5 Adventures from Vienna

Vienna has so much to offer, you could spend weeks there just exploring the museums. However, if you’re not the biggest fan of museums (like myself) and would rather spend your time traveling gaining experiences, then these day trips will be perfect! Whether you would prefer to bike through the lush Daube Valley, explore an underground lake, or tour an ancient castle, there’s something for every interest less than a hour or two from Vienna!

Liechenstein Castle & Seegrotte

This castle is the home to the famous castle from the Three Musketeers movie in 1993. To the surprise of many, Liechenstein castle is not in Lichtenstein despite the similarities in their names! In fact it’s a mere 20 minutes outside of Vienna. I was able to purchase a ticket from the Vienna City Center to Molding for about 10 euros. It’s very doable to do this daytrip on your own, but it’ll take a few changes of transportation. Local trains leave about ten times an hour from the Wien Meilding station to Molding, so you can look at the schedule in advance, or just show up to the station and hop on the next train available (which is what I did). Once you get to Molding, you’ll want to hop on the 262 bus, which is typically at stop J. This bus will take you right to the parking lot where Lechenstein castle is located, which is at stop SiedlungsstraBe.

If you keep walking towards the direction the bus went, you’ll see the parking lot on your left, and you can follow the road (about a 6 minute walk) all the way to the castle! Guided tours depart on the hour every hour, and are typically an hour long. The tours are inexpensive, and very informative, but if I had to pick between paying for a tour or going inside the Seegrotte, I would pick the Seegrotte in a heartbeat.

What is the Seegrotte? It’s a series of underground lakes, deep inside a labyrinth of caves. These caves used to be home to a mining operation in the 1800’s until the mine completely flooded. It was left unused until the Nazi’s started draining the mine slowly, utilizing labor from prisoners in concentration camps to create airplanes in these caves. Now, it functions as a tourist attraction where you get a tour of the caves, the history behind them, and get to see twounderground lakes! There is a short boat ride through the largest lake, and it provides a sense of tranquility and beauty that I’ve never experienced before. It’s beautiful, and a wonderful escape from the summer heat. It’s a chilly 45 degrees F (9 C) in the cave. I was able to rent a blanket for half a euro, since I was not dressed appropriately for the chill of an hour long cave tour. It’s conveniently located only 15 minutes from the Liechenstein castle. You simply turn left out of the parking lot, and the SeeGrotte will be another left turn ten minutes down the sidewalk.

Bratislava

Much to my surprise, spending the day in Bratislava led to the discovery that Bratislava is my new favorite city. I almost didn’t even go, because I had heard from other people that it wasn’t anything special. However, last minute, I decided to skip Melk Abbey and go visit Slovakia instead, and I couldn’t be happier with my choice. The capital of Slovakia, has so much to offer. There’s a huge, absolutely gorgeous castle sitting overlooking the city, which is in perfect condition. There’s a bridge, with a UFO tower providing a modern observatory deck for a pristine panoramic view of Bratislava, not to mention a delicious restaurant and bar just below. It’s a perfect spot to watch the sun set over the city and enjoy a gourmet meal. I had a peach fizz, and it was hands down, the best drink I’ve ever had. Worth every single euro I spent on it.

Bratislava’s historical city center is one of the few capital cities that still has character, tourism hasn’t overrun the city yet, although I’m sure that will change quickly in the next few years (so go visit soon!). As a result, it feels very authentic with all the friendly faces, outdoor cafes, and gelato shops. There’s also a hidden gem in Bratislava, the blue church! Tucked away on the east side of the city, it stands out in all it’s pastel blue glory. I know I’ll definitely be back very soon, introducing my friends to the beauty behind Bratislava.

In order to get there, it’s astonishingly cheap, it cost 14 euros round trip for the Vienna-Bratislava ticket, and it took an hour to get there. The historical city center is then a 15 minute walk from the station, just keep following the signs, and you’ll get there easily! The easiest place to catch the train is Vienna’s central station, Wien Mitte (Hbf), but there are options that leave from a variety of stations around Vienna. Take a look at the train schedule and figure out what works best for you!

Melk Abbey/ Klosterneuburg Abbey

The Daube Valley is supposedly one of the most beautiful places in Vienna, and Melk Abbey is the hidden gem in this valley. Completed in 1732, this massive red and gold abbey sits on an intimidating bluff that towers over the city. The interior is just as grand, with lavish detailing and decoration. During the summer there is a combo ticket available for about 50 euros, it includes a train to Melk, the entrance fee, a boat ride to Krem, and then a train ticket from Krem to Vienna. The stretch between the cities of Melk and Krem is the most picturesque portion of the valley, and well worth the time it takes. Another great alternative is to rent a bike in Melk, and take the gentle downhill trail along the river to Krem. It’s about a three hour ride, but very easy, and a great way to experience the Daube Valley. Otherwise, the hour and a half boat to Krem is going to be the next best viewing experience.

A faster, and cheaper alternative is Klosterneuburg Abbey. A day pass for Vienna’s transport plus Klosterneuburg is only 8 euros, and 20 minutes away from Vienna by train (although it took me two hours to get there, because I wasn’t paying attention and missed my stop… twice). Pay attention! You’re going to want to take the S40 train, which can be found at Spittelau (U6) or Heiligenstadt (U4), and then get off at Klosterneuburg-Kierling. The abbey will be directly ahead on your left! It’s smaller than Melk, but it’s also much more quiet, and stunningly beautiful. The abbey is well known for it’s wine, so definitely take some time to sit back and relax with a glass, or two, at the cafe.

Salzburg

I personally went to Salzburg from Munich, but it’s about the same distance from Vienna, and it’s an amazing city. So if you haven’t been there I would highly recommend it! I only did a day trip, but I think staying overnight would be the best way to see all of Salzburg, and it’s neighboring town of Hallstein, which features some incredible salt mines, and Hitler’s famous Eagle’s Nest. Salzburg is known as the cultural capital of Austria, birthplace of Mozart and home to the famous Sound of Music, if you haven’t watched it, you definitely should before you head to Salzburg! There are options to take a tour that will bus you around and show you all of the Sound of Music sights, however, since I’m not a die hard fan (crazy I know!), I elected to save some money and show myself around instead. The Hohensalzburg Fortress is huge, and one of the biggest draws to Salzburg. It’s a lavish, medieval castle with far reaching views of Salzburg. It’s quite the hike to the top of the hill the Fortress is on, but luckily, Hohensalzburg Fortress has a high speed tram that will transport you to the top in a short minute. The views from the top are breathtaking, with lush greenery and mountains as far as the eye can see. If you’re willing to hike a little (about 15 minutes uphill), across the river are some fortress walls, where you get a beautiful view of Hohensalzburg Fortress. There is also Mozart’s birthplace, and where he performed his recitals to see. You can’t leave without trying Mozart’s favorite flavor of gelato, which was pistachio, almonds and chocolate.