Vienna in 2 Days

If you’d like to go to Vienna and have only two days, I can suggest the following (to get the most of your visit).

Day 1
Arrive by train: Begin at the Hostel Ruthensteiner (super cheap, very clean, helpful and nice staff, and you can get a private room if you’d prefer), just a stone’s throw from the train station and the underground. Breakfast can be had at any of the number of Turkish restaurants near the hostel and you’ll get complimentary tea with your meal. You are also located just near the Mariahilfer Str. Within a twenty-five minute walk from the hostel (on the Mariahilfer Str.) is some of the city’s best shopping, and the Museum Quartier and the Museum of Natural History and the Opera is just down the street. If you walk another twenty to thirty minutes from the see a load of other historic buildings and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. We began our first day at the Belevedere Castle to see “the Kiss” and other stunning artworks. The castle itself and it’s gardens are a must see and simply grand in every way. Afterwards walk to St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the main part of town, be sure to go to the top of St. Stephen’s tower and if you have an issue with heights, just get past the narrow metal grated bridge and you’ll be on a nice slab of stone and feel much better (and happy that you saw the city from above). Then take a walk or a carriage ride to see the main part of the town, statuary and a number of points of interest. Be advised that in NY the life span of carriage horses is only a couple of years, I don’t know if the same harsh conditions apply in Vienna. You’ll know when you’ve arrived because when you look up you’ll see massive Grecian (Venetian)-looking sculptures of nude deities in mid myth or oxidized copper and gold domes atop large white buildings. Be sure to stop and have your favorite coffee drink and a sumptuous sweet treat. All the cakes are moist and subtle especially the fruit topped ones. Finally you can explore the Museum Quartier and it’s courtyard and go to a lovely dinner on the Mariahilfer Str.

Day 2
Store your bags in a locker at the Hostel and head out for your adventure. Begin at Schoenbrunn Palace and see the gardens and the labyrinth. If you like antique furniture and didn’t get enough of the opulence of interiors in Belevedere, then take a tour of the inside of the Palace, we spent three hours exploring the outside, and eating brunch on the terrace atop the hill – the food is pricey but lovely. You can go from here to see the famous Vienna opera house (take the public transport as it is too far of a walk). Then you can walk from the opera house back to the Museum Quartier and purchase a combo ticket for the three main art museums: the Leopold Museum, the Kunsthalle (a great show there called "PUNK. No One is Innocent,") and the MUMOK (modern art museum which had the show "Bad Painting - Good Art.") This should take anywhere from three to 6 hours depending on how quickly you view the collections. The café outside of the Kunsthalle has wonderful drinks and food, and I recommend having dinner there. Afterwards you can stroll along the streets and window shop, stop at a few cafés to taste their cakes or just lounge outside in the terrace of the Museum Quartier on the lounge-like structures, while listening to music.

Note: If you haven't seen their work, take a look at the work of Derek Jarman (at the Kunsthalle) and if you love the work of Nan Goldin, look at Mark Morrisroe as well.