SIGHTS

PALAIS LIECHTENSTEIN PALACE

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( 319 57 67; www.liechtensteinmuseum.at; 09, Fürstengasse 1; tours €20; guided tours 3pm 1st & 3rd Friday of each month; Rossauer Lände, D, 1 Seegasse) Once the muse of Italian landscape painter Canaletto, Palais Liechtenstein is a sublime baroque palace that sits in beautifully landscaped, sculpture-dotted grounds. The palace, containing the private collection of Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein, with around 200 paintings and 50 sculptures dating from 1500 to 1700, can be visited twice monthly on hour-long guided tours (in German only). Book ahead.

On the ground floor, the unmissable Gentlemen’s Apartment Library is a magnificent neoclassical hall containing about 100,000 books and frescoes by Johann Michael Rottmayr. Upstairs is the Herkulessaal (Hercules Hall) – so named for the Hercules motifs within its ceiling frescoes by renowned Roman painter Andrea Pozzo (1642–1709). Surrounding the hall are seven galleries providing a trip through 200 years of art history, including such stunners as Raphael’s Portrait of a Man (1503) and Rubens’ intensely perceptive Portrait of Clara Serena Rubens (1616), alongside masterpieces of the Van Dyck and Frans Hals ilk. Keep an eye out for the world’s most valuable piece of furniture, the Florentine Badminton Cabinet, made for the British nobleman Henry Somerset, the Third Duke of Beaufort, in the 1720s.

Until 1938 the royal family of Liechtenstein resided in Vienna, but after the Anschluss (annexation) they bid a hasty retreat to their small country squeezed between Austria and Switzerland. They didn’t manage to take everything with them, and it was only near the end of WWII that they transferred their collection of baroque masterpieces to Vaduz.

UNIVERSITY MAIN BUILDING UNIVERSITY

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( 4277-0, tours 427 71 7525; www.univie.ac.at; 01, Dr-Karl-Lueger-Ring 1; admission free, tours adult/child €5/3; 7am-10pm Mon-Fri, to 7pm Sat, tours in English 11.30am Sat; Schottentor, D, 1, 2 Schottentor) Founded in 1365, Vienna’s venerable university was the first in the German-speaking countries. Today it has about 92,500 students. Grand Duke Rudolph IV (1339–65) used Paris’ Sorbonne as his inspiration, and it was just as well he wasn’t around in 1520 during the Reformation, because in that year his ‘Sorbonne’ was shoe-horned into the Church.

In fact, occasional head-clinching between Church and secular institutions over the centuries is a feature of Vienna’s university history. When Maria Theresia squeezed the Church out of Austrian universities during the Enlightenment in the mid-18th century, she almost made the uni trim and fit for the modern age. ‘Almost’ because ironically the first woman was admitted only in 1897. During the Nazi era about half the professors and tutors had to pack their bags, because of either their politics or ‘race’.

One-hour tours take you through the late-19th-century neo-Renaissance and neo-baroque arcades, reading room and, when possible, decorative main ceremonial chamber. They leave from the porter’s office in the entrance hall.

Directly opposite the university is the Votivkirche, and also the Mölker Bastei, one of the couple of remaining sections of the old city walls.

BEETHOVEN PASQUALATIHAUS HOUSE MUSEUM

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(www.wienmuseum.at; 01, Mölker Bastei 8; adult/under 19yr €4/free; 10am-1pm & 2-6pm Tue-Sun; Schottentor, D, 1, 2 Schottentor) Beethoven made the 4th floor of this house his residence from 1804 to 1814 (he apparently occupied around 80 places in his 35 years in Vienna, but thankfully not all of them are museums!) and during that time composed Symphonies 4, 5 and 7 and the opera Fidelio, among other works.

His two rooms (plus another two from a neighbouring apartment) have been converted into a museum, which is lightly filled with photos, articles and a handful of his personal belongings. The house is named after its long-time owner Josef Benedikt Freiherr von Pasqualati.

SCHUBERT GEBURTSHAUS HOUSE MUSEUM

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(www.wienmuseum.at; 09, Nussdorfer Strasse 54; adult/under 19yr €4/free; 10am-1pm & 2-6pm Tue-Sun; Währinger Strasse, 37, 38 Canisiusgasse) The house where Schubert was born in 1797, in the kitchen, was known at that time as Zum roten Krebsen (The Red Crab), but Schubert probably didn’t remember much about that – he and his family toddled off to greater things when he was five.

Apart from his trademark glasses, the house is rather short on objects. But ‘Schubertologists’ might like to trek here, especially to catch the occasional concert. Bizarrely, a couple of rooms of the house are given over to Adalbert Stifter (1805–68) and his Biedermeier paintings. Apart from being born into the same epoch (more an achievement of their mothers than the men of arts), the two men had absolutely nothing to do with each other.

PALAIS DAUN-KINSKY LANDMARK

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(www.palaisevents.at; 01, Freyung 4; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri; Herrengasse, Schottentor) Built by Hildebrandt in 1716, Palais Kinsky has a classic baroque facade and its highlight is an elaborate three-storey stairway off to the left of the first inner courtyard, with elegant bannisters graced with statues at every turn. The ceiling fresco is a fanciful creation filled with podgy cherubs, bare-breasted beauties and the occasional strongman.

The palace now contains art shops and upmarket restaurants.

SCHOTTENKIRCHE CHURCH

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(01, Freyung; church admission free, museum adult/child €5/1; 11am-5pm Tue-Sat, church shop 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm Sat; Herrengasse, Schottentor) At the northern end of Herrengasse, the Schottenkirche (Church of the Scots) was founded by Benedictine monks probably originating from Scotia Maior (Ireland); the present facade dates from the 19th century. The interior has a beautifully frescoed ceiling and terracotta-red touches.

Although the main nave can only be entered during services, at noon and 6pm to 7pm daily, it’s possible to peek through the gates. A small art and artefacts museum in the adjoining monastery displays religious pieces from the church and monastery, but of more interest is the church shop, which stocks homemade schnapps, honey and jams.

KUNSTFORUM GALLERY

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(www.bankaustria-kunstforum.at; 01, Freyung 8; adult/child €9/4; 10am-7pm Sat-Thu, to 9pm Fri; Herrengasse) The private Kunstforum museum gets about 300,000 visitors each year, and for good reason: it stages an exciting program of changing exhibitions, often (but not always) with a modern and postmodern skew. The work of Spanish abstract artist Miquel Barceló, Colombian figurative artist Botero and Mexican painter Frida Kahlo have all featured in exhibitions in recent years.

PIARISTENKIRCHE CHURCH

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(Maria Treu Church; www.mariatreu.at; 08, Jodok-Fink-Platz; 8am-6pm; Rathaus) F The Piaristenkirche (Church of the Piarist Order) is notable for two interior features: its ceiling frescoes and its organ. The stunning frescoes, completed by Franz Anton Maulbertsch in 1753, depict various stories from the Bible, while the organ holds the distinction of being used by Anton Bruckner for his entry examination into the Music Academy.

BETHAUS JEWISH

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(09, Spitalgasse 2, Courtyard 6, Altes AKH; Schottentor) F This tiny Jewish prayer house, replete with an atrium roof, is a moving aspect of the Altes AKH university campus. It was built in 1903 for Jewish patients of the hospital and in 1938 the Nazis unleashed their terror upon it. The building was completely revamped in the 1970s, and today it has been resurrected as art and a memorial.

The transparent floor chronicles the fate of the prayer house; one level depicts Max Fleischer’s original design from 1903; above that is a text from the Gestapo about the pogroms of 1938 against Vienna’s Jews; the third layer is a plan of the transformer station. The atrium roof is a glass version of Fleischer’s original roof. Bulgarian-born artist Minna Antova was responsible for these artistic features, which successfully capture a mood of vulnerability. Mostly it’s locked, but you can see inside.

JOSEPHINUM MUSEUM

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(www.josephinum.meduniwien.ac.at; 09, Währinger Strasse 25; adult/child €2/1, guided tours €3; 10am-6pm Fri-Sat, tour 11am Fri; ; Währinger Strasse/Volksoper) The prime exhibits of the Museum of Medical History on the 1st floor of the building are ceroplastic and wax specimen models of the human frame, created more than 200 years ago. They were used in the Academy of Medico-Surgery, an institution instigated by Joseph II in 1785 to improve the skills of army surgeons who lacked medical qualifications.

Three rooms of this gory lot will make you feel like you’ve wandered onto the set of a horror movie. A book is open at ‘The Common Causes of Sadism,’ another depicts common positions of those who hang themselves. Hold down your breakfast and take a wander through this intriguing exhibition. It includes a large collection of medical instruments (plus a first aid kit more likely to be a last resort), photos and an interesting collection of paintings depicting operations.

PATHOLOGISCH-ANATOMISCHE
SAMMLUNG IM NARRENTURM MUSEUM

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(www.narrenturm.at; 09, Spitalgasse 2; adult/under 19yr €2/free, tours €6/4; 10am-6pm Wed, 10am-1pm Sat, tours 1pm & 2pm Wed, 10am & 11am Sat; Schottentor) Housed in the Narrenturm (Fool’s Tower), which served as an insane asylum from 1784 to 1866, the Pathological Anatomy collection is not for the weak of heart. Filled with medical oddities and abnormalities preserved in jars of formaldehyde, plus the odd wax model with one grisly disease or another, the museum will take your breakfast to the edge.

Guided tours of the museum’s highlights last 45 minutes. The Narrenturm itself dates from 1784 and is a delightfully circular, neoclassical design by the Franco-Austrian Isidore Canevale (1730–86).

ROSSAUER KASERNE LANDMARK

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(09, Rossauer Lände 1; Schottenring, D, 1, 2 Schottenring) This huge red-brick complex, today housing the police, Defence Department and Vienna’s traffic office, has an impeccable pedigree. It was originally built as barracks after the 1848 revolution. It’s a rather fanciful affair replete with pseudo-Medieval turrets and massive entranceways and has been restored after being damaged in bombing during WWII.

VOTIVKIRCHE CHURCH

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(www.votivkirche.at; 09, Rooseveltplatz; 9am-1pm & 4-6pm Tue-Sat, to 1pm Sun; Schottentor, D, 1, 2 Schottentor) In 1853 Franz Josef I survived an assassination attempt when a knife-wielding Hungarian failed to find the emperor’s neck through his collar. The Votivkirche (Votive Church) was commissioned in thanks for his lucky escape; in stepped Heinrich von Ferstel with a twin-towered, mosaic-roofed neo-Gothic construction, completed in 1879.

The rather bleak interior is bedecked with frescoes and bulbous chandeliers, and the tomb of Count Niklas Salm, one of the architects of the successful defence against the Turks in 1529, is in the Baptismal Chapel. The prize exhibit of a small church museum is the Antwerp Altar from 1460.

MUSEUM FÜR VOLKSKUNDE MUSEUM

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(www.volkskundemuseum.at; 08, Laudongasse 15-19; adult/under 19yr €5/free; 10am-5pm Tue-Sun; Rathaus, 5, 33 Laudongasse) Housed in turn-of-the-18th-century Palais Schönborn, this folklore museum gives a taste of 18th- and 19th-century rural dwellings, and is stocked with handcrafted sculptures, paintings and furniture from throughout Austria and its neighbouring countries. Many of the pieces have a religious or rural theme, and telltale floral motifs are everywhere. Temporary exhibitions regularly feature.

SERVITENKIRCHE CHURCH

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(www.rossau.at; 09, Servitengasse 9; Mass only; Rossauer Lände) Dominating the Serviten quarter – a small confluence of cobblestone streets lined with bars, restaurants and shops a few blocks from the Ringstrasse – the Servitenkirche was built in 1677 and is the only church outside the Innere Stadt to survive the second Turkish siege of 1683.

Its baroque interior and oval nave were inspired by the Karlskirche, but unfortunately it’s only open for Mass (see the website); outside of this time you’ll have to make do with peering through iron railings. The adjoining monastery is an oasis of calm, in particular its inner courtyard (entry is through the door on the left).

EATING

HIDDEN KITCHEN DELI €

(www.hiddenkitchen.at; 01, Färbergasse 3; light meals €5-8, 3-course lunch €10; 11am-4pm Mon, 8am-4pm Tue-Fri; ; Herrengasse, Schottentor) This slick, white-walled deli raises salads to a new level. Combinations like couscous with tarragon, cranberries and goat’s cheese, fennel-mushroom carpaccio, and bulgur wheat with tomatoes, rocket and feta are brilliantly fresh and healthy. It also does a fine line in quiches, soups and juices. Get there before the midday crowds do for the richest pickings.

CUPCAKES WIEN DESSERTS €

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(www.cupcakes-wien.at; 08, Josefstädter Strasse 17; cupcake €3.90; 10am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat; ; Rathaus) This cupcake parlour is a little girl’s dream, with its pink-kissed walls, flowers and polka-dot crockery. The feather-light cupcakes with mascarpone toppings are made with local ingredients, from organic eggs to Waldviertel poppy seeds. Besides year-round flavours such as caramel, berry and white chocolate, look out for seasonal cupcakes like pumpkin-chestnut and mulled-wine-plum, as well as savoury and sorbet varieties.

WIENER DEEWAN INTERNATIONAL €

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( 925 11 85; www.deewan.at; 09, Liechtensteinstrasse 10; 11am-11pm Mon-Sat; ; Schottentor) Pakistani cuisine, cooked under the maxim ‘eat what you like, pay as you wish’, is the speciality of this super-relaxed restaurant. Three vegetarian and three meat dishes, accompanied by one dessert, are prepared daily and served in a buffet-style set-up; prices aren’t set, and you can eat all five if you like.

Most people are generous with payment, as the likes of the lamb karah (diced-lamb curry), tinda (pumpkin curry) and dhal masur (red lentil dhal) are excellent and full of subtle flavours.

KENT TURKISH €

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( 405 91 73; www.kent-restaurant.at; 16, Brunnengasse 67; mains €7-13; 6am-2am; ; Josefstädter Strasse) Kent means ‘small town’ in Turkish, an appropriate name considering the hordes that frequent this ever-expanding restaurant. In summer the tree-shaded garden is one of the prettiest in the city, and the food is consistently top-notch. Menu highlights include shish kebab and Ispanakli Pide (long Turkish pizza with sheep’s cheese, egg and spinach). Everything is available as takeaway.

SUPPENWIRTSCHAFT SOUP €

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(www.suppenwirtschaft.at; 09, Servitengasse 6; soups, salads & curries €4.80-5.80; 11.30am-6pm Mon-Fri; ; Rossauer Lände) This chic little eat-in and takeaway kitchen focuses mainly on soups and a few curries and salads from a weekly menu. All are made fresh each day using ingredients foraged at the Naschmarkt. It fits in well with the genteel style and flair of Servitengasse. All dishes are half price from 5pm to 6pm.

SOUPKULTUR SOUP €

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(01, Wipplingerstrasse 32; soups €2.30-4.70, salads €4.20-9; 11.30am-3.30pm Mon-Thu, to 3pm Fri; ; Schottentor, D, 1 Wipplingerstrasse) Organic produce and aromatic spices are whipped into an assortment of different soups and salads each week, ranging from red-lentil soup to traditional Hungarian goulash, Caesar salad to Thai papaya salad. There’s token seating, but count on taking it away (a leafy park is just around the corner).

CAFÉ HUMMEL COFFEE €

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(http://cafehummel.at; 08, Josefstädter Strasse 66; mains €8-17; 7am-midnight Mon-Sat, 8am-midnight Sun; ; Josefstädter Strasse 66, 2 Albertgasse) Unpretentious and classic, Hummel is a large Kaffeehaus (coffee house) catering to a regular crowd. The coffee is rich, the cakes are baked on the premises, and mains, such as goulash and schnitzel, are satisfying. In summer, it’s easy to spend a few hours sitting outside, mulling over the international papers and watching the world go by.

BREZL GWÖLB AUSTRIAN €€

( 533 88 11; www.brezl.at; 01, Ledererhof 9; mains €9-16; 11.30am-1am; ; Schottentor, Herrengasse) Hidden down an alley near Freyung, Brezl Gwölb has won a loyal following for its winningly fresh Austrian home-cooking, served with smiles and a generous dollop of Gothic charm. Atmospherically lit by candles, the crypt-like cellar magics you back in time with its carvings, brick arches, wrought-iron lanterns and alcoves. No wonder the place overflows with regulars.

As the name suggests, the Brezl (pretzels) here are precisely as they should be: chewy, fluffy and fresh from the oven. Heart-warming dishes such as beef broth with noodles, schnitzel and cheesy Pinzgauer Kasnocken dumplings are matched with some terrific wines from Lower Austria.

LA TAVOLOZZA ITALIAN €€

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( 406 37 57; www.latavolozza.at; 08, Florianigasse 37; pizza €7-13.50, mains €12.50-22; 5pm-midnight Mon-Fri, noon-midnight Sat & Sun; Rathaus, 2 Lederergasse) You’ll feel part of the famiglia at this friendly neighbourhood Italian, where tightly packed tables are lit by candlelight. The food is superb: bread crisp from a wood oven is followed by generous, well-seasoned portions of grilled fish and meat, washed down with beefy chianti reds. Seasonal specialities like truffles often star on the menu.

GASTHAUS FLOSZ AUSTRIAN €€

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( 533 89 58; www.flosz.at; 01, Börseplatz 3; mains €15-20; 11am-midnight Mon-Fri, 5pm-midnight Sat; Schottenring, 1 Börsegasse) The chef uses a minimum of excellent locally sourced ingredients to produce regional food with real depth of flavour at this high-ceilinged brasserie. The season-driven menu might include dishes such as risotto with chanterelles and butter-soft organic Styrian beef with dill sauce, and there are 100 different Austrian wines to choose from. The three-course lunch is a snip at €10.90.

GASTHAUS WICKERL AUSTRIAN €€

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( 317 74 89; 09, Porzellangasse 24a; mains €8-16; 9am-midnight Mon-Fri, 10am-midnight Sat, 10am-4pm Sun; Rossauer Lände) Wickerl is a beautiful Beisl (bistro pub) with an all-wood finish and a warm, welcoming mood. Seasonal fare, such as Kürbisgulasch (pumpkin goulash) in autumn, Marillenknödel (apricot dumplings) in summer and Spargel (asparagus) in spring, are mixed in with the usual Viennese offerings of Tafelspitz (prime boiled beef), Zwiebelrostbraten (steak with onions) and veal and pork schnitzel.

STOMACH AUSTRIAN €€

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( 310 20 99; 09, Seegasse 26; mains €10-18; 4pm-midnight Wed-Sat, 10am-10pm Sun; Rossauer Lände) Stomach has been serving seriously good food for years. The menu brims with meat and vegetarian delights, such as Styrian roast beef, cream-of-pumpkin soup, and, when in season, wild boar and venison. The interior is authentically rural Austrian, and the overgrown garden pretty. The name ‘Stomach’ comes from the rearrangement of the word Tomaschek, the butcher’s shop originally located here.

AN-DO SEAFOOD €€

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( 308 75 76; www.andofisch.at; 16, Brunnenmarkt 161; mains €14-24; 11am-11pm Mon-Sat; Josefstädter Strasse) The Viennese swim across to An-Do for one thing: fish. Start with a fish soup and you’ll feel like you’re eating your way through the Atlantic. When you resurface, dive into mains such as grilled calamari with rosemary potatoes, scallops with olive risotto or sea bass – all cooked to perfection. Quality is superb and the staff relaxed and efficient.

EN JAPANESE €€

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( 532 44 90; www.restaurant-en.at; 01, Werdertorgasse 8; lunch menus €8.50-9.70, mains €9-25.50; 11.30am-2.30pm & 5.30-10.30pm Mon-Sat; ; Schottenring) A Tokyo chef and Hokkaido staff banded together to create this exceptionally relaxed Japanese restaurant in a quiet corner of the Innere Stadt. The many different varieties of sushi (including octopus and sweet shrimp) are among the best in Vienna. The gyoza is delightful and warm sake or genmaicha (green tea with roasted rice) makes a perfect accompaniment.

SAIGON ASIAN €€

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( 408 74 36; 16, Neulerchenfelder Strasse 37; mains €8-16; 11.30am-11pm; Josefstädter Strasse, 2 Neulerchenfelder Strasse/Brunnengasse) The second of the Saigon restaurants (the other is in Mariahilf), this branch has an enormous, kitsch mural on the wall and, like its sibling, offers some of the best Asian (mostly Vietnamese) dining in Vienna, based on homemade noodles. Spicy grilled beef, fried duck served in pineapple and a range of noodle soups are its hallmarks.

GU ASIAN €€

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( 402 63 33; www.gu-asia.at; 08, Lederergasse 16; mains lunch €4.90-7, dinner €9-18; 11am-3pm & 5.30-11pm Mon-Fri, noon-11pm Sat & Sun; ; Josefstädter Strasse, 2 Lederergasse) If you choose carefully in the evening or take advantage of the lunch dishes, Gu can be a very inexpensive way to fill up on noodles, rice and pan-Asian curries between forays into Alsergrund and Josefstadt. Whatever hasn’t been sold out from the lunchtime blackboard can be ordered at the day price in the evening.

CURRYINSEL INTERNATIONAL €€

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( 406 92 33; 08, Lenaugasse 4; curry portions €3.20-5, mains €7-13.50; 5pm-midnight Tue-Fri, 11am-midnight Sat & Sun; ; Rathaus) Hoppers (made from baked rice) and string hoppers (steamed noodles made of rice and wheat) are terrific for mopping up the spicy Sri Lankan curries, pickles and dhals at Curryinsel. Pick and choose from different types of curry. A menu mainstay is the €13.50 mixed curry plate.

SCHNATTL INTERNATIONAL €€€

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( 405 34 00; www.schnattl.com; 08, Lange Gasse 40; mains €21-26, 3-course menus €33-38; 6pm-midnight Mon-Fri; ; Rathaus, 2 Rathaus, Josefstädter Strasse) Despite its weekday-only opening hours, Schnattl is a culinary institution in Josefstadt, particularly beloved of actors and arty types. The inner courtyard is perfect for summer dining, while bottle-green wood panelling creates a cosy mood inside. The chef plays up seasonal specialities like creamy chestnut soup and meltingly tender organic beef, matured on the bone and served with green-pepper gnocchi.

KIM KOCHT ASIAN €€€

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( 319 02 42; www.kimkocht.at; 09, Lustkandlgasse 4; lunch mains €8.90, 5-course evening menus €67; noon-3pm & 7pm-midnight Tue-Fri; Währinger Strasse) S Kim puts her own creative spin on Korean and Japanese cuisine at this understatedly stylish restaurant. Her menus are constantly changing but often feature fish dishes, such as lemongrass-chilli tuna with rice noodles, as the main. The food is winningly fresh, making best use of organic produce. It’s advisable to book well ahead. Kim Kocht also offers cooking courses.

DRINKING & NIGHTLIFE

CAFÉ CENTRAL COFFEE HOUSE

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(www.palaisevents.at; 01, Herrengasse 14; 7.30am-10pm Mon-Sat, 10am-10pm Sun; ; Herrengasse) Grand Café Central has a rich history: Trotsky came here to play chess, and turn-of-the-century literary greats such as Karl Kraus and Hermann Bahr regularly met here for coffee. Its impressive interior of marble pillars, arched ceilings and glittering chandeliers now plays host mostly to tourists, but it remains a decadent setting for a Melange (milky coffee) and a slice of chocolate-truffle Altenbergtorte.

There’s live piano music daily from 5pm to 10pm, and the plaster patron with the walrus moustache near the door is a model of the poet Peter Altenberg.

FLEX CLUB

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(www.flex.at; 01, Augartenbrücke; 9pm-6am Mon-Sat; Schottenring, 1, 2 Schottenring) Flex has been attracting a more mainstream crowd than it did in its early days but it still manages to retain a semblance of its former edginess. The sound system is without equal in Vienna, entry price generally reasonable and dress code unheard of. The monthly DJ line-up features local legends and international names, and live acts are commonplace.

‘THAT SHxT’ on Monday (the night to catch electro and techno) and ‘London Calling’ (underground rock) on Friday are among the most popular nights. In summer the picnic tables lining the canal overflow with happy partygoers.

TUNNEL CAFE

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(www.tunnel-vienna-live.at; 08, Florianigasse 39; 10am-1am, to 2am Fri & Sat; ; Rathaus, 2 Lederergasse) This laid-back, boho-flavoured cafe attracts students, arty types and all-comers. By day it’s a relaxed spot to grab one of the worn wooden tables and flick through the papers over a coffee or €5 lunch special. By night the mood cranks up a notch with (mostly free) gigs at 9pm, skipping from rock to indie and Latin to contemporary jazz.

The full line-up is posted online. Budding stars have a whale of a time at the kids’ jam sessions from 3pm to 6pm on Sundays.

WEINSTUBE JOSEFSTADT WINE BAR

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(08, Piaristengasse 27; 4pm-midnight, closed Jan-Mar; Rathaus) Weinstube Josefstadt is one of the loveliest Stadtheurigen (city wine taverns) in the city. Its garden is a barely controlled green oasis among concrete residential blocks, and tables are squeezed in between the trees and shrubs. Food is typical, with a buffet-style selection and plenty of cheap meats. The friendly, well-liquored locals come free of charge.

The location is not well signposted; the only sign of its existence is a metal Busch’n hanging from a doorway.

CAFÉ CI CAFE

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(www.ci.or.at; 16, Payergasse 14; mains €6.50-9, snacks €4-6; 8am-2am Mon-Sat, 10am-2am Sun; Josefstädterstrasse, 2 Neulerchenfelder Strasse/Brunnengasse) There’s always something happening at this cafe on the square, be it a reading, an exhibition, a language course or Greek dance lessons. Come summer, its terrace throngs with locals sipping organic beers and juices, while in winter they retreat inside to browse the daily papers and dig into heart-warming specials such as goulash and ćevapčići (spicy Serbian sausages).

CAFÉ LANDTMANN COFFEE HOUSE

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(www.landtmann.at; 01, Dr-Karl-Lueger-Ring 4; 7.30am-midnight; ; Rathaus, D, 1, 2 Rathausplatz) Freud, Mahler and Marlene Dietrich all had a soft spot for this coffee house, which opened its doors in 1873. Today, it attracts both politicians and theatre-goers with its elegant interior and close proximity to the Burgtheater, Rathaus and Parlament. The list of coffee specialities is formidable and the dessert menu features Sacher Torte (chocolate cake) and Apfelstrudel (apple strudel).

There’s free live piano music from 8pm to 11pm on Sunday to Tuesday.

HALBESTADT BAR COCKTAIL BAR

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(www.halbestadt.at; 09, Stadtbogen 155; 7pm-2am Mon-Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat; Nussdorferstrasse) It starts when you can’t open the glass door. The host swings it forth, escorts you in and offers to advise you on what to order – impeccable hospitality, no trace of snobbery. More than 500 bottles grace the walls of the tiny space under the Bogen (railway arch) and mixologists hold court creating enticing cocktails, shaken and poured into exquisite receptacles.

CAFÉ BERG CAFE

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(www.cafe-berg.at; 09, Berggasse 8; 10am-midnight Mon-Sat, to 11pm Sun; ; Schottentor, D, 1 Schottentor) Café Berg is Vienna’s leading gay bar, although it’s welcoming to all walks of life. Its staff are some of the nicest in town, the layout sleek and smart, and the vibe chilled. Its bookshop, Löwenherz ( 10am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 5pm Sat), stocks a grand collection of gay magazines and books.

CAFÉ FLORIANIHOF CAFE

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(www.florianihof.at; 08, Florianigasse 45; 7.30am-10.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-7pm Sat & Sun; ; Josefstädter Strasse, 5, 33 Florianigasse) S This child-friendly cafe in Josefstadt serves food heavily laden with organic produce and a remarkable array of fruit juices. Paintings by local artists add a splash of colour to the clean white walls, and in summer the streetside seating fills quickly.

MAS! BAR

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(www.restaurante-mas.at; 08, Laudongasse 36; 5pm-midnight Mon-Wed, 5pm-2am Thu-Sat, 10am-midnight Sun; Alser Strasse, 5, 33 Laudongasse) A designer bar specialising in cocktails and Mexican food, Mas! attracts an affluent and well-groomed set. Choose from a high, wobbly stool at the long, shimmering bar backed by an enormous light installation, or, for a more intimate evening, a low, dimly lit table. The Mexican brunch (€18) on Sunday is legendary.

CAFÉ STEIN CAFE

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(www.cafe-stein.com; 09, Währinger Strasse 6-8; 8am-1am Mon-Sat, 9am-1am Sun; ; Schottentor, D, 1, 2 Schottentor) During the day this three-level cafe is a popular haunt of students from the nearby university; come evening the clientele metamorphoses into city workers with a lot more money to spend. DJs control the decks in the evenings, and the all-day menu is extensive. During the summer there is outside seating, which enjoys superb views of the Votivkirche.

ENTERTAINMENT

VOLKSOPER CONCERT VENUE

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(People’s Opera; 514 44 3670; www.volksoper.at; 09, Währinger Strasse 78; Währinger Strasse) Offering a more intimate experience than the Staatsoper, this venue specialises in operettas, dance performances, musicals and a handful of standard, heavier operas. Standing tickets go for €2 to €7 and, as at many venues, there is a plethora of discounts and reduced tickets for sale 30 minutes before performances. The Volksoper closes for July and August.

THEATER IN DER JOSEFSTADT THEATRE

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( 427 00 300; www.josefstadt.org; 08, Josefstädter Strasse 26; box office 10am- performance time Mon-Fri, 1pm-performance time Sat & Sun; Rathaus, 2 Stadiongasse) Theater in der Josefstadt is another theatre in the Volkstheater mould, with an ornate interior and traditional German productions. One hour before performances tickets are available to students and school children for €5; same-day standing-room tickets are avail­able for €4 at 1pm for afternoon productions, and at 3pm for evening productions.

B72 LIVE MUSIC

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(www.b72.at; 08, Hernalser Gürtel 72; 8pm-4am Sun-Thu, to 6am Fri & Sat; Alser Strasse, 44 Hernalser Gürtel) Fringe live acts, alternative beats and album launches are the mainstay of B72’s entertainment line-up, which collectively attracts a predominantly youthful crowd. Its tall glass walls and arched brick interior are typical of most bars along the Gürtel, as is the grungy appearance. Its name comes from its location, Bogen 72.

MILES SMILES LIVE MUSIC

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(www.miles-smiles.at; 08, Lange Gasse 51; 8pm-2am Sun-Thu, to 4am Fri & Sat; Rathaus) One of two bars in town named after legend Miles Davis, Miles Smiles is for the discerning jazz fan who likes to see the whites of the artist’s eyes. Live acts are irregular but always enthralling, and the atmosphere enthusiastic and energetic.

WUK CULTURAL CENTRE

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(Workshop & Culture House; 401 21-0; www.wuk.at; 09, Währinger Strasse 59; performance times vary; Währinger Strasse) WUK is many things to many people. Basically a space for art, it hosts plenty of events in its concert hall. International and local rock acts vie with clubbing nights, classical concerts, film evenings, theatre and even children’s shows. Women’s groups, temporary exhibitions and practical skills workshops are also on-site, along with a cafe with a fabulous cobbled courtyard.

CAFÉ CONCERTO LIVE MUSIC

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(www.cafeconcerto.at; 16, Lerchenfelder Gürtel 53; 7pm-4am Tue-Sat; ; Josefstädter Strasse) Concerto is another of the bars on the Gürtel that hosts local live acts. Jazz features heavily on the program (which is also peppered with DJs) and both the cellar and ground-level bar are used for concerts, although the acoustics of the former may leave a little to be desired. Entry is often free.

CAFÉ CARINA LIVE MUSIC

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(www.cafe-carina.at; 08, Josefstädter Strasse 84; 6pm-2am Mon-Thu, to 4am Fri & Sat; Josefstädter Strasse) Small, alternative and pleasantly dingy, Carina is a muso’s and drinker’s bar. Local bands perform most nights, only a few feet from a normally enthusiastic audience, and the music is invariably folk, jazz or country.

DE FRANCE CINEMA

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( 317 52 36; www.defrance.at; 01, Schottenring 5; Schottentor, D, 1, 2 Schottentor) De France screens films in their original language, with subtitles, in its two small cinemas. The schedule includes a healthy dose of English-language films. Every Saturday afternoon is ‘Film & Wein’ day, when you get a matinée and a quality glass of wine (usually an Austrian varietal) for €15.

VOTIVKINO CINEMA

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( 317 35 71; www.votivkino.at; 09, Währinger Strasse 12; ; Schottentor) Built in 1912, the Votiv is one of the oldest cinemas in Vienna. It’s been extensively updated since then and is now among the best cinemas in the city. Its three screens feature a mix of Hollywood’s more quirky ventures and art-house films in their original language.

The 11am Tuesday screening is reserved for mothers, fathers and babies, and weekend afternoons feature special matinées for kids.

SCHAUSPIELHAUS THEATRE

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( 317 01 0111; www.schauspielhaus.at; 09, Porzellangasse 19; tickets €19; box office 4-6pm Mon-Sat, 2hr before performance; Rossauer Lände) The Schauspielhaus pushes the boundaries of theatre in Vienna with unconventional productions. Whatever the theme, you can guarantee it will be contemporary and thought-provoking. The adjacent building also features readings by cutting-edge writers. Student tickets cost €10.

SHOPPING

XOCOLAT CONFECTIONERY

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(http://xocolat.at; 09, Servitengasse 5; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat; Rossauer Lände) This upmarket Konditorei (cake shop) offers 40-odd varieties of beautifully decorated handmade chocolates, pralines and truffles – some of which qualify as tiny edible works of art. You can also visit the factory where the chocolates are made.

K&K SCHMUCKHANDELS JEWELLERY

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(08, Josefstädter Strasse 5; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 2pm Sat; Rathaus, 2 Stadiongasse) This is one giant treasure chest, with strings of semiprecious stones heaped over every surface, as well as Chinoiserie, polished coral, shell and wooden beads. Bangles, bracelets, necklaces and earrings are on display. Or you can get the trinket of your dreams custom-made from the gems of your choice.

FREYUNG MARKET MARKET

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(01, Freyung; 9am-6pm Fri & Sat; Herrengasse, Schottentor) Great for picnic fixings, this low-key market exclusively sells organic produce from farmers. Find everything from wood-oven bread to fruit, fish, meat, honey, cheese, wine and pumpkin-seed oil here.