Top things to do in Vienna's Historic District
After two days in Vienna I must admit that I was not ready to leave. All of the art, music, architecture and culture had me hooked. It was time for the third and final day of exploring this Austrian city and I was determined to make the most of it.
The day began with a walking tour through Vienna's historic district. The first stop was at the Hofburg Imperial Palace which was home to the Habsburg dynasty rulers and now serves as home and workplace to Austria's President. This is also where Hitler gave his speech to the Viennese from a balcony on March 15, 1938.
Inside in the Neue Burg Wing of the Hofburg is where the largest library of Austria is located. The Austrian National Library houses more than 12 million items. There is an entrance fee of 3€ to access the library. In the Hofburg's courtyard stands the sculpture of Emperor Francis II.
Nearby at eight minutes within walking distance from the Hofburg is the Natural History Museum. Don't think you're seeing double if you ever visit it because you're not, in fact, the museum faces a library that looks exactly alike. In between these twin buildings is the Maria Theresien Platz. Visitors to the museum must pay a fee of 10€.
After admiring the twin buildings I walked towards Burggarten. There the statue of Mozart awaited me. In front of the statue flowers were planted to bloom in the shape of a treble clef. Enjoying the summer sun locals spread their blankets throughout the garden. Some were having picnics while others read or sunbathed.
On my way back to the hotel I noticed an interesting building. It was the Secession Building, an exhibition hall built by Joseph Maria Olbrich as an architectural manifesto. It is also known for housing some of Klimt's artwork.
To make the last night in Vienna really special my friends and I went to the Prater, an amusement park. We got there just in time to see the sun begin to set from the top of the ferris wheel. The wheel has 15 cars, it used to have 30 but 15 got wrecked during World War Two. The ferris wheel goes slowly until it reaches the top and settles for five minutes. The attendant informed the crowd that there were cars available for rentals that include a dining service and waiter, very romantic.
We ended the night at Alter Bach-Hengl, a wine bar. They have a selection of hot and cold foods and wines. The bar was full of original Viennese music played by a violinist and accordionist. We were seated at the back of the bar near an Asian family. The musicians were happy to play a few requests, we even sang Cielito Lindo. The Asian family got in on the fun too and requested a song from their country to which a couple danced to in a traditional way. Apart from the musicians the staff was surpised by the energy in the bar since austrians are more on the serious side. The atmosphere was buzzing and everyone was having a great time. It was the perfect way to end the trip. Make sure to read the first and second part of this travel blog series if you haven't already. Happy Travels!
