Lizzy's Sweet Kitchen

Vienna and Bratislava are two of Central Europe’s most charming cities, each offering a unique mix of history, culture, and incredible food. During our trip, we explored Vienna’s grand architecture, beautiful parks, and famous bakeries, and even took a quick day trip to Bratislava to wander its picturesque Old Town and enjoy a delicious lunch. If you’re planning a visit, this Vienna and Bratislava travel guide will help you make the most of your time, from must-see sights to sweet treats and traditional Austrian dishes.

We only took one trip during our base stay in Budapest. It was to Vienna and Bratislava. I had been so excited to see Vienna, and from everything I had heard, I knew I would love it. It did not disappoint.

Table of Contents

• Day 1: Exploring Vienna’s Top Sights, Sweets & Classic Austrian Food
  • Mozart Monument & Butterfly House
  • Vienna’s Historic Streets: St. Stephen’s Cathedral & Austrian Sweets
  • Rathauspark, Hofburg & Classic Austrian Architecture
  • Dinner at Café Anzengruber: Goulash & Wiener Schnitzel Delight
• Day 2: Iconic Wiener Schnitzel, Albertina Museum & Vienna State Opera Experience
  • Figlmüller Wollzeile: The Ultimate Wiener Schnitzel Experience
  • Albertina Museum: Modern Art & Gothic Exhibits
  • Coffee Break on Mariahilfer Street: Café Oberlaa & Banana Schnitte
  • Standing Room at The Barber of Seville: Vienna Opera Experience
• Day 3: Our Favorite Vienna Bakery, Belvedere Palace Gardens & Traditional Austrian Desserts
  • Breakfast at Ährnst
  • Unexpected Fun: Red Bull Gaming Fair & Food Trucks
  • Belvedere Palace Gardens: Stunning Architecture & Scenic Walks
  • Sweet Finale: Apple Strudel at Kaffee Alt Wien & Kaiserschmarrn at Heindl’s
  • Evening Relaxation: Georgian Dinner & Down Under Aussie Pub
• Day 4: Trip to Bratislava– Old Town Highlights & Great Food
  • Lunch at Gatto Matto Ventúrska: Pizza, Croquettes & Perfect Flavors
  • Exploring Old Town & Bratislava Castle
  • Cafe Break at Café Židovská
• Overall

Trip Summary

1. October 8
   • Train from Budapest to Vienna
   • Stayed at Hotel Mocca the time
   • Visited Mozart Monument, Schmetterlinghaus (Butterfly House)
   • Walked Kärntner Street, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Rathauspark and Volksgarten
   • Dinner at Café Anzengruber
2. October 9
   • Breakfast at grocery store
   • Lunch at Figlmüller Wollzeile
   • Visited Albertina Museum
   • Quick dinner: burgers before opera show
   • Vienna State Opera Show
3. October 10
   • Breakfast at Ährnst
   • Belvedere Palace Gardens
   • Desserts at Kaffee Alt Wien (apple strudel) and Heindl’s Schmarren & Palatschinkenkuchl (Kaiserschmarrn)
   • Dinner at Crazy Khinkali (Georgian cuisine)
   • Drinks at Down Under Aussie Pub
4. October 11
   • Bus to Bratislava
   • Lunch at Gatto Matto Ventúrska
   • Explored Old Town: St. Martin’s Cathedral, Čumil statue, Hlavné námestie, Michael’s Gate and Bratislava Castle
   • Coffee at Café Židovská
   • Return train to Budapest

Day 1: Exploring Vienna’s Top Sights, Sweets & Classic Austrian Food

We set off early Wednesday morning, October 8th, on a train. The ride was easy and comfortable. In Vienna we stayed at Hotel Mocca, which fit exactly what we needed. Our hotel was close to Mariahilfer Street, so we explored the shops and stopped at a chain cafe for a quick lunch. We both ordered an egg salad style sandwich. I let Wyatt choose because I wasn’t feeling well, and I’m so glad he did. It was amazing, especially coming from a simple cafe.

I think the key difference between Austrian egg salad and American egg salad is the amount of mayo. Wyatt and I are not mayo people at all, which you can see in many of our food preferences. This egg salad was creamy, more mustard based, and it did not have that sharp tang you get from yellow mustard. I doubt they even use yellow mustard. I need to find a recipe because I would happily eat egg salad every day if it tasted like this. I highly recommend trying it at least once in Austria.

Mozart Monument & Butterfly House

We started exploring Vienna by visiting the Mozart Monument. It was a fun and charming statue of Mozart, who spent most of his career in the city. The flower bed in front was shaped like a music note, which was such a fun way to highlight his musical legacy.

After that we walked through the park and then visited the butterfly house, Schmetterlinghaus. I used to not like butterflies. Anyone who watched that one SpongeBob episode knows why. But in recent years I have slowly started to admire them more. This was a very active butterfly house with tons of different species. They were so active that we had to dodge a few of them. It was such a fun experience and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Vienna.

Afterwards we stopped at a grocery store because my stomach was upset and I wanted a ginger ale. I did not even connect the fact that we were in Austria, the home of Red Bull. Wyatt got a lemon Red Bull and I got an Almdudler, which had the word ginger on it, so I assumed it would help my stomach, and a topfentascherl pastry. The lemon Red Bull was wonderful. It is a flavor we do not get in the States, so we had to try it. It had a very strong lemon flavor. The Almdudler was fantastic too. It soothed my stomach quite a bit even though it was not technically ginger ale. I would drink them often if they made them outside of Austria. It is a herb filled pop, so it makes sense that it helped.

The topfentascherl had a set cheese filling. I wanted to try one, and many people said that the supermarket versions are some of the best you can get, similar to a bakery. I can see why. It was delicious and I liked it so much that I got one every day.

Vienna’s Historic Streets: St. Stephen’s Cathedral & Austrian Sweets

Afterward we decided to walk around Vienna more and check out Kärntner Street. There are several side streets and shops to explore in that area. At the end of the street is St. Stephen’s Cathedral, which was grand and impressive to see. When we went inside they had just started a concert, and it was beautiful to watch.

Right next to the cathedral was a Manner chocolate shop. We saw several stores and advertisements for the Manner brand and their wafer cookies, and there happened to be a Manner shop right next to the cathedral. We bought a small pack of wafers and some marzipan Mozart chocolates. Everything was very good, but I personally liked the Mozart chocolates the best.

We were then on our way to Rathauspark. On the walk there we spotted this very fancy looking grocery store, cafe, and bakery called Julius Meinl am Graben. And of course, me being me, I absolutely had to go inside. We ended up exploring for quite a while, wandering around and checking out all the fun and unusual products they had from around the world. It honestly reminded me of Eataly. They did not have the restaurant setup that Eataly has, but the high quality international products were definitely on the same level. It was the kind of place where you can find things you would normally only get if you were actually in that specific country.

Rathauspark, Hofburg & Classic Austrian Architecture

Afterward, we walked through Rathauspark and Volksgarten, stopping at the Elisabeth statue, of course, before continuing on to Palais Daun-Kinsky, the Austrian Parliament, Vienna City Hall, and Hofburg, all located close to each other. This area is perfect for experiencing Austrian architecture on a grand scale. The buildings in Vienna are awe-inspiring, making you feel small in comparison. They are massive and magnificent, evoking the feeling that you should be riding in a horse and carriage in a gown on your way to the opera. It truly feels like stepping back into a grand, royal era, and I think this is one of the main reasons Vienna captured my heart.

Dinner at Café Anzengruber: Goulash & Wiener Schnitzel Delight

For dinner I picked a more local spot called Café Anzengruber, which is known for its goulash and Wiener schnitzel. It is apparently cash only, which we only discovered from the little sign on the window once we were already there. So we had two choices. Option one was accept our destiny, enjoy a great meal, and walk to the ATM. Option two was pick another place. I get hyper-fixated on my restaurant choices, so naturally we went with the first one. Honestly it worked out fine because Vienna uses the euro and we still had a few euro-zone countries coming up anyway.

One thing to note is that many restaurants we saw in Vienna only took cash. I guess it is a way to avoid card fees, but it felt odd to us since most places could easily just accept debit cards or pass the fee to the customer. Anyways, there was a bit of a wait at the restaurant even for a Wednesday night, but it was not too bad. We were seated shortly after we ordered drinks at the bar.

I got the Austrian goulash and Wyatt got the Wiener schnitzel. Oh my goodness gracious, the goulash was delicious. Texturally, and I mean purely texturally so no one get bent out of shape, it reminded me of some Mexican dishes I make where I blend onions, peppers, and other vegetables into a sauce and then cook the meat slowly in it. The flavor was rich and incredible. This is officially my second favorite style of goulash, with Czech still being number one. The meat was tender and juicy.

Wyatt’s Wiener schnitzel was perfect too. I always thought I disliked Wiener schnitzel because every time I had it in the past it was extremely dry. Turns out I had just never had it in Austria. They know what they are doing in that country. They did invent it after all, so hopefully they would. It was juicy, the breading was a light to medium thickness, and the lemon on top brought everything together perfectly. He also got potato salad on the side, and it was nothing like American potato salad, which we both really dislike. This one was lightly dressed with oil, vinegar, and fresh herbs. We really enjoyed it.

Overall we absolutely loved this place and would highly recommend it. A true 5 out of 5.

Day 2: Iconic Wiener Schnitzel, Albertina Museum & Vienna State Opera Experience

The next day we had a slow morning, and I ran to the grocery store next door to grab breakfast. We were waiting until 10 a.m. to buy opera tickets. I really wanted to see The Barber of Seville (Il barbiere di Siviglia), but the tickets had been sold out for weeks unless we wanted to pay around $500 per ticket. We found out you could buy standing room only tickets on the day of the performance, so that became the plan. We got online a little before 10 a.m. to be prepared, and we were able to get them easily. After that we continued on with our day.

Figlmüller Wollzeile: The Ultimate Wiener Schnitzel Experience

Wyatt saw that there were two really famous restaurants for Wiener schnitzel: Figlmüller Wollzeile and Zum Schwarzen Kameel. People usually compare the two to decide which they like better, but we just wanted to try Figlmüller Wollzeile. I booked a reservation for 11:30 a.m., which was the best time they had around lunch, and off we went.

A couple of things to note. A lot of people say they just walk up and wait in line at Figlmüller and that it is not too bad. Yes, you could do this, but why? They have plenty of reservation openings about a week in advance, at least in the fall. If you plan ahead even a little bit, you can skip standing in line completely. Another thing is that there are actually two locations right next to each other. There is the original restaurant, which is where we ate, and the second one, which was built to have more seating. They have the exact same menu, but we chose the smaller one for the vibes, if you will. I knew the original location would have the charm I prefer. It is not a make-or-break decision, but since ambiance matters to me, I thought I would share.

We were seated in this little back nook of the restaurant that felt like our own private corner, and we loved it. We ordered two glasses of white wine, which the server recommended with the Wiener schnitzel, along with the potato salad and one Wiener schnitzel with jam sauce. We only ordered one schnitzel because we heard they were huge and that people sometimes struggled to finish them on their own. Wyatt and I love food, but we have pretty normal appetites and did not want to be overly stuffed. In the end, sharing one was the perfect amount.

The Wiener schnitzel breading was extremely airy and light. We were honestly amazed at how they got it that fluffy. I love jam, so it was the perfect combo for me to dip the juicy schnitzel into the jam. A salty and sweet moment that made me very happy. Wyatt did not care for the jam, so that part definitely depends on your taste. The potato salad was much creamier than the one we had the day before. It might have had a touch of mayo or sour cream in it, but if it did, it was barely noticeable. I cannot pinpoint exactly what made it so creamy, but we both really enjoyed it and highly recommend ordering it with the schnitzel.

Overall we really liked this place and highly recommend trying Figlmüller in Vienna. It should not be the only place you try it in Austria, but the hype here was definitely worth it. Solid 5 out of 5.

Albertina Museum: Modern Art & Gothic Exhibits

After our early lunch we went to the Albertina. For those who know me, I am not generally a museum person, especially when it comes to art. I am picky with museums. Many of them are just not my cup of tea. I would not call them boring because everyone has different interests, but they tend to make my blood sugar drop and I just want to take a nap. I guess that does mean they calm me in some way.

Art museums in particular are tricky for me because a lot of them feature classical art, and I usually prefer something a little funkier. The Albertina focuses on modern art, which I tend to enjoy more. They had an extensive Gothic exhibit, which I loved, and I also ventured into Monet’s works. Monet leans toward impressionism, but I adore his art for how bright and lively it usually is.

The rest of the exhibits were fun and modern as well. Overall, we really liked this museum and felt like we got our museum fix without feeling completely drained.

Coffee Break on Mariahilfer Street: Café Oberlaa & Banana Schnitte

We probably spent half the day at the museum, and when we came out we did not have too much time left, so we decided to go to a cafe. For those who do not know, part of Vienna’s charm is its cafes. Cafe culture there is a way of life. It is a time to talk with people, order sweet treats and coffee-like drinks, and just enjoy yourself. There is no rush. You sit for a good amount of time and soak it all in. Cafes are usually very beautiful and grand, and the desserts are top tier in quality.

The banana schnitte was okay. It was not my favorite, which is saying something because I love banana. The whole experience felt pretty middle tier, which was a bit disappointing. The environment was also incredibly loud. I could not hear Wyatt and he could not hear me. Overall, I cannot say we really liked this place. We did have a much better Vienna cafe experience the next day. I think it really depends on your style and what you want overall. We would rate this one a 2.5 out of 5, very okay.

After the cafe we grabbed burgers for dinner, something quick before our opera show. They were very middle tier as well, but they were quick, which was exactly their purpose.

Standing Room at The Barber of Seville: Vienna Opera Experience

We arrived at the opera and headed to our standing seats. The section was sold out. I mean, this is The Barber of Seville (Il barbiere di Siviglia). You know, “Figaro, Figaro, Fiiiiiigaro!” This was the opera to see. I had never experienced standing seats before. I have been to plenty of concerts, but those usually involve some jumping to break up the standing. This was straight leg standing. The performance was amazing, but I am not going to lie, forty minutes in my legs were screaming at me. I like to think that many years of waiting in Disney Park lines had prepared me for this moment, but no, it was tough.

By the second act, about 75 percent of the standing room people did not come back, and I do not blame them. It is difficult, and some of them were older. The play itself was beautiful. It was in Italian, but there were screens in the standing room section, and I assume at the seats as well, with subtitles translating everything into your preferred language.

Our legs were absolute jelly after this three-hour performance, but it was worth it in my opinion. I mean, we got to see The Barber of Seville in Vienna. The Vienna Opera is world famous. I am not an opera person, but I love theater, so it felt like one of those pinch-me moments. Wyatt did not feel the same way, but he is a trooper. Hey, sometimes marriage is about doing what the other person wants.

Day 3: Our Favorite Vienna Bakery, Belvedere Palace Gardens & Traditional Austrian Desserts

Breakfast at Ährnst

The next morning we were definitely feeling the pain in our legs, but that was not going to stop us from exploring Vienna on our last full day. For breakfast we went to Ährnst – Backwaren e.U., which looked absolutely delicious. It was a bit of a walk from our place, but we love walking, so it was no problem for us, except it was a little tougher than usual after the night before.

Ährnst – Backwaren e.U. had a handful of baked goods to choose from. Wyatt and I landed on a cinnamon roll, a blueberry pastry, and a croissant with egg salad. The cinnamon roll was not your typical doughy cinnamon roll. Instead it had beautiful, buttery, flaky layers like a croissant. It was perfectly caramelized, light and crispy, with little pockets of gooey cinnamon and a light touch of salt that balanced out the sweetness.

The blueberry pastry, which I sadly do not remember the name of, was paired with very whipped cream cheese. It was a perfect contrast to the blueberries, which were not too tart. The pastry dough was extremely light, buttery, and flaky.

Last but certainly not least was the egg salad croissant, which was my favorite. As I mentioned before, the egg salad in Austria is amazing. It had a touch of vinegar from the mustard, was loaded with chives, and had an extremely soft texture. The croissant itself was perfectly flaky.

Overall, this bakery gets a solid 5 out of 5 from us. We really loved it.

Unexpected Fun: Red Bull Gaming Fair & Food Trucks

Afterwards we went to Vienna City Hall and kept walking until we stumbled upon a gaming fair put on by Red Bull. It was completely unexpected, but a lot of fun. They were handing out a few free snacks, and there was a Red Bull stand. That part was not free, but like earlier in our trip, there were flavors we had never tried before that sounded intriguing. I got peach, and Wyatt got black orange.

We wandered around the merchandise tent they had set up, which featured all sorts of items from anime to Sonic and everything in between. Wyatt likes video games, but I am very light on the gaming side, mostly just classic Sonic and Mario Kart, but I still enjoyed looking at all the characters and merchandise.

By that time it was around lunch, and they had food trucks set up. That is when I saw it: a big, fresh box of homemade chips. Now, one thing about me is that I love my chips. I grew up eating so many of them it could probably be studied. I had leaned off chips over the years, especially after giving them up for Lent one year, but one thing that remains my absolute weakness is a big, perfectly salted, slightly overcooked homemade chip. I had to get them, and they were delicious. Absolutely perfect.

I know what some of you are thinking. Liz, chips are not lunch. Well, a, it was an insanely big box. B, it counts as a girl lunch. And c, this was a foodie day, so trust me, we ate plenty. Most of it was not exactly nutritious, but it was worth it. Wyatt got a Vienna hot dog from another truck, which was pretty good, but I was completely lost in my chips.

We enjoyed our unusual lunch combo, listened to tournaments and games in progress, and then continued on our merry way.

Belvedere Palace Gardens: Stunning Architecture & Scenic Walks

Afterwards we wanted to visit Belvedere Palace. The gardens are a little further out from the main downtown area, but they seemed very worth it, and I can tell you they absolutely are. We went during October, so one caveat is that the plants were not as alive and blossoming as they could be, but they were still beautiful nonetheless.

The building itself is grand and stunning, reminiscent of the architecture at the Gardens of Versailles, and the gardens were equally impressive. I usually do not like hedge-focused gardens, looking at you, Boboli Gardens, but this one felt more like Versailles. They had steps and low hedges that created depth and perspective in the view. It was very easy to walk around and a lot smaller than the Gardens of Versailles, which made it more manageable.

We spent time walking and enjoying the scenery. This ended up being both of our highlights of Vienna. It may feel a little out of the way from the city center, but it is a pretty quick bus ride and absolutely worth seeing. Plus, it is free if you do not go into the building. No complaints here.

Sweet Finale: Apple Strudel at Kaffee Alt Wien & Kaiserschmarrn at Heindl’s

Then we continued our day to cap off our foodie adventures. We were on a mission to have apple strudel and Kaiserschmarrn. First, we went to Kaffee Alt Wien for the apple strudel. We wanted to experience Vienna’s cafe culture again, so we also got coffee and sat for a while to soak it all in.

The coffee and strudel were good, but did it blow my mind or would I get it again? No. Wyatt and I actually came to the conclusion that we do not really like apple strudel. I know that may be shocking to some, but we are Midwest Americans. We grew up with pies and sometimes crumbles, not strudels. It is just not our preferred dessert, though we absolutely respect anyone who loves it.

That said, this was one of the better strudels we had. It had flaky butter layers, fresh apple, and a nice sauce with a light touch of cream. It was good, just not our favorite.

After having that sweet, we jumped straight to the next one. We laughed at ourselves because we had already eaten so many desserts in Vienna that we were practically sugared out, but we had to push on to try Kaiserschmarrn. We had been wanting to try it for a couple of days, and it was finally our chance.

We went to Heindl’s Schmarren & Palatschinkenkuchl, which serves regular food too, but we just ordered the pancakes. I found this place, along with most of my food recommendations while traveling, on Reddit. I love reading Reddit threads about food because most of the time the people are honest, sometimes harsh, and often local. They usually share spots that are not popular or hyped up on social media. That often means shorter wait times, reasonable prices, and local favorites you might not find on your own. I am not saying that Heindl’s was all of those things, but that is generally why I recommend checking Reddit if you ever need food suggestions.

Back to the usual paid program… We ordered the original style with raisins and plum sauce. It was absolutely delicious. The pancakes were perfectly light, fluffy, and not overly sweet. That is my favorite kind because I find American diner pancakes often too sweet. The stewed plums added a natural sweetness, and the raisins provided a nice contrast. I highly recommend trying Kaiserschmarrn in Vienna. Whether it is at Heindl’s or elsewhere, you will not be disappointed. This is coming from someone who does not even care much for pancakes.

We got the smaller size, which was plenty for two people. Even if we had not eaten beforehand, it is a sweet treat not a full meal.

Evening Relaxation: Georgian Dinner & Down Under Aussie Pub

Afterwards we went back to the hotel to relax. I went out to get a postcard while Wyatt had some work to do. Later, we met at BeerLovers to grab some beers. We had noticed the shop a few times and wanted to stop in because we both really enjoy craft beer. Sadly, our hotel room did not have a fridge, so we had to pick from their cold selection.

After enjoying a relaxing cocktail hour in our hotel room, we figured dinner was probably a good idea. I had an Austrian restaurant planned that looked fantastic, but it was not close to our hotel, and we did not feel like walking much since our legs were still tired from the night before. There was actually no Austrian food nearby, but we decided to try a Georgian place called Crazy Khinkali. That may sound a little funny to some, but Wyatt and I have recently learned how amazing Georgian food is on this year trip, so we had to go.

Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious. We ordered the khachapuri, khinkali, and a tomato and cucumber salad. The khachapuri was perfectly fluffy bread topped with a flavorful cheese mixture. I can see why people compare it to pizza, but technically it is not. The salad was a refreshing side, coated in parsley, oil, and lemon juice. And as for the Khinkali, you cannot go wrong. Khinkali are a fun mix between a soup dumpling and a regular dumpling.

The whole meal was perfection. Even though we loved Austrian food while we were in Vienna, this meal hit the spot like no other. If you have not tried Georgian food yet, what are you waiting for? 5 out of 5.

Afterwards we wanted to go out since it was a Friday night and found an Australian bar just around the block, Down Under Aussie Pub. It was fun to go in, especially since we will be in Australia in a month. I honestly do not know what technically made it “Australian,” but the interior had some boomerangs on the walls. We liked the bar, and the drinks were pretty cheap.

One thing we noticed was that a lot of college kids kept going downstairs where there was blaring 2010 music. Wyatt went down at first just to see what was happening. It was a small area, probably 30 by 15 feet, with a bar and a tiny dance floor. There were only a handful of kids there, and none were dancing. This is very specific for my Purdue alumni from 2015-2019. Wyatt said it reminded him of Where else or Twisted Hammar (the name changed my senior year), specifically the lower level that you never went to. 

As the night went on, more and more college kids kept going downstairs and coming back up. After a long time, Wyatt finally convinced me to peek in. I was expecting a packed basement with tons of people, but there were only about five people in total, and two of them were intensely dancing. I burst out laughing. I am writing this more as a fond memory, but it made no sense to me. Where did all the kids go? Somehow this tiny room felt like the “happening spot” of the night.

We finished our drinks and went outside, only to find about 40 college kids chilling, drinking, and smoking. Not sure if that is the usual vibe now for going out, but it was the perfect icing on the cake to end the night.

Day 4: Trip to Bratislava – Old Town Highlights & Great Food

The next morning we slowly made our way to the bus station for our 10:30am-ish bus to Bratislava. We grabbed a quick bite from the grocery store for breakfast and were on our way. The bus ride to Bratislava was extremely quick, only about 1 hour and 15 minutes. It is actually the closest pair of major cities in two separate countries in the world.

Once we arrived, we dropped our bags in a luggage locker and began exploring for the five hours we had. We only spent a couple of hours walking around because we had heard the city could be explored quickly, and honestly, we were ready to go home after our time in Vienna.

We started by walking along the river. I have mentioned this in travel posts before, but walking along the water is one of Wyatt’s and my favorite things to do, so we had to cross it off the list.

Lunch at Gatto Matto Ventúrska: Pizza, Croquettes & Perfect Flavors

After that, we started to get a little hungry since it was lunchtime. I had not done any research, but pizza was calling our names. We were already tired and wanted an easy meal. I found a restaurant on Google called Gatto Matto Ventúrska, and it ended up being the best decision of the day by far.

We ordered the herb couscous with pea and courgette croquettes and the Salsiccia pizza. They started us off with focaccia and olive oil. Honestly, this was not the best focaccia I have ever had. It was very doughy and sticky, and I prefer it light, airy, and slightly chewy. Nevertheless, it was still a tasty starter.

The pizza, however, was a showstopper. The crust was perfectly airy, and the toppings were beautiful. Kalamata olives and a drizzle of chili and honey brought a perfect balance of sweetness and heat, while pistachios tied the savory and sweet together like a perfect marriage. The herb couscous salad was creamy and well-balanced, and the croquettes were perfectly crispy, light, and packed with greens.

This place was absolutely delicious and right in the old town. I highly, highly recommend it if you are ever in old town Bratislava. Easily a 5 out of 5 and one of my favorite meals of our whole year trip.

Exploring Old Town & Bratislava Castle

The rest of the day we explored the charming Old Town, visiting St. Martin’s Cathedral, the Čumil statue, Hlavné námestie, and Michael’s Gate. It was easy to navigate and surprisingly quick to see everything we wanted.

We ended our walk at the castle, which offered spectacular views of Bratislava and the surrounding countryside. The castle’s architecture was especially interesting, with its light stone façade and gardens reminiscent of a smaller-scale Belvedere Palace. Maybe it’s because we’d seen so many hedges in one week that they all started to blend together, but it was beautiful nonetheless!

Cafe Break at Café Židovská

For some reason, though, that day I was absolutely craving a pumpkin spice latte, even though I had only had one in my entire life, more than fifteen years ago. A note for my American readers: pumpkin spice lattes and other fall-style drinks are not very popular outside the U.S., at least from my experience in countries like Poland, Hungary, and Austria. Do not expect to find them everywhere in the fall.

This pumpkin spice latte, however, was absolutely delicious. It tasted like a high-quality spice mix, a little heavy on the clove side, which gave it a really nice depth of flavor. This cafe did not disappoint. 5 out of 5.

After our coffee, we headed back to Budapest on a quick three-hour train ride.

Overall

Overall, Vienna absolutely won my heart. I want to go back to Austria so badly after this trip. The people are extremely nice, the food is incredible, and the architecture leaves you in awe. I cannot recommend this city enough for young people, older travelers, and families. I truly think it has something for everyone, and everyone should experience it at least once in their life.

Bratislava pleasantly surprised us. We honestly did not really know what to expect, and we had heard mixed reviews. However, the fantastic lunch at Gatto Matto Ventúrska, the friendly people, and the slower pace after Vienna were much needed. It is a pretty city that I think is definitely worth a visit.