Vienna's National Library: The Hidden Gem of Austria

If you are ever in Vienna, wandering the cobblestoned streets surrounding the elegant Hofburg Palace, you'll probably have noticed some of the more popular sights: the noble Lipizzaner Horses, the mouth-watering delicacies of Austrian coffee houses (like Cafe Demel, which you can read about here), or the Sisi Museum located inside the palace, showcasing one of the most enchanting royal figures in Austrian history.

But there is one underrated feature of the immediate area that not many people know about, which boggles my mind because it is one of the most beautiful rooms I've ever stepped foot in. I'm talking about Vienna's National Library, and in particular, the State Hall.

Cafe Demel: Cafe Culture in Vienna, Austria

A pint in England. A glass of wine in Paris. Vodka in Russia. Some beverages are synonymous with certain locations. Coffee, I discovered recently, goes hand-in-hand with Vienna, Austria.

A visit to Vienna, Austria is not complete without an afternoon or morning spent lounging within one of the city's elegant and relaxed cafes, where time seems to slow down and every sip and morsel has meaning. Drinking coffee is an event, each moment designed to be treasured and experienced with delight. 

I was lucky enough to spend a morning in one of the city's oldest and most notable cafes, Cafe Demel, an establishment frequented by past emperors and empresses in days when the Hofburg Palace was inhabited by the royal Hapsburg family. 

Here's what you need to know about Vienna's cafe culture so that you can luxuriate in the moment yourself when the time comes.

Vienna's Schönbrunn Palace: Imperial Splendour

Our first morning in Vienna, Austria, my husband and I were booked by his company to tour the majestic Schönbrunn Palace. The tour promised to expose us to the "Imperial Splendour" that Austria, and Vienna in particular, is famous for.

(The day's agenda was literally titled "Imperial Splendour" so that there would be no mistaking what we were about the experience that morning!)

The incredible Schönbrunn Palace is well-worth a visit if you are ever in Vienna. It is so impressive that it has made it onto the UNESCO World Heritage Site list of attractions, and sees up to 8 million visitors a year - so don't expect to be puttering around the grounds alone! However, just because Schönbrunn Palace is busy does not mean you should skip seeing it.

Attending a Ball at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria

As a little girl growing up under the influence of Disney princesses and romantic musicals, I always pretended to be a lady of culture attending a fairytale ball. I'd put on my best dress or costume gown, slide into my mother's high heels, and waltz around the kitchen while my parents did their best not to trip over me while they made dinner.

As I aged, I realized that in our modern society, princes inviting all maidens in the land far and wide to cha-cha though his castle is not exactly a common occurrence. In fact, dances of any kind can be a bit difficult to find. In my community, there are lots of charity auctions, gala dinners, and special events, but very rarely do these occasions include a dance of any sort, let alone a ball that matched my vision as a wee girl.

"Do balls even exist anymore?" I wondered, and I truly believed the answer was NO.

But then I went to Vienna, and I attended what felt like a royal ball inside a true-blue palace, where I wore a legitimate ball gown, and for the first time in my life, I actually felt like a Disney princess come to life.