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 ...