Vienna-Colder than i thought

Vienna on New Year’s Day. Cold enough to make you rethink your life choices.

👀 First Impressions

Vienna on New Year’s Day — crisp, bright, elegant. Tall white buildings, parks that go on forever, and streets glowing with lights. Everyone says it’s a walking city, and it is… but it’s also a sloped city. Not dramatic hills like Lisbon, just long, steady inclines that you notice by day two.

We usually chase the sun for New Year’s (Spain the last two years) but decided to go cold this time. And cold we got. Temps hovered around 1°C (33°F) with windchills near –10°C. Bring a nice warm jacket- it’s still manageable if you’re prepared — and we were.

Vienna is clean, calm, expensive, and proud. The people are kind, the food is solid, and the vibe is quietly confident — like a city that knows it’s been doing things right for a few centuries.

🏨 Where We Stayed

InterContinental Wien (IHG)
Classic, clean, great service, and a proper cocktail bar downstairs — always a plus in my book. The onsite spa came through with a solid massage (nothing beats not having to leave the building for that).

Right across the street sits Stadtpark, a massive green space with a train station tucked inside. We could walk to the main city center in about ten minutes, so it’s hard to beat for location.

⚡ The Buzz Factor

Locals out skating while I was trying to feel my toes.

Vienna moves at its own pace — sophisticated but never showy. Music hums in the background everywhere you go, coffee houses stay cozy, and the parks and holiday lights feel timeless.

We were there during the holidays: skating rinks, street stalls, and enough mulled wine to warm a small village. And the Viennese coffee — espresso with cream — got a big thumbs-up from Em.

🎭 Fun Stuff to Do

My Dutch friend cant pronounce penguin…(sounds like pinwin)

Local Opera (Do it!) – Total highlight. Bought tickets off the street, half expecting a scam. Ended up with world-class singers in a tiny hall that felt like a school auditorium — maybe 100 people max. It was magic, AND casual- I wore my nice jeans and warm jacket-this is in contrast to the traditional Viennese opera, which is definitely uppity.

Austrian Wine Tasting (Viator) – Small group, smart sommelier, generous pours, and a fun atmosphere. Highly recommend.

Schönbrunn Palace – Easy tram ride, drops you right at the gate. I’m not a palace guy, I always do these reluctantly, but it’s impressive, and the Christmas Market out front was nice: hot mulled wine, festive chaos — the good kind. Link is to the best tour, the guides were top notch and its cheap, can get the Sisi deal on same ticket if you want to go there(we did it, you can read below).

Sisi Museum – She’s a touristic icon, but the locals really aren’t that into her. If royal history is your thing, go. If not, skip — I am not a fan of royalty, but I went, checked the box, moving on.

Wien Museum – Standard museum fare, not much to write home about.

🍴 The Bite Test

Breakfasts at the hotel were an A+ — full buffet, local specialties, and a made-to-order waffle and egg station. Worth it.

L’Opera – Found it late one night around 11 p.m. Looked plain from the outside, but the food was fresh, tasty, and well-priced. Pasta hit the spot.

Melangerie Caffeterie & Bistro – Excellent, traditional lunch, Not a hidden gem (it’s popular for a reason) but very good.

The Palmenhaus – A stunner visually — a giant glass greenhouse with a restaurant inside. Food was decent, pricey for what it was, but worth it for the setting. We may or may not have “accidentally” taken home one of their fancy napkins. 😇

Pro tip: Vienna’s sweets are world-class. Skip the guilt and hit a pastry shop (or two). You’re on vacation — go for it.

🚋 The Getting-Around Bit

Vienna is walkable but spread out, with gentle uphills both ways (you’ll see what I mean). The trams and trains are excellent — clean, easy, inexpensive. Our hotel was right by a major transit hub hidden inside Stadtpark, so we never needed a car. Bring comfy shoes and let the city unfold.

💎 Hidden Gems & Tips

Local Opera – Absolute must. Don’t be put off by buying tickets on the street — it’s legit and unforgettable.

Traditional Lunchrooms – They’re part of Vienna’s culture. Ours was average, but that’s on me for not doing the homework. Do a little research before you go. One that looks promising for next time: Gasthaus Pöschl.

Winter Charm – Vienna in cold weather has its own magic. The air, the lights, the quiet — lean into it, a very nice classic city, we enjoyed it.