My Trip to Vienna, Austria & Zurich, Switzerland!
- Sarah Baig
- Oct 9, 2018
- 3 min read
It’s been a while since my last blog! I’ve been taking some time to reflect on my summer, spend time with family and friends and have been swamped with Givesie and participating as a vendor at many local Portland events during the last few months.
But I am back this week and wanted to share with you my amazing trip to Europe this summer! I got the chance to visit Vienna, Austria and Zurich and Lucerne, Switzerland with my parents. It was by far one of the best experiences of my life! And to be able to share those memories with my mom and dad is priceless.
Vienna has this richness in history and architecture; the museums, the palaces, the statues, the cathedrals and gardens are breathtakingly beautiful and so intricate in detail! One of my favorite sights to see was the St. Stephan’s Cathedral, the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna and the current Romanesque and Gothic form of the cathedral, which was completed in the year 1160. It is the most important religious building in Vienna, “has borne witness to many important events in Habsburg and Austrian history and has, with its multi-coloured tile roof, become one of the city’s most recognizable symbols.”Walking inside I was immediately in awe of the stunning, yet dark and dramatic beauty of the interior. Words could not describe the sense of peace, calm and excitement I felt all at once walking through.
The Schonbrunn Palace is one of the busiest tourist sites to see in Vienna. It is a neoclassical style palace and was built during the reign of empress Maria Theresa and was also the home of Franz Joseph, the longest-reigning emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, along with his wife Duchess Elisabeth of Bavaria. I loved touring through this palace, it was decorated exactly how it would have looked when it was first built. I felt like I had gone back in time, envisioning what it would have been like to be alive and living during the 18th/19th centuries.
Another one of my favorite places to visit was the Belvedere Palace. Consisting of two Baroque palaces, the Upper and Lower and set in the Baroque park landscape and the Belvedere garden, it houses the Belvedere museum. Walking through the museum I was surrounded by the most stunning pieces of historical art done by some of the most famous artists from around the world and from centuries ago! Definitely a sight to see!
As we wrapped up our tour of the museum we worked up an appetite — so, mom, dad and I had to stop at the cutest little café on the palace grounds for a late afternoon latte and pastry! So. Good.
After our amazing time in Vienna, we were off to Zurich and Lucerne, both are beautiful cities surrounded by stunning mountain ranges, lakes and charming medieval towns.
The train ride my parents and I took from Vienna to Zurich was probably one of my most favorite parts of the trip! It was an eight hour ride, but felt so much shorter! We had such a great time chatting, taking pictures, eating delicious meals, passing by and stopping through small towns, seeing the gorgeous mountainous scenery and huge lakes and rivers. We spent just a few days in Zurich, seeing Old Town, browsing through local boutique shops, shopping for souvenirs, as well as taking a day trip to Lucerne along with a boat ride on the lake.
Even though it was a short time — it was absolutely perfect! I remember sitting outside this adorable French outdoor cafe by the lake and enjoying an afternoon espresso with my parents, while people watching — and thinking to myself — I can’t believe I am actually here and enjoying this beautiful moment with my mom and dad that I will cherish forever.
This trip gave me such perspective and such an appreciation for travel and exploration! Being in a new environment, new people, new culture. There is such a big world out there to see and experience. We tend to get caught up in our normal routines, the everyday tasks, work, etc…and tend to forget that there is so much to appreciate in life! Sometimes you just have to get out of your comfort zone and your norm to be able to see things in a new light.
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