The Berlin Diaries Part 3 - The Perfect Spring Break (Vienna Edition)

Before coming to study abroad, never in my life would I have thought that I would go to Vienna, Austria for my Spring Break. Of course, the only thing I knew about Vienna was Billy Joel’s hit song in which he sings, “When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?” In this case, I realized Vienna was in fact waiting for me when one of my good friends, Anjali, suggested that we go for a few days of our week-long break. And so we did. Just eight short hours later on the train we arrived and I immediately fell in love with this city that I was so excited to explore! With that, here are my top three sights I would highly recommend if you are a first-timer taking a quick trip to the beautiful capital of Vienna, Austria!

Belvedere Schlossgarten, Palace, and Museum

This is my number one recommendation for anyone traveling to Vienna, even if it's just for a day. The Belvedere estate is one of the most beautiful sites and pieces of culture the city has to offer. This palace/museum in particular has hundreds of works by the famous Gustav Klimt whose most notable painting “The Kiss” is housed here alongside some of his lesser-known works. As soon as I walked through the Schlossgarten, I was immediately entranced and knew that we would be spending the day here as there is so much rich artwork, gardening, and architecture that floods the whole estate. I definitely recommend you take a half day, if not the whole day, to really appreciate all of the artwork that is in there. The classic artwork of Klimt is a real treat and it shouldn't be missed!

The Leopold Museum 

If you are looking for a more modern museum then the Leopold most definitely has what you're looking for and deserves all the attention it should. Although I love classic artwork, my interests draw me to the more experimental and modern art which Leopold brilliantly upkeeps with their multi-floor collection. Here you can see the works of artists like Oskar Kokoschka, Egon Schiele, and Anton Kolig. These are names you might know as of yet, but I fell in love with their works as soon as I walked in. This museum has a variety of art forms, that aren't just paintings. Here you can see intricately crafted couture, life-sized sculptures, and architecturally bold furniture pieces. I was absolutely floored by this museum and in addition, the gift shop is also quite addictive. 

Grand Hall of the Austrian National Library 

A final sight that you must see during your time in Vienna is the Grand Hall of the Austrian National Library. This Baroque-style library, in the heart of Vienna, holds over 200,000 historical books which are all perfectly organized on shelves that are literally 2 stories tall. Overlooking all of these beautiful books though are the intricate ceiling murals, which were painted by Daniel Gran who worked on the piece from 1726-1730. I was particularly drawn to all the depictions of animals, nature, and angels who look so real in this forced perspective dreamscape that is above everyone's heads. Scattered throughout the whole library are multiple touchscreens and listening experiences that give you more insight into the amount of history it carries.