HK Independent Traveller Blog

  Wish Come True I visited Vienna in summer 2014 and lately in March/April 2026. Last time my ex-colleague, Kurt, and I passed by the Secession Building ( Secessionsgebäude ). The golden leaf work dome ("golden cabbage") was extraordinary. But we did not have time to have a close look or walk into the building. It then sat on my bucket list.   Complimentary Visit Once a Month, First Wednesday After visiting the mother of my pen pal in Spielberg in 2026, I returned to Vienna on 1 April ( first Wednesday of the month ). Quickly I settled down in the rental apartment in Währing and headed to the Secession Building to enjoy the art with complimentary entry . Simultaneously, contemporary art exhibitions can be visited free of charge once a month.   Origin of Secession The term "Secession" relates to an important movement in art history. It was formed in 1897 by a group of formidably talented Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Jos...

    A Cozy Escape in the Heart of the City When planning my trip to Vienna in March/April 2026, I also looked for cafes with nice coffee and atmosphere. A few with high scores and ‘like’ were bookmarked at TripAdvisor . The Aufzug Café was picked for its unique vibe and proposition: Jugendstil /  Art Nouveau style elevators in a café with superb coffee and wonderful homemade cakes. Positive comments are unanimous from various customers and across websites. An extra flavour – it is situated between the Main Railway Station (stone flow distance to my hotel) and Belvedere.       The Origin of Aufzug / Elevator Cafe Aufzug Café ’s owner, Christian Tauss , is a trained electrical engineer. His job involves repairing old elevators. He developed into an interest of collecting old elevators which saved them from landfill or incinerator.     A Jugendstil Gem Christian wanted to share the old Art Nouveau * elevators with the public, in everyday life ...

  Picturesque Inn Promenade After descending from the Veste Oberhaus, we strolled leisurely at the Innpromenade . Some people clustered at the tip of the esplanade to chat and enjoyed the warm sunshine. But it was empty along the walkway. For us, beauty, romance and soothing tranquility with enchanting evening light. The promenade is filled with emerald green (from River Inn and the surrounding) and dotted with nice houses. St. Stephen’s Cathedral with the Biggest Organ in the World St. Stephen's Cathedral dominates the Innpromenade. The white façade facing the Innpromenade is immense and stunning. It has three white towers with blue-green domes. After the devastating fire in 1662, the Baroque cathedral was almost completely burnt down, but luckily resurrected by the famous architect Carlo Lurago . The interior with heavy baroque stucco was decorated by Giovanni Battista Carlone , an artist for paintings and frescoes.   The ornately interior holds an exceptional treasure...