Vienna is a charming city which you have to visit at least once in your life. I know I’ll definitely be coming back here sometime in the future. Below you’ll find affordable accommodation, tips on public transport and must see attractions in Vienna to make the most of your trip.
ACCOMMODATION
Affordable appartement in Brigittenau
well connected by tram number 31, Wexstraße and U6 Jägerstraße. The U4 and U2 are walking distance away and the apartment is located near Schottenring.
This fairly new accommodation (since October) is well run and well thought out. The gorgeous room for 4 was a total of a little over 100€ for 4 people for 3 nights. That comes up to only 25€ per person for the entire duration!
TRANSPORTATION
We got an 18€ 7-day pass for Vienna. This was applicable for all trams, underground trains, trains and buses. Trams are the most convenient way to get around. This is just 2€ more than the 16€ 3-day pass. (Fun fact: We never got our tickets checked.)
ATTRACTIONS
Ankeuhr
A gorgeous piece of architecture which is so creative. I could stand here all day and wait for the figures to change along with the time.
Hofburg Palace
We were expecting a bit more than a gate for the Habsburg momento. However there was a fun attraction there where you can have your photo taken and printed on a newspaper. The cost is on a donation basis.
Justiz Palace
Apparently known for it’s architecture. However it only allows 25 people in per hour so we didn’t get a chance to enter.
Parliament
Gorgeous exterior and when you get in past security it’s full of information. There’s a lot of interactive games if you’re interested in getting to know Vienna’s democracy.
MuseumQuartier
I love the vibe of this place! It’s even nice to walk around without entering any museums. You can buy 1.50€ artistically designed postcards, there is another photo booth located here.
Opposite MuseumQuartier is the Natural History Museum and the Art History Museum.
Daun-Kinsky Palace
An auction house with gorgeous architecture and a painted ceiling that captures your attention.
You can check my two previous posts for nightlife and churches of Vienna! Stay tuned for a fully planned itinerary of 3 days in Vienna.
Vienna pub crawl Found on trip advisor, this service is available every night for 15€ per person. This includes 2 drinks at the first bar, and one shot at the next bar followed by another at the last club. You get free entry into the club as well when it’s normally 12€. This is a really fun way to make friends who are also visiting Vienna.
Dick Macy’s Irish bar
Drinks are €2 during Happy Hour from 6pm to 9pm every night. Normal price ranges around 3.40€. There are plenty of options available from long drinks, beer and shots.
Travel shack
Well known among tourists and hostel goers. Prices are affordable. I personally entered but didn’t stay.
ENTERTAINMENT
Vienna State Opera
Standing tickets are available online on the day or by 6pm at the Opera Theater. I personally tried twice to acquire seats and did not succeed either time. Dress code is classy.
Raimund theater
We got the cheapest tickets (39€ each buy 3 free 1) but it has a restricted view as a pillar was blocking part of our vision. We bought these online 2 weeks in advance.
We watched the Phantom of the Opera and agree that buying good seats would have been 100% worth our money. The play was a lovely mix of opera, ballet and acting.
Vienna is well known for it’s art, architecture and culture. All of which can be found in the many churches of Vienna. Here are 3 most recommended churches that I paid a visit to. These are just my personal opinions coming from someone who has seen many German Cathedrals.
Jesuit Church
Pink and gold interior. It’s definitely unique and worth the visit. It stands out from most European churches I have visited.
Peterskirche
Dome shaped round cathedral. It has gorgeous paintings on the ceilings but unfortunately wasn’t opened when we visited and we had to peer at it through a mesh.
St. Stephan’s Cathedral
A very basic church that is hard to differentiate from other typical cathedrals. To make things worse the exterior is currently under construction and they have now chosen to use the outside of the church as a giant advertisement board which is an eyesore
I’m Aly, currently 20 and starting Uni this year in Germany. This is typically how I introduce myself to people. However there is so much more to me than just my name, my age and where I live.
I’m Malaysian, to me that means living 10 minutes from the beach and being able to hike a mountain over the weekend. It also means living alone in the big city for college and finding out who I am. I lost a bit of my authenticity under the bright lights of Kuala Lumpur. My roots will always be in Sabah, an island of Malaysia and in my opinion, the most beautiful place that I’m privileged to call home.
Now I’ve flown half way across the globe. I’ve grown up travelling with my parents. We’d take one family trip to a new country every year. Now on my own, my love for travelling has really blossomed. I’m turning 21 this year and it scratches an itch in my brain that I have visited 21 countries so far.
I used to want to be a photojournalist but after highschool i discovered my love for Biotechnology and Genetics. That’s what I’ll be studying this year. Travel will always be an important part of my life and I don’t see myself getting tired of it.
I love writing and capturing memories. I used to travel with a heavy DSLR camera but for now my iPhone suffices. It’s constantly full of photos which just describe how full my life is.
I find joy in the little things. A sunny day, a good book or a 20€ flight to Vienna.
I’d love to show the world how travelling doesn’t have to be expensive. I understand how privileged I am to be able to explore the globe, even living in 3 different continents. Opportunities are endless, you just have to put yourself out there and go for it.
I’ve had a really solid foundation with my family and I wouldn’t be here if not for them.
So that’s me! Thank you for following my documentation of this wonderful thing we call life.
Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, is situated just an hour away from Vienna, Austria! This makes it an ideal day trip when you pay a visit to Vienna!
TRANSPORTATION
Tickets can be bought at Wien Hauptbahnhof for the price of €18 round trip train. This is a great deal as it also includes a day pass for all public transportation in Bratislava. The train is available once an hour and the journey is only an hour to and fro. From Bratislava-Petržalka Station there are a few buses available to take you across the Danube River into the old town of Bratislava.
In Bratislava itself the city is well connected through the tram system and
buses. It’s easy to get a hang of and the trams are frequent.
FAQ
Bratislava is far northwest of Slovakia and it is the capital city. The main language is Slovak.
We arrived on a Monday and al shops were open by 11am. However, the citizens are not very friendly nor approachable in my own experience so be sure to have an itinerary planned out.
Food and drinks are affordable especially compared to Vienna.
Bratislava is also known for their Slovak wine which is smooth and goes down the throat easy.
WHERE TO EAT
I recommend 17’s bar as it was tourist friendly and service was great. It is affordable as well and portions are well-sized.
OLD TOWN
St Martin’s church was very pretty but nothing that stands out.
Michael’s gate was nice to see. I preferred walking in the streets along it.
The blue church is a definitely worth a visit. It has an almost comic-like look which will leave a lasting impression on you.
Cumil, the man at work is a quaint statue not to be missed.
Other than that you should explore the alleyways as well as small and vintage shops with plenty to see.
There’s also the Bratislava castle which we didn’t manage to visit. The castle itself has paid admission but the grounds are free to explore.
Luxembourg will hold a very special place in my heart as it’s my first solo trip! I travelled from Germany to Luxembourg via train and returned via bus the next day. In this post you will read about places to visit, where to stay, how to get around and some things I wish I knew before visiting!
GETTING TO LUXEMBOURG
My preferred mode of transportation will always be train. I took the one hour plus train from Köln Hauptbahnhof to Koblenz Hauptbahnhof and then a 2,5 hour train straight to the heart of Luxembourg. This journey is “free” if you have the Deutschland ticket. There is no additional cost as all public transport in Luxembourg is free for all. They are the first country ever to have this system. The ride into Luxembourg is the most beautiful train ride that I have been on so far! The train track is directly parallel to the river, so make sure you sit on the left side to get a good view of the river and countryside.
TRANSPORTATION IN LUXEMBOURG
Almost everyone in Luxembourg is access by foot, as it is a small country. In the city centre, there are buses as well as trams. The trams stretch out for a distance of less then 10km and the entire journey from one end to the other (Stadion to Luxexpo) is less than an hour.
I struggled a bit to navigate the bus system, as they do not have an app for the public transportation, however I figured it out with the help of Apple Maps (or Google Maps).
ACCOMMODATION
I spent one night at the Youth Hostel Luxembourg for €36 including breakfast. I made my booking via booking.com 4 days before my trip. The hostel is well situated in Pfaffenthal, very near the Bock Casemates. The nearest bus station is Plateau Altmünster with Bus 9,14,15 and the tram station Hamilton is around 1km from the hostel. The place is very clean, as you have to make your own bed with pre-packaged bed sheets and the bathrooms are also in good condition with hot water showers. Don’t expect much from breakfast, which is available from 6.30am until 9am. There are only buns, ham, cheese, spreads, cereal and a coffee machine. Lockers are available for loan with a 10€ deposit which will be returned to you when you check out at 10am. Check in begins only at 1pm.
FAQ
Luxembourg has 3 official languages, that being Luxembourgish, French and German. Most of the signs are in Luxembourgish/French but people are friendly and can often communicate in English. A lot of the tourist attractions do not have signages available in English.
Luxembourg is the richest city of the world and that is reflected in the price of groceries and eating out. I would recommend you prepare food in advance if you’re a budget traveller or find cheap eats, such as the Melting Pot in the Luxembourg Youth Hostel.
WHAT TO VISIT
BOCK DU CASEMATES
You will see such a good panoramic view of the city here. There are also tours to visit the underground of Luxembourg for as low as 8€. I came here for sunset and it was lovely.
PFAFFENTHAL ELEVATOR
Another free experience you shouldn’t miss out on. This glass elevator gives you a full panoramic view of the city and brings you from the valley of Pfaffaenthal up to the city centre.
NATIONAL ARCHEOLOGY, HISTORY AND ART MUSEUM
Entrance is free for the permanent exhibitions. This museum contains 10 floors, 5 of which are below ground level. This is one of the most interesting museums I have been to and the layout is brilliant. However there are not many English translations. Here you can also find artistic postcards for as cheap as 0.90€, but the stamps are 1.75€ each.
GRAND DUCAL PALACE
Located in the heart of Luxembourg. If you’re lucky you may also catch the changing of the guards, which I did!
NATHALIE BONN CHOCOLATE HOUSE
I visited this restaurant/cafe as it was highly recommended by a lot of travellers on TikTok. My opinion now is that it is completely overhyped. One chocolate spoon costs 4€ and with hot milk it is 6.50€. I did not even get the experience of dipping the spoon into the hot milk myself. However there are a variety of different flavour chocolate spoons. I myself opted for vanilla caramel chocolate and it tasted like hot milk which a slight taste of caramel.
NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL
Beautiful architecture. Worth a quick visit.
MONUMENT OF REMEMBRANCE
Located right outside the Notre Dame, this statue of a golden lady is hard to miss. I came here during sunset as well and the view was spectacular as you can see the sun setting.
Overall, the city of Luxembourg is small enough to walk around in the span of 4 hours.
On my second day here, I took the tram up and down Luxembourg and that took me roughly about 2 hours in total.
This city is suitable for tourists as it is very safe and there’s no need to worry about transportation payment as everything is free. It is also a very international country with people from many backgrounds. It is also the only place where I have seen a Tesla as a taxi.
Overall, just taking your time to walk around will give you a feel of the city. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes as a lot of the pathways are still cobblestone!
It’s been over a year since my last post and boy things really have changed. My last few posts in 2021 were mainly about my life in KL vs. my life in Sabah. After the pandemic, I realised how far away we left from family. I’m happy to say that that’s changed now and I’ve been a resident of KL for over a year now! Now that I live in Kl, I find myself coming back to Sabah everytime I can. I’ve taken 4 round trip flights in the past 2 and a half months, spending at least a week here in Sabah. It really takes me being away from home for me to value it. I’m moving abroad in a few months and I’ll be even further away from home then. It’s not going to be so easy to catch the next plane out when I’m feeling blue. I’ll admit that when I feel a bit low my first instinct is always to come back to the comfort of home. I wonder how that’ll fare when I’m abroad.
Another update is that I’m pleased to say that I never gave up writing. Except now all my writing is in 6 A5 journals that I carry everywhere with me. This blog was a small piece of me and my life but in my journal, I write like a madwoman knowing that it’s private to my eyes only. This blog was supposed to be more for my photojournalism but I find that I rarely use my heavy DSLR. I’m liking the idea that maybe I am more of a social blogger. However, I have no relevence yet, so this blog still feels like it’s for my eyes only. It’s widely different writing knowing no one will read it and writing knowing someone will see it, the biggest difference being the vocabulary and cohesiveness of my thoughts.
I’m trying to see ahead. Focus on the present with regard to the future. a part of me always thought I’d end up a writer but as much as I enjoy writing, I don’t wanna turn my passion into a career. I’m scared I’ll lose my love for writing. This blog brings back memories and shows me how capable I am. I hope to continue updating it throughout my years.
Taken a few months ago, this picture captures how I felt amidst this pandemic. I was so fascinated watching them arrive to the beach alone as the sky grew stormy overhead. They wanted to watch the storm and they came prepared for it. The sky looked like it was going to cry and there was a gray sunset. However, it did not rain.
To me, this symbolises how I felt waiting for the storm to come. Alone, trying to be prepared for the unknown.
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