There is no city like Vienna that invokes such a deep feeling of awe for the richness of life. I made the trip for work purposes and tagged on a few extra days for myself. For anyone who has a couple of days to wander this beautiful city, here is my take on what to do, and see! This list isn't alphabetical, it's in order of MUST DO down to "squeeze in if you're lucky!"

1. House of Music (Hausdermusik)

Have you ever wanted to have a piano quintet serenade you in your living room? This is it! I had no idea when I purchased the ticket but this part high-tech sound museum, part concert hall venue seats about 50 people. I made the 20 minute walk from my hotel in the rain, crossing into the inner circle of the Opernring which is the most central part of the city. I have a huge appreciation for musical spaces like this: intimate, authentic, untarnished by pomp or circumstance. It caters to all people across all demographics. The venue is home to international artists and local talent, meaning depending on the time of year you attend you will have your choice of popular classical music, alternative, folk, or singer-songwriter.

I was fortunate enough to catch the Exklusive Konzerte Auf Anfrage which featured a collection of Mozart, Strauss, Haydn and Vivaldi's most well-known work. I nearly wept for joy when the cellist pulled out one of Boccherini's lesser known works. Midway through the performance, they brought a Soprano on stage and treated us to an opera performance of one of Susanna's arias from Le Nozze di Figaro (Marriage of Figaro) and a solo from Don Giovanni. I was so close to the stage I could see the weird eye twitches that the Soprano would make when she was getting psyched to nail those tough arpeggios, haha. The finale showcased the exceptional talent of the cellist, who was flawless in his rendition of Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee. A spectacular and inspiring night. I say inspiring because the musicians were really having fun on stage. I would catch them playfully winking at one another or nodding in admiration as they each completed a difficult solo— it's that light heartedness that makes me really miss performing, although I was far too serious a character at the time to have embodied those same traits.

My advice— pay the extra 10 euros to get the "VIP" ticket. Then, show up early. There are no predefined seats so the steward walks you to a place in the hall, starting with the best seats first in whatever category you have purchased. This is your chance to sit front row centre with an unobscured view, five feet from the musicians (slightly stage left is best if you enjoy seeing talented a pianist at work).

2. Vienna State Opera (Weiner Staatsoper)

I learned a great deal about this historic building on a hop-on-hop-off bus tour that made me think long and hard about the tragedy of attaching your self worth to the opinions of your peers, or even worse, strangers. Despite the current fame and popularity of the Weiner Staatsoper, the architects responsible for bringing this building to existence never lived to see the impact of their work. Commissioned in 1861 and opened in 1869, the opera house was the first major building in the Vienna Ringstrasse district. Architects August Sicard von Sicardsburg and Eduard van der Nüll designed the building in Neo-Renaissance style. Things would have gone smoothly, if it weren't for a construction change made to the Ringstraße (the road immediately in front of the opera house) to raise the road one meter higher. The foundation and columns for the building had already been set in place, making it appear sunken in contrast to the raised street and creating an awkward entrance for the public (an underground access rather than a grand entrance on raised steps). The public disapproval of the Opera House was strong, citing a lack of grandeur and comparing the appearance to a "sunken treasure chest". The architects never lived to see the grand opening— Eduard van der Nüll sadly hanged himself after the harsh criticism (despite a long-standing career as one of the most prominent architects in Vienna) and August died of tuberculosis 6 weeks after Eduard's suicide. How tragic that the creators of such an iconic structure died without knowing the full impact of their accomplishments.

I was unable to catch a performance here, but during my daily 10-mile treks through the city I walked the outer corridor each and every day as it was on the way to my hotel. At night, this building is a real standout in the area.

3. Theatre an der Wein

Located in the Mariahilf district, this opera house pre-dates the State Opera House, opening in 1801. What is incredible is to know you are sitting in the very place where Beethoven shocked audiences with at least 6 original works, including his second and third symphonies (which was right around the time his deafness had really taken ahold). Beethoven actually lived in the theatre for a short time while working on Fidelio, his only opera.

4. Ball Season

No, not baseball. The sort of fairy tale ball you watched as a child on countless Disney movies. It's a real thing in Vienna, and I JUST missed it. Between January and February, Vienna transforms into a waltzing, sparkling Carnival spectacle offering up more than 450 balls. Politicians, business people, artists and enthusiasts fill the famous structures of the city to watch musical performances and take part in 300-year-old dance choreography. The attire is nothing short of what you would expect from a city with a culture as rich as Vienna— women in full ball gowns with satin gloves stretching up past the elbow contrast beautifully against the black-tailed silhouette of their partner. Can't believe I missed this but glad to have an excuse to return.

5. Steinway & Sons

This stop is highly dependent on whether you are one of the lucky few who has a Steinway store in your home city, but I do not! First a little history of why I am obsessed (it's quite simple really, they're fucking magical). Sergei Rachmaninoff, my all-time favourite composer and performer chose to perform exclusively on Steinway pianos for his entire career. His music requires nothing short of acrobatics on the part of the performer, and is uniquely lyrical, and passionate. I figure he knows how to best convey this passion through an inanimate object so I've always attached myself to the idea of following his lead and owning one like the many great artists who have committed themselves to the brand.

What a great opportunity to play one of the most unique pianos in the world— the Spirio Model B. I had to know for myself whether anything was lost in the quality of the touch with the added player function. I actually used to scoff at the idea of owning a player, looking at those who buy them as the equivalent of the type who insists on ordering Beaujolais as if to telegraph their status. Boy, was I wrong. I am no concert pianist, but this instrument is an engineering marvel. The keys trill with tight action and push back against your hand with precision and balance, creating a distinctly intimate tension between the liquid notes. The dynamism, unlike anything I could produce on my Kawaii, is breathtaking. I test the range while making Beethoven roll in his grave (Moonlight Sonata is my grandmother's favourite, so it seemed a worthy choice for this particular day). All of this with flushed cheeks and an ear to ear grin that I try and hide but my lips can't seem to win the battle to cover my teeth. I decide in this moment that I am going to have to push the goal of owning one of these up the priority list a few years earlier than planned. Hell, I would sleep on the couch if the only place to fit this thing was the bedroom!