictures–it really is beautiful! I think it was just my attitude and maybe the cold, grey weather that impacted my feelings. I prefer for it to be cold there so you can justify more cafe visits, though 🙂

  14. I actually felt the same way about Vienna. It’s beautiful but I just couldn’t click with it and I can’t put my finger on why (so I never wrote about it, heh). I think part of it for us was circumstance too. I remember it being SO deathly hot and it was miserable walking around, and we were fighting a lot too because we were both irritable in the heat. I would return though and experience it again, but I’d definitely go to Salzburg first!

    • Yes I would go back to Vienna but Salzburg and other small towns first (like Hallstatt!).
      I always struggle writing about the places I feel “meh” about and often leave them off my blog, too–but I realized that everyone was getting the idea that my life was perfect and rosy, so I wanted to throw in a place that I didn’t find perfect!
      I always struggle with extreme temps while traveling, it can impact your mood SO MUCH if you’re too hot or cold, or too thirsty or hungry!

  15. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of people not loving Vienna which is really interesting but it’s definitely food for thought.. maybe next time it will be better for you x

    • Thanks Natalie! I hadn’t heard much about Vienna before we went, honestly. I think I would like to go back someday but there are so many other places I want to go too, ya know? 🙂 xo

  16. I went to Vienna in 2011 and we only got to spend half a day there and from that I got really nice feelings about the place and have wanted to go again every since.

    Sometimes places just aren’t that amazing. I had a similar feeling when we went to Romania but I think it was more down to our attitude at the time, since then I’ve heard a lot of lovely things and seen some great photos that are making me re-think my Romanian views.

    • It’s amazing how our moods can effect our experience so much! It’s funny that pictures of Romania are making you re-think your visit…my own pictures from Vienna were kind of making me really think I need to give Vienna another chance!! I have heard interesting things about Romania as well…good to hear about your experience! thanks for sharing!

  17. Wow what incredible coffees! Great post – it would be so fantastic if we loved every single place we went to, but possibly a little exhausting! Sounds like there’s enough there for you to have a second go at Vienna 🙂

    • It was yummy, indeed! I am so glad to see you around again–I still can’t believe everything you went through with your blog. I hope that you’re feeling refreshed after your forced break!!!

    • Wow our sentiments about Vienna are SO similar! I could have titled my blog post that same thing, ha! I feel a little less guilty about my feelings after reading your post–I always feel guilty when I don’t love a place because I feel so lucky to just be able to travel at all! I’ll have to write about it again if/when we visit 🙂 I’m glad you made such great friends there! Did you make it back, and how did you feel if you did?

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