24 hours in Vienna, Austria

Vienna, Austria is the perfect spot if you’re looking for a central European vacation with access to Eastern and Western Europe. You can take a day trip to Hallstatt and Bratislava, but first you have to spend some time exploring all that Vienna has to offer.

First stop: Schonbrunn Palace (Schloss Schonbrunn) and gardens.

Stop at the L’orangerie (a green house) with beautiful plants around the exterior as well as interior. Spend time wandering the gardens too.

Climb up to the top of the hill and enjoy a view overlooking the palace. At the peak, there is a casual café and fountains. Treat yourself to a pastry, sparkling water and coffee.

The grounds are huge - spend time exploring every side the palace, be sure to wander the giant hedge maze.

Next stop, Belvedere Museum (Schloss Belvedere). You can get tickets the day of. Inside, you’ll see a few floors filled with art, including French Impressionism (my favorite!). Out back, check out the garden and fountains, and out front, check out the meticulously trimmed landscape.

Take a break and get some coffee at a local café. Gerstner K.u.K Hofzckerbaker was everything I imagined coffee and pastries in Vienna would be. The tall ceilings and chandeliers were picture perfect.

I stumbled onto Volksgarten, a public park thats been open since the 1820s. Vienna really knows how to garden and landscape around public parks and buildings. Even on a cloudy day it was gorgeousj.

Everything around Vienna is stunning: the architecture, the streets, the landscaping. Carve out time to wander the streets and appreciate the buildings and greenery.