Travel Writer’s Guide To Vienna
This Travel Writer’s Guide To Vienna focuses on a guide to travel with the specific needs of a writer in mind. A traveling writer needs to know the history, where to find inspiration, a great place to write, and a great place to lay their head. That way all your energy can funnel into creating!
History
Vienna is a quaint and beautiful city, however, in the late 1930s, Austria became a part of Hitler’s “Greater” Germany. Following World War II, Austria was occupied by French, American, Soviet, and British forces and divided into zones.
It was not until 1955 that the country regained its independence and Vienna became the capital of Austria once again.
When you come to Vienna you will quickly realize that the character of the city is nearly untouched from the early 1900s. The same music is played in concert halls and opera and theater are still a staple of the culture. Taverns outside of the city remain, serving the same wines.
The history of Vienna is still very much alive there to this day.
Inspo
Simply walking through the city of Vienna is enough to inspire any writer, however, these locations are particularly inspirational.
1. Cafe Braunerhof
The Cafe Braunerhof is said to be Thomas Bernhard’s favorite spot.
2. Mozarthaus
Museum dedicated to Mozart’s time in Vienna and his music. Be sure to explore the surrounding area as it is mostly unchanged from the 1700s.
3. Belvedere Gallery
Palace exhibiting Austrian fine art, from the Middle Ages to Klimt’s ‘Kiss’ & contemporary works.
4. Café Sacher
This cafe retains the ambiance of old Viennese romance, dating back to the early 1800s.
Writing Places
1. Kurkonditorei OBERLAA
A chain of cafes in Vienna, comparable to Starbucks but with a quaint European bakery style twist. A great place to sit with your laptop, a coffee, and a treat.
2. Volksgarten
This beautiful garden of roses is vast and filled with different seating areas
3. CoffeePirates
A quaint and casual cafe with indoor and outdoor seating
4. Jonas Reindl
A beautifully designed coffee shop with comfortable indoor seating
5. Cafe in der Burggasse24
A very comfortable cafe with home like decor
6. Burggarten
Similar to Volksgarten, Burggarten is another beautiful garden with plenty of places to sit
Travel Tips
Where to stay: Two of the best neighborhoods to stay in Vienna (especially for first timers) are the Innere Stadt and MuseumsQuartier.
The Innere Stadt is in the center of the historic Vienna where you will find tourist attractions. Museumsquartier has museums, restaurants, and bars.
You might also choose Neubau which has many galleries and coffee shops. This area has more of a hip indie vibe.
For Vienna, we highly recommend this Airbnb located in a residential building. During your stay you will be treated like a resident and will be given access to the gym, laundry, and front desk staff.
Getting around: Vienna is one of the most livable cities in the world and therefore very easy to traverse. While walkable, you can also use Uber or the efficient public transit. If you stay within walking distance of a stop, you can connect through to most of the city within 10 or 20 minutes. Vienna is German speaking however almost everyone also speaks English if you are in need of directions. Keep in mind if you are heading to the grocery store, they will all be closed on Sundays!
When to go: The best time to visit Vienna is from April to May or September to October. It is not a particularly warm city, so it will not be hot in those months and there will be less crowds. It becomes warmer and more pleasant in the summer months however expect more crowds and higher prices.