My Guide to Vienna

Here’s the thing about Austria… it’s amazing. St. Anton (an adorable little ski town in eastern Austria) is filled with natural beauty and endless opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors. We were surrounded by mountains and it snowed every day, creating much more of a festive Christmas atmosphere than I heard back home in Chicago was providing. But after 4 days of amazing snowboarding and 5 nights of seeing what the apres ski town was all about, it was time to head east to Vienna where we would spend 3 nights, including Christmas Eve and Christmas. Everyone knows that Europe – especially Germany and the surrounding countries – are known for having the best Christmas markets.

Unfortunately most shut down on Christmas Eve or even the day before for the season, but we were lucky enough to find one that’s open through the first few weeks of January at the Schönbrunn Palace… which is worth a visit of its own anyway.

First stop…. Gluhwein! If you’re not familiar, Gluhwein is a spiced red or white wine served hot and if you’re lucky, they even throw a shot of Disaronno on top. DELICIOUS! Plus they give it to you in a real Christmas mug and let you take your yummy drink around with you while you shop at the individual stands. When you’re done enjoying your mulled wine, you can return the mug to any of the vendors for your 2 euro deposit back.  Delightful.

So long story short, even though it took a short time to get used to a bustling city again after being in St. Anton, falling in love with Vienna was easy to do.

Below is my short guide on how to make the most of out of the time you have in the great, imperial city:

Eating Around: Hanna’s best bites

Travel and food go hand in hand, which is why I’ve compiled this list of my favorite things I’ve eaten in cities foreign and domestic. They aren’t all exotic, but they are what I crave when I recall the place. Here are my best bites:

• Edinburgh, Scotland—Turkey sandwich, Metropole Café. I bet you thought I’d start this off with something classic, like haggis. But I was twelve. And I’d never had a turkey sandwich before. (I was a late bloomer.) I wish I could list something infinitely more British (a trip-long addiction to boiled eggs mostly just kickstarted my egg cup collection). You’ll understand, this kind of discovery can have a huge impact on your life. I do believe that I was changed for the better. Multigrain bread, smoked turkey, sprouts. Flavors and textures I’d never even known could be combined! It was a profound moment for me, a real game changer. Traveling really can broaden your horizons… or just widen them to normal standards.

• Vienna, Austria—Roast goose and red cabbage, Bierfink. A ten-minute tram ride away from downtown’s Ringstrasse, the Bierfink is a wonderful, off-the-beaten path restaurant most frequented by locals in Austria’s capital city. In Vienna, you’d think I’d be all-in for the pastries (and I was (two words: apfelstrudel)) but the dinner I remember best was my first roast goose, dripping with fat and served simply with tangy red cabbage. Wash it all down with a locally brewed Ottakringer. You have to order this bad boy ahead, but it is worth the experience. It’s Christmas Goose, in the old country!

• Dingle, Ireland—Potato wedges, some pub somewhere. Just please. Potatoes. Ireland. You won’t even believe it.

• New York, New York—Appetizer platter, Kabob Café. Baba ganoush, hummus, fried lettuce, apple slices—admittedly it sounds like a mess, but wrapped in pita the flavors and textures of Chef Ali’s appetizer plate are exceptionally clean and balanced. Stop in for taste, quality, and experience.

• Oakland, California—Fentons ice cream. Let me put this simply: CCAC, or Cream Caramel Almond Crunch.

• Boston, Massachusetts—Steak quesadilla, Anna’s Taqueria. Boston is not the town for Mexican food. I tried to find worthwhile Mexican there for three years before giving up. (Truth: I didn’t try very hard after the first few attempts went so awry.) I contented myself with the notion of heading home to Chicago, where real Mexicans would prepare real Mexican food, for real good prices. Luckily for me, and every college kid in Beantown, there came a wondrous surprise: Anna’s taqueria makes delicious, cheap Mexican food. I’m partial to the quesadilla, which (as far as I can tell) is only different from the burrito in that there is a layer of cheese melted onto the inside of the tortilla (then topped with fresh pico de gallo, creamy guacamole, rice, beans, and tender steak). Tin foil never held such bounty.

Have any foreign favorites or tips for finding great food while traveling? Tell us and enter our passport wallet giveaway here!