It would neither be particularly interesting, nor fair to say that this spring has not been all that conducive for some sun and frolicking. After all, Wien is not known for sunny beaches and warm weather. Its a central European city, situated very close to the Alps, which make for a cooler, unpredictable weather.
This aspect of local climate was brought to the fore last week, when people were somewhat surprised by snowfall in the middle of April. Most days of the month saw cloudy or slightly cold weather and it did feel like winter was not really ready to loosen its grips on the region and make way for spring. So, personally, my earlier blog on a spring outing location may have been a bit optimistic. But take heart, not all is lost! Out of season snowfall is a pleasant surprise and life goes on as usual. However, I thought that a few wardrobe tips may be appropriate for students or backpackers planning on coming over.
- A raincoat is in order – It does rain quite often in the city, so be prepare yourself with a raincoat or an umbrella. I suggest both!
- Have a mix of clothing – while it can get quite warm in the summers (Austria is landlocked), the weather can take a turn for the worse pretty quickly thanks to the mountainous terrain, so make sure you pack both light and heavy clothing. Since its not very humid, people don’t tend to perspire much, so you don’t need too many sets of clothes as long as you manage your laundry well.
- Stock up on warm accessories – the cold weather does mean that you may be needing thermals, think hats, gloves and earmuffs. Summer season travelers can ignore this tip
- Take it in your stride – rain may temporarily ruin your planned outings, but rest assured that a bright sunny day is right around the corner and the city has some great places for memorable excursions and outdoor activities!
I hope you find these tips handy and useful! Let me know if you have any tips of your own in the comments section below!