Topics: monday afternoon – wien mitte – karlsplatz – oper
Monday afternoon
This morning I left my hometown to spend a week in Vienna as a young student tourist. My thoughts about this morning you can read in my previous blog post –> Travel in Vienna.
My flight was pleasant, some turbulence high above in the clouds but the landing itself was perfect. And I have finished the first chapter of my holiday book: ‘Labyrinth’ written by Kate Mosse. As soon as I left the tunnel from the airplane to the airport I was surprised by the beauty an airport can look like. Glass darkened walls but such a modern look. After a long straightforward walk and up and downstairs switches I arrived at the baggage claim and received my luggage. Now it was time to travel to the city center of Vienna itself and find my hotel.
After my holiday I will tell a little story about the hotel I’m staying.
To get to the city center you have plenty of options. Go by train, by bus, by the express train or go by taxi. I choose to go by express train and when I arrived in the city center I saw immediately the benefit: When I travel back home I can already check-in at the check-in counters there at the train station. And I don’t have to carry all my luggage all the time. Immediately delivered to the airplane.
Wien Mitte – Karlsplatz – Oper
My first stop was at the Wien Mitte, one of the several shopping malls Vienna has. A gigantic public transport station combined with some shopping malls in the hallways. So different than Rotterdam. I thought the public transport station ‘Beurs’ was big, for Dutch principles than probably. Vienna is huge with it’s combined shopping and public transport area’s. Karlsplatz is another one you want to have at least walked around and have seen everything. Oper and Schwedenplatz too.
What I had to do after I dropped my luggage at my hotel, was to get a Vienna Pass at the Tourist Information next to the Staats Oper (State Opera) at the Albertina Platz. When I arrived at the Karlsplatz station and walked outside, I was astonished by walking suddenly between gigantic building. Getting the idea of you get lost in one way but not exactly because you still know what’s north, where the Donau is and in which direction you are going. In Vienna lot’s of places are signed at at the corners of busy traffic areas.
But I have one thing to admit: I am a Dutchie, used to live in areas with quite easy blocks divided streets, parts, areas and so on… and Vienna is… good old Vienna! Exactly like it developed over the ages. That’s why I felt a bit lost, the streets were so curvy and sometimes without street signs if you just turned up somewhere in the middle of another street.
From the Karlsplatz walking by the Staats Oper to the Albertina is a beautiful short route. And in front of the Albertina museum entrance, you have a beautiful view of half of the Staats Oper and the other chic gigantic buildings. And it has a very nice lane with trees and benches to have a rest. If you want to have a coffee as well, the museum café is part of this tree boulevard.
A part of the view on the Staats Oper
I have visited the Albertina Museum and you can read more about that in the next post (to be related to soon). As well as my first partly bus tour in Vienna.
Previous 1st monday post: Travel in Vienna
Next 3rd monday post: The Albertina Museum
Next 4th monday post: The Red Line Bus Tour
What would you like to visit in Vienna?
Greetings by Sophie