Vienna is still waiting for you. Stop making it wait!!

VIENNA MIGHT BE TOO FANCY FOR THE LIKES OF ME - 

I didn't think Austria would make me feel all these feelings but it is scored on my heart and I mean that truly. These are a few recommendations of my faves from my trip to the land of lederhosen and schnitzel: 

1) Apple strudel with the best of them at Cafe Mozart.Their sumptuous version of an already exquisite dessert comes with vanilla cream (better known in the UK as custard) - it can change lives with one spoonful. You'll be as elated as I was to taste so much cinnamon and crisp, flaky pastry which is just how I dreamed it would be. 

2) Awaken your inner Prince or Princess at Schonbrunn Gardens. The grounds are a very Viennese extravagance with the loveliest vantage point overlooking the city, Palace and manicured gardens from up a semi-nightmarish hill devoid of shade. The marble-lous Neptune fountain tickled my photographic fancy as did the glorious, lavish Gloriette which is a focal point and look out of grandeur. 

3) Have *all* the fun at the world's oldest zoo inside the grounds of Schonbrunn. They have all the standard zoo animals: penguins, giraffes, deer, zebras, fishies and reptiles as well as sleeping lions and tigers and bears -- oh my!! Zoos have this intrinsic joy of discovery for children and adults alike. On my visit, the meerkats were having a scrap, the pocket-sized lil chimps were monkeying around in the monkey house enclosure and the elephant rascals were playing chase. I came mainly for my furry little friends - the pandas who put on a show for one and all demanding bamboo, lying on their fluffy backsides and snatching food from one another.  All in all, my heart and soul was brimming with love for all creatures great and small. 

4) Opera out with a free, live broadcast on the big screen outside the Vienna Opera House during the summer whilst the show is being performed inside.The theatrics of such a distinguished, cultural experience will wow you even if you don't understand the majority of the happenings despite intently reading the German subtitles. It was special to share a screening of George Bizet's passionate and lusty opera Carmen, which is set in 1830's Seville, with two new Aussie friends.

5) Seek serenity inside one of the most peaceful places in Vienna at St Stephen's Cathedral, the Romanesque-Gothic symbol of Vienna which is affectionately nicknamed 'Steffi' by residents of the Austrian capital. This is where: Mozart married, Vivaldi's funeral was held, many archbishops are buried in the crypt and Beethoven discovered his deafness when birds flew out of the bells as they tolled but he hadn't heard them. It is not as grandiose and resplendent inside as other places of worship I've visited worldwide but it was a reverent hang. 

6) Chillin' like Bob Dylan in Stadt Park and drinking it all in on a splendiferously sunny afternoon. At 65,000m2 it's the biggest park in the city centre and is a tranquil, shaded site to sit and contemplate. Errrrrybody mobs the golden plated, bronze, over-the-top statue memorialising the composer Johann Strauss. 

7) Marvel at the wonder of the world-famous Lipizzaner stallions at the Spanish Riding School during their morning exercise. If you haven't pre-booked tickets, you should expect a long queue to witness the training session inside the sandy but stupendously ostentatious area. I'm told that this is the only known Institution which practises 'classical equitation in the tradition of the haute ecole since the Renaissance.' If all the seats are occupied, you can stand and look down from the gallery as the horses command an audience. You will be told off for taking photos or filming as this is prohibited and a mistake I made myself until I was tapped on the shoulder as I wasn't made aware of this from the outset. 

8) Mill around with the other tourists at expressionist landmark Hundertwasserhaus, a former tire factory and architectural highlight of Vienna. The unusually cheerful design is both funky and eye-catching with its bright colours and uneven layering. 

9) Kick back with a cold one in a deckchair at Copa Beach, a teeny patch of man made beachy paradise dubbed Vienna de Janeiro which is by the Danube's riverfront. Let the record show: it's an evening of excellence with the water scintillating as the sun hides gradually behind the clouds. It would also be a wonderful venue for a romantic stroll or to bounce on one of 40 floating trampolines at Danube Jumping - the world's largest trampolines over water. 

10) Tuck into an elephantish portion of schnitzel at Schnitzelwirt. You will never find a turkey schnitzel as good as this anywhere else! I can't vouch for the many other varieties on the menu but there wasn't a single person in the establishment who managed to eat up every bite. I came away with a food baby equivalent to being six months preggers!!

11) Stand up snackage at Trzesniewski - their bite-sized morsels of open, mini sandwiches are ridiculously scrum. I emphatically endorse the egg on egg and paprika. 

12) Let your heart be light at the carnival of cray cray that is Prater Amusement Park. Might I suggest visiting at night when the rainbow illuminations of the rides are a pop of colour in the night sky. Screams from some of the more terrifyingly traumatic fairground attractions pierce the air but everything round about radiates joie de vivre. A ride on the iconic, big wheel is a must! Don't worry about the height of 65 metres as it moves snail slowly at 2mph and the carriages don't seem to rock or sway. 

13) Sample the sweet delicacy of fluffy, shredded pancakes known as Kaiserschmarnn at Heindls Schmarren and Palatschinkenkuch. The ones with apple, cinnamon and cranberries were beaut and genuinely the ULTIMATE pancakes I've ever encountered. I swear, you'll miss all this tasty Austrian grub but if you've eaten anything beforehand even the small pan is too gigantic not to share with a friend. 

14) Create tunes on the piano staircase, roll the dice to choose instruments to compose your own personalised waltz masterpiece and conduct the Viennese Philharmonic Orchestra virtually just for kicks and giggles at House of Music. This interactive sound museum launched in 2000 and has 5 floors dedicated to all manner of sound and collections dedicated to famous composers in the former palace of Archduke Charles. 

15) Scratch a gastronomic itch at Veganista which uses all vegan ingredients to produce the most delightfully creamy gelato. Flavours such as - black forest and salted chocolate will make you stupidly happy as your belly vibes with this ice cream of wonder. The decadent cake offerings at Cafe Demel will also set your world on figurative fire. Why not cap off your European vacationing with a slice of one or three from the array of choices? 
There is greatness in every crumb. 

You can't go wrong whatever you decide to do in the Austrian capital as it exudes prettiness and you'll never be more than 100 metres away from all manner of intensely scrummy cakes. So come, visit, eat and have a merry old time :) x