6/13/26 - Vienna Day Two: Three Palaces
I woke up this morning to a rainy Vienna. While we were getting ready, we could hear the rain pounding against the skylights in the loft. Thankfully, it stopped right as we headed out for coffee.
My cappuccino was perfect.
We hopped back on the U-Bahn and headed into town to visit the Rosengarten. The edges of the garden were lined with rose bushes in all different shapes and colors, each labeled by variety. It was so pretty, and you can imagine how heavenly it smelled.
The garden reminded me of UF’s Wilmot Botanical Gardens, where I volunteer back at school. Similarly, they showcase all different species of camellias.
We downloaded the WienMobil app and bought day passes, which was definitely a good move transportation-wise. They don't always check for tickets, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
The U3 Volkstheater station looked like an art museum:
Before exploring Vienna's palaces, we grabbed a quick lunch at Wiener Grill Haus, where I got SCHNITZEL, roasted potatoes (the best of my life), and shopska salad. Yum.
Schönbrunn Palace, meaning "beautiful spring", was stunning. We explored the sprawling gardens for a couple of hours.
This was the most Bridgerton I’ve ever felt.
I learned that Mozart, Napoleon, and Marie Antoinette all spent time there. The estate was built by the Habsburg family as a signal of wealth and power and stood as a hub for political/social life from the 18th century through the early 20th century.
We saw the giant Neptune Fountain and climbed up to the Gloriette for an unbeatable view.
Belvedere Palace was next. We were too late to see The Kiss, but we got some cool postcards!
Last up was Hofburg Palace!
We headed back to the city center for dinner, where Addi chose a place called Türkis Express. Apparently, nobody except me wanted more Austrian cuisine...shocker.
Melody and I both ordered the döner kebab, and the flavor was insane. I think we're all getting a little too used to mild British food.
Dessert was Biscoff and Dubai chocolate gelato. We enjoyed our sweet treat in front of St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
...then we made a quick stop at Mozart’s house...
Finally, we took the U-Bahn down toward the Danube and chilled by the river for the rest of the night. It was so peaceful. We were lying on nets stretched out over the water, and one swan kept swimming underneath us.
She was probably saying goodbye.
