Austria - Wiener Wanderland

End of Year round-up. Pandemics suck!

Jessica Bannister-PearceDecember 31, 202101.8K views

nd of the year, and what a year it has been. There’s no getting away from the pandemic it seems, with 2021 feeling like a rerun of 2020, but with a fresh cast of new varients. (Thanks Omicrom!) This has provided a few…logistical problems when it comes to producing content for a travel blog. The idea behind Wiener Wanderland was always to explore Austria and share what I discovered with all of you. our last big trip was a night away in January 2020, spent in the German capital Berlin. Since then, getting away for a break has been almost impossible. Between lockdowns and general travel restrictions, planning for a weekend away has become an act of pure frustration. Assuming you can move around, there are tests to consider, grün passes to carry and masks have become an ever-present companion. None of this is onerous in itself, and we holy support any measures that keep this rampant pest of a virus at arm’s length. But the inescapable truth is that the measures required can take the shine off of the whole wonder of travel

S-Bahn Wanderings – Absdorf.

Jessica Bannister-PearceAugust 4, 202102.6K views

Summer is the perfect time to get out and get some wandering done. The sun is out and I fancied taking a trip. Now living in Austria you’re never short of a destination or two. Salzburg, Innsbruck, Linz and Graz are all fantastic destinations, but you can miss so much of Austria heading to these tourist destinations. I came up with an idea that was going to mean I’d avoid the tourist traps and instead experience the countryside for myself. Yes, I’d be hitting up the S-Bahn and heading to Absdorf.

The big night out. A drinking game Vienna.

Jessica Bannister-PearceJune 28, 202102.8K views

Lockdowns have ended, and for the last six weeks, we’ve been slowly getting back to normal. Most of our time over the last six weeks has had us running around like a kid in a sweet shop, reconnecting with old friends, and enjoying coffees, beers, and meals out. With case numbers dropping, a night out at a show has become a thing once more. So with much excitement this past Friday, we headed into Vienna’s Inner Stadt to Aera, a great bar with a wonderful performance space below. We were ready to relax, with a bunch of actors, performing a table read of ‘When Harry met Sally’, the classic rom-com. Oh and there’s alcohol. Lots of alcohol. Welcome to ‘A Drinking Game Vienna’

Hiking in the city. Vienna’s Stadtwanderweg 1

Jessica Bannister-PearceJune 15, 202106.5K views

Austria is a country that could be defined by hiking. With the mighty Alps offering the chance to get out into nature, and dare I say, Get away from it all, Hiking is very much part of the national psyche. This is great for the people of Salzburg, Stieremark and the Tirol, where finding a mountain to climb is simple. For those who live in the Austrian Capital, things can seem a little more tricky. Vienna sits out on the marches that lead to Slovakia and the Czech Republic. These flatlands differ wildly from the mountainous peaks seen further west. That doesn’t mean there isn’t an opportunity to get out into nature, and even find the odd place to climb. The City of Vienna has a plan, and it’s called the Stadtwanderweg.

Grinzing to Cobenzl – Escape to the Wienerwald.

Jessica Bannister-PearceJune 8, 202103.6K views

For our first wander post Lockdown, I’m heading out to the north of the city, into the 19th district, Döbling, to the largest suburb, Grinzing. Grinzing is just the starting point of today’s wander, and also the endpoint. The middle is going to be challenging but in the best way possible. So let’s dive in.

Two Hours in Pöchlarn.

Jessica Bannister-PearceApril 13, 202102.7K views

I visited Pöchlarn in the Autumn of 2017. I’d passed through the train station many a time when heading to Wieselburg, and curiosity got the better of me. Pöchlarn sits between Melk to the East and Amstetten to the west. It’s around an hours journey time from Vienna and you’ll need to change at St. Pölten for the Amstetten service.

Two Hours in Mürzzuschlag

Jessica Bannister-PearceMarch 30, 202102.4K views

There are times when rather than spending the day somewhere, I find myself with a little time on our hands to explore, before heading off somewhere else. In February 2018, I ended up in the Styrian town of Mürzzuschlag, with just an hour or two to look around. Here’s what I found

Mödling. There Be Dragons?

Jessica Bannister-PearceMarch 17, 202102.8K views

Mödling is just a 25-minute train journey from Vienna Hauptbahnhof and has a reputation for being a great place to go hiking. It also has a rich history, dating back to the Neolithic period, though I’m not sure that’s much help today. In more modern times the town has seen its beautifully preserved centre protected under the Hague Convention. With frescos that can date back to the 13th century and many buildings from the 16th century still in use, Mödling is a rather pretty town.

Graz. The modern old Alpine city.

Jessica Bannister-PearceMarch 9, 202102.9K views

My morning begins early, horribly early. I’m catching the 07.58 train from Wien to Graz. While it’s early, the ticket price was a steal, just €9 each way. The downside to these deal is usually an early or a late departure. My train today is the EC150, a Eurocity service that’s operated by Slovenian railways, and will run on from Graz to Ljubljana. For me its a 2 hour 30 journey through the Alps. I board and settle into a nice single seat, which is very comfortable. departing on time, my journey will take in Wien Meidling, Wiener Neustadt then into the alps, stopping at Semmering, Mürzzuschlag, Kapfenberg, Bruck/Mur and on to Graz. It’s slow going once we leave Wiener Neustadt as the track bends and climbs high up into the mountains. Here speeds drop, even for the Railjets that operate the same route. In a few years, ÖBB will have finished a huge new tunnel system that will cut the journey time by 30 minutes. Today though, in the early morning light, I’m treated to beautiful views and snow-covered mountains.

Good for the Goose. The MartiniGansl experience

Jessica Bannister-PearceNovember 11, 201702K views

One of the things I really love about living in Austria is the wonder of seasonal events that fill the calendar. Come to November and things turn to all sorts of Goose like goodness. St. Martin’s day falls on the 11th of November and traditionally, a meal of Goose is eaten. I’ve not had the pleasure of eating Goose, so this year, Lynda and I decided to try it out.