What to visit in Austria?

Since the new Paris-Vienna night train line opened, I only want to use it to go back to visit Austria! A country that I love very much and where I had already had the chance to go a few years ago. In this article, I share with you my favorites of this new trip.

To know

During this journey, I met Laura, a Frenchwoman who lives and works in Vienna. Together, we were able to talk about the differences between his life in France and in Austria.

The night train

As I told you, I went to Austria by night train. To do Paris-Vienna, it took me 14 hours for 1,400 km. The route passes through cities such as Strasbourg, Salzburg or Linz.

Linz

Before going to Vienna, I wanted to discover a city that I had already heard of, but where I had never been: Linz! And spoiler alert: it’s definitely worth the detour.

Linz is a destination that has reinvented itself over time. This city, which is the 3rd in the country, was mainly known for being an industrial city, but for some time now we have been getting to know it for art. In particular, there is a museum of modern art, the  Lentos Kunstmuseum , opened in 2003, which symbolizes the renewal of the city. Another symbol of this revival is its registration among the creative cities of Unesco as a City of Digital Arts.

I really loved its colorful streets, its architecture and its industrial district! Moreover, speaking of this neighborhood, it really made me think of Brooklyn with its huge buildings covered with works of street art everywhere. For me, it’s a must see!

Melk

Last stop before arriving in Vienna: Melk! So yes, I had never heard of it either and it’s not surprising when you know that the city has only 5,000 inhabitants.

But if I decided to go there, it is to discover its abbey. A magnificent place that hides a library worthy of the Harry Potter universe, a real nugget! The place is part of an ensemble listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Wachau! It is a valley which is recognized for its landscapes and its cultural richness.

Vienna

After discovering Linz and Melk, I went to Vienna to meet Laura. It may be the 5th largest city in the European Union, but I think it has managed to keep a certain sweetness. It comes up very often in quality of life rankings. In particular, for 10 years it has been in first place on the podium of the one carried out by the consulting firm Mercer.

The University of Vienna

The University of Vienna has several campuses.

The first is economics. This is an absolutely amazing new destination for all architecture lovers. It is located near the Prater, which I will tell you about a little later.

The second is that of the Old University. I really loved this place which seems ideal to come for a walk or to rest on the deckchairs in summer.  

Schonbrunn Palace

The name Schönbrunn may not be very easy to pronounce, but its castle is magnificent! It is open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and its park from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. For all Sisi fans, this is a must visit.  

The Prater

To finish my visit to the capital, I went to the Prater, one of the oldest amusement parks in the world. Its Ferris Wheel is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year! With its 250 attractions, it’s a super nice place to spend your Sunday.