I love to travel, whether through my imagination in a book or in real life. Well, Rachel McMillan’s newest novel takes us to the beautiful city of Vienna – and now I want to go there for real.
Since I can’t hop on a plane at this moment, with the handy dandy help of our cyberworld (and some guidance from Love in Three Quarter Time’s heroine, Evelyn Watt, let’s check out some of the lovely world of Vienna.
As noted in Trip Advisor (and portrayed in Rachel’s novella), “In Vienna, the coffee shop isn’t just a hangout, it’s an institution.” A great coffee shop can create a sense of community, and Vienna is known for having quaint coffee shops where you can enjoy delicious pastries, strudels or cakes, as you pause between your walks down the traffic-free shopping streets from one architectural masterpiece to another. Café Mozart is the introduced to us in Rachel’s book and plays a significant role in the story and the especially the romance 😉
Hofburg Palace – Pixabay
Much of the setting of Vienna comes from its “Imperial” architecture, which nods toward the Habsburg monarchy which ruled Vienna for over six hundred years, but it is also a thriving city with modern structures as well. The Hofburg palace, home of the Habsburg family, is in the center of Vienna. Originally surrounded by a mote, parts of this ‘castle’ can be dated back to the 13th century. The rooms are amazing!! And as I look through the photos of the Redoutenstaal wing of the palace, in particular, I’m struck my its grandeur. Wow!
The Belvedere Palace – Pixabay
For a few more breathtaking historical buildings tops, you could visit the Schonbrunn Palace, The Belvedere Palace (there are lots of palaces in Austria and Rachel mentions the winter garden for this one), or even St Stephen’s Cathedral (a roman gothic structure with a spectacular south tower and referred to as Stephansdom in the novella). Check out the roof of this church. The intricate design is amazing. And all of the palaces have extensive gardens to explore too. Really, there is no end to the historic churches to visit too – St. Peter’s, St. Anna’s…so many!
Museums run aplenty in this city rich in culture. From the Kunsthistorisches Museum which spans centuries of artwork to The Third Man Museum which gives a more modern look at Vienna. Basically, you can see about anything you want – science, art…there’s even a carriage museum. Rachel mentions Musiemsquartier in Love in Three Quarter Time, which basically is a beautiful complex of a myriad art museum, from historic to modern, and for some fresh air on a beautiful day, you can visit one of the many public parks, one, in particular, is Volksgarten.
Staatsoper – Pixabay
Music is everywhere in Vienna, so a visit wouldn’t be complete without taking in an opera or concert (or lots more). Since Mozart’s house (Mozarthaus) is actually in town, why not catch a little tour of it as well. We could catch a performance in the same place as Evelyn Watt – at the Staatsoper – or also in the Musikverein, with its gilded exterior.
There are too many sites to mention in a blog post, but I’ve tried to highlight a few. One thing pictures and videos can’t do is give us a sense of place, which Rachel’s book does through descriptions and story, but I’d LOVE the opportunity to experience Vienna in person too. Have you been to Vienna? If so, what was one of your favorite sites? If not, where would you like to visit in this beautiful city?
You can read my review of Love in Three Quarter Time HERE.
Here are a few more gorgeous photos of the city!
(All photos from Pixabay.com)
Ummmmm. Yes. All of this!!! And the library too! It’s stunning and just love it.