Past few weeks in Wien has been hot as hell. Also, there is no fan or air conditioner in my room, making it so hard to go to sleep. Adding to my list of “must haves” during summer in Europe is an air conditioner in the room. Being busy with learning German and this heat wave, simply meant finding a shaded area to relax, stay hydrated and have lots of ice cream.
Whenever there was an overcast, I would explore some Bezirks (which means districts) of Vienna after my classes.
Mariahilf Bezirk is a busy shopping district full of shops, cafes, restaurants and of course, tourists. This area is definitely one of the liveliest neighborhoods here. I often enjoy finding a public bench to sit and watch people pass by or listen to street musicians, until someone sits next to me and lights up a cigarette.
I would have no choice but to leave and find another spot but again it would be the same story which has been a super annoying experience. It’s not only men but also women who are chain smokers, it doesn’t matter if they are pregnant or have a baby in the stroller.
Even at cafes, bars and restaurants, smokers are given a free reign. It’s a disgusting habit without any concern for others who have to suffer from second hand smoking. I’m glad that in the US that’s not the case.
Neubaugasse Bezirk which intersects Mariahilf is another cool neighborhood to hangout at. Lots of cafes, restaurants and juice bars. Looks like the Vegan restaurants and ice cream parlors are here to stay.
Naschmarkt is a cool open air market situated over the Wien River which is open year round except on Sunday’s. What’s really cool is that this market has existed since the 16th century. You can find here exotic fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, cheese, Kaiser rolls, sea food and much more.
At the other end of Mariahilf is the MuseumsQuartier (MQ), which is spread over 90,000m2 in central Vienna and encompassing 60 cultural institutions, it’s one of the largest districts for contemporary art and culture in the world, from fine art, architecture, music, fashion, theater, dance, literature, children’s culture, game culture, and street art to design and photography.
Whenever I need my art, culture and architecture fix, I come to MQ. Walking through the aromatic Volksgarten in the midst of roses is so heavenly.
Need to get ready for my class, so will continue sharing about my other favorite places in Wien tomorrow.
