Viennese whirl

There's nothing more enjoyable than exploring a new city (especially in winter) and a recent five night stay in Vienna didn't disappoint. 

Austria's capital proved to be nothing short of stunning, with so so much on offer.  Opulent architecture everywhere, palaces, a museums quarter, art and other treasures housed in the most grandiose of buildings, cathedrals, an opera house, horse drawn carriages, trams, churches, music, homes of the historically famous, chocolate shops, markets, bakeries, coffee houses.

But it's the city itself that is the biggest attraction.  There was no itinerary (there never is on these short breaks).  You really don't need a 'must visit' list in Vienna, where every part of the city, every turning, yields something to stop you in your tracks. 

With just a vague overview of the sightseeing highlights, we did what we always do: we walked.  Along the ring road, down the side streets, through the alleyways, getting lost, soaking up the atmosphere, stopping often for coffee, a pastry (Vienna was surprisingly vegan friendly) and people watching in one or other of the many enticing cafes. You can almost hear the Harry Lime theme as you take it all in (and yes, there's a Third Man museum).  No surprise, then, that Vienna has won the award of most liveable city eight times.

 I can't wait to return.