| 17-Mar-2025 | We stepped out of the hotel into what we call at home the “wintery mix”—that in-between weather of rain and snow. It was cold, wet, and far from ideal, but we weren’t going to let that ruin our plans. The forecast promised the skies would lighten up, so we pushed on, winding our way through the MuseumQuartier and over to the iconic Pallas-Athene-Brunnen at the Austrian Parliament Building.

Undeterred by the weather, we continued past Rathausplatz, Universität Wien, and the stunning Votive Church, before veering south toward the heart of Vienna’s Inner Stadt. The rain kept at bay as we neared St. Stephen’s Cathedral, but this time, we approached from a different angle, which led us to an unexpected gem: the Vienna Cloth Measures.

I had stumbled upon this fascinating detail in Atlas Obscura, so spotting them on the side of the cathedral was finding a hidden treasure. Installed in the 1450s, these markers were used to establish a standard unit of measurement for textiles – cloth and linen. The unit at the time was the “ell”—the distance from your elbow to your fingertip, a far cry from today’s precision. As a sewist, I found it particularly interesting to come across such historical nods to textile craft.

After a brief regroup at the hotel to dress more appropriately for the chilly weather, we ventured out for some record shopping. But let’s fast forward to lunch: Disco Volante. This wasn’t just any pizzeria. The oven? A giant disco ball. And the pizza? Nothing short of perfection.

We braved the cold and wind for a few more record stops before indulging in an unexpected treat: ice cream, despite the weather. The Stracciatella flavor was amazing with its large shaved chocolate pieces.

As evening rolled in, we made our way to WEIN & CO again, where we enjoyed more delicious Austrian wines paired with a lovely cheese and charcuterie board.