My First Days in Vienna

Good Morning Vienna

Waking up to the sound of a rooster greeting the morning was my reminder that I was in Vienna.

A curious black cat wandered in to see who was sleeping, then wandered out again. Upstairs, the fish swam to the front of the aquarium as I approached, and I stopped for a minute to watch them watching me.

I was house-sitting in a quiet district on the edge of the Vienna Woods. It slopes towards the Danube and catches cool breezes, which made it noticeably cooler than the city.

My big decision that morning was whether to attempt public transport and explore Vienna, or head towards the vineyards above me.

I decided to start with the city.

Visiting Schönbrunn Palace

An easy five-minute walk down the hill brought me to the bus stop. From there, I caught the bus, then a train into the city, and made my way to Schönbrunn Palace — Vienna’s most famous attraction and one that had been highly recommended to me.

When I arrived at Schönbrunn station, I remember walking in a small circle, unsure which direction to go. I couldn’t see a palace anywhere. I had expected something visible from a distance, similar to Buckingham Palace.

Eventually, I spotted a line of tour buses parked further down the road and followed the crowd, hoping they were heading to the palace.

Passing through the gates, the palace finally revealed itself in its distinctive pale yellow. I don’t know why, but standing in the courtyard, I was surprised at how beautiful the palace was, especially with the vast gardens stretching out in every direction.

Standing there for a moment, taking it all in, I could see why it’s Vienna’s most popular tourist attraction.

It was beautiful — but it was also very crowded.

Tour guides walked ahead of their groups, holding small flags so no-one would get lost. I wondered how many still did.

It was a very hot day, and the grounds were busy. After about an hour of walking in the heat, I decided to leave. I knew I could always return another day.

Back at my house sit, I was happy not to be lost — and even happier to feel the cooler air drifting up from the Danube.

That evening, looking out from my bedroom window at the rows of grapevines climbing the hill, I thought I’d walk up Kahlenberg the next day.

Climbing Kahlenberg

The next morning, I walked down through the small village and began the climb.

It starts off steep, levels out slightly, then becomes very steep again.

I won’t pretend it was easy.

But I wasn’t in a hurry. I was so happy to be in beautiful Vienna, walking through the vineyards.

I stopped often as I walked to catch my breath and admire the view. The Danube looked wider, and the city stretched further into the distance.

The first winery I reached was closed, but outdoor couches were arranged to face the view. It would have been the perfect place to sit for hours.

Cyclists passed me, zigzagging slowly on the way up, not moving much faster than I was walking. The cyclists heading down were almost flying. It is really steep.

Further along, another winery appeared — also closed during the week — this one with timber garden seats and red umbrellas spread across the terrace.

Eventually, I reached a fork in the road. The paved road curved left, while a dirt path continued upward.

I chose the path. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

It was uneven, with loose stones and shallow grooves, but it led to a set of stairs with carved symbols on the posts that looked very old. At the top of the stairs, I unknowingly rejoined the main road. Soon after, I could see buildings ahead.

Almost there.

At 484 metres above Vienna, the view was worth it.

Reaching the Top

At the summit, there’s a terrace overlooking Vienna and the Danube, along with a café and the Skyline Restaurant.

The balcony was quiet when I arrived, so I took a seat and ordered a vegan apple strudel. I hadn’t expected to find a vegan option — topped with blueberries and raspberries — and it was delicious.

Opposite the restaurant stands St. Joseph’s Church, Kahlenberg. As I finished my strudel, the church bells began ringing.

A wedding had just taken place, and the newlyweds and their guests stepped out onto the terrace.

I left them to their celebrations and began the walk back down. Walking downhill was much easier, and this time the view stayed right in front of me.

On the way down, a cyclist pushing his bike uphill asked if he was nearly at the top.

I smiled, shook my head, and said, “No.”

He looked so disappointed, but he kept going.

Next Time

On my next trip up Kahlenberg, I wasn’t quite so confident — I took the wrong path on the way down and my phone died. But that’s a story for another day.