Along with the cold season, comes a beloved tradition in Vienna – putting together the skating rink and connecting alleys at the Rathausplatz. The skating area is huge, and there are also places where you can get a snack or a hot beverage, while you rest a bit, and enjoy the spinning skaters.

There are lights and beautiful decorations around, and you can’t help but feel that cozy wintery feel while you’re having fun with friends or your special someone. The admission price for adults is 7.50 €, and if you want to rent your skates there, it is an additional 7 €.

Keep a lookout, cause The Eistraum opens on 17.11.2017, and is at your skating disposal until 4.03.2018. Have fun and see you out there!

Just north of the Hofburg, you can find the Maria Theresien Platz, a square that was created in the 19^th century. In the middle of the square there is a huge monument of the Empreress, in whose memory it was named Maria Theresien Platz.

After doing a bit of research, as well as after a visit to Schönbrunn, I found out that Maria Theresa was an Austrian archduchess, and Holy Roman Empress of the Habsburg Dynasty. She reigned from 1740 to 1780 and was also mother to Marie Antoinette, of which you may have heard as being the last Queen of France before the French Revolution.

Maria-Theresien-Platz is bordered by two majestic museum buildings, which mirror each other: Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts) and Naturhistorisches Museum (Museum of Natural History), which I already told you about in a previous article. They are both constructed in neo-Renaissance design with large domes, very pleasing to the eye and attractive for tourists.

The area in between the two museums is inviting and quite exquisite, consisting of formal gardens, statues, fountains and nature, at the center of which stands the colossal monument. The day I visited it for the first time, even though it was pretty cold and rain clouds were threatening, it was such a serene atmosphere, children laughing, families spending time together, street artisans playing with huge bubbles. Quite lovely, don’t you think?

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On my very first visit to Vienna, in February 2017, I got the chance to see the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien. You can find it on the Ring Straße, the visitor’s entrance being by Maria-Theresien-Platz, a wonderful outdoor area with a big statue of the Austrian Empress.

The museum is really big and the tour is quite long, so it will take you most of the day. Its history is shaped by the passion for collecting of renowned monarchs, the endless thirst for knowledge of famous scientists, and the spirit of adventure of travelling researchers. There are several wings, which host categories such as geology, sea creatures, dinosaurs, butterflies, mammals and even a planetarium, which I enjoyed tremendously.

We also stopped for a bite to eat and a refreshment at the inside Café, which has an impressive architecture and being one of the first buildings I saw in Vienna, it made me pay attention to the architecture of the city as a whole.

For me, one of the most pleasant aspects of Vienna was how bike-friendly the city was. It is the 16^th bike-friendly city in the world, and 4^th in Europe. Vienna has over 1.300 km of cycle paths, some of which are in areas with hardly traffic. There is a public bike rental system – Citybike -available to rent in order to get around, and several other bicycle rentals and bike sharing providers, which makes biking the most exciting way to discover Vienna.

Within my third visit to Vienna, I invested in a bike here as well, which now, after my move,  I use every day to get to class and from class, and during the weekend, sometimes I take the Donau Kanal route, which is so great and freeing, to pedal alongside the water and the nearby floating ships.

The Ring Straße also has a wonderful route, which I bike on the way to the Donau Kanal. It was a pleasant surprise to see how many people are biking in Vienna, certainly an improvement to my homecity. It was also an adjustment, to pay attention to other bikers in traffic, and to be mindful of pedestrians, or even more so, as a pedestrian, to make sure to avoid the bike lanes. Funny story: sometimes, I’m so used to standing at the traffic light on the bike spot, that as a pedestrian I sometimes find myself in the same spot and say “oooh, wrong isle”.

How do you like the biking culture in Vienna?

Everybody who’s lived for a while in Austria knows what Topfenknödel are. I myself have fallen in love with them, they somehow managed to find their way into my kitchen at least once a week, so I’ve decided to share this traditional Austrian dish with you.

I did a little bit of research on the subject and apparently, originally, the Topfenknödel came from Bohemia, but very soon they became a permanent component of the Viennese cuisine. In comparison to the curd balls (popular in Germany), you don’t have to bake but boil them.

I’ve only tried the pre-made variety (I recommend the ones from Igloo), but I’ve heard you can make your own from scratch too. I’m sure there are a bunch of recipes out there. For the pre-made variety, all you have to do is boil the water, then add the dumplings, let them boil for 15 minutes, then take the pot off the fire and let it sit for another 5 minutes. Add the croutons, and you’ve got yourself a tasty dessert, or you can enjoy them as a meal on their own – they are pretty filling.

Mahlzeit!

Every time I visited Vienna, in the months leading up to the big move, I took a trip up to Hauserl am Stoan, a wonderful little Gasthaus outside on Vienna, on Höhenstraße. Before you reach there, there are many little spots where you can stop and admire the view over this beautiful city.

Inside Hauserl am Stoan you will find welcoming, friendly staff – one of the best things I like about it – and a related, carefree atmosphere. The place is very rustic, decorated with many traditional ornaments thrown together over the years. Large wooden tables accommodate hungry guests and promise them delicious home-made treats: Orangen Marmelade, Pumpkin Pie with plum compote, baked apple slices with cinnamon sugar. Yum! The main courses and soups are also very good and very reasonably priced.

They also have themed parties and events, such as for Halloween and other major holidays. It is surely my favorite getaway location, for a relaxed weekend evening, in the outskirts of Vienna.

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Last summer, on one of those fabulous hot Vienna days, we took a visit to the Schönbrunn Zoo. It’s a really interesting landmark to see, as it is the World´s oldest zoo, constructed in 1752.

See more than 700 species of animals, such as giant pandas, Siberian tigers, orangutans, and elephants, or you can immerse yourself in the Amazon and experience the tropical rain forest. There is also a panorama train you can take, but we haven’t gotten around to that, since it was pretty late and we didn’t have time to see the whole courtyard, up to the Gloriette.

We did however see lions, penguins and elephants (for the first time ever for me!) and I was quite pleased with the upkeep of the place – the animals had sufficient time to move and run around, the cages were huge and well taken care of, and they sometimes even had a special area that was completely obscured to visitors – this is the reason why we unfortunately didn’t get to see the polar bears.

It was a really interesting outdoor experience and I definitely wish to go back next spring and perhaps dedicate more time to it. What do you think of the oldest zoo in the World?

Who, visiting Austria, hasn’t heard about Sisi? A well known figure, with a fascinating story, and yet frequently misunderstood. I was intrigued with her, ever since visiting Schönbrunn, and wanted to learn more, so I paid a visit to the Sisi Museum.

It’s found in the Hofburg, in the Stephan apartments and here you can find numerous personal trinkets that once belonged to Elisabeth, which are used to help bring the Empress’ true personality to life. Over the tour, you learn about her life as a young girl, about her life at court, the so called ‘Sisi Myth’, her travels as well as about her assassination.

I realise that for Austrians, Sisi is probably such an overtalked subject, a clichee even, but for people who first come here, it’s a pretty nice story that gives you a glimpse into the life of Austrian Royalty.

Last night we chose to have something what many Austrians enjoy – The Käsekrainer. I have tried a few wurst varieties while in Vienna, but so far this one is my favorite. It contains cheese, which really compliments the meat. I bought it at a local supermarket, but I’m guessing it can be found all around.

How do you prepare it?

You cook it in a pan, with a little oil, for 15 minutes on one side, or until you start to hear the cheese popping. Then you turn it over on the other side and repeat the procedure. Simple and tasty!

Serve in a plate, next to a few pieces of bread and of course, mustard. If you like, you can enjoy a nice, cool beer with it too. Mahlzeit!*

By the way, Mahlzeit is what Austrians say for “Bon Appetit”

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In the first few days after moving to Vienna, I had a hankering for cooking with fresh fruits and vegetables. Unsatisfied with the selection from the nearby supermarket, I set out to find a nearby market: there had to be something better. And not five minutes from where I live, I found this colorful, chaotic crowd of fruit and vegetable stands, seeds, incents, music, outdoor shops and terraces where people can chat, have fun and enjoy a nice day out.

There’s a mixture of smells and aromas, things old and new for sale and dishes from all over the world to try out. I haven’t yet tried something prepared entirely there, but I bought some tomatoes for home, which tasted really delicious and fresh. Whenever I need fruit or vegetables now, the nearby Naschmarkt is my first choice. Have you been there yet?