A lot of people would be shocked to find out that one can find wild hamsters in one of Europe’s Interrailing and tourism classics instead of heading all the way to the fringes of Eastern Europe, but there you go. The black-bellied hamster is quite a bit larger than the hamsters in lounges and kindergartens all over the world, and looks like a small guinea pig at first sight.

Meidling Cemetery is the best place to find hamsters.

This area is located just southeast of the highly popular Schonbrunn palace. Wandering through the gravestones, you’ll see them scurrying about on the lawns like little clockwork toys, stuffing their cheeks with anything they come across. They usually let you get to within five metres before retreating into a network of burrows formed around the tombstones. Without sounding morbid, the softened earth from all the grave-digging, the abundance of flowers to eat (as seen in this BBC Wildlife documentary) and the serenity are three of the main reasons why they’ve made their home here.

There are more in the eastern half of the cemetery, split by a road, and a group underneath a cluster of chestnut trees allowed me to get quite close – some got to within two metres when I had stood still for long enough.

How to get there (and what else you should know)

The sight of them might make you mushy, but do remember that this is a cemetery and be respectful of any mourners you come across. Also, as these are wild hamsters you should not attempt to pick up or stroke them.

Wienmobil bikes are the cheapest way of getting there and around Vienna in general. It costs less than a euro for a thirty-minute ride, so it shouldn’t be too much unless you’re coming from the absolute periphery of town. If it’s raining, the nearest metro station, Bahnhof Meidling, is right beside the cemetery’s western entrance. Single fares on Vienna’s metro as well as buses and trams cost 2.40 EUR and they arrive every five minutes at most stops.

2022 edit: Public transport fares are still 2.40 EUR despite the inflation. Definitely did not expect that!