Our Vienna City walk, Two-capital tour, and Sound of Music memories

During our trips between India and the United States, we usually take a short break in Europe. This year, we spent a couple of days in Frankfurt during our outward journey. On the way back, we stayed in Vienna for a few days.

We stayed at the Marriott near Erdberg Station, which made it easy to travel around the city. Below is a summary of the places we visited.

Day 1: Vienna City Tour

U3 train from Erdberg to Stephansplatz

St. Stephen’s Cathedral
This famous church is in the centre of Vienna. Its tall tower and colourful roof make it one of the city’s most important landmarks.

Graben
A popular pedestrian street filled with shops, cafés, and beautiful old buildings.

Michaelerplatz
A historic square near the Hofburg Palace.

Heldenplatz
A large open square surrounded by grand buildings from the Habsburg period.

Hofburg Palace
The former home of the Habsburg rulers. Today it has museums, courtyards, and government offices.

Albertinaplatz
A small but busy square near the Albertina Museum. It connects well to many nearby attractions.

Vienna State Opera
One of the world’s most famous opera houses. Even from outside, the building is impressive.

After exploring these areas on foot, we took the D Tram to Belvedere Palace.

Belvedere Palace
A beautiful Baroque palace complex with lovely gardens. It holds many famous artworks, including Klimt’s painting “The Kiss.”

We returned to our hotel by Uber in the evening.

Day 2: Day Trip to Budapest and Bratislava

We joined a Viator tour that covered two capital cities in one day.

Bratislava Old Town
A small and charming old town with colourful streets and a relaxed atmosphere.

Bratislava Castle
A white castle on a hill with wonderful views of the Danube River and the city.

Fisherman’s Bastion, Budapest
A viewing terrace with fairy-tale towers. It offers excellent views of the river and Parliament building from Buda side.

St. Stephen’s Basilica, Budapest
A large and beautiful church named after Hungary’s first king. (Pest side)

Hungarian Parliament Building
A grand building along the Danube, known for its architecture.

Day 3: Salzburg

We took a train from Westbahnhof to Salzburg in the morning.

Sound of Music Tour
A fun tour that took us to the filming locations of The Sound of Music and through the beautiful Austrian countryside.

Mirabell Gardens and Mozart Residence
Mirabell Gardens are famous for their flowers and layout. Mozart’s Residence gives a look into the life of the great composer.

We returned to Vienna Main Station by train in the evening.

Day 4: Departure

We checked out and took our flight to Washington Dulles (IAD), ending our enjoyable visit to Vienna.