Vienna

Random places and thoughts

Consider a weekly pass if there for more than 5 days - buy these online.

Erwachsener ticket 2.10 from airport to city is a supplement charge

Return bottles to vending machines in larger supermarkets. It adds up.

Opening  hours - Sunday shops are generally closed. However there are always shopping and grocery options at major stations and airports.

Tours - Guru Walk also known as Absolute Vienna free tours, though there is an expectation to pay a tip. Really worth it, great guide, I had Kristine, fab to hear insights on the city and its history. Apparently you can rent apartments at the Royal Palace in the city if you put your name on the waiting list.

Secession Gallery

 

Things to do

Too many activities, culture and museums. There are all sorts of passes you can by or if you don't have the energy to museum immersion there are areas to visit such as

 

Museum Quarter

 

 

Joseph Bueys at Mumok or hang out and people watch in the Square, the photo doesn't do it justice but this is a trampoline to lie on a bed over living plants, there are spaces with activities, loads of cafes and many more museums. If I ever return I would want to do the Architecture tour here which only happens on a Saturday.

 

At the Haus der musik, aka Soundhouse you can compose your own polka, conduct an orchestra and immerse yourself in the music history of Vienna.

 

The Vienna State Opera 

Pretty hard to score a ticket they seem to be booked out well in advance, however its possible to get standing room, 6 floors up in the Gods. In 2025 it was only 15 Euros. 

 

Stables of the famous Spanish Riding School and the streets, just have so many things to look at from Massive buildings, squares and parks to quirky shops 

Shopping

From second hand and quirky at places like the 48er-Tandler Margareten, shop, worth going just to see the displays, to cozy woolshops and of course there is definitely high end.

  

            

 Food

Tasty ramen and the most delicious Schnitzel I have ever had

 

Takumi tonkatsu ramen

Krugerstrasse 5

1010 Wien

Near oper

Oper

Walfischgasse 5

1010 vien

For the fancy room and the strudel etc, though not really super tasty, paying for the ambience. Make sure you go upstairs if you want the atmosphere.

 

Everyday biodynamic seems really popular.

 

Gerstner

Kartnerstrasse 51

1010

Cake and coffee

 

My treat to myself, lunch at posh restaurants, often Michelin starred. Lunch is usually a bargain compared to the Evening meals.

Restaurant Konstantin Filippou

 

More Berlin

Things I like about Berlin

Great coffee at RostStatte, plus snacks, worth a trip for the coffee. For those who need soy or other types of coffee, this is the place for you.                    Ackerstraße 173, 10115 Berlin

Banh Mi Stable, Schendelgasse 9, 10119 Berlin, Germany

Delicious bahn mi. 

Coffee

East & Eden
Also, coffee here is pretty good.  Food looked great. Sandwiches, toasted, pastries
torstraße 141, d-10119 Berlin








Food

Yarok - Middle Eastern Food,so fresh and delicious. Definitely will head back here.

Yarok Restaurant | Food from Damaskus! | Torstr. 195, 10115 Berlin

schnitzelei mitte

 

House of Small wonder, Japanese inspired cafe and outdoor garden

 

Sammlung Boros

Reichstag

Jazzy Berlin jam sessions on the River

Monkey Bar, but if you go too late the monkeys go to bed.

You can also catch the monkeys from inside the Bikini Mall, or watch from the rooftop

Neue Galerie

Potsdamer Str. 50, 10785 Berlin

Bookshop with English books, hundt hammer, 

Alte Schönhauser Str. 23-24, 10119 Berlin

 

 

Ben Rahim Coffee Hackeschermarkt Hackerscherhofe 

More good coffee. Best entry to find cafe from Sophiestrasse

https://fathercarpenter.com/

Father Carpenter outdoor and indoor great vibe, coffee and food
Münzstr. 21 - 1. Hof,
10178, Berlin
Germany.

Feurle collection

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/property-and-architecture/the-feuerle-collection-private-art-goes-public-in-berlin/

Casa Camper

Very funky, great shower. Worth knowing though, no fridges in rooms, there is a gathering area on the roof.

I also find Adina at Hackeschermarkt handy and it has cooking facilities.

Getting around

Sich verlaufen, this seemed to be my constant state in Berlin - lost.

It seems there is nothing easy about finding places in Germany, take note travel guides, an s or u-bahn stop and a street address don't seem to carry too much weight in Berlin.  You have to nail which exit you come out of.  If you can tell east and west thats also v. helpful, though I am not good with this, hence my having to go everywhere with half an hour extra time to get lost.  It would be much more helpful if someone actually said turn left out of the station exit leaning to XX street.  Or if you are facing the river, turn right!

Oh and watch out for similar sounding names on those stations.  Kurfurstendamm or Kurfurstenstr. just two stations away from each other.

Even big places like Arena Park are not obvious when you get out of the station.  There are no handy, dandy signs that say Arena Park with nice friendly arrows, it's more of a follow your nose kind of vibe. For somewhere like Templehof, there are three stations that are adjacent to the Park.

The guidebook says Bearpit Karoke in the ampitheatre of Mauer Park. For me its more useful to say get of the tram at the Flea markets and go the park.  There is more than one path, the one to the right will take you to the karaoke ampitheatre, near the basketball court.  If you want markets, go for the one on the left where you'll find stalls, a mixture of really - junk and newer stuff like bags, t-shirts and jewellery.

Good supermarket in Ostbahnof open to 10pm 7 days a week.  Plus on public holidays. If you are gluten intolerant or you like a bit of choice, this is a good place to go.

Mauer Park

Yet again, its hard work figuring out where to go to.  Nordbahnhof is really nowhere near the Flohmarkt and the Karoke, but we did come across a fun place, Berlin beach and we saw some of the wall and then managed to get ourselves to the Flohmarkt.

Demystifying locations Sammler Hoffman, the 2nd courtyard.
Reservations essential.  they have tours in German and English

Sammlung Hoffmann
Sophie-Gips-Höfe, Aufgang C
Sophienstraße 21
10178 Berlin-Mitte
Telefon: +49 30 28 49 91 20
Email: info@sammlung-hoffmann.de
Verkehrsanbindung: U8 Weinmeisterstraße; S-Bahn Hackescher Markt


Neue Heimat, Jazz thing on Friday nights, jam session, but also From the S-Bahn turn right, then right at the yellow building Lots of
music venues in this area/complex



Badeschiff on the Spree, amazing place to have a swim on a hot summer's day.

Food
Kantastrasse for authentic Asian food.  There are lots of wannabees around town that don't cut the mustard if you come from somewhere like Sydney.

Saigon Green was yummy food, nice setting, v friendly staff
Kantstrabe 23, 10623 Berlin
Cheap as, I had 3 starters Duck salad, summer roll and satay for 10.50