Hallo! When in Vienna, what can be more magical than the Vienna Christmas Markets? Exploring the city of course! I was inspired by the architecture and the fact that the grass appeared as green as ever, even in the height of winter. When wandering down the street, I would always pause to watch the horses and carriages drive past; I am a hopeless romantic I guess!

I was first impressed by the beautiful St Stephen’s Cathedral and its multi colour tiled roof. The church stands in the centre of Vienna with such grandeur and you cannot help but admire it. The church is even more beautiful inside. When we walked into the church, light filtered through the stained glass windows giving a rainbow effect.

It looks painted on doesn’t it?

There is a history that surrounds Vienna that generates excitement and leaves you wanting more. In the 1800s, Vienna was ruled by an Austrian Royal Family, one that would change the course of history. Empress Elisabeth of Austria (also known as Sissi) was one of the most well-known historical figures as she was a revolutionary of her time. She had been a free-spirited Princess of Bavaria until she was betrothed to Emperor Franz Joseph at the age of 15. Elisabeth was admired for her beauty (and often obsessed over it), rebelled against the court by traveling often and frequently ignoring her wifely duties. She lived in the Schonbrunn Palace below…

The Schonbrunn Palace was indeed as glamorous as I expected of Austrian royalty. When we visited the state rooms, we were in awe of the beautiful furnishings and exquisite taste of the royal family. We walked into rooms that gave an oriental feel while others were comparable to rooms in Italian palaces. Overall, the rooms had traditional Austrian charm. The paintings told the story of the Austrian empire, with portraits of the royal family being the main focus. We even walked into the bedroom of Empress Elisabeth and were surprised to see a figure staring straight into the mirror. Her hair was like Elisabeth’s; curly and up to her ankles. It was a little creepy but gave you a glimpse of her character.

We spent 2 hours inside the Schonbrunn Palace and I was still keen to see more. If you look at the photos below, you can see that although it is winter, the palace remains beautiful and the gardens well-kept.

Last but not least, we ate some hearty Austrian food! We devoured braised pork with dumplings, roast pork and pasta, Viennese schnitzels and hearty noodle soups. If I lived in Vienna, I know that I would never tire of the food! May I also note that Rick finished his entire schnitzel but I only managed to eat half of mine. I should have skipped my entrée because the schnitzel was fantastic! Golden brown and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Thanks to Suzy for her blog post that lead us to the schnitzel!

Which meal would you eat?