Vienna Questions (apartment agency and location, when to go, side trips).
Jan 27th, 2008, 07:26 AM
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Vienna Questions (apartment agency and location, when to go, side trips).
My husband and I have just about settled on Vienna for our trip this year. We plan to be away for about two weeks and will be traveling with our daughter who will be about a year and a half at the time. We love cities, museums, eating, architecture and do not want to move around too much (a hassle with a baby) and plan to rely entirely on public transportation.
I am not familiar at all with Vienna and despite having scoured my guidebooks, still have a few questions.
1. When to go? We can go either in May or Sept/October. In looking at the weather for both periods it seems about equal in temperature but rainier in May then Sept and October. Like everyone, we don't want to rain but traveling in the rain with a baby can be a real hassle. Is it a crapshoot or is one month consistently better for dry weather than another. Cool weather is fine with us as long as it isn't very very cold (we are from Boston). Are the heurigs (wine bars) open at both times?
2. Where to stay? We would like to rent an apartment and assumed that within the Innere Stadt would be most convenient - we like to be in the middle of things and convenient for quick returns to the apartment for naps, forgotten items, etc. I am curious though whether this area is a true residential area that will have shops to buy the necessities (milk, yogurt, toilet paper) we need for the apartment and whether there will be cafes and casual restaurants to eat at that won't be at tourist prices. If not, what other area would you recommend to stay in? It would also be nice to have a playground or park nearby so the little one can burn off some energy but that is not essential.
3. Has anyone heard of this apartment rental agency - http://www.apartment.at. Any comments, good or bad?
4. What is the general Austrian attitude toward kids - tough question I know. The only other European trip we have taken with our daughter was to Rome where the Italians seemed totally accepting of children being everyone anytime and took an extraordinary interest in them. However, there wasn't too much "baby infrastructure" to make things easier (no changing tables, no playgrounds in central Rome, most restaurants we went to didn't have highchairs, etc). From what I've read, I have the impression that Vienna is the opposite - good infrastructure - but a stricter attitude toward kids. Is that a misperception? I don't care about anyone being interested in our daughter and we aren't planning to go to any very fancy restaurants or anywhere else that we wouldn't take her at home but we don't want to feel uncomfortable taking her to casual restaurants, museums, etc.
5. We would like to take one overnight trip while we are there. It looks like we can get to either Budapest or Salzberg by train in about 3 hours. Obviously it would just be a quick trip but do you think it is worth going to either city for just an overnight (assuming we arrive early and leave late)? For two nights? We'd keep our apartment and leave all our stuff there, this would just be an extra. I'm sure I'll have more questions on this by separate post.
6. Are you able to get on/off the boat on the Danube cruises? I looked at DDSG. We are interested in seeing Krems and Melk. I haven't seen a cruise past those two cities that starts in Vienna. Is there such a thing?
Thanks for all your help.
I am not familiar at all with Vienna and despite having scoured my guidebooks, still have a few questions.
1. When to go? We can go either in May or Sept/October. In looking at the weather for both periods it seems about equal in temperature but rainier in May then Sept and October. Like everyone, we don't want to rain but traveling in the rain with a baby can be a real hassle. Is it a crapshoot or is one month consistently better for dry weather than another. Cool weather is fine with us as long as it isn't very very cold (we are from Boston). Are the heurigs (wine bars) open at both times?
2. Where to stay? We would like to rent an apartment and assumed that within the Innere Stadt would be most convenient - we like to be in the middle of things and convenient for quick returns to the apartment for naps, forgotten items, etc. I am curious though whether this area is a true residential area that will have shops to buy the necessities (milk, yogurt, toilet paper) we need for the apartment and whether there will be cafes and casual restaurants to eat at that won't be at tourist prices. If not, what other area would you recommend to stay in? It would also be nice to have a playground or park nearby so the little one can burn off some energy but that is not essential.
3. Has anyone heard of this apartment rental agency - http://www.apartment.at. Any comments, good or bad?
4. What is the general Austrian attitude toward kids - tough question I know. The only other European trip we have taken with our daughter was to Rome where the Italians seemed totally accepting of children being everyone anytime and took an extraordinary interest in them. However, there wasn't too much "baby infrastructure" to make things easier (no changing tables, no playgrounds in central Rome, most restaurants we went to didn't have highchairs, etc). From what I've read, I have the impression that Vienna is the opposite - good infrastructure - but a stricter attitude toward kids. Is that a misperception? I don't care about anyone being interested in our daughter and we aren't planning to go to any very fancy restaurants or anywhere else that we wouldn't take her at home but we don't want to feel uncomfortable taking her to casual restaurants, museums, etc.
5. We would like to take one overnight trip while we are there. It looks like we can get to either Budapest or Salzberg by train in about 3 hours. Obviously it would just be a quick trip but do you think it is worth going to either city for just an overnight (assuming we arrive early and leave late)? For two nights? We'd keep our apartment and leave all our stuff there, this would just be an extra. I'm sure I'll have more questions on this by separate post.
6. Are you able to get on/off the boat on the Danube cruises? I looked at DDSG. We are interested in seeing Krems and Melk. I haven't seen a cruise past those two cities that starts in Vienna. Is there such a thing?
Thanks for all your help.
Jan 27th, 2008, 04:33 PM
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and another quick question, how does Vienna rate to Paris or Rome as far as expense. Accommodations appear to be quite a bit less expensive. What about restaurants, museum admission, etc?
Jan 29th, 2008, 07:38 PM
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The apartment service you mention is excellent and totally reliable. We have used them many times. Try apts Augarten or apts Am Opernring, which are both listed in the service. May is a wonderful time to go as Vienna is just beginning to bloom with Spring and all of the cafes and Heurigers open their outdoor seating. The public transportation is excellent, efficient, and totally safe...absolutely the best way to get around. You can purchase an 8 day pass which gives you unlimited access to the transit at a great price. September is good as well (though sometimes hotter. My rec would be to go for May, but if you can't go in Sept. As for local shops for food and baby supplies; you will find plenty of nearby Billa or Spar markets all around Vienna...a fun experience in itself to shop in these.
You'll absolutely love this city!
You'll absolutely love this city!
