Vienna
Vienna [1] (German: Wien) is the capital and largest city of Austria, and the Historic City Centre was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Understand
Vienna has hosted the Habsburg court for several centuries, first as the imperial see of the Holy Roman Empire, then the capital of the Austrian Empire and later of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This has tremendously influenced the culture that exists there today. Like Munich, its residents are formal, but with small doses of courtliness, polite forms of address and formal dress attire, the residents of Vienna tend to be equally modern and old-fashioned. Waiters address their customers with honorifics; a man who bumps into someone on the street is more than likely to implore his or her pardon with a small bow; tourists are treated as if they were a long-lost member of the royal family returning home. This luxurious treatment is one of the reasons that many people enjoy visiting Vienna.
The traditional Vienna is but one of the many façades of this city. Vienna is also a dynamic, young city, famous for its (electronic) music scene with independent labels, cult-status underground record stores, a vibrant club scene, multitudes of street performers and a government that seems overly obsessed with complicated paperwork. However, people are willing to go out of their way or bend the rules a little if they feel they can do someone a favor.
The Viennese have a singular fascination with death, hence the popularity of the Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) as a strolling location and of Schrammelmusik - highly sentimental music with lyrics pertaining to death. Old-fashioned Sterbevereine (funeral insurance societies) provide members with the opportunity to save up for a nice funeral throughout the course of their lives. This service does not exist solely to save their children the hassle and expense - it is considered absolutely mandatory to provide for an adequate burial. Vienna even has the Bestattungsmuseum, a museum devoted to coffins and mortuary science. The country’s morbid obsession may be correlated with their higher suicide rate when compared with the rest of Europe.
Vienna is also famous for its coffee culture. "Let's have a coffee" is a very common phrase to hear, because despite incursions by Starbucks and Italian-style espresso bars, the Kaffeehaus is still the traditional place to drink a cup of coffee, read the newspaper, meet friends or fall in love.
The City has a very convenient layout for the traveller:
The 'old town', or city center, is the first district. It is encircled by the 'Ring' road, which is also the location of many famous old buildings. Districts 2-9 are gathered within the Gürtel ('belt') Road; there, you can find the Prater (amusement) park, the hip quarters of the second district (close to Schwedenplatz), the shopping streets of Mariahilferstraße, Hundertwasser House, the Hundertwasser Kunsthaus, and so on.
Outside the 'belt', there's the Donauturm Tower, and Schönbrunn Castle, the most visited tourist attraction and deservedly so.
Vienna Tourist Board [2] operates information and booking booths at the airport Arrival Hall, 7am-11pm and in town at Vienna 1, Albertinaplatz/Maysedergasse.
Get in
By plane
The Vienna International Airport (Template:IATA) (Template:ICAO) is actually located in the suburb of "Schwechat". The airport "Wien-Schwechat" is the home base of the Flagcarrier Austrian and the budget airline Fly Niki. Most European airlines and a significant number of international airlines have direct connections to Vienna.
Nevertheless, sometimes it is cheaper to fly to a nearby city and connect by train or bus. Ryanair flies to Linz (1.5 - 2 hours by train), Graz (2.5 hours by train) and Brno (Template:IATA) and Sky Europe flies to Bratislava (1.5 hours by bus and 8 euros book at Ryan airlines destinations page). By March 25, 2007, SkyEurope will also serve Vienna International Airport from which the company will operate a network of 16 European routes.
There are three options by public transport to reach the city center of Vienna.
- Taxi
As a point of reference, a taxi from the airport to the western part of the city (District 7) is around EUR 40 (including extras and a tip). A taxi from the Rennweg S-Bahn station (where the S-Bahn to the airport departs) to the airport costs around 25 EUR. Taxi prices are negotiable before you climb in!
- City Airport Train
The City Airport Train (CAT) takes you directly from the airport to the city centre in 16 minutes. The return ticket costs €16 or €9 one way. The CAT is used mainly by business travellers (or those lured by advertising into believing that there are no alternatives) and is only useful if you are in a great hurry. The CAT is owned by the airport (not by the Austrian Federal Railways) and is heavily advertised in Austrian Airlines cabin announcements upon landing, in terminal transfer buses and in the airport building itself.
When you leave Vienna by plane, and if you use Star Alliance Flights, Air Berlin or Fly Niki, your baggage can be checked in at the city center, which leaves you baggage-free and more time in Vienna; the price is still high for saving 11 minutes.
[Note: If you are flying to the United States, due to extra security measures, you cannot check-in your luggage at the City Center.]
- S-Bahn (local commuter train)
Although no longer advertised by the airport management (which prefers to deny the S-Bahn's existence and to promote its overpriced CAT instead), the normal S-Bahn (Schnellbahn) (fast regional train) S7 (or S2) is also direct, merely 10 minutes slower than the CAT and costs just a third: €6 return (or €3 one way) if bought in advance (and only €3 if you have the Wien card), stopping at Wien Mitte, Wien Nord and Wien Handelskai among others. If you already have a U-Bahn day pass, you only need to add a “Aussenzonen” (outer zone) ticket for 2 Euro (1.50 Euro if bought in advance). Do punch the ticket before getting on the S-Bahn, as punching machines are not installed inside the train. Note that you will need to buy a 2-zone ticket (or two 1-zone tickets) to total €3 each way to and from the airport. To reach the S-Bahn, follow the CAT signs for all but the final 50 meters: the S-Bahn and the CAT leave from the same underground railway station, but from different platforms. For more information check out http://www.info.wien.at/article.asp?IDArticle=10263.
Once you have your 2-zone ticket, you can travel from the airport to any Viennese destination (free transfer for one hour; you don't need to buy further tickets for Viennese bus, subway or tram lines).
- Bus
There are two direct lines going every 30 minutes from the airport to Vienna. One is going to "Morzinplatz" next to "Schwedenplatz" very close to the city center, the other one to the main railway stations. At Schwedenplatz you have two subway lines (U4 and U1) as well as busses and trams. In about 5 minutes walk you are at St. Stephan´s Cathedral, the very center of Vienna. The trip costs €6 and takes about 20 minutes. The bus trip to Südbahnhof (Southern Rail Station) or Westbahnhof (Western Rail Station) costs €6 and takes about half an hour. Usually a bus leaves the airport or the stations every 30 minutes. Costs : Single ride - 6 Euro, Round trip - 11 Euro. You buy the ticket from the bus driver.
By train
Vienna is a railroad hub, easily accessible from other major European cities. Overnight trains arrive from places like Paris, Bucharest, Berlin and Venice. The train from Prague takes less than 5 hours.
There are several cheap train offers to and from Vienna, mainly to destinations in Germany and Italy, but also Paris and some other destinations. These all cost €29 for a one-way seater, €39 for a couchette, or €59 for a sleeper. You have to book quite a bit in advance (to Paris about two months in advance, especially in summer), but it is definitely worth the effort as it takes you right to the center of a city early in the morning (unlike taking the plane)
There is a special discounted round-trip ticket you can buy if traveling from Budapest called a "kirandulójegy" or excursion ticket in English. For €29 you can buy a round trip ticket between Budapest and Vienna good for 4 days that will also cover all your local transportation within Zone 100. Since a 3-day transport pass usually costs €12 you're basically getting a round trip ticket for €17! This is an excellent deal especially if you're planning on going back to Budapest.
NOTE: There are 2 major train station, Westbahnhof (West Station) and Südbahnhof (South Station). Südbahnhof does not connect directly to the metro system. The nearest metro station is outside of the station about 400m away. Look for Südtiroler Platz. Many trains from Germany arrive at the Westbahnhof. Trains to Bratislava (only an hour away) usually depart from the Südbahnhof, but occasionally from the Westbahnhof.
By car
Most Austrian highways ("Autobahn") terminate/originate in Vienna.
Unlike Germany, there is a strictly enforced speed limit of 130 km/h on highways. Within towns it is 50 km/h and on major roads, it is 100 km/h.
Also a Highway Toll Sticker (Vignette) is a must! Not having one can be really expensive. Usually they can be purchased at petrol (gas) stations.
Drivers in Austria are also required by law to carry certain safety equipment. This includes a reflective vest, first aid kit and traffic warning triangle[3]
It is required to keep your headlights on at all times while driving in Austria.
Parking is restricted to 90 minutes and subject to a fee of €0,80 per hour anywhere in the inner districts unless you are a resident. Payment is made by marking the time of arrival on a ticket ("Parkschein") which can be bought at tobacco shops. If you wish to leave your car in Vienna for the period of your stay, you must either book a hotel that offers parking or leave it at a commercial car park (Parkhaus, Parkgarage). These can be very expensive.
A cheaper alternative is park and ride, normally available at U Bahn stations in the city periphery, for example at U3 Erdberg station (€ 2,70 per day).
Avoid the A23 Südosttangente at rush hour. Traffic jams are almost guaranteed there.
By bus
Eurolines is a relatively cheap way to reach Vienna from major European cities. Buses usually stop at the subway station Erdberg (line U3).
By boat
Riverboats on the Danube include connections with Budapest and Bratislava, but it's of little value - unless you just love going on (slow and relatively expensive) riverboats.
Get around
By train & bus
Vienna has an excellent public transport system, which includes commuter rail, underground, trams (trolleys), and buses. Within Vienna itself, you can get a single trip ticket for any of these for €1.50, or a 24-hour ticket for €5, a three days pass is 12 euros.
You can buy tickets at machines in or near stations, at major stops, and, for an additional charge, from a bus driver or on a commuter train.
Stamp your ticket at the start of its first use (there are stamping machines on the buses and trams, and near the entrances to the stations). You can use one ticket to go in one direction on as many lines as you like, for as long as it takes you to get there. You have to buy another ticket if you stop and get out, or if you want to go back in the direction from which you came. Payment is by the honour system; normally you don't have to show the ticket or stamp it again when you board, but occasionally (very rarely) inspectors check for valid tickets. If you don't have one, it's an instant €60 fine (plus the fare you were supposed to have paid).
If you're staying for a few days and hope to do lots of sight-seeing or shopping, the Vienna Card (Wien Karte) is a good deal. It costs €18.50 and is good for 72 hours of unlimited public transit within Vienna. The card also gets you discounts (typically €1 or €2 at the major museums and art galleries) to many attractions and shops. You can buy it at the airport, hotels and underground stops. Other options for longer stays or multiple parties include 8 person-day passes (i.e. good for 1 person for 8 days, 2 people for 4 days, or 4 people for 2 days), and weekly and monthly passes. (A one-week-pass costs €12.50 and is valid from Mondays through Sundays. A one-month-pass is €45 and is valid from the first day of the month through the second day of the following month.)
Also, the 8-Tage-Karte (8 Day Ticket) for €24 gives 8 non-consecutive days of unlimited travel on U-Bahn and trams until 1:00AM (just after midnight). There are 8 blank lines on the Karte (ticket). Fold the ticket to the desired blank line starting with blank line numbered 1. The ticket can be shared by people traveling together. Punch one line per person per day. Trams have a punch machine inside. The U-Bahn has a punch machine at the entrance. You can travel to the Flughafen (airport) on the S-Bahn using this ticket with a €1.50 (1.50 advance or €2 on the train) Aussenzonen (outer zone) ticket.
More information
www.wienerlinien.at : The official Vienna public transport site, with information on tickets, timetables and maps. Mostly in German ; use Babelfish or Google to translate it. Use this form to find the fastest connection between two points using public transportation.
www.wienerlinien.at/WienerStadtWerke : Detailed metro map (PDF format).
Rail trips to the outskirts of Vienna may require additional fare. For example, a trip to or from the airport on the S7 line is a two-zone ride, requiring either a €3 advance purchase, or a single zone (€1.50) ticket supplement to one of the timed-use Vienna tickets.
Because Vienna is one of those cities that never sleeps, a dense network of night buses is available for those who have a rather nocturnal approach to tourism. Since 2002, regular tickets may be used on these buses. Most terminate at "Kärntner Ring, Oper", which allows for easy interchange. Intervals are usually no less than 30 minutes, with some busier lines going every ten minutes.
On foot
Walking can also be very pleasant. The inner Ring is quite compact, with lots of pleasant cobblestoned and paved streets, and can be crossed in about 20 minutes.
Bring a comfortable pair of walking shoes as this is the most common way of getting around.
By bicycle
Cycling is another popular option for travelling within Vienna, as there are many bicycle paths and lanes along major streets, in parks, and by the rivers. Vienna's compact size makes cycling attractive. On a bicycle you can reach most places of interest within half an hour.
If your destination is located in the outer suburbs, you may consider taking your bike on the U-Bahn or S-Bahn. A company called PedalPower offers guided bicycle tours, or bicycle rental deliveries to your hotel (or you can pick them up at the Prater for a discount).
- CityBike: The city also offers free or low-cost short-term "CityBike" rentals at various fixed locations near the central city.You need a Creditcard to rent a bike or get a Touristcard for €2 a day. You can sign up to the CityBike service at any CityBike station or more conveniently online. The first hour is free, the second one costs €1, registration costs 1€1 but counts as credit for the first payment you have to make. If you interrupt your trip for longer than 15 minutes the following rental will be counted as a new first hour. More detailed information can be found on here (German and English).
By car
Avoid driving a car within the central ring if possible. While cars are allowed on many of the streets there, the streets are narrow and mostly one-way, and can be confusing for a visitor, and parking is extremely limited (and restricted during the day). Due to the comprehensiveness of the transit system, you most likely will not need a car within Vienna, except for excursions elsewhere.
Furthermore, it might be a good idea to leave your car at home during rush hours. Vienna's streets can become a little clogged in the mornings and early evenings and the drivers are not really known for being especially polite and friendly.
Pedestrians have the right of way in crossing all roads at a crosswalk where there is no pedestrian signal present. If there is such a pedestrian crossing on an otherwise straight section of the road, there will be a warning sign - you are required to yield to any pedestrian on this crossing! Austrians accustomed to experienced local drivers will step out with little thought and force you to stop, so slow down here and be careful! When driving in a neighborhood this "right of way to pedestrians" is an understood rule at every intersection, although pedestrians will be more careful before they step out. Again, be on the lookout for this - if you see a pedestrian waiting to cross, you should stop at the intersection for him/her.
See
Museums
* Belvedere - Austrian Gallery [4] was commissioned from architect Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt by military leader Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663-1736), known as one of the best military strategists of his time. It was intended as a summer residence, and was located outside the city walls. Art historians know the Belvedere as on of the finest Baroque structures in the world. Its two palace segments, the Upper and Lower Belvedere, later became the permanent home of the Austrian Gallery. The Oberes Belvedere (Upper) contains recent Austrian and international art from the past two centuries. Viennese art from the early twentieth century is well-represented in the permanent collection "Vienna around 1900 and the Art of the Classical Modern." Gustav Klimt, master of a particularly Viennese form of Art Nouveau called Jugendstil, or sometimes Viennese Secession, has several world-renowned paintings in the Belvedere, of which "Judith" and "The Kiss" are his best-known. Covered in gilt, broken up into hundreds of small color panels (almost Impressionistic, in a way), the tall, thin figures in Klimt’s paintings are uniquely his own. Egon Schiele, another Viennese artist working at the same time as Klimt, would utilize such singularly thin and ultimately recognizable figures in his own work. The days of strict realism were over, and fantasy was afoot. Schiele is well-represented in the Belvedere as well. Take tram D, stop Belveder.
- The New Palace (Neue Hofburg). The New Palace is the newest and largest section of the Imperial Palace. It contains the Ethnological Museum and three branches of the Museum of Fine Arts. The Ephesus Museum contains classical art from Asia Minor, the Collection of Historical Musical Instruments is self-explanatory, but the jewel of the New Palace is the Collection of Arms. This collection, second largest in the world, houses an immense and exhaustive representation of weaponry from past centuries.
- Schatzkammer (Imperial Treasury). Located in the Neue Hofburg, the Schatzkammer (also known as the Secular and Ecclesiastical Treasures) is the best part of the Hofburg, and an absolute must on any tour of Vienna. Second only to a tour of the Kunsthistorisches Museum itself, of which the Schatzkammer is officially a part, there are 20 rooms of priceless treasures that give a fairly accurate feel for Habsburg court life over the centuries.
- Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts), €10. Picture Gallery daily except Monday 10 am-6 pm, Thursday 10 am- 9 pm, U2: Babenbergerstrasse, U3: Volkstheater, tram D, J, 1, 2, bus 57A: Burgring Maria-Theresien-Platz (entrance), phone 525 24 0. One of the world's great art museums, in a palace that's a work of art itself. Like the Louvre, serious art fans may wish to devote more than a day to its treasures. The mother of all Austrian museums - there is no other word to describe the Kunsthistorisches other than mind boggling. It’s at the very least a full day’s worth of sightseeing, if you intend to go through it thoroughly and attempt ponder the importance of each major work. The better approach here is to break up sections of the museum and visit them over a series of days, or if that’s not an option, pick one section and concentrate on it alone. The Picture Gallery is kept open until 9 pm on Thursdays. Beginning with another section of the museum, it’s possible to have a lunch or light dinner in the café and then continue through the Picture Gallery until closing time. The Museum has an excellent collection of ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art. The coin & medals collection is also exhaustive in its scope. The Museum cafe is a bit pricey, but good, and in a beautiful setting.
- The Imperial Furniture Collection - Vienna Furniture Museum Andreasgasse 7, 1070 Wien, phone: +43-1-524 33 57-0. Opening Hours: Tue – Sun 10 am – 6 pm. The museum is wheelchair-accessible. The museum with the largest furniture collection worldwide is considered as an insider's tip and is located just off bustling Mariahilfer Strasse. So you can go shopping and to the museum. Take the orange underground line U3 (alight at Zieglergasse, take the Andreasgasse exit). The items on display include used furniture by all the Austrian emperors since Charles VI (the father of Maria Theresa), furniture by the Thonet Brothers to Jugendstil, the Viennese Modernist movement and contemporary Austrian architects and designers such as E.A. Plischke, Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, Luigi Blau and Franz West. Besides the permanent furniture collection the museum also hosts two to three temporary special exhibitions on furniture design and photography each year. Information on the current special exhibitions can be found at www.hofmobiliendepot.at (exhibitions). You can purchase a single ticket or a combined ticket "Sisi Ticket" which in addition to the museum allows you to visit Schönbrunn Palace, the Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum and the Imperial Silver Collection in the Hofburg. Take U3, stop Zieglergasse.
- MAK - Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Art Stubenring 5, 1st District, phone: +43-1-711 36-0, open: Tuesday 10 am-to midnight (MAK - NITE(c)), Wednesday-Sunday 10 am-6 pm. closed on Monday. Free admission on Saturday. MAK Design Shop. Permanent Collection. Study Collection. Exhibitions of contemporary art, design, architecture. How to go there? Subway U3, Tram 1, 2, bus 1A, 74A to Stubentor, and U4 to Landstrasser Hauptstrasse, City Airport Train from the airport to Bahnhof Wien Mitte. Also part of the MAK is the Depot of Contemporary Art (Gefechtsturm Arenbergpark) 3rd district Dannebergplatz/Barmherzigengasse, how to go there: bus 74A to Hintzerstrasse or U3 to Rochusgasse opening times in 2006: Mai 7-November 26 every Sunday 11 am-4 pm. If you like modern art and are short of time, the Leopold and MUMAK in the Museums Quartier have far larger and better collections than MAK. A lovely addition to a visit to MAK is popping over the road for a coffee at the 100-year old Cafe Pruekel. Take U3 or trams 1/2, stop Stubentor.
- KunstHausWien (Vienna House of the Arts) [5] Untere Weißgerberstrasse 13, open daily from 10 am to 7 pm (Every Monday the regular admission fee in all exhibitions is reduced 50%), Tel: +43-1-712 04 91. To get there, take the street tram O from Landstrasse and get down at Radetzkyplatz. Even an avowed hater of modern art can appreciate the KunstHausWien, Hundertwasser's (born Friedrich Stowasser in 1928) major contribution to the Viennese art world. In a time when artists often try to shock the public or merely impress other members of the rarefied gallery subculture, Hundertwasser's manifesto rings out as an utterly reasonable plea: The architecture of KunstHausWien would be a bastion against the dictatorship of the straight line, the ruler and T-square, a bridgehead against the grid system and the chaos of the absurd. Starting with the façade of the building, adapted from its prior life as a furniture factory, there is a Gaudi-in-Barcelona feel to the place. Windows peek out like eyes from curvy, rounded plaster and colorful paint. It's a Disneyland for grownups! Do not miss the Hundertwasserhaus and the shopping village situated about 300m from KunstHausWien. Take tram O/N, stop Radetzkyplatz.
- Hundertwasserhaus [6] This interesting apartment/office complex is located 5-10 minutes east of the Wien Mitte U-Bahn stop. You can also take tram N, stop Hetzgasse.
- Museumsquartier (The Museum District) [7] (MQ) is the new cultural district of Vienna since 2001. Though a lot of museums and cultural institutions are situated there, it is not only a place for art. It is also an urban living space and people go there to spend some time, sitting in one of the cafés or perhaps playing boccia. The Leopold Museum and the MUMOK are situated there. If you are interested in visiting a couple of these museums, combination tickets available at the MQ entrance will be cheaper than buying them individually at museum entrances. Note that MUMOK and Leopold has a strict policy of not allowing big bags inside the museum. Even your cameras (unless they can be tucked inside a small carry bag) will have to be deposited outside. MUMOK has a self service locker, which you might want to use when visiting Leopold since Leopold charge €1 per person for the "cloak room" service. Within MQ you can use the free wireless LAN provided by Quintessenz.
- Pathologisch-anatomisches Bundesmuseum Wien (Pathological and Anatomical State Museum) [8] Wednesday 3pm-6pm, Thursday 8am-11am. On top of restricted hours, the Narrenturm can be hard to find; the web site has a handy map. Housed in a squat tower which once was an insane asylum (the "Narrenturm" ("Fool's Tower"), this museum contains some of the dustier corners of the annals of medicine. You'll find preserved hydrocephalic infants, wax castings of tertiary syphilis, antique medical devices and even a laryngeal tuberculous ulcer. The gift shop sells postcards depicting the best of these. Of similar character is the Josephinum [9]; only in German), take trams 37-38, 40-42
- Technical Museum [10] This newly renovated museum near the Schoenbrunn Palace exhibits machines, transportations, electronic equipment and the like from their first design up to their current form. It also depicts the development of Vienna as a city, on all its technical aspects (recycling, power, sewage). The museum is huge (22,000 m2) and requires at least two hours to go through. Take trams 10, 52, 58, stop Penzinger Strasse.
- Natural History Museum [11] This museum was erected as a mirror to its twin museum, The Museum of Fine Arts. It exhibits various minerals, fossils, stuffed animals and skeleton reconstructions (among others, Dinasaurs' skeletons). It also includes an anthropological section, where you can see the beautiful Venus of Willendorf (which is 25,000 years old!).
- Haus der Musik (The Music House) [12] This relatively new museum is a special museum, in that it attributes great value to interactive learning experience. It covers the history of the Vienne Philharmonic Orchestra, the history of Vienna as a centre of music making (Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Mahler, Schubert and others are documented). In addition there are the more experimental sections of futuristic composition (The Brain Opera) and sound experiences. Highly recommended! Look for the happy hour. Take U1, U2, U4, trams 1,2, 62,65, J and D, stop Karlsplatz/Opernring.
- Albertina [13] Once a palace, it is now the most popular exhibition space in Vienna, mainly for traditional modern art. The building itself is an experience as well. It is also home to a valuable drawing collection including many works of the German Renaissance painter, Duehrer.
- Museum am Schottenstift (Museum at the Scottish Monestary) [14]; only in German) A nice small picture gallery mainly of Baroque Austrian painting. Take U2, trams 1,2,37-38,40-44,D, stop Schottentor.
- Liechtenstein Museum [15] A private collection of the Prince of Liechtenstein, it is exhibited in his once Viennese Residence. The richly decorated picture gallery mainly exhibits Baroque paintings, with a nice portion of Rubens. You can get there either with tram line D, stop Seegasse or about 10 minutes by foot from U2 subway stop Schottentor.
- Gemaeldegalerie (Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts) [16] A gallery owned by the Academy of Fine Arts, to which Hitler applied before he decided to change to politics. It offers some painting of Rubens and Bosch. Most interesting are the Renaissance and medievil exponents.
- Freud Museum [17] This small museum is situated in Freud's historic flat, where you can still see his original treatment sofa. The museum also documents his theoretical writings. Near the Schottentor subway stop (U2) - 10 minutes walk, or take tram D, stop Schlickgasse.
- Vienna Museum [18] A museum documenting Vienna's history. It is split into several branches with its main branch at Karlsplatz.
- Otto Wagner used to be the most prominent Viennese architect at the turn of the 20th Century. Two museums are dedicated to his work. At the Wagner Villa [19] you can see his private lodging in a very eccentric design. The villa is also beautifully located in the woods. In the rooms some paintings of Fuchs are exhibited, a painter who bought the house from the Wagner family. His painting were surprisingly influenced by the style of the villa... (highly recommended!). You can get there with tram number 49 (last stop). Another museum is the Otto Wagner Museum [20] at the post office of his original design. At this museum you can see the more serious aspect of his artistic enterprise, that of public life. At the museum you can see some of the original furniture as well as his plans. Near the Schwedenplatz U1 stop (trams 1,2, 21, N).
- Museum of Military History [21] A huge museum near the southern railway station featuring weapons and military maps from different periods. You can also see the carriage in which the last Austrian prince was shot in Sarajevo, the incident which triggered the First World War and the downfall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Near the Southern Railway (Suedbahnhof), trams 18, D, O.
- Jewish Museum [22] A museum documenting Vienna's rich Jewish life with Zweig, Freud, Herzl, Mahler and Schoenberg among the most renowned of them. Attached to the museum are a medieval underground synagogue at the Judenplatz and the Stadttempel, the only historical synagogue in Vienna to have survived WWII.
- If you are looking for exhibitions of modern art apart from the MUMOK and MAK there are several other places you could visit: MOYA [23], The Artists' House [24], the Secession (see under attractions), The House of the Arts (see Hundertwasser above), Atelier Augarten (a branch of the Belveder), Kunsthalle (Exhibition Hall) - there are two of them, both branches of the Museum District (MQ) and the Generali Foundation [25]. Near Vienna there is the Essl Collection in Klosterneuburg (see below).
- Film Museum [26] Also used as a cinemateque for showing special films. An extraordinary related museum is a private museum dedicated to the cult film "The Third Man" shot in Vienna [27]. By the way, this films often plays at the Burgkino at the centre [28]
- Mozart House The Viennese residence of its most famous composer. A branch of the Vienna Museum (see above).
Other Attractions
- Karlskirche, baroque church [29] at the Karlsplatz, 1st District. Largest Baroque cathedral north of the Alps, designed by the famous architect Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Frescos done by Michael Rottmayr and paintings from the Italian Baroque painters Sebastiano Ricci and Giuseppe Antonio Pellegrini, and the Austrian painter Daniel Gran.
- Augustinian Friars' Church (Augustinerkirche), Josefsplatz 1. Facing the sculpture in the center of the square, the entrance is small and easy to miss – it's on the left hand wall of the square. Yet another example of the gruesome divide-and-conquer burial strategy of the Habsburg dynasty. It's said that other dynasties waged countless wars to acquire new lands, but "you, happy Austria, marry." Even in death the Habsburgs placated three different churches with the honor of caring for their remains. The best known, the Kapuzinergruft, contain their actual bodies. St Stephens holds their innards (intestines and other parts taken out during the preservation process). But the Augustinerkirche holds, in the Herzgruft (Heart Crypt), all the Habsburgs' hearts. Tours of the Herzgruft are available Monday through Friday at 11am and 3pm. It was renovated 1996-99 and just reopened. The tradition began in 1627 with Emperor Ferdinand IV, who wanted to "lay his heart at the feet of the Mother of God" - literally. His heart, and those of his descendants, are preserved in silver jars which are carefully cared for by the Augustinian friars who run the church. When the renovation was underway it was found that the preservative in some of the caskets had evaporated over the years, leaving nothing but a dried-out, mummified heart.
- Austrian National Library - Österreichische Nationalbibliothek [30] Josefsplatz 1, 01/53410-348. Card catalogs may be an anachronism in today’s digitized world, but the Austrian National Library had the first one in existence, invented by the Habsburg court librarian. Unlike the printed library catalogs of the past, bound into book form, the card catalog could be rapidly updated and the library kept up-to-date. This well-ordered reader’s paradise has a collection that outshines many museums, thanks to its long association with the Habsburg imperial family. It gained an impressive collection when Emperor Josef II dissolved all the empire's monasteries – 300 manuscripts, 3000 printed books and 5000 diplomata. Today, the main collections consist of the Department of Broadsheets, Posters and Exlibris (including a giant collection of Austrian and international film posters), the Department of Manuscripts, Autographs and Closed Collections, the International Esperanto Museum and Department of Artificial Languages, the Department of Maps and Globe Museum, the Austrian Literary Archives, the Department of Papyri and Papyrus Museum, the Department of Incunabula, Old and Rare Books and the Austrian Folk Song Institute, among other sections and rotating exhibits. The library’s collection is approximately six million items strong and is the largest in Austria. It is a pioneer in digitalizing and placing its collection online. The oldest book in the collection is a fifteenth century Holy Gospels manuscript with scenes representing the four Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) containing the coats of arms of the House of Austria, Styria, Tirol and Carinthia, then ruled by Albrecht III, the book’s owner. Emperor Frederick III (1415-1493) made an effort to gather all the various Habsburg manuscript collections into one place. After the 1848 revolutions, during which the library was placed immediately in the line of fire (some faithful librarians remained behind and managed to save the books as the imperial palace caught fire), Emperor Franz Josef I agreed to open the library to the public and even keep the library open into the evening hours. Ernst Ritter von Birk, head of the Court Library and one of the library’s saviors during the uprising, may have been forced to accept these liberal business hours to appease the Emperor, but he still had the right to restrict the public's access to the holdings. Renamed the National Library in 1920 (much to the objection of some library committee members, who argued that an Austrian "nation," as such, did not exist), the Library has since served the public in a much less strict fashion than in the good old days under von Birk.
- Hofburg Palace. This immense palace complex grew into a large, unwieldy series of buildings over the years, and was the imperial residence of the Habsburg emperors until 1918. What began as a medieval castle (whose chapel is the only original element of that building to survive) was expanded, redecorated and redone as the Habsburgs’ power increased correspondingly. The Palace Stables and Amalia’s Wing were added in the sixteenth century, the Imperial Chancery Wing, Court Library and Spanish Riding School in the eighteenth. In the last century St Michael’s Wing was tacked on, and then around 1900 the New Palace was completed. Such a conglomeration of buildings cannot help but have stylistic differences, but the exterior is of no concern. The contents of each separate building contain so many treasures that the time spent moving from one to another is like opening box after box of fabulous jewels – it's difficult to know when to stop, and tempting to rush through them all at once. The Imperial Palace itself now houses the offices of the Austrian President, a convention center, the Spanish Riding School with its Lipizzaner stallions, and of course several museums which are open to the public, such as the "Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum and Imperial Silver Collection" (Kaiserappartements, Sisi Museum, Silberkammer) where you can visit 22 state rooms (open daily from 9 am to 5 pm; July and August: 9 am to 5.30 pm. The museums are wheelchair-accessible. www.hofburg-wien.at). These are the residential and state apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph I. and Empress Elisabeth (popularly known as Sisi) and show 19th-century imperial life. The Imperial Silver Collection displays unique items of the glittering world of imperial dining. You can purchase a single ticket for all three museums or purchase the "Sisi Ticket", which entitles you to a visit to Schönbrunn Palace, Hofburg with Audio Guide (Imp. Apartments, Sisi Museum, Imp. Silver Collection) and Imperial Furniture Museum • Vienna Furniture Museum).
To get there, take the underground: the nearest underground station is U3 Herrengasse; tram: Lines 1, 2, D, J, alight at Burgring; bus: Lines 2A or 3A, alight at Hofburg. Walking towards the Hofburg in spring, the alley is resplendent with pale purple lilacs which draw one’s eye towards the immense equestrian statues centered there. Exiting the D tram at the Burgring stop, with the Kunsthistorisches Museum and Maria Theresa statue to the left, enter Heldenplatz (Heroe’s Square) under the large white gate. Alternatively, go one stop further on the tram and get off at Parliament. The giant white Grecian style parliament building faces the Volksgarten, a pleasant park one can walk through that also leads to the palace.
- Chapel of the Imperial Palace (Burgkapelle). The original chapel of the Palace, built in Gothic style 1447-1449, was made over in Baroque style. On Sundays and Catholic holidays (of which the Austrians celebrate many), the Court Musicians perform here. This group is made up of members from the Vienna Boys Choir, as well as performers from the orchestra and choir of the Vienna State Opera.
- Hotel Sacher. Situated next to the Opera House, this hotel is best known as the place where Sachertorte (cake) was invented. This delicious dessert is composed of several thin layers of dry, slightly bitter chocolate cake with apricot jam in between, and is best served with a rich, milky cup of Viennese coffee (perhaps a Melange or Sacher Kaffee, the most popular variants). The elegant drawing room is a popular place to gather after a performance at the Opera. The food is quite pricey, but definitely worth the money.
- Parliament. The guided tours in German or English language cost €4 (2€ for students)[31]. Open only when not in use by Parliament.
- Haus des Meeres Aquarium Zoo [32] is a marvelous zoo, with a rainforest glasshouse, tiny apes, aquariums, even with sharks, and terrariums with reptiles and venomous snakes, situated into one of the leftover second world war air raid shelter, a so called "Flakturm" (more information at www.airpower.at, www.bezirksmuseum.at and www.turbo.at). The building carried formerly one of the first radar equipments and is designed to stand a direct bombhit, an earthquake and wind speeds up to an overpressure of ten bar. Take U3, stop Neubaugasse.
- Karlsplatz Stadtbahn Pavilion. This city tram stop, designed by Otto Wagner, is located near the Secession Building and Naschmarkt. It is a good example of functional turn of the century architecture – ornate, yet useful. Wagner was one of the most influoential architects in Vienna and his style was widely copied.
- Flea market at the Naschmarkt, Linke Wienzeile (U4 stop Kettenbrückengasse). Flea market each Saturday 6am-4pm, all over the year. Need used lederhosen? How about a doner kebab at the Naschmarkt, or an Austrian war bond from the first World War? This is the place to go. It is primarily a flea market, though some stalls sell new items such as handwoven wicker baskets or food. Pick through the detritus of an imperial society - you never know what you'll find hidden under that stack of terrible fuzzy sweaters. Couture gowns, Communist medals from all the former Eastern Bloc countries, tobacco pipes, broken pocketwatches: the flea market at the Naschmarkt is worth at least a full afternoon of your time. Flea markets are the best possible blend of high and low culture, and a way to truly get to know a city. Walk all the way from the flea market end of the Naschmarkt through the food stall end to arrive at the Secession building, located on the left close to the Karlsplatz metro stop.
- Opera House (Wiener Staatsoper) [33] - probably the most-beloved symbol of Viennese arts, and one of the first buildings to be rebuilt in the postwar era, as a show of pride, the Opera has had a fascinating history. It was built 1861-1869 under the direction of architects were Eduard van der Nüll and August von Siccardsburg for then-emperor Franz Josef I. The first performance, 25 May 1869, was Austrian native Mozart's opera Don Giovanni. Though now as well-loved as any member of the family, the architecture of the Opera was barely tolerated by the picky Viennese when it opened. Van der Nüll did not take these criticisms of his work lightly – he committed suicide. A few weeks later, von Siccardsburg died of a heart attack. Doubly cursed, the Opera building succumbed to bombs less than 100 years later, during WWII. After ten years of Allied control after the end of the war, many cultural institutions reopened to celebrate the birth of the new Austrian state. This time the Opera opened with an adopted son of Vienna's work: Beethoven's Fidelio. The lush curtains, the elegance of even the nosebleed seats (so steeply pitched and close to the ceiling a nosebleed becomes a distinct possibility) contribute to the overall atmosphere of the Opera. Post-performance, have some torte at the nearby Sacher Hotel (see entry).
- Paternoster elevator at the University of Vienna. If you happen to go to the university mensa (cafeteria) on the top floor, make a point to find this particular elevator! It's almost as hair-raising as an amusement park ride, and a true rarity (most other paternoster elevators have long since been replaced). Paternoster (Latin for “Our Father," or what's likely to issue from passengers' mouths -- although in reality named because one can go around and around like on a rosary) elevators consist of several elevator cars which have two open doors on each floor. The cars travel up on left side and down on the right. Even though it’s forbidden, the daring have been known to ride it up and over the top (no, they won't return upside down). There're no buttons to push – just jump in and out at the appropriate floor. Note that you won't find this in the main university building on Ringstrasse. You are instead looking for the Neues Institutsgebaeude behind the main university, Universitaetsstrasse 7. There is a second Paternoster elevator in Vienna in the building of the Industriellenvereinigung, the powerful lobby of austrian economical and industrial forces, at Schwarzenbergplatz. But this one isn't publically accessible. Take U2, trams 1,2,37-38,40-44,D, stop Schottentor.
- Prater (Park) including the Giant Ferris Wheel, phone 729 54 30, U1, tram O, 5, 21: Praterstern, S1-S3, S7, S15: Wien Nord , May - September: 9 a.m. - midnight. An English engineering firm (Walter Basset) built the Giant Ferris Wheel (Riesenrad) 1896-97. Others of the same era, built for world exhibitions and other parks in Chicago, London, Paris etc. have long since been torn down. The Riesenrad has become a well-known symbol of Vienna, featured in many movies (Before Sunrise, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy’s Eurolove-drama, is the most recent) and picture postcards. It has 15 gondolas, some of which are incredibly ornate and large enough to host an extended family inside, offering a spectacular panorama of the city. The Prater Park began its life, as so many European parks did, as a carriage-riding area for the nobility. It is still a popular place to spend a weekend afternoon with family. U1 stop Praterstern.
- Schloss Schönbrunn [34] Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996, it is not far from the city centre and easy to get to by public transport: Underground: U4 (green line), alight at Schönbrunn; tram: 10, 58, alight at Schönbrunn; bus: 10A, alight at Schönbrunn. The former summer palace of the Habsburg family, Schönbrunn is the ultimate palace experience in Vienna. Its gardens and zoo (the oldest in the world, built for Maria Theresa’s husband in 1752) alone are worth a lengthy visit, not to mention the palace, which has seen its fair share of excitement over the years, including a meeting between John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khruschchev at the height of the Cold War. The Palace Park offers a lot of attractions, such as the Privy Garden, a Maze and Labyrinth and the Gloriette with Panorama Terrace. There are two possible tours available without a guide (though guides are available), one including 22 rooms (the Imperial Tour) and one including 40 (the Grand Tour). The price of admission includes an audio guide. The shorter tour of Schönbrunn Palace takes you into the west wing of the palace including the apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) as well as the imposing state rooms in the central wing. With the Grand Tour you can visit in addition to those rooms included on the Imperial Tour the 18th-century rooms from the time of Maria Theresa. No photos, video taping or backpacks allowed inside. The palace is wheelchair-accessible and is open all year round:
- - 1 April to 30 June: 8.30 am – 5 pm
- - 1 July to 31 August: 8.30 am – 6 pm
- - 1 September to 31 October: 8.30 am – 5 pm
- - 1 November to 31 March: 8.30 am – 4.30 pm
Take U4, trams 10, 58, stop Schoenbrunn.
- Secession Building, Friedrichstraße 12 (U-Bahn U1, U2, U4 (Karlsplatz)), Tel. 587 53 07-0, Tu-Fr 10-18, Sat, Sun 10-16. Architect Josef Maria Olbrich built this Jugendstil (German-style Art Nouveau) building 1897-98 as a display space for artists working in the new Secession artistic movement. It is topped by a giant, frothy golden ball, lovingly called "Krauthappel" by the Viennese, but the building was definitely not loved when it first opened. Notice a reactionary Viennese pattern here? The Opera building too was hated at first, but at least it wasn't called a "temple for bullfrogs" or "a bastard begot of temple and warehouse" as the Secession building was. The entryway features the motto of the Secessionist movement: Der Zeit ihre Kunst, der Kunst ihre Freiheit (To the time, its art, to the art, its freedom). Olbrich's mentor Otto Wagner, and also Gustav Klimt, whose astounding Beethoven Frieze is partially preserved in the basement, inspired the building’s design. The ceremonial front entrance is separate from the functional glass and steel exhibit hall in back. Entrance fee included with entrance to Belvedere Palace. http://buchverlag.dumont.de/dumont/reise/wien/wien0112.htm
- Spanish Riding School - Spanische Hofreitschule [35] was first mentioned in a document dated 1572, and is the only equestrian institute in the world which follows a Renaissance model of classical schooling. Eleves, or students, begin their training immediately after completion of Austrian primary education (age 15 or 16), and are expected to be both sporty and clever. The school takes its name from a Spanish breed of horse first mentioned in Roman writings. In 1562 Emperor Maximilian II brought some of these Spanish horses to Austria to found a royal stud farm in Kladrub (Bohemia), housing them for a time in the "Stallburg" (oldest section of the Imperial Palace). The present school location was built in 1572. In 1580, Maximilian's brother, Archduke Karl, founded the stud farm in Lipizza near Trieste (now Slovenia). Interest in elegant riding had been growing for about fifty years at that point. During Renaissance times, powerful gentlemen who had already conquered the worlds of finance and politics looked to the writings of antiquity for new learning and an educated lifestyle to which they could aspire. Horsemanship which followed the ancient models described by Socrates and others became the fashion. Xenophon (430 – 354 BC) wrote "Men who understand the art of horsemanship, in truth, look magnificent." Who wouldn't want that? In the new Winter Riding School (built 1729-35), tournaments, masked balls and other entertainment was held, but this would soon draw to a close – the royal stud farms at Lipizza were threatened by Napoleon several times and twice the precious stud horses were evacuated to Hungary. No photos or video taping allowed.
- St Stephen's Cathedral - Stephansdom, Stephansplatz (U1, U3: Stephansplatz), phone 515 52-3526, High Mass: Sun and public holidays 10:15 a.m., in July and August 9:30 a.m., Guided tours of the Cathedral in English: Mon-Sat 3:45 p.m. Catacombs (only with guided tours): Mon-Sat 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. - 16:30 p.m., Sun, public holidays 1:30 p.m. - 16:30 p.m. North Tower (great bell): Nov-March 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., April-June, Sept, Oct 9 a.m.-6 p.m., July and August 9 a.m. - 18:30 p.m. South Tower: daily 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Yet another patchwork of architectural styles, but predominantly Gothic, St Stephen's begins its history in the twelfth century. None of that original construction remains – the oldest extant sections are the thirteenth century Giant Gate (Riesentor) and Towers of the Heathens (Heidentürme), both of which are Romanesque. The main two-aisled Gothic nave was established by Habsburg Duke Rudolf IV in 1359, and then quickly added onto. The 448-ft South Tower (Südturm), often known by its Viennese diminutive Steffl (also a nickname for the entire cathedral), was finished in 1433. This is where the Pummerin, a huge bell cast from melted-down Turkish cannons, hangs. Steffl's intended twin, the North Tower (Nordturm) was never finished. Gothic architecture was out of fashion, and in 1511 building in that particular style ceased. Almost a century later, in 1579, a Renaissance spire was added to the Nordturm to make it look less like the builders had stormed off the job. Here’s a complete shock for the reader who has been faithfully reading through all the Central European sections of this book – during the eighteenth century the church décor was "Baroquified". The main altar has a Baroque panel showing St Stephen, Christianity’s first martyr. The organized tour is worth it, since some of the finest works of art in the cathedral can only be seen with a guide, such as Emperor Frederick III's red marble sepulchre (painstakingly carved 1467-1513 by Niclas Gerhaert van Leyden), the pulpit by Anton Pilgram (1514-1515, signed with a carved portrait of the artist) and the immense Gothic carved Altar of Wiener Neustadt. The aborted North Tower has an observation deck with an amazing view of downtown Vienna. Nearby is the entrance to the catacombs, where legions of bishops and Habsburg body parts are buried (the intestines, specifically). The Kapuzinergruft across town contains other Habsburg bits in separate burial vaults, including Maria Theresa's immense pewter sarcophagus). Nearly 45% of the Cathedral was destroyed in a disastrous fire 11-12 April 1945 during the final days of World War II. Fortunately several irreplaceable treasures such as the cathedral pulpit were walled in at the beginning of the war, so they survived. The glass, however, did not. The fanciest glass is situated behind the altar and at the very tops of the windows lining the naves. St Stephen's gets darker as one walks toward the altar, almost as if one were walking into a cave. But the details make the difference here, and new vistas are always appearing to the viewer as they move in, out and around the cathedral. It is so large it cannot be taken in entirely from any angle, and even numerically it is planned down to the smallest detail. Numbers which represent God, the Trinity, the earthly number four (since things on earth like the season, elements and directions of the compass come in fours) and other significant figures can be manipulated to determine the dimensions of the cathedral. For more details on how these numbers work out, see page 16 of the English-language Cathedral guide. St. Stephans: Viennas Cathedral -a video of "Steffl"
- The Ring. The Ringstrasse, or Ring Street, circles the very heart of Vienna. Built on the location of the original city walls, its size is a good indication of how much the city has expanded since medieval times, but more importantly it is the most posh area of downtown. Elegant individuals stroll down the street (there really is no other way to move when walking along the Ring) and play the fashion-do/fashion don’t game under their breath before pausing at one of the innumerable cafes lining the way. A traditional Jause (morning coffee break, around 10:00 a.m.) and then back to the business at hand, seeing and being seen: Vienna’s favorite pastime. A tour along the Viennese Ring by Tram
- Vienna Boys Choir – Wiener Sängerknaben was founded at the pleasure of the Habsburgs. 20 July 1498 Emperor Maximilian I decided to hire six singing boys, the first permanent boys choir attached to the court. He also made arrangements for their education – fringe benefits that are difficult to get from a modern employer. The choir served the monarchy until its demise at the beginning of the first World War. The last Imperial Chaplain, Monsignor Josef Schnitt reestablished the Boys Choir as the "Vienna Boys Choir" in 1924 as a private institution. To earn money, the Choir began to perform outside the Imperial Chapel. Even though they are a not-for-profit organization, the rising costs of educating the choristers from a very young age as well as providing music and all the other variables required made establishing the Verein Wiener Sängerknaben necessary
- Gasometer [36] (Directly at subway station U3 Gasometer, 8 minutes away from town-center and St. Stephens Cathedral). If you are interested in the combination of new modern with old historic architecture take a trip to the gasometers, that had been revitalised from gas-tanks to new multifunctional buildings. The gasometers are four former gas tanks, built as part of the Vienna municipal gas works Gaswerk Simmering in 1896-1899. They are located in the 11th district called Simmering. They were used from 1899 to 1984 as gas storage tanks. After the changeover from town gas to natural gas they were no longer used and were shut down. In the time between 1984 and 1997 the gasometers were used as film location (James Bond: The Living Daylights) and as the location for raves known as Gazometer-Raves. They were revitalised from 1999 to 2001 by the architects Jean Nouvel, Coop Himmelblau, Manfred Wehdorn, and Wilhelm Holzbauer. Each gasometer was divided into several zones for living, shopping and entertainment. The historic outside wall was conserved. Several other facilities including a music hall, cinema, student accommodation, municipal archive, etc. are located inside of the Gasometers. There are special guided tours with experts available for visitors. Take U3, stop Gasometer.
- Haus der Musik, Seilerstätte 30. This fascinating museum offers a myriad of 'sound exhibits' where the visitor can manipulate sound waves, view electronic displays of 'brain operas' that you create yourself, and even virtually conduct the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (see museums).
- Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery), Simmeringer Hauptstrasse 234, phone 760 41. Graves of honor of Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Brahms, Strauss, Schönberg and others. Nov-Feb 8 am-5 pm, March, April, Sept, Oct 7 am-6 pm, May-Aug 7 am-7 pm. Tram 71, 72 : Zentralfriedhof (there's even a Viennese expression "taking the #71 tram" as a euphemism for death). Mozart, Beethoven and other luminaries of the musical world (Schubert, Brahms, Strauss) are buried, or at least memorialized here. Mozart's body is in a mass grave (as required by the law at that time) in another cemetery – but his memorial is located here with the others. The graves of the composers and other "Ehregräber" (graves of honor) are located in section 32C, near the main road leading from the church. The cemetery has served as a giant park for weekend ramblings since its creation. There are immense monuments shaped like 10-feet-tall iron canopy beds (within eyeshot of the musicians memorial) and other unique shapes. Though it takes some time to get out to the Zentralfriedhof, it is worth the trip. Take trams 6, 71 (several stops).
- Lainzer Tiergarten Its a beautiful natural reserve at Vienna's border with the woods. This reserve used to be the Emperor's private hunting wood with the fancy "Hermesvilla" - the favorite mansion of Empress Sissi in Vienna. Nowadays, the major part of the park is closed in the winter time, but in summer you can see wild pigs, dear and many Viennese families. For the easiest park entrance take tram 49 to its last stop. Then you need to walk for about 5 minutes till you reach the Nikolaitor. However in Winter or when you want to visit the mansion you have go to first with tram 60 or 62 to Station Hermesstrasse and then change for the bus 60B (Attention: this bus goes during the week only every half an hour). Go the bus to it's final stop - just a 5 minute's ride - to reach the "Lainzertor" (actually the main gate of Lainzer Tiergarten which also features a small visitors center). The park is usually opened from 8 till around dusk (precise opening time tables are posted at each entrance) but all gates - except Lainzertor - are closed for a winter break from around Mid-November till Mid-February.
- The Wotruba Church A beautiful cubist church on the top of a hill overlooking the woods. You can reach it with tram 60 (stop Maurer Lange Gasse) and then walk for five minutes.
- Hietzing A residential area which used to be a village once, but gained importance as the Schoenbrunn Palace was errected in its proximity. A very beautiful area for a stroll along old villas. Stop - Hietzing (U4, trams 10, 58 adn 60), then walk.
- Kirche am Steinhof A special church constructed by the Viennese master architect, Otto Wagner. It is situated in a psychiatric hospital on the hills near the wood overlooking Vienna. Very beautiful! Take bus 48a.
- Tuerkenschanzpark A very beautiful park which commemorates the Austrian victory on the Turks near the city boundary. Nowadays, a tranquille resort in the heart of a nice villas cluster. Take tram 41 or bus 10A, get off at Tuerkenschanzpark.
- The Danube Island Home to Europe's biggest Rock fetival. In Summer, a very nice park with a lot of Viennese bathers. There are also floating pubs on the Danube. A nice experience! Take U1, stop Donauinsel.
- Maria-Hilfer Street The main shopping street Viennese go to. Between U2 Museumsquartier and U3 Westbahnhof.
- The Old Synagogue An underground midievil synagogue excavations. An interesting surprise underneath the Judenplatz (The Jewish Square). Amazingly, although the synagogue was destroyed centuries ago its existence was remembered by the area's inhabitants up to the 20th Century. If you are interested in Vienna's Jewish side you can but a combined ticket with the Jewish Museum and the Stadttempel, a well preserved 19th Century synagogue, which is being used as the main city's synagogue by the current growing Viennese Jewish community.
- Dorotheum [37] The main auction site in Austria. Exhibits all sorts of furniture, art, jewlery and much more. Highly recommended.
- The Millenium City A big shopping mall near the bank of the Danube. Take the U6 to Handelskai.
- Karl Marx' Court is a socialist building complex from the beginning of the 20th Century. For those of you interested in architecture. Take tram D.
- American Bar (Loos) A special pub which retained its original design (of famous Viennese architect Loos) from the beginnig of the 20th Century
- Soviet Victory Monument An imposing soviet style monument near Karlsplatz commemorating the Soviet victoty in Vienna over the Nazi army. Take trams 1,2,71,D,J stop Schwarzenbergplatz.
Do
- Wiener Metropol [38] is a beautiful little theatre in the heart of "Hernals", mostly frequented by Viennese themselves.
In summer, quell your anxieties and jump from the Reichsbruecke.
What's going on in Vienna? lists upcoming events in the city.
- The Naschmarkt right at the U4 subway station "Kettenbrueckengasse" is the biggest of Vienna's 22 market places and provides a unique blend of typical Vienna contumely and orientalic flair. Stroll through the market and be part of the amazing ambiente. If you like to cook, you will find all spices you can possibly imagine at the Naschmarkt. The side of the Secession tends to be more touristy and thus expensive, than the side of the "Kettenbrueckengasse". Remember that it is illegal to export antiquities outside of Austria, even if you legally buy them at a market. A part of the Naschmarkt are the small nice restaurants with fresh Italien, Japanese, Greek and Turkish food, and in summer they have nice open-air gardens.
- River and Canal tours
In the summer it's just wonderful to hang out in Museumsquartier in the evenings. The big yard is filled with large fiberglass sofas you can use for free. Optionally you can buy drinks at the open air bars there. Just ask for a glass you can take away so you can use the sofas. During the day a visit to Burggarten is highly recommended if you are looking for a more alternative young crowd. Buy something to eat and drink at a supermarket and join the others on the grass.
In July and August there's an opera film festival on the Rathausplatz. Each day - weather permitting - you can watch an opera on a huge open-air screen. On another part of the Square there are plenty of food stalls (maybe a little overpriced) who offer Viennese as well as international food. On pleasant summer evenings the atmosphere can be quite relaxing.
There are also a lot of other open-air-filmfestivals in summer, e.g. at the Augarten, the Vienna Turf Krieau, the Prater and Schloss Neugebäude.
Also in the summer there is the ImPulsTanz Festival [39] for contemporary dance & performance. But if you are interested in dance workshops they also are the right choice for you.
There are many parks to visit an enjoy throughout the city. The Wiener Tiergarten (not the Lainzer Tiergarten at Schönbrunn) has several 2-10 km hiking trails, as well as a variety of wildlife. You can see the animals get fed at 2:00 pm every day. Ask any park attendant where the location is.
Christmas Markets
For most Viennese Christmas Markets [40] are not so much for shopping as for drinking. From midday until the late hours of the night people gather at christmas markets to drink mulled wine and chat to strangers.
- Rathaus - Vienna's largest and noisiest Christmas market. More a fairground than a Christmas market
- Spittelberg - Probably the most funky Christmas market in Vienna. It is set in two attractive medieval alleys. Some of the stalls are extensions of shops and the bars of this popular going-out area.
- Schoenbrunn - Not the most lively Christmas market, but set in one of Vienna's most picturesque spots, in front of Schoenbrunn castle. Specialises on food.
- Resselpark - A small, alternative Christmas market in front of Karlskirche.
- Freyung - Very small market in the 1st district frequented by professionals in their lunchbreak and shoppers. Few tourists.
Eat
White wine; white beer; marzipan; Wiener schnitzel; Sacher torte (multilayered chocolate cake with apricot jam); Frittatensuppe (a clear chicken or beef broth with chives and thin crêpes shredded into noodles); and various foods from the area once controlled by the Austrian Empire such as Hungarian goulash and palacsinta (crêpes filled with fruit or jam).
Make sure to pick up some Mozart Kugeln which is a delicious combination of marzipan and chocolate. Various brands exist but Mirabelle is regarded as the highest quality. Fuerst is the original one (there is one shop in Salzburg).
In Austria (as generally in Central Europe) even the cheapest supermarkets sell food of exceptionally high quality. Perhaps most remarkable for people visiting from outside of Europe is Austria's strong affinity for organically grown food.
You can buy organic products almost anywhere (look out for items labeled 'Bio'), and often at the same price as non-organic products. Futhermore, every product that claims to be organic is rigorously controlled by independant organizations.
Fast Food and Snacks
The traditional Viennese fast food is sausage. You can buy hot sausages and hot dogs at snack bars called "Würstelstand" all over the town. The famous Wiener Würstel is also known as the Frankfurter in Vienna, but most inhabitants prefer Burenwurst and Käsekrainer (sausage filled with cheese).
A relatively new addition to the local snack culture is Döner Kebap, sandwiches of Turkish origin with roasted meat, salad and yogurt sauce. Places that sell kebap often sell take-away pizza too. Some conservatives are afraid that kebap will gain more popularity than sausages, and perhaps they are right.
Good kebaps can be bought at the Naschmarkt; the lower end of the Naschmarkt (furthest away from Karlsplatz or city centre) is cheaper than the upper end. Another good place to find snacks (especialy whilegoing out) is "Schwedenplatz".
By far the cheapest way to get a fast food meal in Austria (and probably the only meal available for under 1 euro) is buying an Austrian sandwich (bread roll + ham/cheese + gherkin) from a supermarket. Most supermarkets will prepare sandwiches to take away at the deli counter (Feinkostabteilung) for no extra charge. You only pay for the bread and the ham. There is usually a large selection of meat products, cheese and bread rolls available. You point at the combination you want and then pay at the check out till. Freshness and quality are normally better than at a sandwich stand on the street.
You can find McDonalds everywhere in Vienna, the one on Mariahilferstraße (there are three of them in this street) closest to the Westbahnhof stinks. Only tourists who don't know that the next one is only a few hundred meters away will eat there. The McDonalds closest to the subway station, Alserstraße, is open nearly all night long.
For those who prefer Kentucky Fried Chicken, there are only a couple in Vienna - at the food court in the Millenium City Tower. The easiest way to get there is to take the U6, drop off at the station "Handelskai". Another is on Mariahilfestrasse not far from the Westbahnhof.
You can buy excellent ice cream at a number of places, maybe the most popular is the Eissalon am Schwedenplatz where you can choose from a lot of different flavours, but it's always crowded and you often have to stand in a queue for a few minutes to get your ice cream. Another, maybe less crowded, but nevertheless excellent address is Perizzolo in Tuchlauben. Another Famous Place for Ice Cream is Tichy on the Reumannplatz (10th District), which is famous for its Eismarillenknödel, small dumplings of vanilla ice cream with an apricot core.
There is also Zanoni & Zanoni located Am Lugeck, just down Rotenturmstrasse from the Stephansdom. You should also try Bortolotti at Mariahilfer Straße 22 and 94. (The latter not open during winter!) - ask particularily for the Campari-Orange Icecream or look for other exotic stuff.
Vegetarian
There are several vegetarian restaurants in Vienna. Recommended is the Vegetasia chain [41], which serves a huge variety of Chinese Buddhist vegetarian food (most of it vegan).
Nice Rice ; 1060, Mariahilferstraße 45 (Raimundhof Top 49); specialized in oriental, indian kitchen; also ayurvedian; daily set menus for around 8 Euro (soup and main dish); cosy, little place; recommended for lunch; Mo-Fr, 11am-11pm, Sa, 11am-6pm; Tel:5862839
Budget
- Cafe Restaurant Kent, Brunnengasse 67, A-1160 Wien. "Eat like the locals - eat Turkish!" At first approach this looks like a greasy kebab joint strictly for Turks... but struggle past the first room and you will find a large garden and huge restaurant serving moderately priced food with an infinite supply of free Turkish bread! Expect to pay under 10 euros. Good for veggies and meat eaters alike. Also try the turkish breakfast.
- Kolar [42] - nice Pubs/Beisls. They have a tasty "Fladenbrot". Laudongasse 8, 1080 Wien.
- Maschu Maschu [43] Maschu Maschu 1, Rabensteig 8, 1010 Wien (close to the Schwedenplatz undergroundstation), So-Mi 11.30-24.00, Do, Fr + Sa until 04.00, Tel: 01/533 29 04; Maschu Maschu 2, Neubaugasse 20/Ecke Lindengasse 41, 1070 Wien (close to Neubaugasse undergroundstation) 09.30-24.00, Tel.:01/990 47 13. Good for veggies and meat eaters alike. An Israeli healthy fast food joint Maschu maschu truly does serve the best Falafel in the world. Maschu maschu 2 is trendy hang out place in the art student area of the city, and so it has a coolness all of its own. A healthy and gut busting Falafel and beer should cost around 7 euros and leave you set up for the day (they also serve a wide range of other middle eastern meals).
- Mensa at the NIG (NIG is the Neues Institutsgebäude - a house of the University of Vienna) Universitätsstrasse 7, 1st district, near the University of Vienna (Dr. Karl Lueger Ring 1). Take the paternoster (Lift) to the 6th floor; in summer you can sit outside and enjoy the sun. You have a nice view over the roofs of Vienna.
- Pizzeria Mafioso, 1150 Wien, Reindorfgasse 15. The cheapest (but really good) pizza in town. Pizzas start at about 3.60 Euros and you get a Viennese "Spritzer" (white wine mixed with soda) for around 1 Euro.
- Tunnel [44] Florianigasse 39, A-1080 Wien. Really cheap student's place. Nice breakfast, live music every day at around 9 PM.
- Cheap Supermarkets: If you have a very limited budget, the cheapest supermarkets are: Hofer (recommended); Mondo; Lidl
- Chattanooga Graben 29A, close to Stephansplatz. Tel 9251185. Fast-food versions of local food. Mains at €9. Not bad if you are on a budget and do not have much time to spare.
- Wiener Deewan 1090 Wien, Liechtensteinstraße 10, Close to Schottentor subway station. Tel 533500. Young urban Pakistani restarant, "all you can eat, pay as you wish". You can mix your own menu from a variety of curries, meat, rice, salads and sauces.
- The Highlander [45] 1090 Wien, Sobieskiplatz 4, offers own Beer and a nice variety of dishes (including vegetarian dishes) at a small square inside the 9th district. Might not be one of the cheapest in the cheap section but definetly worth the price.
- Schnitzelwirt Schmidt, 7th district, Neubaugasse 52 is listed in nearly every Vienna guidebook and for good reason. The traditional Viennese food is excellent and served in truly prodigious portions, yet fairly cheap by Vienna standards (5€-15€ for a full meal). The Bauernschmaus ("Farmer's Feast"), a nearly incapacitingly large schnitzel plate, is highly recommended, and in combination with any of the wonderful on-tap beers may necessitate an afternoon nap.
Cheap speciality stores:
- Manner factory sale (famous Viennese sweets, especially "Schnitten"): 1160 Wien, Wilhelminenstrasse 6.
Mid-range
- WOK, Operngasse 20, 1040 Vienna, (just beside the Naschmarkt, directly opposite the Technical University Vienna) +43/1/585 21 02, daily 11.00-14.30, 17.30-23.00 wok-vienna@aon.at, [46]. A nice and cosy restaurant offering a variety of South-East Asian cuisine. You can get Chinese, Thai, Malay and Indonesian dishes. Also, you can ask the friendly and pretty owner if she would offer you some home-made cookings not available on the standard menu.
- Brezl-Gwölb, Ledererhof 9, 1010 Wien, (close to Am Hof and Judenplatz, between Färbergasse and Drahtgasse, a bit hidden) +43/1/533 88 11, email: info@brezl.at, [47]. Daily 11.30-01.00. A very nice restaurant with a cellar dating back to the 17th century and the furniture consists of parts from three centuries. A place that deserves the label "gemütlich". They play classical music and serve some really unique dishes.
- Figlmüller, Wollzeile 5, 512 61 77, [48]. Daily 11AM-10:30PM. Famous for Wienerschnitzel Claims to have the biggest schnitzel in the World. If you are not really hungry one may easily be enough for two persons (just ask for a second plate). Traditionally you would want a potato salad with that.
- Kuishimbo, im Majolkahaus, U4 Kettenbrückengasse, Linke Wienzeile 40, A-1060 Wien, Mobile: 0699/1194.06.73. The smallest Japanese restaurant in town. All the dishes are home cooked. Owners claim that they pay attention to a proper balance of ingredients. Being full can also be healthy! The place is so small that there is even no bathroom inside. You have to use the one on the Nashmarkt. The Japanese soups "Undo" are excellent. Drink included you will pay around EURO 11.
- Supermarkets: Compared to America, for instance, most supermarkets are just medium-sized. But especially in vienna you can find one at almost every corner. (Except for the first district where there are only a few, most prominently the large Julius Meinl on the Graben, see next section) These markets have regular prices: Billa, Zielpunkt, Spar. If you are looking for a more American-sized store you can try "Merkur", especially the one at Mariahilferstraße/Kirchengasse. Most of these regular priced stores will prepare you sandwiches of your choice solely for the cost of their ingredients.
Splurge
- Tenmaya [49] Krugerstrasse 3, 512 73 97, daily Kitchen open time from 11:30 to 14:30 and from 17:00 to 23:00.
- Dukai in the Grand Hotel [50] Kärntnerring 9. On Saturday and Sunday they have a buffet.
- Daihachi in the Hotel de France [51] Schottenring 3, 31 368, is also a Sushi bar.
- Plachutta [52] Wollzeile 38 is a very nice restaurant that specializes in beef. Try the Tafelspitz, it comes in a copper pan and still is in the soup (the soup alone is worth a trip to Vienna) it was cooked. (The chef claims that they prepare more than 100 kg of beef each day). Probably 3 to 5 waiters will be at your disposal. Reservation is recommended.
- Expensive Markets If you feel the urgent need to buy delicacies, you can visit Meinl am Graben, a legendary store in the first district (1010 Wien, Graben 19) It is still worth a visit even if you don't intend to buy anything, because you will find things you probably never heard of!
- Hotel Sacher [53] is not only a hotel but also an excellent restaurant.
- Why not go to Danube Tower Restaurant on a sunny day and have a look over Vienna from the rotating restaurant. Take the U1 subway and get off at VIC / Kaisermühlen. Change to the bus line 20B and get off at the Danube Tower. (You have to pay for the elevator first: € 5.30 for adults)
Drink
Water
In Vienna (as in almost any part of Austria) tap water is of exceptional quality. In most parts of Vienna there's no need to buy bottled water, tap water comes in long pipelines from the Styrian Alps and is actually better than some brands of bottled water you can buy elsewhere. In a restaurant, if you want (free) tap water ask for "Leitungswasser" or you will get mineral water.
Wine
New wine is usually enjoyed at a Heurigen (wine bar licensed to sell the new vintage). Austria in general, but especially the area around Vienna, produces quite a large amount of wine each year. It's not often exported, and white is more common than red. Grüner Veltliner is a common white wine served almost everywhere. Officially the new wine season begins 11 November, St Martin's Day, but as early as September some partially-fermented new wine (called Sturm which is cloudy because it has not been strained) is available around town in 2-liter green bottles (try the Naschmarkt – sometimes the vendors will have samples). Taverns can call themselves Heurigens whether the wine they serve is their own or not – for genuine in-house product, look for a Buschenschank. This is a particularly Viennese Heuriger which can only be open 300 days per year or until their supply of house-made wine runs out. Heurigen can be found e.g. in Grinzing, Sievering (19th district) and Mauer & Rodaun (23rd district) areas but also in almost every suburban area in Vienna. Even in the center there are some Stadtheurigen. While the Heurigen of Grinzing are bigger and more famous with tourists, they are often a rip of. The Heurigen in the South of Vienna or in Perchtoldsdorf are much cheaper and serve at last the same quality as the Heurigen in Grinzing. If any of the year’s vintage lasts until next year, it officially becomes Alte (old) wine on the next St Martin's Day.
After a long day, the perfect place to relax among Viennese are the Heurigen in the suburbs. Somewhat akin to a beer garden, except with wine, these tiny treasures are the only places authorized to serve new wine. New wine is made from the first pressing of the grape, and can appear a little cloudy. Be careful! It's stronger than you might think! This is why it's served in very small glasses, .25 liters and up. Some Heurigen serve food, either elaborate Viennese specialties or very simple bread and cheese platters. No matter which one you choose, you're guaranteed to enjoy yourself. Just hop on a convenient outbound tramline, take it to the very last stop and look for buildings with large, evergreen foliage hung over the doors. Each one is unique, but all are a good bargain. Locals invariably have a favorite: ask around.
Cafés
If you come to Vienna and don't try some coffee you've missed one of the great reasons to come here. Vienna has a reputation for having an excellent coffee culture. You should at least visit one of the countless traditional coffee houses where you can sit down, relax and have some coffee. But please, never just order coffee, for you could deeply offend the Herr Ober, the "senior waiter" of the coffee house. Vienna prides itself of its dozens of Varieties of different coffees like "Kleiner Brauner", "Melange", "Kapuziner" or "Kaffee Verkehrt". More information on Viennese Coffee Houses can be found at the homepage of the Vienna Coffee Houses
- Cafe Hawelka Just a 100 m from the Stephansdom, hidden in a side road, is one of the most famous "intellectual" cafes in Vienna. It's suprisingly cheap, for it's location and it's fame, and can get cosy -- Jospehine Hawelka (former owner, deceased 2005) was proud of the marriages she caused by placing random people together at a table. Try the "Buchteln".
- Cafe Altwien A cafe between Stephansplatz and Schwedenplatz, popular with a young crowd. This mix of traditional style and hip atmosphere is what cafe's look nowadays.
- Tirolerhof 1010 Wien, Führichgasse 8, just behind the opera you will find this traditional café.
- Café Prückel [54] 1010 Wien, Stubenring 24 (Luegerplatz), This café has live piano music every Mon, Wed, Fri from 7 to 10pm.
- Das Kleine Café (the small cafe) 1010 Wien, Franziskanerplatz 3, As the name says this Café is rather small but on a good location in a quiet square inside the city. It is a tip among the Viennese that the few seats are often occupied.
- Das Möbel [55] 1070 Wien, Burggasse 10, Hip café in Vienna's trendy 7th district. Take a close look at the tables, chairs and lamps: Every piece of furniture is unique and for sale
Bars and Beerhouses
- Chelsea [56] Lerchenfelderguertel, U-Bahnboegen 29-31 (between the U6 underground stations Thaliastrasse and Josefstaedterstrasse), 407 93 09, chelsea@sil.at. Daily 6PM-4AM, Su 4PM-3AM. If concerts 9PM, starting at 10PM. A wide range of international beers, often full house and dense. Prices okay, half litre beer 3.1 Euro.
- Siebensternbräu (7-Stars-Brewery) [57] Siebensterngasse 19. An excellent Biergarten a few blocks East of Mariahilferstr. They serve their own brews, which are all excellent. The usual assortment of bar food, friendly staff, and outdoor seating underneath an old Linden tree in the middle of a hidden courtyard. Move indoors well before 23:00, though - a local noise ordinance requires them to shut down the patio and interior tables fill up quickly (even more so than usual).
- Flex [58] Donaukanal (U2 or U4 Schottenring, Abgang Augartenbrücke), 533 75 25 office@flex.at. You haven't been to Vienna if you haven't been at the Flex - particularly if you are younger than thirty. Situated next to the "Donaukanal", a part of the Danube, it's the meeting point of the off-mainstream, bohemian, artsy people or those who belive they are. In summer, at night, when it's warm outside there are always a lot of people sitting on benches outside the club. Unfortunately, since 2005 it is not allowed to drink brought beer outside. It's easy to get to talk with people. Inside the club you can enjoy bands and DJs. At the bar you can ask for free soda water.
- Schweizerhaus [59] Prater 116, 7280152 13, March 15 - October 31 11AM-11PM. Large beer garden in the Prater, some say they have the best beer in Vienna and beside traditional austrian dishes at moderate prices. The Schweizerhaus is also well-known for its excellent "Stelze" (knuckle of pork).
- Shiraz [60] Stadtbahnbogen 168, 1090 Vienna. Phone: +43.664.3355555, info@shiraz.at. Small and pretty comfortable, rustic-style bar in the "city railway bows". You can smoke waterpipes and listen to "chill out" music. The owner himself of Shiraz, a Persian, is very involved and a "waterpiping crackerjack". Everything is worth its price and you can really feel that this bar is something special. Its a good place to relax.
- Stiegl´s Ambulanz [61] Altes AKH Hof 1 Alserstraße 4, 1090 (subway station U6, Alserstraße) +43.1.40211500, ambulanz@stiegl.at The Stieglambulanz is a good bar run by the Stiegl brewery where you can enjoy Stiegl's beers. Stiegl is one of austria's best common beer sorts. The Ambulanz is visited by many students, modern furnished and another good place to relax. If you ever get there try the "Paracelsus", which you only get in Stiegl breweries.
- Kolar mentioned in the food section above offers their own beer.
Sleep
Budget
- Vienna Vacation Rentals, [62] The official apartment rental association presents more than 250 controlled holiday homes in all parts of Vienna.
- Pension Esterhazy, Nelkengasse 3 (close to U3 Neubaugasse), 587 51 49 [63] Clean basic rooms, prices reach from 26€ (singleroom, shower and toilet outside) to 69€ (2 bedroom with shower and toilet).
- Wombats Vienna Hostel, Grangasse6 [64] is a few blocks away from Westbanhof on the U3 line. It's clean, cheap and friendly.
- Youth Hostel Vienna-Myrthengasse, Myrthengasse 7, 523 63 16 hostel@chello.at [65] is close to the center of Vienna. About 18€ per night incl. breakfast and sheets.
- Youth Hostel Vienna City Hostel [66] Dampfgasse 8, 1100 Vienna, 505 88 43 office@viennacityhostel.at, central location and best access to the Südbahnhof (trainstation South) which is within 3 min walk. public transfer facilities such as underground, buses and trams are easy to reach.
- Hütteldorf Hacking Schlossberggasse 8 is one of two HI hostels in Vienna, located in a peaceful neighborhood to the west of the city (about 30 min from city centre). Take the U4 to Hütteldorf and exit the station on the south side, then follow the signs to the hostel (another 15 min). Dorm beds around €14.
- Actilingua Apartment Hotel 3*** Pension [67] A tastefully renovated "Jugendstil" (Art Nouveau) Appartement Hotel offers guests an excellent form of independent accommodation. On the central U3 subway line, the Zippererstrasse subway station is within 5 minutes walk.
- Vacation Apartments Vienna, [68] You will find here your vacation home, the apartment, the private accommodation, vacation homes vienna.
Mid-range
- Vienna Center Apartment modern 3 room, 2-6 person apartments in the very center of vienna city [69]
- Apartment24, Holiday rentals in exclusive residential area in Vienna - Austria [70] Apartments close to Schönbrunn or Grinzing in very quite areas. Metro and bus stops nearby. Rates starting at €65 per night.
- Central Apartments Vienna (CAV), 4-Star Apartments for Rent in Prime City Location in Vienna - Austria [71] Family friendly business and vacation apartments for rent in the city centre of Vienna. Apartments from €100 per night.
- Design Apartment, Private Apartment [72] Stylish Apartment in the second district (Prater) 10 minutes walk to the city center. Apartment from €92,-.
- Hotel Goldener Baer, Türkenstraße 27 [73] is a modest hotel within walking distance from the city center. Metro stations and tram stops near by. Rooms from €90.
- Hotel Nordbahn [74] is a good hotel, close to center, friendly atmosphere.
- Tourotel Mariahilf [75] is a nice hotel, between down town and Schoenbrunn Palace, often specials.
- Vienna Apartments, Private Apartments and holiday rentals [76] Apartments in historical houses in the city center of Vienna. Rooms from €100.
- <sleep name="Vienna City Flats" address="Grünangergasse 6" phone="+43 699 1550 1112" email="office@viennacityflats.at" fax="" price="starting 55€/night" url="http://www.viennacityflats.at" ></sleep>
- Vienna Marriott Hotel, Parkring 12a, right across from the Stadtpark. It is close to 2 metro stations and 10 minutes walk from Stephansplatz.
Splurge
- Hotel Royal Singerstrasse 3 [77] is a nice clean hotel located at the very centre of the city at Stephansplatz. Rooms have TV, WC, A/C and hardwood floors. About €150/night including breakfast.
- Hotel Schoenbrunn is located uptown near "Schloss Schoenbrunn" and about 20-30 minutes away from Vienna's uptown.
- Le Méridien Vienna is located right next to the opera house (Staatsoper) on Opernring. The hotel was opened in late 2003 and is done in a very modern, artsy "Art + Tech" design. All rooms have flat screen TV and nice massage showers. The breakfast buffet and bar are equally nice and offer an opportunity to "see and be seen".
- Hotel Sacher. is located next to the Opera and at the end of the pedestrianized Kärtner Strasse shopping area. The ground floor with the café is very touristy, but still the only place for the real, genuine Sacher cake. The rooms offer old style luxury with heavy carpets etc.
Contact
Vienna has a large number of wireless hotspots in bars, restaurants, and cafés.
Stay safe
Vienna is one of the safest cities in the world for its size. There are no slums or districts you should avoid. In general, you can visit any part of the city at any time of the day without taking many risks -- just use your common sense. At night, though, it is wise to avoid parks, as well as the area within and around Karlsplatz station and Schwedenplatz station. The Prater (fair grounds/amusement park area) is said by some locals to be less safe at night, though more in reference to pickpockets than anything else. As in any major city, watch out for pickpockets who grab and run when boarding the U-Bahn (subway). There are few racist assaults in Vienna, but its streets and public-transport facilities are littered with racist (anti-black) graffiti.
Cope
Radio
A part of the program of the radio station FM4 (103,8 MHz) is in English, the most part of the news is in English, but they even report in French or German. The station is definitely worth listening to as it's somewhat different from usual radio stations. A webstream is available under Stream FM4.
The classical radio station Ö1 (92.0 MHz) is in German, but for the broadcasting of Mozart (whose year is celebrated in 2006) that is quite irrelevant. The Mittagsjournal news service 12 am to 1 pm is a standard information source also streaming Stream Ö1 on the Web. Generally this is the most prestigious and high qualty radio station.
The free radio Orange is available on MP3 stream Stream Orange (94.0 MHz) and covers ethnic and ideological minorities, and alternative views opposed to the state sponsored radio or popular music channels. Multilingual shows are offered by the communities themselves and aim at informing, networking and entertaining without government funding.
Get out
- Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, is only 60 km (50 minutes by train or car) from Vienna. Prices are sometimes five times lower. From the Donaukanal you can catch the brand new (but rather expensive) ferry. [78]
- Sopron is a historic town, in the part of Hungary closest to Vienna.
- Gumpoldskirchen is a picturesque wine growing village half an hour's train ride south of Vienna. It's a good destination for wine tasting and hill walking, especially in autumn.
- The Carnuntum archaeological park is located 40 km from Vienna, in the direction of Bratislava. The site offers excavations of an ancient Roman city. It is worth a one-day visit.
- Seegrotte [79] 17 km south of Vienna is the largest underground lake in Europe.
You can hitchhike to Brno: take the tram to Brunner Straße. There is main road from Vienna to Brno, so thumbing there should be very easy. There is also enough space for sleeping.
Places around Vienna
Sammlung Essl - Contemporary Art [80] Sammlung Essl - Kunst der Gegenwart. With its 5000 artworks the Essl collection provides an excellent overview of Austrian painting since 1945. This overview is presented in the context of international art. It is a private art collection featured in a newly built museum. How to get there? Take the U4 Subway to 'Heiligenstadt' (the end-station) then an additional 10 minutes by bus to Klosterneuburg-Kierling.