Weekend Getaways: Vienna

As you might have noticed, I have been a bit quiet these last few days, and this was because I was spending some beautiful days in Vienna with my fantastic husband!!!

I had been wanting to go for ages, since I was a little girl and watched the movie Sissi, the young empress! Tickets can be a bit expensive from Geneva, so it's a good thing to keep checking Sky Scanner once in a while or try to get away for a long weekend.

Wherever you look in Vienna's city center, you will be amazed by its beautiful buildings and parks, stroll through the Ringstrasse, buy tickets for the Spanish Riding School, a concert of classical music, or the Opera House. Visit the Belvedere museum to see Klimt's The Kiss and go inside St. Stephen's Cathedral... So many options available!

You can get an aerial view from this 19th century ferris wheel and afterwards walk around the little amusement park next to which it stands.

Visit Schönbrunn Palace, the Gloriette that you can see below, the Palm House, parks, zoo if you come with kids and maze. 

Visit the Treasury at the Imperial Palace of Hofburg, from where, for more than seven centuries, the Habsburgs ruled over their empire.

Go to the Imperial Crypt and visit Empress Sissi tomb, who as you know was murdered in Geneva.

Restaurants

There are tons of restaurants you should try, but we specially liked the following options:

Café Couture
You can have a coffee-to-go in this cute coffee store that you will find in the Ferstel Passage.

The Sacher Cafés
Also a hotel, in this little coffee shop you can enjoy the traditional Sacher cake, together with a delicious ice coffee and salads.

Outdoor stalls
Try any of Vienna's outdoor food stalls if the weather accompanies, and some of their various types of sausages.

Stores

Zuckerl Werkstatt 

Next to the Spanish Riding School there are some beautiful stores. Among them, we found this candy store decorated with an amazing taste.

Hotel

The Guesthouse

Everything in the city center is crazy expensive and The Guesthouse… is too! But with a great location and beautiful decoration!

Thanks to the best-husband-ever who took me to Vienna as my b-day present!!!

Payot

My favourite library in Geneva: Payot! 

You can find quite a few books in English, especially at the Chantepoulet store. There is now also one at Cornavin train station that opens on Sundays and that can help you find the perfect gift on that day where everything else is closed in Geneva!

Drop by the one at the airport before catching any flight or simply if you have a long wait ahead of you or check the one at Rue du Marché while out and about in the city!

ICV Tandem Coffee again!

Tomorrow May 31 the ICVolunteers association is organizing another Language Café in Geneva. Their idea is to have tandems of different languages, while people enjoy some drinks and food. They will also be doing these tandems all through summer every pther week, so there's no excuse now to practice your no-native language!

Drop by on Saturday and check it out!

Address:
ICV Arcade
Rue de Carouge 106

Time:
From 1pm to 4pm

Rooftop Day

Last year, Ronorp organized the first Rooftop Day at Zurich, Basel and Lucern. This year it will also be organized in Geneva on June 28!!!

The idea is simple: those lucky enough to have a garden, balcony or rooftop terrace and who want to host an event, can e-mail geneve@ronorp.net until May 31. It can be a little party, a bbq, a yoga class, an art exhibition, a game... You name it! And Ron will be kind enough to offer the beers!

La Troisième Main

Super fun store in the Old Town at rue Verdaine 10 that sells cool objects for the house, from sofas and tables in their upstairs floor to cooking tools, clocks and tea on the ground floor. While strolling around the Old Town do drop by for a peek!

Caves ouvertes

Tomorrow April 24 you will be able to enjoy in the vineyards around Geneva a day of wine tasting and cheese eating!

For around Sfr 5.- you will be able to buy a glass of wine, and with that, go around all the vineyards tasting their delicious wine. Better to take the train!

Open gardens!

On Saturday May 24 and Saturday June 14, anonymous families in Geneva are opening their beautiful houses to the public. All the funds collected will go to help the people in need in the area.

Check the agenda and the gardens that are open to the public here.

Have fun!