Easter in Vienna

Every year during Easter Vienna awakes from its hibernation. The cold time of the year draws to a close and the foggy streets change to colourful streets dominated by Easter eggs and flower arrangements. Nevertheless not only the streets get more colourful also the people enjoy warmer and longer days and the city’s hustle and bustle is getting more and more. Especially during this time of the year you enjoy strolling through markets, having a sunbath during a walk or breaking the walk with a delicious Easter delicacy. Especially during this time of the year Vienna is a great trip for all visitors. Because on the one hand you can experience the Austrian culture, enjoy the warmer spring days and on the other hand you won’t find as many tourists as during the high season. Plain talking: cheap fares, short queues and a lot culture combined with vernally weather. For this reason we want to provide you with information on the best Easter markets and places within Vienna.

 

Easter market at the Schönbrunn Palace

Schönbrunn Palace, Easter, Vienna, Hostel Vienna, Easter in Austria

Easter time @ Schönbrunn Palace

The most famous Easter market in the city is only a few minutes away from Hostel Vienna Hütteldorf because the Easter market at the Schönbrunn Palace is like the Hostel Vienna Hütteldorf located at the U4. For our guests at the Palace Hostel Vienna the Easter market is easily accessible by combining a little walk with a ride in the U4. It takes you less than 30 minutes to the Schönbrunn Palace. Directly in front of imperial surroundings you can snatch some souvenirs, taste Austrian specialities or enjoy the great weather in one of the many sitting facilities available at the market. The huge park of the palace is the perfect place for a spring walk or an after-dinner walk and combined with the Schönbrunn Zoo it is a perfect spring day for the whole family. In more than 60 cottages the vendors sell great handcrafts. Whether you search for traditional Easter handcrafts made from wood and felt or you would like to snatch some classy Easter arrangements the 60 stalls offer you a diverse and qualitative product range. The Easter factory has a great offer especially for families. There kids can create Easter arrangements and Marzipan Easter bunnies and take them with them. But the real highlight for all the kids is the annually search for Easter nests on Holy Saturday. All kids have the possibility to take part of a huge search of Easter nests within the palace area. Great gifts and surprises await the finders.

 

Old Viennese Easter Market at the Freyung

Freyung, Easter, Old Viennese Easter Market, Vienna, Hostel Vienna, Easter eggs

Easter eggs @ Freyung

A real institution within the city centre of Vienna is the Old Viennese Easter Market at the Freyung. Situated within the city hall and St. Stephan’s Cathedral the 47 stalls offer you a great variety of products. Many cultural events at the market stage and Europe’s biggest egg mountain attract every year many visitors. For the small guests a bunny stable was built and a puppet theatre guarantees a varied programme. Especially the great location in the historic centre of Vienna and the amazing framework programme make the Old Viennese Easter Market interesting for both tourists and natives. As the city centre isn’t that big you can leave the metro at different stations to get to the market. If you arrive from Hostel Vienna Hütteldorf you should take the U4 to Karlsplatz and interchange to U1. After one station you can leave the train at Stephansplatz. From there it is only a few minutes walk to the market. If you arrive from Palace Hostel Vienna you can take the U3 directly to Herrengasse. The market is only a stone threw away from the station.

 

Easter festival at the Prater

Easter, Prater, Easter bunnies, Vienna, Hostel Vienna, Prater Easter, Easter festival Vienna

Meet Easter bunnies at the Wiener Prater

For the fifth time the Easter festival takes part at the Prater on Easter Sunday. During that day Easter bunny and other colourful personalities await you at the amusement park. According to the motto “The Easter bunny is going on” a great and varied programme for young and old is planed. Great live music and the Punch and Judy show are also part of a great programme. A magnificent magician show and a spring parade are the highlights of the day. If you want to take part at this great festival you have to jump on a train on the 5 April. Whether you are at Hostel Vienna Hütteldorf or Palace Hostel Vienna take the U4 or U3 interchange with the U1 and leave at Praterstern. The festival is only 30 minutes away from our hostels!

 

 

Ringstraße anniversary

This year the Viennese Ringstraße celebrates its 150 years existence. We take this opportunity to inform you a bit about the Ringstraße itself and to give you an overview on upcoming exhibitions which are focused on the Ringstraße and its history. The 5.2 kilometer boulevard is one of the most important sights of Vienna and is seen as a great starting point for the discovery of the city centre. Due to this we would like to present you some of the great sight along a great street

 

The history of the Ringstraße

Ringstraße, parliament, Hostel Vienna, Vienna

Ringstraße at the beginning of the 20 century

With the famous words „It is my will” Emperor Franz Joseph I. commissioned the demolition of the old city walls and creation of an impressive boulevard in the city centre of Vienna in 1857. In the following summer of 1858 85 projects had been submitted and the demolition was started. From the beginning on the Ringstraße was planned as a boulevard which should combine space for private transport, public transport and recreation areas. This plan was kept until today and nowadays the Viennese population can find five vast park areas which offer a huge recreation area within the city centre. Seven years after the beginning of the construction work the Ringstraße was festively inducted by Emperor Franz Joseph himself and his wife Elisabeth of Austria. Even if you could not find to many building by this time at the boulevard the boulevard was opened and the convoy moved via the new boulevard to the Prater. The final construction work was done by 1913. At this time the last representative building, the Ministery of War, was opened. Today you can countless magnificent buildings, hotels, restaurants and many sights along the boulevard. Whether you are looking for a typical Viennese coffee house, a luxury hotel or a classic Viennese dinner – the Ringstraße offers you culture, history and present at one place.

 

Anniversary exhibitions

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The Secession – too modern for the Ringstraße

Many museums in Vienna are focused on the anniversary of the Ringstraße this year. Especially this year you will have the chance to get to know as much as possible about the Ringstraße. Thereby the topics are totally different and there is something interesting for everyone. The Jewish museum for example shows the Jewish life at the Ringstraße and the role of the Jews as builders and patrons. The Secession in contrast takes a look on its own building history. The museum was originally planned at the Ringstraße but intense protests smashed those plans and the “too modern” museum was moved to the Naschmarkt where you can find it until today.

 

 

Jewish Museum

The ring – a Jewish boulevard

Dorothergasse 11, 1010 Wien

www.jmw.at

Secession

Too modern for the first row

Friedrichstraße 12, 1010 Wien

www.secession.at

Sightseeing at the Ringstraße

Opera, Ringstraße, night, Hostel Vienna, Vienna

The opera @ night

For many tourists a ride in the Vienna Ring Tram is an important part of their Viennese bucket list. Similar as the famous hop-on hop-off buses you can enjoy a ride along the Ringstraße and an informative audio guide gives you information on sights and buildings along the way. If you search for a cheaper version you can also take the public tram routes 1 and 2. With only one change you can drive round the city centre. You have to miss out the audio guide on this tour but if you have a smartphone you can use our Audio guide which will give you also great information on the sights at the Ringstraße. If you decide to take a look at the sights along the Ringstraße you probably won’t stop wonder. From the Hostel Hütteldorf you can get nonstop via the U4 to Karlsplatz. There the famous Charles Church from the 18th century is waiting to be visited by you. Famous for its distinctive columns at the main entrance it is inspired by Hagia Sofia in Istanbul. Also at the metro station Karlsplatz situated you can find the Opera really close to Charles Church. Every year it is scene of countless high quality performances and the Vienna Opera Ball. If you follow the Ringstraße clockwise you will pass by the Hofburg Palace, seat of the Austrian president and formerly emperors, within a few minutes. On the opposite side of the Ringstraße you can find the Museums of Natural and Cultural History. In a row the Ringstraße leads you to city hall and passes by the Burgtheater, Austria’s most important theatre, and the parliament. The 113 metre tall city hall is one of Vienna’s most distinctive sights and offers great events at its forecourt. Experience the life ball, the Christmas market or one of the many festivals.

lifeball, city hall, vienna, hostel vienna

Lifeball @ the city hall

All of our Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) fans can find the countdown for the event also at the forecourt of the city hall. Passing by the University of Vienna and the old stock market you then reach the Danube channel. If you need a break then we recommend you to have some ice cream at the Schwedenplatz. Especially famous with locals and tourists is the Eis Greissler. A small ice cream shop half way between the Schwedenplatz and Stephansplatz. After the break you can tackle the rest of the boulevard. Following the Danube channel you pass by the police headquarter and the Museum of Applied Arts. Especially between the Museum of Applied Arts and the Opera you can find many coffee houses, restaurants and famous hotels. There you can bring your day to a perfect end by experiencing Viennese coffee house culture and lifestyle.