Sacre Torte, a Palace, and Damn Good Beer: Eurotrip Part 4

Here I am in Munich, the heart of Bavaria, and one of the more cultural parts of Germany. The last few days have been a whirlwind trip through Austria, and then back into Germany. I am currently staying at a hostel called the "Easy Palace". No joke. I will not turn away any judgment.

Last week, we spent three days in Vienna, a city famous for its classy lifestyle, gorgeous architecture, and sacre torte...which I didn`t actually try, but the chocolate cake exceeded its expectations with flying colours.

Although I was warned that accommodation in Vienna would be pricey, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Wombat`s hostel was actually one of the more affordable places I`ve stayed in so far! It had a very funky, welcoming atmosphere, spacious rooms, and friendly staff. I would strongly suggest it.

Vienna has an entire museum quarter, where you can flash your student card and go visit paintings by artists like Klimt and Schiele. It was €6.50 to get into one museum, so Shayla and I decided to call it a day after that one. We were looking for Klimt`s masterpiece "The Kiss", but found that we were in fact in the wrong museum. On the brigt side, I discovered that I am now a big fan of Egon Schiele`s bizarre work.

You can find all sorts of souvenirs at Vienna`s shops - the shopping wasn`t nearly as pricey as I imagined, although by no means the cheapest.

Every Saturday there is a flea market set up by the Old Town. We went with hopes of finding some decently priced souvenirs, and although quite a few stands do sell wallets, scarves and jewelery, the majority of them look like odds and ends that people have rooted out of the deep, dark crannies of their homes, and attempted to put up for sale. It`s ridiculously crowded, and after a while, it gets agitating, and I couldn`t wait to leave.

The buildings in Vienna`s old town are all incredibly beautiful, but the highlight for me was the Schloss Schönbrunn, the Hapsburg Palace.

For €13.60 (student price), you can take a tour around the first floor, and then walk through the gorgeous imperial gardens, view the property from the panoramic terrace - breathtaking - and then try your luck finding the way through a hedge maze. Fair warning: the signs in the garden are very misleading, and finding your way TO the maze is actually more challenging than the maze itself. It is well worth it in the end though!

Although I will freely admit that I am not a huge museum person, I`m very glad I saw the Schloss Schönbrunn - I mean, how many times do I get to hang out in a palace?


Vienna is definitely a must-see for anyone travelling Central Europe (that almost goes without saying). It`s rich in culture, cuisine, and pleasantly surprising affordable accommodations.

Salzburg, Austria (famous for its musical talent, Mozart, and even moreso, The Sound of Music) is the most perfect, idyllic town I`ve even seen. Not only is it surprisingly affordable, but it has a very laid-back, friendly welcoming vibe. The whole city, not just the hills, are alive with The Sound of Music. Everywhere you turn there are tours, visuals, or souvinirs dedicated to the classic film.

Shayla, Steph, Julie and I did not take a tour around Salzburg because it was quite expensive (€33), but we did see some of the places where the movie was filmed, such as the fountain in the central square (where Julie Andrews belts out "I Have Confidence"), the steps in a city garden (where part of "Do Re Me" is performed), and the back of the house used as the Von Trapp family villa (on a lake just outside of town, surrounded by a swimming pool and bike path). I can`t wait to watch the movie again, and point out to anyone who will listen all the places I was!

I would strongly push a trip to Salzburg to anyone in or around Austria. The cathedrals, fountains and gardens are absolutely gorgeous, the city is very clean, and it had a fun, welcoming atmosphere, which only added to the allure.

Munich, our next stop, where I currently sit, is the capital of Bavaria. Before arriving, everyone I knew who had been to Munich told me that it was the absolute best place to go in Germany. To be honest, I haven`t felt exactly that way. Don`t get me wrong, I really like Munich - although it has somewhat of a big-city feel, it seems much more cultured and welcoming than Frankfurt. I`ve come to the conclusion that the nightlife must be what all the fuss is about.

I`m not going to lie, I really enjoyed the beer hall (built in the 1500s, the oldest in Munich, and home to the hugest beer mugs I`ve ever seen). The Old Town is very beautiful, and the English Garden - bigger than both Central and Hyde Parks - is stunning, and a great place to come together and relax.

There are some great day trips from Munich, such as the Dachau concentration camp (which I visited), and the Neuschwanstein Castle (built by the crazy King Ludwig, and model to Walt Disney`s dream castle). Steph and Julie are there as I write this.

Despite Munich not exactly being the be-all-and-end-all of Germany (in my opinion), I`m glad I spent some time here. There is no shortage of things to do, people to meet, and beer to drink. It is a must for anyone visiting Bavaria.

Questions? Comments? Criticisms? I`d love to hear them all!
the-wanderingjew@hotmail.com