I have mixed feelings about Vienna. I found the city to be surprisingly commercial, expensive and not nearly as charming as Bratislava or other cities I had visited. But despite my hesitancy to embrace the Austrian capital, I have nothing but good memories of my time there. The vegan scene there is incredible, I enjoyed impromptu live music and connected with a fellow study-abroad solo traveler who I met at none other than a cat café. The location didn’t inspire me in the same way Naples or even Bratislava did, but I’m still nostalgic for the three days I spent there, or at least for how I felt during those three days.
Upon arrival and check-in at my hostel, I hustled to the Wieden neighborhood to see a niche attraction open only from 2:00-6:00 P.M. on Saturdays, The Third Man Museum. Fans of film noir or post-war cinema are surely familiar with this classic. The black-and-white mystery swerves through the streets of Vienna with its catchy score played on a zither and dynamic characters (Anna Schmidt played by Alida Valli is exactly the fabulous type of strong woman I love seeing in mid-20th century movies). Whether or not you’re coming to Vienna, it’s worth the watch, and if you are coming to Vienna, this museum is worth the visit.
The museum originally started as a personal collection of Third Man aficionados Gerhard Strassgschwandtner and Karin Höfle. Now, stretching through three buildings, it’s impossible to take note of every detail in this elaborate collection. The second room includes a screening of a scene with an original projector that would have been used in the film’s premiere as well as a collection of music boxes that squeakily play the movie’s iconic score. The museum also offers a Third Man Tour that enters the city’s sewers, where the dramatic finale plays out, from May-October. But if you’re like me, entering a canal of wastewater, even if of cinematic (and even architectural) significance, is not an ideal way to explore a new city.
The Third Man Museum is located near the Natschmarket, an open-air market that certainly felt touristy, but still fun to browse. On my way back to my hotel, I ended up at Swing Kitchen, a burger bar spread throughout several German speaking countries. I ordered the Vienna burger (you have to eat somewhat authentic sounding foods when you can as a vegan) with a side of onion rings (not authentic—just a craving). The burger featured a faux meat schnitzel patty, an aioli and typical burger pairings. The onion rings were crispy and came with a creamy garlic sauce with a delectably strong raw garlic flavor. I had some leftover that I brought back, but unfortunately never had anything else to dip it in, so it was thrown out before my departure.
As far as pastries go, Vienna is a vegan heaven. The populous franchise bakeries – like Anker Brot and Ströck – have vegan options. My breakfast the next morning was a quasi-cinnamon roll pastry. As I warmed it up, the perpetual traveler who was also in the kitchen was a little perplexed, typically they are just eaten room temperature, “I’ll have to try that next time,” he said.
After my breakfast, I headed towards the city center for a walking tour. I’ve used free walking tours in Bratislava and Barcelona as a way to get to know the cities upon arrival, but the one I took in Vienna just felt less personable. The weather was less than ideal, and with the rain trickling down it seemed like the guide just wanted to get us out of there. I did learn a lot of interesting information, like the symbolism of the sculptures at Judenplatz or the elaborate pampering of the Iberian horses at the Spanish riding school but compared to my other walking tour experiences this one was a little bit disappointing.
Lunch led me to the Veggiez. As the name suggests, this sit-down restaurant is all-vegan and boasts an expansive menu. Here I will give kudos to Vienna for something, their tap water. Tap water in Barcelona is perfectly safe to drink, yet locals and visitors alike often seem to have an aversion to it. Restaurants in Spain exclusively serve bottled water, and sometimes they’ll grant your request for tap water if you’re lucky. Not going into my strong stance against the privatization of water (check out the documentary Flow for that), it was great being back in a place that, like my hometown Louisville, embraced tap water. Posters across Vienna will celebrate the cleanliness of water and fountains across the city quench the thirst of those passing by.
In addition to a refreshing glass of water straight from the sink at Veggiez, I enjoyed a club sandwich with some roasted potato wedges. I thought about ordering their vegan take on a sub-German classic plate, but sometimes you want what you want, and in my case, it was this triple decker beauty.
I then went to Prater Park to see the infamous Ferris wheel. This Ferris wheel is featured in the Third Man and one of my favorite tv shows, The Amazing Race. Other than pop culture references, it also has some neat history. Constructed in 1897, it survived a 1916 attempt at demolition and two world wars (it was damaged in WWII but emerged with a reduction of half of its gondolas). But at 12€ a pop for a ride, seeing it was all I felt that I needed to do to appreciate this landmark.
I was enjoying my time powering through Vienna’s popular sites, but I soon discovered that it’s a city even more enjoyable with someone else.
To Barna & Beyond 