Gyor, Hungary

Just like it's location, the city itself is also a mix of old and new. The downtown is picture perfect. It is not a tourist town. Menus are only in Hungarian and it is rare to find someone over the age of twenty who speaks English. The rows of century old buildings are adorned with window boxes filled with Geraniums. There are dozens of churches, a bishop's palace, underground pubs and wineries. There is no rhyme or reason to the cobblestone streets, they twist and curve down and up and you can walk freely without fast cars or mobs of people.

There is not a lot to do in this city, except walk around and look at it. It lies at the intersection of the Danube and the Raba. Businesses, schools and people congregate on the river's edge.

The people of Gyor and of Hungary are some of the kindest and most generous people you will ever meet. They will feed you until you are full, give you drinks until you are drunk and smile at you until you cannot help but smile back.

If you walk one mile north, to the neighborhood where I used to live, the buildings become slightly more modern and then, just like that, you are amidst the remnants of a surreal time in the city's history. There is row after row of towering communist apartment blocks. The cement reaches towards the sky in hues of brown, gray, yellow, blue, even pink. Window and balconies are studded with clothes hanging out to dry, people sunning themselves or just looking down on the street. The first time I saw my building, my jaw dropped, but despite being on the 11th floor and having a tremendous fear of my elevator I grew to love that apartment.

When to go? Spring, summer or early fall. Tulips are planted everywhere and the city looks magical in the warm weather. Stop for the day on your way from Budapest to Vienna, or take a day trip from either city.

Vienna: Food, Flowers and Drinks

Vienna in Winter

The Metro
Roasted Chestnuts
Metro station during a snow squall
Festive streets
Ornaments for sale at a Christmas market

Vienna Part 2

Figlmuller

While some of my party stayed back at the hotel, resting their feet and freshening up, my father and I took our map in search the restaurant that I had heard served the best weinerschnitzel in the world. We circled St. Stephen's square trying to find the tiny street on the map that I was convinced did not exist, but suddenly I remember passing through a small arched ally just off the main street earlier that day. I found the arch, enter down the narrow passage way and looked up at the tiny street name posted on the side of a wall and sure enough there was the restaurant. I walked inside and made a reservation with one of the very enthusiastic waiters After, we returned to the hotel, collected the rest of our group, and returned to the restaurant and sure enough there was a little table, perfect for four, right amidst a packed house of diners. We order austrian potato salad and pickled vegetables and finally the waiter carried out huge plate over flowing with schnitzel the size of vinyl records and as thin as fabric. My father still dreams about that meal.

The Churches

Once again, there are too many churches to see in one trip, but you can try. Each on is different from the last. Each one represents a different time period and a different type of architecture. If you are taking the Metro in from anywhere, most likely you will disembark at St. Stephen's Square. The first time I came to Vienna I exited the modern underground and looked sky high a one of the most glorious sights in all of Europe. Everything about St. Stephen's is magical, from its tiled roof to its massive interior and soot black stones, to the crazed faces lining the pulpit, it should not be missed. St. Peter's church is right across the street its yellow washed exterior and brightly painted frescos stand in bright contrast to St. Stephen's. Another notable church is St. Charles. It is beautiful Baroque church with famous dome and obelisks.

The Museums

My favorite museums are in Vienna (sorry Lourve, sorry MET). My favorite museum that I have visited so far in my life is the Art History Museum of Vienna. It stands opposite its mirrored likeness, the Natural History Museum. It is exactly what an art museum should be. The building itself is gigantic. It takes an entire day just to walk through and see everything at a normal pace, it will exhaust you, but you will feel all the better for it. It houses everything from Arcimboldo to Vermeer, Egyptian artifacts to Greek jewelry. It is extensive and it is impeccable. Another one of my favorite museums is the Albertina. It has one of the greatest collections of prints and drawings in the world. Druer and Schiele sit side by side on the the walls of the perfectly preserved and decorated rooms as if they were hanging in someone's private residence for their personal viewing pleasure. Other Museums that are worth a visit are the Museum of Modern Art, The Leopold Museum and the Film History Museum, all are located within minutes of each other in the welcoming museum quarter.

Other Places worth a visit:

All of the parks and outdoor places in the city are magical for simply people watching, writing postcards or just relaxing.

The Belvedere Palace and gardens are spectacular. They are closer to the city center than the Schonbrunn and almost as magical.

The Opera House. If you can afford to see a show then do it. If not just go inside the lobby or pay for a more extensive tour. Vienna is known for its music and for a good reason.

Essentials: Walking shoes, and an umbrella, it can be rainy.

Soundtrack: Ludovico Einaudi, sure he's Italian, but this beautiful composer will give you the classical music you crave in Vienna with a modern twist.

Book: Jane Eyre, or any other classic

Vienna Part 1

After what seemed to be an endless winter filled with storms and delayed travel plans, it seems as though spring is finally here. When the days start to stretch on longer and the sun seems just a little brighter and that one last patch of snow is finally melted, I close my eyes and think of one place..Vienna. It is my favorite city, the city I've been to more times than anywhere else and the city I still wish to see more of. Vienna in the springtime is idyllic to say the least. I lived for a year in the city of Gyor, in the western part of Hungary. It is situated directly between Vienna and Budapest, between the old world and the new. It is the perfect city in many ways (which I will explain in an upcoming post), but one of the reasons I loved Gyor so much was because, when I felt like it, when the whether was nice or christmas markets were in season, I could hop on the train and in a little over an hour and for less than ten euros I could be in Vienna.

Vienna is one of the cleanest cities you will ever see. The side walks are grand, the people beyond friendly, and everything you want to see is accessible by walking or by taking one of the best subway systems I have been on. There is too much to see in a day, or even a weekend. Vienna needs an extended stay, it needs to be experienced in the long term. For many years Vienna has not only been listed as the most livable cities in Europe, but one of the most livable cities in the world. If EU work restrictions weren't what they were for a US citizen I would back up and move there with out a care in the world.

Here are some of my favorite things to do in Vienna, no particular order:

The Schonbrunn Palace and Gardens

I have been here in the dead of winter, the spring and at the height of summer and besides the fluctuations in the crowds, it is just as beautiful whichever time you go. My biggest word of advice when it comes to traveling in big cities is, always buy tickets online before you go! It has saved me so much time, I cannot even tell you and the Schonbrunn was no exception. We arrived during the time we chose on our ticket and went right trough. If the weather is just too nice to spend an hour touring the palace, then skip it, I know this sounds horrible, but the inside is not the main attraction. Sure it is beautiful and the history of the palace and the people inside is unrivaled, you can find all of that in a book, but the gardens, the trails, the fountains, the roses are all something that has to be marveled at close up. In the warmer months you can climb the hill, look out over the city of Vienna far in the distance love the fact that such a place exists within such close proximity to a major metropolis.

The Cafes

Like most cities in Europe Vienna is known for its food and its coffee. Pastries, chocolate and meat abound here. If you think sitting in a cafe and drinking coffee is a waste of your precious vacation time, then think again. The Viennese are sophisticated, smart and warm and sitting at a cafe, talking with a waiter or a fellow patron is one of the best ways to experience the city. There are of course the tourist traps, specifically surrounding St. Stephen's cathedral, but hidden among the Mozart laden gift shops and overly priced stalls selling "authentic Austrian cuisine" are the true gems of the city. The most famous is cafe Demel. There will be tourists here, I guarantee it, but it doesn't matter. It is a Viennese landmark serving some of the best coffee and pastries in the world, including Austria's infamous Sacher Torte and Apple Strudel. After you have finished eating, or if you must wait in line, head toward of the back of the deceptively huge cafe and watch (through Plexiglas) the bakers at work making your treats and elaborate cakes for the parties of Vienna.