Schloss Belvedere
to the Canal
For more detail of this area see Neigbourhood Map»
Neighbourhood Top Five
Draw breath as you ramble through Schloss Belvedere, taking in lavishly frescoed apartments, sculpture-strewn gardens and a gallery home to the ultimate embrace: Klimt’s
The Kiss.
Be dazzled by Hundertwasser’s wonky floors, madcap mosaics and hallucinatory colours at KunstHausWien.
Rewind a century to the dawn of a modernist age exploring the Museum für Angewandte Kunst.
Hum
The Blue Danube
as you waltz across the Stadtpark
to glimpse Strauss’ golden statue.
Let stress evaporate as you plunge into Therme Wien, one of Europe’s biggest spa complexes.
Explore Schloss Belvedere
to the Canal
If you only see one palace in Vienna, make it Schloss Belvedere. What giddy romance is evoked in its sumptuously frescoed baroque halls, replete with Klimt, Schiele and Kokoschka artworks; what stories are conjured wandering its landscaped gardens, which drop like the sudden fall of a theatre curtain to reveal Vienna’s skyline. Belvedere is overwhelming in both scale and substance: a day-long marathon of a sight that engrosses from start to finish.
As compelling as Belvedere is, it can be rewarding to explore lesser-known corners of Vienna’s third district, Landstrasse, too. Here elegant backstreets lead to art-nouveau cafes, low-key market squares and houses bearing the psychedelic imprint of artistic wild child Hundertwasser. The spirits of classical greats linger in parks and cemeteries, from Strauss on a pedestal in the Stadtpark to Mozart buried at St Marxer Friedhof.
Local Life
»
Canalside Summer
Embrace summer on the Costa del Danube with your feet in the sand and your bum in a deckchair at Strandbar Herrmann (Click here) or with a cocktail in hand at Urania (Click here).
»
Green Spaces
Seek quiet respite with a wander in the dappled leafiness of the Stadtpark (Click here) or the headstone-dotted Zentralfriedhof (Click here), where the ghosts of Strauss, Beethoven and Brahms hold court.
»
Coffee Houses
Hone your inner
Wiener
with afternoons devoted to coffee, cake and drawn-out conversations at old-world Café Zartl (Click here), Café am Heumarkt (Click here) and Café Goldegg (Click here).
Getting There & Away
»
U-Bahn
The U-Bahn makes the quick hop between Landstrasse and the rest of Vienna. Taubstummengasse and Südtiroler Platz stations, both on the U1 line, are close to Schloss Belvedere. The U3 line to Stubentor, Landstrasse-Wien Mitte and Rochusgasse are handy for reaching the Stadtpark, Canal and Rochusplatz.
»
Trams
Trams trump the U-Bahn for access to some parts of the 3rd district. Tram 2 trundles around the Ring (for MAK, Stadtpark), tram 1 to Radetzkyplatz (for the Hundertwasser sights), while trams 71 and D take you to Belvedere.
DIANA MAYFIELD / GETTY IMAGES ©
TOP SIGHT
SCHLOSS BELVEDERE & GARDENS
A masterpiece of total art, Belvedere is one of the world’s finest baroque palaces. Designed by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt (1668–1745), it was built as a summer residence for the brilliant military strategist Prince Eugene of Savoy, conqueror of the Turks in 1718. Eugene had grown up around the court of Louis XIV and it shows – this is a chateau to rival Versailles.
Oberes Belvedere
Rising splendidly above the gardens and commanding sweeping views of Vienna’s skyline, the
Oberes Belvedere
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(Upper Belvedere;
03, Prinz-Eugen-Strasse 27; adult/child €11/free;
10am-6pm)
is one of Vienna’s unmissable sights. Built between 1717 and 1723, its peerless art collection, showcased in rooms replete with marble, frescoes and stucco, attest to the unfathomable wealth and cultured tastes of the Habsburg Empire.
Ground Floor: Medieval & Modern Art
The
Sala Terrena
is a grand prelude to the ground floor, with four colossal Atlas pillars supporting the weight of its delicately stuccoed vault. Spread across four beautifully frescoed rooms,
Medieval Art
leads you through the artistic development of the age, with an exceptional portfolio of Gothic sculpture and altarpieces, many from Austrian abbeys and monasteries. Top billing goes to the Master of Grosslobming’s sculptural group, whose fluid, expressive works embodied the figurative ideal; among them is the faceless
St George with Dragon
(1395), with a rather tame-looking dragon at his feet. Other heavenly treasures include Joachim’s polyptych
Albrechtsaltar
(1435), one of the foremost examples of Gothic realism, and the
Znaim Altar
(1445), a gilded glorification of faith showing the Passion of Christ.
Modern Art & Interwar Period
is particularly strong on Austrian expressionism. Attention-grabbers here include Oskar Kokoschka’s richly animated portrait of art-nouveau painter
Carl Moll
(1913). Egon Schiele is represented by works both haunting and beguiling, such as
Death and the Maiden
(1915) and his portrait of six-year-old
Herbert Rainer
(1910). Other standouts include Oskar Laske’s staggeringly detailed
Ship of Fools
(1923) and Max Oppenheimer’s musical masterpiece
The Philharmonic
(1935), with a baton-swinging Gustav Mahler.
First Floor: From Klimt to Baroque
The first-floor
Vienna 1880–1914
collection is a holy grail for Klimt fans, with an entire room devoted to erotic golden wonders like
Judith
(1901),
Salome
(1909),
Adam and Eve
(1917) and
The Kiss
(1908). Works by German symbolist painter Max Klinger (1857–1920), as well as portraits by Secessionist Koloman Moser and Norwegian expressionist Edvard Munch also feature. The centrepiece is the
Marmorsaal, a chandelier-lit marble, stucco, and trompe l’œil confection, crowned by Carlo Innocenzo Carlone’s ceiling fresco (1721–23) celebrating the glorification of Prince Eugène.
Baroque & Early 19th-Century Art
pays tribute to Austrian masters of the age, endowed with highlights such as Johann Michael Rottmayr’s lucid
Susanna and the Elders
(1692) and Paul Troger’s chiaroscuro
Christ on the Mount of Olives
(1750).
Second Floor: Impressionists & Romantics
In
Neoclassicism, Romanticism & Biedermeier Art, you’ll find outstanding works such as Georg Waldmüller’s
Corpus Christi Morning
(1857), a joyous snapshot of impish lads and flower girls bathed in honeyed light. Representative of the neoclassical period are clearer, more emotionally restrained pieces like Jacques-Louis David’s gallant
Napoleon on Great St Bernard Pass
(1801) and François Gérard’s portrait
Count Moritz Christian Fries and Family
(1804). The romantic period is headlined by the wistful, brooding landscapes and seascapes of 19th-century German painter Caspar David Friedrich.
French masters share the limelight with their Austrian and German contemporaries in
Realism & Impressionism, where you’ll feel the artistic pull of Renoir’s softly evocative
Woman after the Bath
(1876), Monet’s sun-dappled
Garden at Giverny
(1902) and Van Gogh’s
Plain at Auvers
(1890), where wheat fields ripple under a billowing sky. Lovis Corinth’s tranquil
Woman Reading Near a Goldfish Tank
(1911) and Max Liebermann’s
Hunter in the Dunes
(1913) epitomise the German impressionist style.
Museum Tour
Oberes Belvedere
Length Four hours
The Upper Belvedere’s scale can be overwhelming. This half-day itinerary will help you pin down the highlights, though bear in mind that paintings are frequently shifted around for exhibitions.
Gaze up to the Atlas pillars supporting the 
Sala Terrena
and turn right into 
Medieval Art, displayed in exuberantly frescoed halls. You’ll be drawn to the Gothic brilliance of the Master of Grosslobming’s sculptures, such as
St George with Dragon
and
Kneeling Mary
. High on your wish list, too, should be the soul-stirring
Albrechtsaltar
and the
Znaim Altar
depicting the Passion of Christ. Exit and turn left into 
Modern Art & Interwar Period, where evocative pieces like Schiele’s intensely expressionistic portrait of
Herbert Rainer
and Max Oppenheimer’s
The Philharmonic
steal the show.
Saunter up the Prunkstiege staircase, pausing to marvel at the opulence of 
Marmorsaal. Now turn right to reach 
Vienna 1880–1914, a peerless repository of fin-de-siècle and Secessionist art, to which you’ll want to devote at least an hour. The Klimt collection is second to none, shimmering with entrancing golden period stunners like
Judith
and
The Kiss
. Across the way in 
Baroque & Early 19th-Century Art, look out for light-fantastic works such as Johann Michael Rottmayr’s
Susanna and the Elders
.
Head up to the second floor and turn left into 
Neoclassicism, Romanticism & Biedermeier Art. Notice neoclassical wonders such as François Gérard’s portrait of
Count Moritz Christian Fries
, then move swiftly on past landscapes and still lifes to the Romantic era. Here, keep an eye out for Caspar David Friedrich’s mist-enshrouded
Rocky Landscape of the Elbe Sandstone Heights.
Georg Waldmüller’s mirthful
Corpus Christi Morning
takes pride of place in the Biedermeier collection. Round out with a lingering look at impressionist masterworks in 
Realism & Impressionism, where exceptional works include Max Liebermann’s
Hunter in the Dunes
, Monet’s
Woman after the Bath
and Van Gogh’s
Plain at Auvers
.
Gardens
Belvedere: ‘beautiful view.’ The reason for this name becomes apparent in the baroque
garden
(03, Rennweg/Prinz-Eugen-Strasse;
D)
linking the upper and lower palace, which was laid out around 1700 in classical French style by Dominique Girard, a pupil of André le Nôtre of Versailles fame. Set along a central axis, the gently sloping garden commands a broad view of Vienna’s skyline, with the Stephansdom and the Hofburg punctuating the horizon.
The three-tiered garden is lined by clipped box hedges and flanked by ornamental parterres. As you stroll to the
Lower Cascade, with its frolicking water nymphs, look out for Greco-Roman statues of the eight muses and cherubic putti embodying the 12 months of the year. Mythical beasts squirt water across the
Upper Cascade, which spills down five steps into the basin below. Guarding the approach to the Oberes Belvedere are winged sphinxes, symbols of power and wisdom, which look as though they are about to take flight any minute.
South of the Oberes Belvedere is the
Alpengarten
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(www.bundesgaerten.at; 03, Prinz-Eugen-Strasse 27; adult/child €3.50/2.50;
10am-6pm late Mar-early Aug;
Südtiroler Platz,
D, O, 18), a Japanese-style garden nurturing Alpine species, at its fragrant best from spring to summer, when clematis, rhododendrons, roses and peonies are in bloom. North from here is the larger
Botanischer Garten
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(www.botanik.univie.ac.at; 03, Rennweg 14;
10am-1hr before dusk;
71, O)
F
, belonging to the Vienna University, with tropical glasshouses and 11,500 botanical species, including Chinese dwarf bamboo and Japanese plum yews.
Unteres Belvedere
Built between 1712 and 1716,
Unteres Belvedere
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(Lower Belvedere; 03, Rennweg 6; adult/child €11/free;
10am-6pm Thu-Tue, to 9pm Wed;
D)
is a baroque feast of state apartments and ceremonial rooms. Most lavish of all is the red marble
Marmorsaal, an ode to Prince Eugène’s military victories, with stucco trophies, medallions and Martino Altomonte’s ceiling fresco showing the glorification of the prince and Apollo surrounded by muses. At eye level are sculptures taken from Georg Raphael Donner’s mid-18th-century
fountain
on Neuer Markt. Snake-bearing Providentia (Prudence) rises above four putti grappling with fish, each of which symbolises a tributary of the Danube.
In the
Groteskensaal, foliage intertwines with fruit, birds and mythological beasts in the fanciful grotesque style that was all the rage in baroque times. This leads through to the
Marmorgalerie, a vision of frilly white stucco and marble, encrusted with cherubs and war trophies. The niches originally displayed three classical statues from Herculaneum (now in Dresden), which inspired baroque sculptor Domenico Parodito to create the neoclassical statues you see today. Maria Theresia put her stamp on the palace in the adjacent
Goldkabinett, a mirrored cabinet dripping in gold.
Temporary exhibitions are held in the
Orangery
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(Österreichishe Galerie), with a walkway gazing grandly over Prince Eugène’s private garden. Attached to the Orangery is the
Prunkstall, the former royal stables, where you can now trot through a 150-piece collection of Austrian medieval art, including religious scenes, altarpieces, sculpture and Gothic triptychs.
21er Haus
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The modernist, glass-and-steel
Austria Pavilion
designed by Karl Schwanzer for Expo 58 in Brussels was reborn as the
21er Haus
(www.21erhaus.at; 03, Arsenalstrasse 1; adult/under 18yr €7/free;
10am-6pm Thu-Sun, to 9pm Wed;
Südtiroler Platz,
D, O, 18)
in 2011, with exhibitions devoted to 20th and 21st century art, predominantly with an Austrian focus. Adolf Krischanitz left his clean aesthetic imprint on the open-plan gallery, which sits just south of the Oberes Belvedere in the
Schweizergarten.
The gallery’s dynamic approach embraces an artist in residence scheme and a changing rota of contemporary exhibitions. On permanent display is a peerless collection of sculptures by Viennese artist
Fritz Wotruba
(1907–75), many of which deconstruct the human form into a series of abstract, geometric shapes that have more than an element of cubism about them.
SIGHTS
SCHLOSS BELVEDERE
PALACE, GALLERY
See
Click here.
HEERESGESCHICHTLICHES
MUSEUM
MUSEUM
See
Click here.
MUSEUM FÜR
ANGEWANDTE KUNST
MUSEUM
See
Click here.
KUNSTHAUSWIEN
MUSEUM
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(Art House Vienna; www.kunsthauswien.com; 03, Untere Weissgerberstrasse 13; adult/child €10/5;
10am-7pm;
1, O Radetzkyplatz)
The KunstHausWien, with its bulging ceramics, wonky surfaces, checkerboard facade, Technicolour mosaic tilework and rooftop sprouting plants and trees, bears the inimitable hallmark of eccentric Viennese artist and ecowarrior Hundertwasser (1928–2000), who famously called the straight line ‘godless.’ It is an ode to his playful, boldly creative work, as well as to his green politics.
Besides quality temporary exhibitions featuring other artists, the gallery is something of a paean in honour of the artist, illustrating his paintings, graphics, tapestry, philosophy, ecology and architecture. On two floors you can contemplate how the artist’s style evolved over the years – from early watercolours and portraits to brightly hued, more abstract paintings inspired by his travels from 1949 onwards. Works such as
The Miraculous Drought
(1950) and the
Land of Men, Trees, Birds and Ships
(1949) reveal childlike forms, intense colours and a fascination with water, while the high-rises in
Bleeding Houses
evoke his dislike of urban conformity. Among Hundertwasser’s later works are a tapestry of the Krka waterfalls and a model of a utopian city, the rooftops overgrown with trees and meadows.
Monday is half-price day (unless it’s a holiday) and guided tours in German of the permanent exhibition leave at noon on Sundays and are included in the price. Audio guides cost €3.
FÄLSCHERMUSEUM
MUSEUM
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(Museum of Art Fakes; www.faelschermuseum.com; 03, Löwengasse 28; adult/child €4.90/2.20;
10am-5pm Tue-Sun;
1 Hetzgasse)
Wow, a museum with Schiele,
Raphael, Rembrandt and Marc Chagall paintings that nobody knows about? Well, that’s because they are all fakes, though spotting the difference is a near impossibility for the untrained eye. The tiny, privately run Fälschermuseum opens a fascinating window on the world of art forgeries. Besides giving background on the who, how, when and what, the museum recounts some incredible stories about master forgers who briefly managed to pull the wool over the experts eyes.
STADTPARK
PARK
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(City Park; 01, 03;
Stadtpark,
2 Weihburggasse)
Opened in 1862, the Stadtpark is a tranquil pocket of greenery, with winding paths and willow tree–rimmed duck ponds. It’s great for strolling or relaxing in the sun and a favourite lunchtime escape for Innere Stadt workers. The park spans the Wien River, which empties into the Danube Canal.
The most famous of the several statues inhabiting the park (including Schindler, Bruckner and Schubert) is the much-
photographed
Johann Strauss Denkmal, a golden statue of a violin-playing Johann Strauss the Younger under a white arch.
HUNDERTWASSERHAUS
LANDMARK
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(03, cnr Löwengasse & Kegelgasse;
1 Hetzgasse)
This residential block of flats bears all the wackily creative hallmarks of Hundertwasser, Vienna’s radical architect and lover of uneven surfaces, with its curvy lines, crayon-bright colours and mosaic
detail.
It’s not possible to see inside, but you can cross the road to visit the
Kalke Village
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(www.kalke-village.at; Kegelgasse 37-39, 03;
9am-6pm;
1 Hetzgasse)
F
, also the handiwork of Hundertwasser, created from an old Michelin factory. It contains pricey cafes, souvenir shops and art shops, all in typical Hundertwasser fashion with colourful ceramics and a distinct absence of straight lines.
ST MARXER FRIEDHOF
CEMETERY
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(Cemetery of St Marx; www.friedhoefewien.at; 03, Leberstrasse 6-8;
7am-7pm Jun-Aug, to 6pm May & Sep, to 5pm Apr & Oct, to dusk Nov-Mar;
Zippererstrasse)
Also known as the Biedermeier cemetery, after the period in which all 6000 graves were laid out, St Marxer Friedhof is a pilgrimage site for Mozart aficionados. In December 1791 Mozart was buried in an unmarked grave with none of his family present. Over time the site was forgotten and his wife’s search for the exact location was in vain.
The search did, however, bear one fruit: a poignant memorial,
Mozartgrab
, made from a broken pillar and a discarded stone angel was erected in the area where he was most likely buried. In May the cemetery is blanketed in lilies and is a sight to behold.
WORTH A DETOUR
ZENTRALFRIEDHOF
When a Wiener says, ‘
Er hat den 71er genommen
’ (‘He took the No 71’), they are, metaphorically speaking, referring to the end of the line:
Zentralfriedhof
(www.friedhoefewien.at; 11, Simmeringer Hauptstrasse 232-244;
7am-8pm;
6, 71 Zentralfriedhof)
F. The cemetery’s mammoth scale (2.4 sq km, more than three million resting residents) has made its tram line a euphemism for death. One of Europe’s biggest cemeteries, this is where rich and poor, Buddhists and Jews, Catholics and Protestants lie side by side in eternal slumber under ash and maple trees. With leafy avenues and overgrown monuments, it is a remarkably calming place to wander.
The cemetery has three gates: the first leads to the old Jewish graves; the second, the main gate, directs you to the tombs of honour and the
Dr Karl Lueger Kirche, the cemetery’s perkily domed art nouveau church, which bears the hallmark of Austrian architect Max Hegele. The third is closer to the Protestant and new Jewish graves. The
information centre
and map of the cemetery are at Gate Two.
Just beyond Gate Two are the all-star
Ehrengräber
(Tombs of Honour). Besides the clump of big-name composers such as Beethoven, Brahms, Johann Strauss Father and Son and Schubert, lie Austrian luminaries including artist Hans Makart, sculptor Fritz Wotruba, architect Adolf Loos and 1980s pop icon, Falco. Mozart may have a monument here, but he is buried in an unmarked grave in the St Marxer
Friedhof
(Click here).
Neighbourhood Walk
Grand Designs in Landstrasse
Start Sankt-Elisabeth-Platz
Finish Wittgensteinhaus
Length 8km; two to four hours
Begin by soaking up the neighbourly vibe of Sankt-Elisabeth-Platz, dwarfed by the neo-Gothic
Sankt-Elisabeth-Kirche, then nip around the corner to
Café Goldegg
(Click here) for coffee with a dash of art-nouveau flair.
Wandering south through the sculpture-dotted Schweizergarten, you’ll glimpse the cubical
21er Haus
(Click here), Belvedere’s repository for contemporary art. Nearby sits the architecturally imposing
Arsenal, built in the wake of the 1848 rebellion, which harbours the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum.
Backtrack to the
Belvedere gardens, a ribbon of greenery linking the two sections of the baroque palace. A brisk 30-minute walk takes in their cascading waterfalls, winged sphinx sculptures and ornamental parterres.
You’ll emerge at
Schwarzenbergplatz, a grand square flanked to the north by a statue of Karl von Schwarzenberg, who led Austrian and Bohemian troops in the Battle of Leipzig (1813).
Rest over a drink in nearby
Café am Heumarkt
(Click here) before tracing the Wien River north through the
Stadtpark
(Click here), pausing for golden snapshots of the Johann Strauss memorial. Walk 10 minutes north to spy the chessboard-like facade of 
KunstHausWien
(Click here), a mini forest of foliage sprouting from its roof. A five-minute mosey south reveals another of Hundertwasser’s creations: the trippy, rainbow-bright 
Hundertwasserhaus
(Click here).
Head to the 
Rochusmarkt, where market stalls sell flowers, fruit, meat and cheese. Visit the Rochuskirche, then sidle east to the 
Wittgensteinhaus
at Parkgasse 18. Designed by Paul Engelmann and the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, this building has strict lines and a design reminiscent of the Bauhaus style. It’s now occupied by the Bulgarian embassy.
EATING
ROCHUSMARKT
MARKET
€
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(03, Landstrasser Hauptstrasse;
6am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, to 5pm Sat;
Rochusgasse)
The stalls are piled high with
olives, flowers, farm-fresh meat and cheese at this market. There are a handful of cafes, takeaway joints and bakeries located on the square.
THAT’S AMORE
PIZZERIA
€
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(
343 95 18; www.thatsamore.at; 03, Messenhausergasse 13; pizza €6-11;
11.30am-3pm & 5.30-11pm Mon-Sat, 5.30-11pm Sun;
Kardinal
-Nagl-Platz, Rochusgasse)
The authentically Neopolitan pizzas are love at first bite for many at That’s Amore – soft, chewy and with tangy-sweet tomato toppings. A relaxed atmosphere, chipper staff and wallet-friendly prices make this a winner.
CAFÉ GOLDEGG
CAFE
€
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(www.cafegoldegg.at; 04, Argentinierstrasse 49; snacks €3.50-6, mains €9-13;
8am-9pm;
;
Südtiroler Platz)
Goldegg is a coffee house in the classic Viennese mould, with its green velvet booths, wood panelling, billiard tables and art-nouveau sheen –
but with a twist. Staff are refreshingly
attentive, and alongside menu stalwarts like goulash, you’ll find lighter dishes such as toasted paninis with homemade basil pesto and Ayurvedic vegetable curries.
TRZESNIEWSKI
SANDWICHES
€
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(www.trzesniewski.at; 03, Rochusmarkt 8-9; bread with spread €1.10;
8.30am-7pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat;
;
Rochusgasse)
This branch of Vienna’s famous open-sandwich shop in the Rochusmarkt is one of many stands where you can buy eat-in or takeaway on the hop. The quality and prices are the same as those of the Innere Stadt branch (Click here).
DENN’S BIOMARKT
SUPERMARKET
€
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(03, Landstrasser Hauptstrasse 37;
8am-7pm Mon-Thu;
Rochusgasse)
Has organic produce, food products and cosmetics.
MEIEREI IM STADTPARK
AUSTRIAN
€€
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(
713 31 68; http://steirereck.at; 03, Am Heumarkt 2a; set breakfasts €19.50-24, mains €10.50-19;
8am-11pm Mon-Fri, 9am-7pm Sat & Sun;
;
Stadtpark)
Attached to Steirereck im Stadtpark, Meierei im Stadtpark serves a bountiful breakfast until noon, with gastronomic showstoppers such as poached egg with parsnip and Périgord truffle, gammon with fresh horseradish and panini, and warm curd-cheese strudel with elderberry compote. It also rolls out Viennese classic fare with unusual twists, along the lines of veal with chive dumplings.
It’s most famous, though, for its goulash served with leek roulade (€17.50) and selection of 120 types of cheese.
ÖSTERREICHER IM MAK
AUSTRIAN
€€
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(
714 01 21; www.oesterreicherimmak.at; 01, Stubenring 5; 2-course lunch €10, mains €16-22;
10am-1am;
Stubentor,
2 Stubentor)
Located in the MAK, Österreicher im MAK is the brainchild of Helmut Österreicher, one of the country’s leading chefs and a force behind the movement towards back-to-the-roots Austrian flavours. Using strictly seasonal, high-quality ingredients, the menu see-saws between classic and contemporary, with dishes like
Tafelspitz
(prime boiled beef) and sea bass on rocket noodles and beetroot.
Sleek architectural lines contrast with a coffered ceiling in the restaurant and the lounge-bar is strikingly lit by a wine-glass chandelier.
GASTHAUS WILD
AUSTRIAN
€€
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(
920 94 77; 03, Radetzkyplatz 1; 2-course lunch menus €7.50-8.50, mains €9-17.50;
9am-1am;
;
1, O Radetzkyplatz)
Gasthaus Wild, formerly a dive of a
Beisl,
has in recent years morphed into a great
neo-Beisl
. Its dark, wood-panelled interior retains a traditional look, and the menu includes flavoursome favourites like goulash, schnitzel with potato salad and paprika chicken with
Spätzle
(egg noodles). The menu changes regularly, the vibe is relaxed, the staff welcoming and the wine selection good.
KIANG
ASIAN
€€
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(
715 34 70; www.kiang.at; 03, Landstrasser Hauptstrasse 50; mains €11-14;
11.30am-3pm & 6pm-midnight;
;
Rochusgasse)
This ultra-modern pan-Asian restaurant near Rochusplatz is a relaxed and slick affair where you can enjoy brilliantly fresh sushi and sashimi. As well as nicely spiced dishes like Singapore noodles and Peking duck, Mongolian, Thai and Japanese staples figure on the menu. In summer there’s outdoor seating.
RESTAURANT INDUS
INDIAN
€€
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(
713 43 44; www.restaurantindus.at; 03, Radetzkystrasse 20; mains €11.50-15;
11.30am-2pm Mon-Fri & Sun, 6-11pm Mon-Sun;
;
1, O Radetzkyplatz)
Subtle back-lighting, clean lines and scatter cushions in zingy colours create a warm yet modern aesthetic at Indus. The mood is laid-back and the biryanis, tandooris, curries and dhals are spot on.
STEIRERECK
IM STADTPARK
GASTRONOMIC
€€€
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(
713 31 68; http://steirereck.at; 03, Am Heumarkt 2A; mains €44-48, lunch mains €21-39, 6-/7-course menus €125/135;
11.30am-2.30pm & 6.30pm-midnight Mon-Fri;
Stadtpark)
Heinz Reitbauer is at the culinary helm of this two-starred Michelin restaurant, beautifully lodged in a 20th-century former dairy building in the leafy Stadtpark. His tasting menus are an exuberant feast, fizzing with natural, integral flavours that speak of a chef with exacting standards. Wine pairing is an additional €69/75 (six/seven courses).
The seasons play a definitive role, but you might begin with pan-fried grayling with sesame, baby artichokes and rose mallow, followed by barbecued Alpine beef with salsify, Viennese figs and celery. Be sure to save an inch for the legendary cheese trolley, with hundreds of delectable cheeses to choose from. Service is predictably flawless, reservations are essential.
WORTH A DETOUR
THERME WIEN
Rest museum-weary feet or escape the city for a day at
Therme Wien
(
680 09; www.thermewien.at; 11, Kurbadstrasse 14; adult/child 3-hour ticket €16/10, day ticket €23.50/13.50;
9am-10pm Mon-Sat, 8am-10pm Sun;
67 Oberlaa-Therme Wien). Austria’s largest thermal baths, the water here bubbles at a pleasant 27°C to 36°C and jets, whirlpools, waterfalls and grotto-like pools pummel and swirl you into relaxation. Besides a jigsaw of indoor and outdoor pools, there is an area where kids can splash, dive and rocket down flumes, a sauna complex where grown-ups can detox in herb-scented steam rooms with names like ‘morning sun’ and ‘rainbow,’ as well as gardens with sun loungers, outdoor massage and games like volleyball and boules for warm-weather days.
The best way to reach the thermal baths is by taking U1 to Reumannplatz, then catching tram 67 to Oberlaa-Therme Wien. It’s around a 10-minute tram ride from Reumannplatz.
DRINKING & NIGHTLIFE
STRANDBAR HERRMANN
BAR
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.strandbarherrmann.at; 03, Herrmannpark;
10am-2am Apr-early Oct;
;
Schwedenplatz,
O Hintere Zollamstrasse)
You’d swear you’re by the sea at this hopping canalside beach bar, with beach chairs, sand, DJ beats and hordes of Viennese livin’ it up on hot summer evenings. Films occasionally feature, blankets are available and if you get bored of lounging, you can have a go at a game of boules.
Cool trivia: it’s located on Herrmannpark, named after picture postcard
inventor
Emanuel Herrmann (1839–1902).
CAFÉ AM HEUMARKT
COFFEE HOUSE
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(03, Am Heumarkt 15;
9am-11pm Mon-Fri;
Stadtpark)
Look for the house number, not the name, as there’s no sign at this old-school charmer of a coffee house. Inside, it’s a 1950s time-warp – all shiny parquet, leather banquettes and marble tables. Do as the locals do: grab a newspaper, play billiards and unwind over coffee and no-nonsense Viennese grub.
CAFÉ ZARTL
COFFEE HOUSE
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(03, Rasumofskygasse 7;
8am-midnight;
;
Rochusgasse,
1 Rasumofskygasse)
A withered beauty of a coffee house, Zartl pings you back to when it opened in 1883, with its striped banquettes, cocoon-like warmth and, at times, somnambulant staff. Come for lazy breakfasts, people-watching and coffee with delightfully flaky strudel. You’ll be mostly among regulars. The €6.50 lunch is a bargain.
URANIA
BAR
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.barurania.com; 01, Uraniastrasse 1;
9am-midnight Mon-Sat, to 6pm Sun;
Schwedenplatz,
2 Julius-Raab-Platz)
Another addition to the canal’s ever-increasing stock of bars, Urania occupies the first floor of a rejuvenated cinema and observatory complex. Its slick, clean decor, elevated position overlooking the canal and extensive cocktail selection are all big pluses.
SALM BRÄU
MICROBREWERY
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.salmbraeu.com; 03, Rennweg 8;
11am-midnight;
Karlsplatz,
71 Unteres Belvedere)
Salm Bräu brews its own
Helles,
Pils
(pilsner),
Märzen
(red-coloured beer with a strong malt taste),
G’mischt
(half
Helles
and half
Dunkel
– dark) and
Weizen
(full-bodied wheat beer, slightly sweet in taste). Smack next to Schloss Belvedere and hugely popular, with a happy hour from 3pm to 5pm Monday to Friday and noon to 4pm Saturday.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
VIENNA’S COFFEEHOUSE CONVERSATIONS
Eugene Quinn, radio producer, teacher and co-founder of Vienna Coffeehouse Conversations, which can be booked online at www.vienna-unwrapped.com, filled us in on the importance of rekindling the art of conversation in the city’s coffee houses.
What’s special about Vienna’s coffee houses?
They’re still so civilised, with their coat hangers and velvet banquettes. And each one has a different mood. You can sit for hours, read the papers and listen to locals engaged in lively conversation with just one coffee – there’s no pressure. It’s good for the soul.
Tell us about Coffeehouse Conversations
In some coffee houses, it used to be tradition to sit with a stranger. Barbara Cacao at Vienna Unwrapped and I decided to revive this. Vienna Coffeehouse Conversations are evenings where Viennese locals get the chance to talk to visitors over a three-course dinner and drinks.
What can people expect?
To be surprised – you might have more in common with someone from Rwanda than you realise. So that dinner guests don’t just end up talking about the weather and schnitzel, they’re given a 25-question conversation menu, based on those in Theodore Zeldin’s
An Intimate History of Humanity
.
What questions are on the menu?
That would be telling [laughs]. Which different kinds of love have you known? What are the limits of your compassion? They are a couple of examples. You can choose a question for each course or spend two hours on the same subject – it’s entirely up to you.
What are your favourite coffee houses?
I really like Heumarkt. It’s like Warsaw in 1970. There’s no sign and it’s completely uncommercial, with lots of space and good food. The waiters have that grumpy Viennese thing – you need to click into
their groove.
ENTERTAINMENT
RADIOKULTURHAUS
CONCERT VENUE
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(
501 70 377; http://radiokulturhaus.orf.at; 04, Argentinierstrasse 30a; ticket prices vary;
box office 4-7pm Mon-Fri;
Taubstummengasse,
D Plösslgasse)
Expect anything from odes to Sinatra and R.E.M. or an evening dedicated to Beethoven and Mozart at the Radiokulturhaus. Housed in several performance venues including the Grosser Sendesaal – home to the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Klangtheater (used primarily for radio plays) – this is one of Vienna’s cultural hot spots.
The venue also presents dance, lectures and literary readings as well as low-key performances in its cafe.
KONZERTHAUS
CONCERT VENUE
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(
242 002; www.konzerthaus.at; 03, Lothringerstrasse 20;
box office 9am-7.45pm Mon-Fri, to 1pm Sat, plus 45 mins before performance;
Stadtpark,
D Gusshausstrasse)
The Konzerthaus is a major venue in classical-music circles, but throughout the year ethnic music, rock, pop or jazz can also be heard in its hallowed halls. Up to three simultaneous performances – in the Grosser Saal, the Mozart Saal and the Schubert
Saal –
can be staged; this massive complex also features another four concert halls.
Students can pick up €14 tickets 30 minutes before performances; children receive 50% discount.
KURSALON
CLASSICAL MUSIC
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(
512 57 90; www.strauss-konzerte.at; 01, Johannesgasse 33; tickets €40-92, concert with 3-course dinner €70-122, with 4-course dinner €75-127;
Stadtpark,
2 Weihburggasse)
Fans of Strauss and Mozart will love the performances at Kursalon, which holds daily evening concerts at 8.15pm devoted to the two masters of music in a splendid, refurbished Renaissance building. Also popular is the concert and dinner package (three- or four-course meal – not including drinks – at 6pm, followed by the concert) in the equally palatial on-site restaurant.
ARNOLD SCHÖNBERG
CENTER
CULTURAL CENTRE
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(
712 18 88; www.schoenberg.at; 03, Schwarzenbergplatz 6, entrance at Zaunergasse 1;
10am-5pm Mon-Fri;
Stadtpark,
D Schwarzenbergplatz)
This brilliant repository of Arnold Schönberg’s archival legacy is a cultural centre and celebration of the Viennese school of the early 20th century honouring the Viennese-born composer, painter, teacher, theoretician and innovator known for his ‘Method of composing with 12 tones which are related only with one another.’ The exhibition hall hosts intimate classical concerts, which in-the-know Wiener flock to.
SPORTS & ACTIVITIES
WIENER EISLAUFVEREIN
SKATING
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.wev.or.at; 03, Lothringerstrasse 22; adult/child €6.50/5.50, boot hire €6;
9am-8pm Sat-Mon, to 9pm Tue-Fri;
Stadtpark,
D Schwarzenbergplatz)
Fancy a twirl? At 6000 sq metres, the Wiener Eislaufverein is the world’s largest open-air skating rink. It’s close to the Ringstrasse and Stadtpark. Remember to bring mittens and a hat.
