JOHN HAY / GETTY IMAGES ©
TOP SIGHT
THE HOFBURG
The Hofburg palace complex, first built as a fortified castle in the 13th century and which has been continuously revamped and expanded over the years, is the ultimate display of Austria’s former imperial power. It was once home to the Habsburg rulers from Rudolph I in 1279 until the Austrian monarchy collapsed under Karl I in 1918. Today, this impressive palace complex includes the offices of the Austrian president, an ensemble of extraordinary museums and public squares as well as picturesque parkland flanking it on both sides.
Kaiserappartements
The
Kaiserappartements
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(Imperial Apartments; 01, Michaelerplatz; adult/child €10.50/6.50, with guided tour €13/7.50;
9am-5.30pm;
Herrengasse)
were once the official living quarters of Franz Josef I (1830–1916) and Empress Elisabeth (1837–98), or Sisi, as she was affectionately named. The first section, known as the
Sisi Museum
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(
533 75 70; 01, Michaelerkuppel; adult/child €11.50/7, with guided tour €13.50;
9am-5.30pm Sep-Jun, to 6pm Jul & Aug), is devoted to Austria’s most beloved empress. It has a strong focus on the clothing and jewellery of Austria’s monarch; if your interest in pretty dresses is limited, you may find the reconstruction of Sisi’s luxurious Pullman coach more interesting. Part of this first section also has a replica of her personal fitness room complete with rings and bars, testament to her obsession with keeping slim. Many of the empress’s famous portraits are also on show, as is her death mask, made after her assassination in Geneva in 1898.
The adjoining
Silberkammer
(Silver Depot) collection is included in the entry price. The largest silver service here can take care of 140 dinner guests. Audio guides – available in 11 languages – are also included in the admission price. Admission on guided tours includes the Kaiserappartements plus either the Silberkammer or the Sisi Museum.
Kaiserliche Schatzkammer
The
Kaiserliche Schatzkammer
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(Imperial Treasury; www.kaiserliche-schatzkammer.at; 01, Schweizerhof; adult/under 19yr €12/free;
9am-5.30pm Wed-Mon;
Herrengasse)
contains secular and ecclesiastical treasures of priceless value and splendour – the sheer wealth of this collection of crown jewels is staggering. As you walk through the rooms you see a golden rose, diamond-studded Turkish sabres, a 2680-carat Colombian emerald and, the highlight of the treasury, the imperial crown. The wood-panelled
Sacred Treasury
has a collection of rare religious relics, some of which can be taken with a grain of salt: fragments of the True Cross, one of the nails from the Crucifixion, a thorn from Christ’s crown and a piece of tablecloth from the Last Supper.
Burgkapelle
The
Burgkapelle
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(Royal Chapel;
533 99 27; www.hofburgkapelle.at; 01, Schweizer Hof;
10am-2pm Mon & Tue, 11am-1pm Fri;
2A Heldenplatz,
Herrengasse,
D, 1, 2 Burgring)
originally dates from the 13th century and received a Gothic makeover from 1447 to 1449, but much of this disappeared during the baroque fad. The vaulted wooden statuary survived and is testament to those Gothic days. This is where the Vienna Boys’ Choir (Click here) Mass takes place every Sunday at 9.15am between September and June. The chapel is sometimes closed to visitors in July and August, so check ahead in those months. For more on ticketing
Click here.
Palace Tour
The Hofburg
Length One hour to one day
The Hofburg is a jigsaw puzzle of monumental buildings. For the full effect, enter from Michaelerplatz, as the monarchs used to. First, though, admire the pretty square just to the south, 
Josefsplatz, adorned with the equestrian monument to Emperor Josef II. Josefsplatz also serves as the entrance to the 
Nationalbibliothek Prunksaal
(Click here).
Pass through the 
Michaelertor
and neo-baroque Michaelertrakt. The Michaelerplatz side of the building is lined with statues of Hercules and evocative fountains depicting the Power of the Land and Power of the Sea. On the left of the hall
is the
Spanish Riding School
(Click here) and its visitor centre, on the right the 
Kaiserappartements
(Click here).
Straight ahead, you reach the large courtyard 
In der Burg, with a monument to 
Emperor Franz I, the last in a long line of Holy Roman emperors after Napoleon brought about the collapse of the Reich in 1806.
The oldest part of the Hofburg is the 
Schweizerhof
(Swiss Courtyard), named after the Swiss guards who used to protect its precincts. This is reached via the Renaissance 
Swiss Gate, which dates from 1553. The 13th-century courtyard gives access to the 
Burgkapelle
(Click here) and the 
Schatzkammer
(Click here).
Straight ahead is 
Heldenplatz
(Hero’s Square) and the 
Neue Burg, built between the second half of the 19th century and WWI. The Neue Burg houses the 
Museum für Völkerkunde
(Click here) and the three 
Neue Burg Museums
(Click here). The balcony is where Hitler addressed a rally during his triumphant 1938 visit to Vienna after the
Anschluss
(annexation)
.
Facing each other on Heldenplatz are the monuments to 
Prince Eugene of Savoy
(closest to the Neue Burg) and 
Archduke Karl
(Charles of Austria). Pass through the Äusseres Burgtor (Outer Palace Gate) to the Ringstrasse.
Spanish Riding School
The world-famous
Spanish Riding School
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(Spanische Hofreitschule;
533 90 31; www.srs.at; 01, Michaelerplatz 1; performances €31-173;
1A, 2A Michaelerplatz,
Herrengasse)
is a Viennese institution truly reminiscent of the imperial Habsburg era. This unequalled equestrian show is performed by Lipizzaner stallions formerly kept at an imperial stud established at Lipizza (hence ‘Lipizzaner’).
There are many different ways to see the Lipizzaner stallions. Performances are the top-shelf variant, and for seats at these you will need to book several months in advance. The website has the performance dates and you can order tickets online. As a rule of thumb, performances are at 11am on Sunday from mid-February to June and mid-August to December, with performances frequently on
Saturday and occasionally other days of the week. For standing room, book at least one month in advance. During the summer break, special ‘Piber meets Vienna’ performances are held for tourists.
Visitors to the
Morgenarbeit sessions
(Morning Training; adult/child €14/7;
10am-noon Tue-Fri Jan-Jun & mid-Aug–Dec, check website for exact dates)
can drop in for part of a session and leave whenever they want to.
Guided tours
(adult/child €16/8;
2pm, 3pm & 4pm, closed Mon late Jan & Feb)
conducted in English and German take you into the performance hall, stables and other facilities, and a combined
morning training and tour
(adult/child €28/14)
is another option. The
visitor centre
(01, Michaelerkuppel;
9am-4pm Tue-Fri, to 7pm Fri on performance days)
sells all tickets; morning training tickets can also be bought at Gate 2 on Josefsplatz during training sessions.
THE WHITE HORSE IN HISTORY
The Lipizzaner stallion breed dates back to the 1520s, when Ferdinand I imported the first horses from Spain for the imperial palace. His son Maximilian II imported new stock in the 1560s, and in 1580 Archduke Charles II established the imperial stud in Lipizza (Lipica, today in Slovenia), giving the horse its name. Austria’s nobility had good reason for looking to Spain for its horses: the Spanish were considered the last word in equine breeding at the time, thanks to Moors from the 7th century who had brought their elegant horses to the Iberian Peninsula. Italian horses were added to the stock around the mid-1700s (these too had Spanish blood) and by the mid-18th century the Lipizzaner had a reputation for being Europe’s finest horse.
Over the centuries, natural catastrophe, but more often war, caused the Lipizzaner to be evacuated from their original stud in Slovenia on numerous occasions. One of their periods of exile from the stud in Lipica was in 1915 due to the outbreak of WWI. Some of the horses went to Laxemburg (just outside Vienna), and others to Bohemia in today’s Czech Republic (at the time part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire).
When the Austrian monarchy collapsed in 1918, Lipica passed into Italian hands and the horses were divided between Austria and Italy. The Italians ran the stud in Slovenia, while the Austrians transferred their horses to Piber, near Graz, which had been breeding military horses for the empire since 1798 –
at that time stallions were mostly crossed with English breeds.
The fortunes of our pirouetting equine friends rose and fell with the collapse of the Habsburg empire and advent of two world wars. When WWII broke out, Hitler’s cohorts goose-stepped in and requisitioned the Piber stud in Austria and started breeding military horses and – spare the thought! – pack mules there. They also decided to bring the different studs in their occupied regions together under one roof, and Piber’s Lipizzaner wound up in Hostau, situated in Bohemia. Fearing the Lipizzaner would fall into the hands of the Russian army as it advanced towards the region in 1945 (and amid rather odd fears that the stallions would be eaten), American forces seized the Lipizzaner and other horses in Hostau and transferred them back to Austria.
Today, Piber still supplies the Spanish Riding School with its white
stallions.
Neue Burg Museums
The Neue Burg is home to the three excellent
Neue Burg Museums
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(
525 240; www.khm.at; 01, Heldenplatz; adult/under 19yr €14/free;
10am-6pm Wed-Sun;
Herrengasse, Museumsquartier,
D, 1, 2, 71 Burgring). The
Sammlung Alter Musik Instrumente
(Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments) contains fascinating musical instruments in all shapes, sizes and tones. The
Ephesos Museum
features artefacts from Ephesus and Samothrace, donated (some say ‘lifted’) by the sultan in 1900 after a team of Austrian archaeologists excavated Ephesus in Turkey. Last but not least is the
Hofjägd und Rüstkammer
(Arms and Armour) museum, with an exciting collection of ancient armour dating mainly from the 15th and 16th centuries. Admission includes the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Click here). An audio guide costs €4.
Nationalbibliothek Prunksaal
The Nationalbibliothek (National Library) was once the imperial library and is now the largest library in Vienna. The real reason to visit these esteemed halls of knowledge is to gaze on the
Nationalbibliothek Prunksaal
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(Grand Hall;
534 10 394; www.onb.ac.at; 01, Josefsplatz 1; adult/under 19yr €7/free;
10am-6pm Tue-Sun, to 9pm Thu;
Herrengasse). Commissioned by Charles VI, this baroque hall was the brainchild of Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, who died the year the first brick was laid, and finished by his son Joseph in 1735. Leather-bound scholarly tomes line the walls, and the upper storey of shelves is flanked by an elegantly curved wood balcony. Rare ancient volumes (mostly 15th century) are stored within glass cabinets, with pages opened to beautifully illustrated passages of text. A statue of Charles VI stands guard under the central dome, which itself has a magnificent fresco by Daniel Gran depicting the emperor’s apotheosis.
Nationalbibliothek Prunksaal (Click here)
VISIONS OF OUR LAND / GETTY IMAGES ©
Papyrusmuseum
Part of the Nationalbibliothek museum ensemble, the
Papyrusmuseum
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(
534 10 420; www.onb.ac.at; 01, Heldenplatz; adult/under 19yr €4/free;
10am-6pm Tue-Sun, to 9pm Thu;
Herrengasse, Museumsquartier,
D, 1, 2, 71 Burgring)
displays a collection of 200 fragments of ancient writing on papyrus. Papyrus was used for writing in ancient Egypt and the museum focuses on this, and cultures that influenced ancient Egypt, as well as fragments of writing on other media such as parchment and clay. Admission to the museum includes the Globenmuseum and Esperantomuseum.
Museum für Völkerkunde
Children will be impressed by the
Museum für Völkerkunde
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(Museum of Ethnology;
525 240; www.ethno-museum.ac.at; 01, Heldenplatz; adult/under 19yr €8/free;
10am-6pm Wed-Mon;
Herrengasse, Museumsquartier,
D, 1, 2 Burgring)
– it was revamped a few years ago and exudes a lightness of mood and has a thoughtful use of space that adults will appreciate too. Exhibits are on non-European cultures and divided into regions and nationalities, covering countries such as China, Japan and Korea, and also Polynesian, Native American and Inuit cultures.
Schmetterlinghaus
Sharing the Habsburg’s personal
Jugendstil
(art nouveau) glasshouse (1901) with the Palmenhaus bar (Click here), the
Schmetterlinghaus
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(Butterfly House;
533 85 70; www.schmetterlinghaus.at; 01, Burggarten; adult/child €5.50/3;
10am-4.45pm Mon-Fri, to 6.15pm Sat & Sun;
Karlsplatz,
D, 1, 2, 72 Burgring)
is for the butterfly-mad only. There are hundreds of butterflies and the shop stocks a great range of butterfly paraphernalia, but the air is hot and unbearably humid, the species range is fairly limited and it’s quite a small display area. It’s located in the Burggarten, directly behind the Neue Burg.
SIGHTS
THE HOFBURG
PALACE
See
Click here.
ALBERTINA
GALLERY
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(www.albertina.at; 01, Albertinaplatz 3; adult/child €11/free;
10am-6pm Thu-Tue, to 9pm Wed;
Karlsplatz, Stephansplatz,
D, 1, 2, 71 Kärntner Ring/Oper)
Once used as the Habsburg’s imperial apartments for guests (you can walk through these), the Albertina is now a repository for the greatest collection of graphic art in the world. A very small selection of copies is on display, but the permanent Batliner Collection – with paintings covering the period from Monet to Picasso – and the high quality of changing exhibitions are what really make the Albertina so worthwhile visiting.
French Impressionism and post-Impressionism, as well as the works of the Swiss Alberto Giacometti, were the original focus of the Batliner Collection, but over time husband and wife benefactors Herbert and Rita Batliner added a substantial number of Russian avante-garde works to create a who’s who of 20th-century and contemporary art: Monet, Picasso, Degas, Cézanne, Matisse, Chagal, Nolde, Jawlensky and many more.
All this is augmented by the top-notch changing exhibitions. Multilingual audio guides (€4) cover all exhibition sections and tell the story behind the apartments and works you see. Tickets (but not the audio guides) are valid for the whole day, so you can retire to lunch somewhere and return later to finish off a visit.
The Österreichisches Filmmuseum (Click here) is located in the Albertina.
KAISERGRUFT
CHURCH
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(Imperial Burial Vault; www.kaisergruft.at; 01, Neuer Markt; adult/child €5/2;
10am-6pm;
Stephansplatz, Karlsplatz,
D, 1, 2, 71 Kärntner Ring/Oper)
The Kaisergruft beneath the
Kapuzinerkirche
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(Church of the Capuchin Friars) is the final resting place of most of the Habsburg royal family (the hearts and organs reside in Augustinerkirche and Stephansdom, respectively). Opened in 1633, it was instigated by Empress Anna (1585–1618), and her body and that of her husband, Emperor Matthias (1557–1619), were the first entombed in this impressive vault.
Only three Habsburgs are notable through their absence here. The last emperor, Karl I, was buried in exile in Madeira, and Marie Antoinette (daughter of Maria Theresia) still lies in Paris. The third is Duc de Reichstadt, son of Napoleon’s second wife, Marie Louise, who was transferred to Paris as a publicity stunt by the Nazis in 1940.
THEATERMUSEUM
MUSEUM
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(
525 24 610; www.theatermuseum.at; 01, Lobkowitzplatz 2; adult/under 19yr incl all exhibitions €8/free;
10am-6pm Wed-Mon;
Karlsplatz,
D, 1, 2, 71 Kärntner Ring/Oper)
Housed in the baroque Lobkowitz palace (1694), this museum has a permanent exhibition devoted to Austrian composer Gustav Mahler (1860–1911), and temporary exhibitions on Vienna’s theatre history. A small room hidden towards the back of the 1st floor contains an ensemble of puppets from puppeteer Richard Teschner, vaguely reminiscent of Java’s Wayang Golek wooden puppets. The ticket desk can tell you about performances.
JÜDISCHES MUSEUM
MUSEUM
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(Jewish Museum;
535 04 31; www.jmw.at; 01, Dorotheergasse 11; adult/child €10/free, valid 48hr both Jewish museums;
10am-6pm Sun-Fri;
Stephansplatz)
Housed inside Palais Eskeles, Vienna’s Jüdisches Museum showcases the history of Jews in Vienna, from the first settlements at Judenplatz in the 13th century to the present. A new permanent exhibition on Jewry in the 21st century was due to open in 2013, complementing spaces mostly devoted to changing exhibitions, and the exhibition highlight, a startling collection of ceremonial art on the top floor.
MICHAELERPLATZ (ROMAN RUINS)
RUINS
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(01, Michaelerplatz;
1A, 2A Michaelerplatz,
Herrengasse)
F
Ringed by
gorgeous architecture, Michaelerplatz is centred on Roman ruins that are reputed to have been a brothel for soldiers. This cobblestoned circular ‘square’ is often packed with snap-happy travellers, ticket touts and
Fiaker
(small horse-drawn
carriages).
MICHAELERKIRCHE
CHURCH
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(
533 80 00; www.michaelerkirche.at; 01, Michaelerplatz; admission free, tour adult/child €7/3;
7am-10pm;
1A, 2A Michaelerplatz,
Herrengasse)
The Michaelerkirche dates from the 13th century. Its highlight is the burial crypt which you can see on 40-minute bilingual German/English tours at 11am and 1 pm Monday to Saturday between Easter and October (Thursday to Saturday only from November to Easter). Tours take you past coffins, some revealing occupants preserved by the rarefied air of the crypt.
AUGUSTINERKIRCHE
CHURCH
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(
533 09 470; www.augustinerkirche.at; 01, Augustinerstrasse 3; admission free;
dawn-dusk;
1A, 2A Michaelerplatz,
Herrengasse)
The real highlight of the 14th-century Gothic Augustinerkirche (Augustinian Church) is not its pale, vaulted interior but a crypt containing urns with the hearts of 54 Habsburg rulers. The church hosts regular evening classical music concerts, and the 11am Mass on Sunday is celebrated with a full choir and orchestra. The website (www.hochamt.at/augustines_programm.php) has details. Sometimes on a visit you can catch the choir practising. The crypt is open on Sunday after the Mass – turn up around 12.30pm.
LOOS HAUS
BUILDING
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(01, Michaelerplatz;
9am-5pm Mon-Fri, to 5.30pm Thu;
1A, 2A Michaelerplatz,
Herrengasse)
Designed by Adolf Loos, this modernist gem put Franz Josef’s nose seriously out of joint when it was completed in 1911. Its intentionally simple facade offended the emperor so deeply that he ordered the curtains to be pulled on all palace windows overlooking the building. Today it houses a bank, with exhibition halls on the upper floors, including displays about this controversial building.
While it was being erected, critics were describing this as a ‘house without eyebrows’, referring to its lack of window detail, and work had to be stopped until Loos agreed to add the 10 window boxes adorning it today.
GLOBENMUSEUM
MUSEUM
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(
534 10 710; www.onb.ac.at; 01, Herrengasse 9, 1st fl; adult/under 19yr €4/free;
10am-6pm Tue-Sun, to 9pm Thu;
1A, 2A Michaelerplatz,
Herrengasse)
Part of the Nationalbibliothek collection of museums, this small museum situated inside a former palace (Palais Mollard) is dedicated to cartography. Among the collection of 19th-century globes and maps are some gems dating from the 16th century. Look for the globe made for Emperor Karl V by Mercator in 1541.
ESPERANTOMUSEUM
MUSEUM
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(
534 10 730; www.onb.ac.at; 01, Herrengasse 9, ground fl; adult/under 19yr €4/free;
10am-6pm Tue-Sun, to 9pm Thu;
1A, 2A Michaelerplatz,
Herrengasse)
The oft-overlooked Esperantomuseum is mostly devoted to the artificial language created by Dr Ludvik Zamenhof in 1887. The first book in Esperanto, by Dr Zamenhof himself, features among interesting exhibits on artificial languages, such as language used in the
Star Trek
TV series and films. A media terminal briefly explains the language used by the Klingons, reciting lines from Shakespeare’s
Hamlet!
VOLKSGARTEN
GARDENS
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(www.bundesgaerten.at; 01, Dr-Karl-Renner-Ring;
6am-10pm Apr-Oct, 6.30am-7pm Nov-Mar;
Volkstheater, Herrengasse,
D, 1, 2, 71, 46, 49 Dr-Karl-Renner-Ring)
F
Spreading out between the Burgtheater and Heldenplatz, the Volksgarten (People’s Garden) is great for relaxing among dignified rose bushes and even more dignified statues. A
monument to Empress Elisabeth
is in the northeast corner, not far from the
Temple of Theseus, an imitation of the one in Athens (commissioned by Napoleon), and the club
Volksgarten.
BURGGARTEN
GARDENS
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(www.bundesgaerten.at; 01, Burgring;
6am-10pm Apr-Oct, 6.30am-7pm Nov-Mar;
Museumsquartier,
D, 1, 2, 71, 46, 49 Burgring)
F
Tucked behind the Hofburg, the Burggarten (Castle Garden) is a leafy oasis amid the hustle and bustle of the Ringstrasse and Innere Stadt. The marble
statue of Mozart
is the park’s most famous tenant, but there’s also a
statue of Franz Josef
in military garb. Lining the Innere Stadt side of the Burggarten is the Schmetterlinghaus and the ever-popular Palmenhaus bar.
PHANTASTENMUSEUM WIEN
MUSEUM
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(International Museum of Fantastic Art; www.phantastenmuseum.at; 01, Josefsplatz 6; admission €9;
10am-6pm;
1A, 2A Michaelerplatz,
Herrengasse,
D, 1, 2, 71, 46, 49 Burgring)
Situated upstairs in Palais Palffy, this newcomer to the museum scene exhibits the works of the Viennese School of Fantastic Realists, which arose in the 1950s. Anyone with a passing or deeper interest in the fantastic painting style with surrealistic (sometimes explicit) edges will enjoy large permanent and frequently changing temporary exhibitions here.
MINORITENKIRCHE
CHURCH
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(
533 41 62; www.minoritenkirche-wien.info; 01, Minoritenplatz; admission free;
8am-6pm;
1A, 2A Michaelerplatz,
Herrengasse)
The Minoritenkirche (Minorite Church) is a 13th-century Gothic church that later received a baroque facelift. If you think the tower looks a little stubby, you’re right on the button: it was ‘shortened’ by the Turks in 1529. The most noteworthy piece inside is a mosaic copy of da Vinci’s
Last Supper,
commissioned by Napoleon. The website has details of services and
concerts.
Sunday services are held at 8.30am in German and at 11am in Italian. The church is used for occasional classical concerts and choir recitals throughout the year.
HELMUT-ZILK-PLATZ
SQUARE
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(Albertinaplatz;
Stephansplatz, Karlsplatz)
This attractive square wedged between the Staatsoper and the Albertina stands out for its
Monument Against War & Fascism
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP, by Alfred Hrdlicka (1988). The series of pale block-like sculptures has a dark, squat shape wrapped in barbed wire, representing a Jew scrubbing the floor; poignantly, the greyish block originally came from the Mauthausen concentration camp.
8
MUSEUM TICKETS
There are lots of combined options for visiting the Hofburg and nearby museums. See
Click here
for information on discounts and concessions.
Sisi Ticket
(adult/child €25.50/15) Includes the Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum and Imperial Silver Collection with audio guide as well as Schloss Schönbrunn and the Imperial Furniture Collection.
Neue Burg Museums
(€14) Includes the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
Annual ticket Kunsthistorisches Museum
(€34) Includes Kunstkammer, Kunsthistorische Museum, Neue Burg Museums, Schatzkammer, Wagenburg Wien, Schloss Ambras Innsbruck, Museum für Völkerkunde and Theatermuseum.
Schatz der Habsburger
(€20) Includes Kunsthistorisches Museum, Neue Burg and Schatzkammer, saving you €6.
Buying Tickets in Advance
Many museums sell admission tickets online. Tickets for the Albertina, Jüdisches Museum, Haus der Musik, Mozarthaus, Kunsthaus Wien and others are sold by
Wien-Ticket
(www.wien-ticket.at) and Wien-Ticket representatives (see ‘Vorverkaufsstellen’ on the website side menu). This can be useful and save time on visits. Sometimes you can print tickets yourself, while in other cases you can pick them up using the booking confirmation and by showing a passport or ID at the
Wien-Ticket Pavillon
(
588 85; www.wien-ticket.at; Herbert-von-Karajan-Platz;
10am-7pm;
Karlsplatz,
D, 1, 2 Kärntner Ring/Oper), on Herbert von Karajan Platz, outside the Staatsoper. No commission is charged on museum admissions, but there can be a small fee for some events, rising to a maximum of 12%.
EATING
TRZESNIEWSKI
SANDWICHES
€
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(www.trzesniewski.at; 01, Dorotheergasse 1; bread & spread €1.10, glass of wine €2.10;
8.30am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat;
Stephansplatz)
Possibly the finest sandwich shop in Austria, Trzesniewski has been serving spreads and breads to the entire spectrum of munchers (Kafka was a regular here) for over 100 years. Choose from 22 delectably thick spreads. Plan on sampling a few; two bites and they’re gone. This branch is one of seven in Vienna.
FRESHII
HEALTH FOOD
€
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.freshii.com; 01, Herrengasse 5; €3.50-6.50;
11am-7pm Mon-Fri, 11.30am-7pm Sat & Sun;
;
Herrengasse)
S
Affiliated with the small North American wholefood chain, freshii is an eat-in, takeaway place that sells wraps, rice and noodle dishes, burritos, soups and breakfasts based on organic ingredients and a philosophy of environmental as well as bodily health.
BITZINGER WÜRSTELSTAND
AM ALBERTINAPLATZ
SAUSAGE STAND
€
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(01, Albertinaplatz; sausages €3.70-4.10;
9.30am-5am, drinks from 8am;
Karlsplatz, Stephansplatz,
Kärntner Ring/Oper)
Vienna has many sausage stands but this one located behind the Staatsoper offers the contrasting spectacle of ladies and gents dressed to the nines, sipping beer, wine or champagne while enjoying sausage at outdoor tables or the heated counter after performances. You’ll find Joseph Perrier champagne (€19.90 for 0.2L) and, for the less well-heeled, there’s house wine (€3.20).
RESTAURANT HERRLICH
AUSTRIAN
€€€
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(
53404-920; www.steigenberger.com/wien/restaurants; 01, Herrengasse 10; mains €18-28, menus €56-82, 3-course lunch €29;
lunch & dinner Mon-Fri, dinner Sat;
Herrengasse)
Located inside the Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof, the upmarket Herrlich focuses on a lighter style of Austrian cooking in a modern setting replete with crisp tablecloths. It serves classic dishes on its changing, seasonal menus.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
WHERE TO DRINK WINE
There is no shortage of places to taste the nectar of the gods in Vienna, but one of the most welcoming is
Villon
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(www.villon.at; 01, Habsburgergasse 4;
6pm-midnight Tue-Fri, 7pm-midnight Sat;
Herrengasse, Stephansplatz), a fully fledged wine cellar sunk deep into the ground of the Innere Stadt (it’s the deepest wine cellar in the 1st district). Forget all about your mobile phone working. Although the cellar itself is historic, the interior is smart and modern, with light-coloured woods in the main room where you can order wine by the glass or bottle, accompanied by parmesan cheese, bread, olives and Thun ham (a local speciality) to replenish the palate. Some 20 wines served by the glass and another 100 by the bottle are mostly from small vineyards in Austria or from the Vienna region.
DRINKING & NIGHTLIFE
LOOS AMERICAN BAR
COCKTAIL BAR
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.loosbar.at; 01, Kärntner Durchgang 10;
noon-5am Thu-Sat, to 4am Sun-Wed;
Stephansplatz)
The
spot for a classic cocktail in the Innere Stadt, expertly whipped up by talented mixologists. Designed by Adolf Loos in 1908, this tiny box (seating no more than about 20) is bedecked from head to toe in onyx and polished brass; mirrored walls trick the mind into thinking it’s a far bigger space.
PALFFY CLUB
CLUB
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.palais-palffy.at; 01, Josefsplatz 6; cover €12;
from 10pm Fri & Sat;
1A, 2A Michaelerplatz,
Herrengasse,
D, 1, 2, 71 Burgring)
This 550-sq-metre club occupies two floors (right as you enter) of an illustrious old building used for live-music performances. The 1st-floor lounge bar is set with thousands of miniature glittering gemstones below a 12m chandelier with 80,000 Swarovski crystals. The 1st floor has R&B and ’70s and ’80s, while the 2nd floor opens at 1am with house and techno beats.
CAFÉ LEOPOLD HAWELKA
COFFEE HOUSE
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.hawelka.at; 01, Dorotheergasse 6;
8am-1am Mon-Sat, 10am-1am Sun;
Stephansplatz)
This classic coffee house has a relaxed and convivial vibe with orange wallpaper and decorative tones. Nothing much has changed at Hawelka since it opened in the late 1930s. Friedensreich Hundertwasser, Elias Canetti, Arthur Miller and Andy Warhol, just to name a few, are among the artists and writers who have hung out here.
LE BOL
CAFE
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.lebol.at; 01, Neuer Markt 14;
from 8am Mon-Sat, from 10am Sun;
Stephansplatz)
This French cafe and bistro does wonderful coffee and hot chocolates, a good selection of baguettes (€6.20 to €9.10) as well as inexpensive
tartines
and salads to still a hunger while exploring the area. It has both individual and communal tables.
DEMEL
COFFEE HOUSE
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.demel.at; 01, Kohlmarkt 14;
9am-7pm;
1A, 2A Michaelerplatz,
Herrengasse, Stephansplatz)
An elegant and regal cafe within sight of the Hofburg, Demel was once the talk of the town but now mainly caters to tourists. The quality of the cakes hasn’t dropped, however, and it wins marks for the sheer creativity of its sweets. Demel’s speciality is the Ana Demel Torte, a calorie-bomb of chocolate and nougat.
The window displays an ever-changing array of edible art pieces (ballerinas and manicured bonsai, for example).
PALMENHAUS
BAR, CAFE
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.palmenhaus.at; 01, Burggarten;
10am-2am;
Karlsplatz, Museumsquartier,
D, 1, 2, 71 Burgring)
In a beautifully restored Victorian palm house, complete with high arched ceilings, glass walls and steel beams, Palmenhaus occupies one of the most attractive locations in Vienna. The crowd is generally well-to-do, but the ambience is relaxed and welcoming, making it ideal for a glass of wine or cup of coffee. The outdoor seating in summer is a must; it serves food (mains €16.80 to €27) and there are occasional club nights.
CAFÉ GRIENSTEIDL
COFFEE HOUSE
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(
535 26 92-0; www.cafegriensteidl.at; 01, Michaelerplatz 2;
8am-11pm;
1A, 2A Michaelerplatz,
Herrengasse)
Griensteidl holds a prestigious position between the Hofburg and the Loos Haus, and was once the
Stammlokal
(local haunt) for Vienna’s late-19th-century literary set. Expect lots of tourists,
Jugendstil
lamps and huge windows to Michaelerplatz.
CAFÉ TIROLERHOF
COFFEE HOUSE
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(
512 78 33; 01, Führichgasse 8;
7am-10pm Mon-Sat, 9am-8pm Sun;
;
Stephansplatz, Karlsplatz,
D, 1, 2, 71 Kärntner Ring/Oper)
Lovingly renovated
Jugendstil
decor from the 1920s and homemade
Apfelstrudel
help to make Tirolerhof an inviting choice in the Innere Stadt.
ESTERHÁZYKELLER
WINE TAVERN
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(
533 34 82; www.esterhazykeller.at; 01, Haarhof 1;
11am-11pm;
Stephansplatz, Herrengasse)
Esterházykeller, tucked away on a quiet courtyard just off Kohlmarkt, has an enormous cellar – rustic decor, complete with medieval weaponry and farming tools – where excellent wine is served direct from the Esterházy Palace wine estate in Eisenstadt. Unlike most
Heurigen
(wine taverns), Esterházykeller offers beer.
VOLKSGARTEN PAVILLON
BAR
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.volksgarten-pavillon.at; 01, Burgring 1;
11am-2am Apr–mid-Sep;
;
Volkstheater,
D, 1, 2, 71 Dr-Karl-Renner-Ring)
This lovely 1950s-style pavilion has views of Heldenplatz. During the day and very early evening it’s a cafe and restaurant, but its highlight is the legendary Tuesday night Techno Cafe, when its ever-popular garden is packed to the gunnels. Entrance some nights is free; for the Techno Cafe it’s around €4.
VOLKSGARTEN CLUBDISKOTHEK
CLUB
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.volksgarten.at; 01, Burgring 1; cover from €6;
10pm-4am or later Tue & Thu-Sat ;
Museumsquartier, Volkstheater,
D, 1, 2, 71 Dr-Karl-Renner-Ring)
A hugely popular club superbly located near the Hofburg, Volksgarten serves a clientele eager to see and be seen. The long cocktail bar is perfect for people-watching and the music is an ever-
rotating mix of hip-hop, house and hits. Opening hours are variable so check the website. Dress well to glide past the bouncers.
FLEDERMAUS
DISCO
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.fledermaus.at; 01, Spiegelgasse 2; cover about €5 Wed-Mon;
from 9pm;
Stephansplatz)
Fledermaus is not the coolest disco in town but it is among the most relaxed and down-to-earth in terms of decor and club-goers, with a program running the spectrum of musical styles from the 1950s to ’90s, each night dedicated to a particular movement or epoch.
PASSAGE
CLUB
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(
961 88 00; www.club-passage.at; 01, Burgring 3, Babenberger Passage; cover from €6;
from 8pm or 9pm Tue-Sat;
Museumsquartier,
D, 1, 2, 71 Burgring)
Passage is the closest thing to a megaclub for a mostly young crowd in Vienna. Its sleek interior, soothing colours and sweaty atmosphere attract the beautiful people of the city, their entourage and plenty of oglers and barflies. The music is loud (noise from the Ringstrasse traffic directly overhead is easily drowned out) and covers anything from early classics to house.
CAFÉ BRÄUNERHOF
COFFEE HOUSE
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(
512 38 93; 01, Stallburggasse 2;
8am-9pm Mon-Fri, 8am-7pm Sat, 10am-7pm Sun;
Herengasse, Stephansplatz)
Little has changed in Bräunerhof since the days when Austria’s seminal writer Thomas Bernhard frequented the premises: staff can be stand-offish, the mood somewhat stuffy, and the newspaper selection good. For all this, it’s a coffee house with traditional Viennese flavour. Classical music features from 3pm to 6pm on weekends.
ENTERTAINMENT
ÖSTERREICHISCHES FILMMUSEUM
CINEMA
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(
533 70 54; www.filmmuseum.at; 01, Augustinerstrasse 1; adult/child €10/5.80;
Karlsplatz,
D, 1, 2, 71 Kärntner Ring/Oper)
Situated inside the Albertina, the Austrian Film Museum shows a range of films with and without subtitles in the original language, featuring a director, group of directors or a certain theme from around the world in programs generally lasting a couple of weeks. Screenings are generally at 6.30pm; check the website for other times.
HOFBURG CONCERT HALLS
CLASSICAL MUSIC
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(
587 25 52; www.hofburgorchester.at; 01, Heldenplatz; tickets €42-55;
Herrengasse,
D, 1, 2, 71 Burgring)
The Neue Hofburg’s concert halls, the sumptuous Festsaal and Redoutensaal, are regularly used for Strauss and Mozart concerts, featuring the Hofburg Orchestra and soloists from the Staatsoper and Volksoper. Performances start at 8.30pm and tickets are available online and from travel agents and hotels. Seating isn’t allocated, so get in early to secure a good spot.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
ALTWAREN AUCTIONS
A fascinating and ever-changing collection not to be missed in Vienna is at the
Dorotheum
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.dorotheum.com; 01, Dorotheergasse 17;
10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat;
Stephansplatz)
F, one of the largest auction houses in Europe. This extraordinary building houses everything from antique toys and tableware to autographs, antique guns and, above all, lots of paintings. If you’ve got the cash, you can bid at the regular auctions held here, otherwise just drop by and enjoy browsing.
SHOPPING
ÖSTERREICHISCHE
WERKSTÄTTEN
GLASS, CERAMICS
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.austrianarts.com; 01, Kärntner Strasse 6;
10am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat;
Stephansplatz)
Established in 1945, Österreichische Werkstätten is dedicated to selling work made by Austrian companies and designed by Austrian designers. Look out for Kisslinger, a family glassware company since 1946, with Klimt- and Hundertwasser-styled designs; Peter Wolfe’s more traditional Tirol-style designed glassware; and of course the world-renowned Riedel wineglasses.
KABUL SHOP
HANDICRAFTS
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(01, Herrengasse 6-8;
9am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat;
Herrengasse)
The name is somewhat misleading as most of this shop is dedicated to Tibetan and Central Asian handicrafts and jewellery, along with silk scarves and other textiles, and some furniture and carpets. It’s in fact a treasure trove of oriental handicrafts. Expect to pay about €35 for earrings.
FREYTAG & BERNDT
BOOKS, MAPS
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.freytagberndt.at; 01, Kohlmarkt 9;
9.30am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat;
1A, 2A Michaelerplatz,
Herrengasse)
There is no better place for maps and travel guides than Freytag & Berndt. There’s an exhaustive collection of guides to and maps of Vienna and Austria (including some superbly detailed walking maps) and guides to Europe and the world (many in English).
UNITED NUDE
SHOES
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.unitednude-shop.at; 01, Herrengasse 6-8;
10am-8pm Thu-Sat & Mon, to 7pm Tue & Wed;
Herrengasse)
The boots are not Viennese but they are kinky enough to be. This is the Vienna flagship store of some of the most unusual (and postmodern) boots you will ever see. Creative folds cost from €160, and you can expect to pay €200 and upwards for summer and winter boots.
J&L LOBMEYR VIENNA
CERAMICS
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.lobmeyr.at; 01, Kärntner Strasse 26;
9am-5pm Mon-Fri;
Stephansplatz)
Sweep up the beautifully ornate wrought-iron staircase to one of Vienna’s most lavish retail experiences. The collection of Biedermeier pieces, Loos-designed sets, fine/arty glassware and porcelain on display here glitters from the lights of the chandelier-festooned atrium. Lobmeyr has been in business since the early 19th century, when it exclusively supplied the imperial court. Today production is more focused towards pieces inspired by the Wiener Werkstätte artists from the early 20th century. This movement sought to bring a philosophy of artistic craftsmanship into functional design, later helping pave the way for art deco.
AUGARTEN WIEN
GLASS, CERAMICS
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.augarten.at; 01, Spiegelgasse 3;
10am-6pm Mon-Sat;
Stephansplatz)
Wiener Porzellanmanufaktur Augarten makes Vienna’s finest porcelain – the most delicate of ornaments, vases and dinnerware with traditional hand-painted designs. Prices start at around €80 for a small vase and go way up. Tours of the factory are available; see the website for details.
LODEN-PLANKL
CLOTHING
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.loden-plankl.at; 01, Michaelerplatz 6;
10am-6pm Mon-Sat;
1A, 2A Michaelerplatz,
Herrengasse)
Christopher Plummer
wannabes alert: kit yourself out Von Trapp–family style at this 180-year-old institution full of handmade embroidered dirndls (women’s traditional dress) and blouses, capes, high-collared jackets, and deer-suede and
loden
(a traditional fabric made from boiled and combed wool) coats. Modern variations share racks with traditional designs, but you’re likely to find more nostalgic charm in the trad stuff.
MÜHLBAUER
FASHION, ACCESSORIES
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.muehlbauer.at; 01, Seilergasse 10;
10am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat;
Stephansplatz)
Adorning Viennese heads since 1903, Mühlbauer embodies the spirit of fun that hat-wearing in the 21st century should be all about: cool without being unapproachable, glamorous without being stuffy. Cloches, pillboxes, caps and even bonnets – designs nod to the traditional but with colours and detailing that are oh so now.
OBERLAA
CONFECTIONERY
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.oberlaa-wien.at; 01, Neuer Markt 16;
8am-8pm;
Stephansplatz)
Some locals swear that Oberlaa sells the best confectionery in Vienna. We’re out to lunch on that, but it no doubt offers the most beautifully packaged chocolates, and no other
local macaroon measures up to its ‘LaaKronen’ – brightly coloured in flavours like pistachio, lemon and strawberry, available singly or in gorgeous boxed sets. There are seven other branches around town.
WOLFORD
ACCESSORIES, FASHION
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.wolford.com; 01, Kärntner Strasse 22;
10am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat;
Stephansplatz)
Perhaps the best-known Austrian brand in the fashion world, Wolford (founded in 1949) is renowned for high-quality hosiery. Here you’ll find a huge range – including fishnets in all colours of the rainbow and imaginatively patterned tights, stay-ups, stockings and knee-highs –
as well as body stockings and swimwear. There are a number of Wolford branches scattered around town.
Strolling through the Hofburg palace complex, exploring courtyards like the Schweizerhof, and admiring the elegant gates, impressive squares, statues of the Habsburg rulers and monumental architecture.
Visiting the Albertina, with its world-class exhibitions, augmented by luxurious palace rooms and copies from its collection of original graphics by masters.
Admiring the Kaiserappartements, the Habsburg imperial apartments, with the Sisi Museum dedicated to Empress Elisabeth.
Catching the famous white Lipizzaner stallions during a performance of the Spanish Riding School.
Revelling in the historical musical instruments and arms and armour exhibited in the Neue Burg Museums.