Stephansplatz Vienna
Many people look to book their vacations in the warmer months, or decide to choose hot destinations in colder times, but it is not for me. I love chasing the rain, or snow, if it is on offer. My first big, grown-up holiday with my partner was in Scotland. We opted for Glenmoriston, beside Loch Ness; ignoring his desire to fly to Greece. I was rewarded with plenty of rain, and 10 inches of snow. The drive home was interesting, to say the least, with roads closed and a diversion in place that sent us across to Edinburgh.
Last year (2024) I felt we should at least venture into Europe, and maybe seek some sun to balance things out. By booking for September we were promised it wouldn't be too hot but the weather could be quite pleasant. 
The immediate area around Vienna station has plenty of hotel room options, but these were either already booked, or more than we wanted. We were delighted when, after stopping in their bar for a drink to recoup and keep warm, Leonardo Hotels came to our rescue with their last available room - which was a twin. We don't often go for a twin but we were so happy to be able to drop our bags, grab a shower and head down for more drinks before exploring the city, that sleeping in single beds wasn't going to be an issue. Since visiting Vienna, Leonardo Hotels have become our 'go-to' hotels when we are in London, based on the fantastic reception we always get, and the consistency of service and rooms. They are great for mid-range budgets and offer a hot shower and comfortable beds.
After checking in we explored the local area, and discovered that the U-Bahn ran from outside the hotel, right into Stephansplatz (St Stephen's Square). The U-Bahn in Vienna is clean and efficient, and super easy to use, so we made use of it and hopped along for an evening in town.
Stephansplatz is the central square in Vienna, named for its most prominent building, one of the tallest churches in the world, St. Stephen's Cathedral. It is the heart of the city and its historic center, serving as a major shopping, transport, and cultural hub. The square is always busy, surrounded by shops, restaurants, and cafes, and is easily accessible via a busy U-Bahn station.
We are not great shoppers, and while a walk around the local boutiques was interesting, we were more interested in finding somewhere great to eat. Even though there were still quite a few tourists (including us) in the area, it is a place that begs you to relax. Yes, you can shop and go sightseeing, or book an afternoon of playing some great escape games (which we did), but you can just as easily choose a place to sit, to eat and drink, and watch the world go by. For us, the place to eat was Zwischen Gang, in view of St Stephen's Cathedral, and serving the best steak sandwich we have yet to try.
The cathedral was exceptionally busy, and the nearly everyone passing by stopped to take their picture standing in front of this stunning piece of architecture. Visitors can go into the central part of the cathedral without charge, but to climb a tower, tour the catacombs, or walk down to the central altar you will need a ticket. As we only had a few days stopover we opted for escape games nearby, local food, and downtime. I am sure we are the worst tourist ever, as we hardly seek out the regular places expected from a visit. We prefer to peruse the area, sit back and relax, and see what attracts us back for a second tour.
Flights from the UK to Vienna take around 2 hours and 15 minutes and fly from most UK airports. There are some seasonal restriction so check well in advance. We even flew to Vienna on another short break to Bratislava as it was easier to get a car from Vienna to our hotel than a flight from Gatwick direct to Bratislava.
Vienna is not a cheap city to visit, but it won't leave you wildly out of pocket. You just need to pick and choose, plan ahead on what you want to see, and book in advance. We found it less expensive than Zurich, and some parts of London. By staying slightly out of town near the main station we found the hotel prices were lower, which suited us as we wanted to be closer to the main station for an early planned departure on our next train across Europe.
Unfortunately Mother Nature had other plans, and the Central European floods of 2024 hit the areas we were travelling through with devastating results. Towards the end of our travels, our only casualty was a cancelled scenic train journey which was replaced with a night coach from Poprad to Krakow. We were lucky to only be drenched in Bratislava, so much so that we spent most of our first day in the local launderette. For many others, it became a life-altering event.