BETHEL FATH / GETTY IMAGES ©
TOP SIGHT
PRATER
The Prater describes two distinct areas of parkland, which together comprise the city’s favourite outdoor playground. First up, as you enter, is the Würstelprater, with all the roller-coaster-looping, dodgem-bashing fun of the fair, where the iconic Riesenrad turns. The Unterer Prater is a vast swath of woodland park where Habsburgs once went hunting. Today, it is perfect for gentle bike rides, walks and warm-day picnics.
Würstelprater
No matter how old you are, you’re forever 10 years old with money burning a hole in your pocket at the
Würstelprater
(rides €1-5). Come summer, this funfair throngs with excitable tots and big kids, gorging on doughnuts and lugging around hoopla-won teddies. The fairground’s 250 attractions reach from old-school ghost trains and merry-go-rounds to g-force, human cannon-like rides.
Several recent white-knuckle additions to the funfair have cranked up the fear factor, including the
Turbo Boost
that spins at 100km/h, the
Ejection Seat, a ball that dangles daredevils 90m above the ground, and the
Space Shot, which shoots thrill-seekers like bullets at up to 80km/h. The 4km
Liliputbahn
(mini railway) trundles between the Würstelprater and the Ernst-Happel-Stadion.
Riesenrad
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Top of every Volksprater wish-list is the
Riesenrad
(www.wienerriesenrad.com; 02, Prater 90; adult/child €9/4;
9am-11.45pm, shorter hrs in winter)
; at least for anyone of an age to recall Orson Welles’ cuckoo clock speech in British film noir
The Third Man
(1949), set in a shadowy postwar Vienna. This icon also achieved celluloid fame in the James Bond flick
The Living Daylights,
and
Before Sunrise,
directed by Richard Linklater.
Built in 1897 by Englishman Walter B Basset to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Emperor Franz Josef I, the Ferris wheel rises to 65m and takes about 20 minutes to rotate its 430-tonne weight one complete circle – giving you ample time to snap some fantastic shots of the city spread out at your feet. It survived bombing in 1945 and has had dramatic lighting and a cafe at its base added.
Planetarium
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The
Planetarium
(www.planetarium-wien.at; 02, Oswald-Thomas-Platz 1; adult/child €8/6;
shows from 9.30am), Vienna’s extraterrestrial and interstellar viewfinder, is located on the edge of the Würstelprater behind the Riesenrad. Shows change on a regular basis, but usually focus on how the earth fits into the cosmological scheme of things. Shows are in German.
Pratermuseum
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Sharing the same building as the Planetarium, this
municipal museum
(www.wienmuseum.at; 02, Oswald-Thomas-Platz 1; adult/under 19yr €4/free;
10am-1pm & 2-6pm Fri-Sun)
traces the history of the Würstelprater and its woodland neighbour. For all the life and splendour the Prater has seen, unfortunately its museum has only a rather dull mix of photos and stories, mainly from the 19th century. The antique slot machines, some of which are still functioning, are the museum’s saving grace.
Unterer Prater
Few places in Vienna can match the Unterer Prater for fresh air, exercise and a burst of seasonal colour. Spread across 60 sq km, central Vienna’s biggest park comprises woodlands of poplar and chestnut, meadows and tree-lined boulevards, as well as children’s playgrounds, a swimming pool, golf course and race track.
Fringed by statuesque chestnut trees that are ablaze with russet and gold in autumn and billowing with delicate white blossom in late spring, the
Hauptallee
avenue is the Unterer Prater’s central 4.5km vein, running as straight as a die from the Praterstern to the
Lusthaus
(
728 95 65; 02, Freudenau 254; mains €9-16;
noon-11pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat & Sun, shorter hrs winter;
;
77A). Originally erected as a 16th-century hunting lodge, the Lusthaus pavilion was rebuilt in 1783 to host imperial festivities and the like. Today, it shelters a chandelier-lit cafe and restaurant.
SIGHTS
Leopoldstadt
PRATER
PARK
See
Click here.
PORZELLANMUSEUM
IM AUGARTEN
MUSEUM
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(Augarten Porcelain Museum; www.augarten.at; 02, Obere Augartenstrasse 1; adult/child €6/4, incl guided tour €12/10;
10am-6pm Mon-Sat;
Taborstrasse)
Restored to its former glory and reopened in 2011, this imperial pleasure palace harbours a new museum dedicated to exquisite Augarten porcelain. Founded in 1718, Augarten is the second-oldest porcelain manufacturer in Europe. A chronological spin of the museum takes in lavish rococo creations, boldly coloured Biedermeier pieces, Spanish Riding School equestrian figures and the simpler porcelain fashionable in the 1950s.
One-hour tours of the premises are available daily at 10.15am and 11.30am, when you can learn about the process of turning white kaolin, feldspar and quartz into delicate creations through the process of moulding, casting, luting, glazing and painting. It’s free to get a glimpse of some of Augarten’s fabulously detailed creations in the
shop, open during the same hours.
8
RIESENRAD COMBINED TICKETS
The various combination tickets for the giant
Ferris wheel, a magic show on Riesenradplatz known as Miraculum, Donauturm (Click here),
Liliputbahn
and Schönbrunn’s Tiergarten (Click here) can be good value, especially if you have kids. The Riesenrad plus Miraculum show costs adult/child €11.50/7, Riesenrad plus Liliputbahn costs €10/4.20, Riesenrad plus Tiergarten costs €16.50/7, and Riesenrad plus Donauturm costs €11/6.
AUGARTEN
PARK
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(www.kultur.park.augarten.org; 03, Obere Augartenstrasse;
6am-dusk;
Taborstrasse)
This landscaped park from 1775 is dotted with open meadows and criss-crossed by tree-lined paths. You can kick a ball in one section, let the kids stage a riot in a playground in another, or visit the porcelain museum. Among the park’s most eye-catching features are the austere
Flaktürme
(flak towers) in its northern and western corners.
WIENER KRIMINALMUSEUM
MUSEUM
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(www.kriminalmuseum.at; 02, Grosse Sperlgasse 24; adult/child €6/2;
10am-5pm Thu-Sun;
Taborstrasse)
The Vienna Crime Museum is another gruesome chapter in the Viennese obsession with death. It takes a tabloid-style look at crimes and criminals in Austria and dwells on murders in the last 100 years or so with particularly grisly relish; there are skulls of earlier criminals, and even an 18th-century head pickled in a jar.
MADAME TUSSAUDS VIENNA
MUSEUM
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(www.madametussauds.com/wien; 02, Riesenradplatz 1; adult/child €18.50/14.50;
10am-6pm;
Praterstern)
Opened in 2011, this waxwork wonderland in the Würstelprater is a stage for a host of sculpted celebrities – Nicole Kidman, Michael Jackson and Johnny Depp star among them. Other figures such as Emperor Franz Joseph and his beloved Sisi, Klimt, Freud and Falco give the experience a distinctly Austrian edge.
There are hands-on exhibits that let you interact with the wax, from taking an IQ test with Albert Einstein to composing with Mozart and Beethoven.
JOHANN STRAUSS RESIDENCE
MUSEUM
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(www.wienmuseum.at; 02, Praterstrasse 54; adult/under 19yr €4/free;
10am-1pm & 2-6pm Tue-Sun;
Nestroyplatz)
Strauss the Younger called Praterstrasse 54 home from 1863 to 1878 and composed
the
waltz, ‘The Blue Danube,’ under its high ceilings. Inside you’ll find an above-average
collection
of Strauss and ballroom memorabilia, including an Amati violin said to have belonged to him and oil paintings from his last apartment, which was destroyed during WWII.
The rooms are bedecked in period furniture from Strauss’ era. The residence is a municipal museum.
LEOPOLDSTADT’S JEWISH HERITAGE
Leopoldstadt started life as a walled Jewish ghetto in 1624 under the watchful eye of Ferdinand II, but the district gained its name from Leopold I, the notoriously anti-Semitic Habsburg who dispelled Jews from a ghetto in the area in 1670, destroyed their synagogue and replaced it with the
Leopoldkirche
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Long the scapegoats of the city, Jews had gradually been moving back after their expulsion in the 15th century and resettling the area. By the 18th and 19th centuries, the city was experiencing an influx of immigrant Jews, particularly from Eastern Europe. The area saw overcrowding and some of the worst conditions in the city. The barbaric treatment later meted out under the Nazis, who expelled all Jews and left behind a desolate district.
The beginning of the 21st century has seen a new influx, and Jews now share Leopoldstadt with immigrants from Turkey and the Balkans, who have arrived in recent decades; Karmelitermarkt (Click here), the district’s busy food market, is the place to find kosher and halal food and a healthy ethnic diversity.
Donaustadt
The largest of Vienna’s districts, Donaustadt (the 22nd), features the straightened Danube River, the elongated Donauinsel and the Danube’s arcing backwaters, now used as recreational areas. Otherwise it is characterised by seemingly endless blocks of residential housing and the modern UNO-City, where the UN bases some of its institutions.
DONAUTURM
TOWER
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(www.donauturm.at; 22, Donauturmstrasse 4; adult/child €7.50/5, combined ticket incl Riesenrad €13/7.50;
10am-midnight ;
Kaisermühlen Vienna International Centre)
At 252m the Danube Tower in Donaupark is Vienna’s tallest structure. Its revolving restaurant at 170m allows fantastic panoramic views of the city and beyond – the food tends to be tried and trusted Viennese favourites. The adventurous can bungee jump off the side of the tower; see the website for details.
UNO-CITY
CULTURAL BUILDING
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(
260 60 3328; www.unvienna.org; 22, Wagramer Strasse 5; adult/child €6/3;
11am & 2pm Mon-Fri;
Kaisermühlen Vienna International Centre)
UNO-City, or Vienna International Centre as it is officially known, is home to a variety of international organisations, but mainly houses the UN’s third-largest office in the world. Multilingual guided tours lasting about one hour take you through conference rooms and exhibitions on UN activities and give you an insight into what goes on behind usually closed doors.
The complex was the picture of modernism way back in 1979 when it was built; today it looks less than fab. It does have a rather glamorous extraterritorial status, though, so bring your passport when
visiting.
FLAKTÜRME
It can be quite a shock – and a little unnerving – to walk around a corner and be confronted with a gigantic relic from WWII, a
Flakturm
(flak tower). Built from 1943 to 1944 as a defence against air attacks, these bare, monolithic blocks stand like sleeping giants among the residential districts of Vienna. Apart from their air-defence capabilities, they were built to house up to 30,000 troops, had an underground hospital and munitions factory and could control their own water and power supplies. They were built to last too: with 5m-thick walls of reinforced concrete, they are almost impossible to pull down. So they remain standing as an uncomfortable reminder of the Nazi era, featureless but for four circular gun bases at the top corners (these protrusions are strangely reminiscent of Mickey Mouse’s ears).
Six flak towers still exist: two in Augarten (Click here); one just off Mariahilfer Strasse in Esterházypark, which houses the Haus des Meeres (Click here); and another behind the MuseumsQuartier in the
Stiftskaserne. Of the last two WWII dinosaurs in
Arenbergpark, one was used by MAK for temporary exhibitions, but is now closed for the foreseeable future due to unanticipated renovation works.
EATING
PIZZA MARI’
PIZZERIA
€
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(
0676-687 49 94; www.pizzamari.at; 02, Leopoldgasse 23a; pizzas €6-9;
noon-midnight Tue-Sat, to 11pm Sun;
;
Taborstrasse)
The kitchen closes between 3pm and 6pm, the choice of pizza isn’t enormous and (oddly for a pizza restaurant) it
never
uses anchovies – they’re the downsides. The rest is good: Pizza Mari’ serves some of the best pizzas this side of the canal, the inexpensive salads as side dishes are fresh and Mari’ has a friendly, comfortable atmosphere that makes you feel at home.
SCHÖNE PERLE
BISTRO
€
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(
0664-243 35 93; www.schoene-perle.at; 02, Grosse Pfarrgasse 2; midday menus €7-8.50, mains €6-16;
noon-11pm Mon-Fri, 10am-11pm Sat & Sun;
;
Taborstrasse)
UFO-shaped lights cast a contemporary glow over minimalist Schöne Perle (beautiful pearl), which serves everything from lentil soups through
Tafelspitz
(prime boiled beef) to vegetarian and fish mains, all of which are created with organic produce. Wines are from Austria, as are the large array of juices.
STEWART
CAFE
€
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(02, Praterstrasse 11; soups €4, lunch mains €6.50;
11am-3pm Mon-Fri;
;
Schwedenplatz,
2 Gredlerstrasse)
Come lunchtime this small, modern cafe buzzes with hungry locals, who come to slurp comforting soups and fill up on good-value day specials such as yellow chicken curry, dhal and spinach-feta quiche. Everything is homemade and brilliantly fresh. There’s plenty of choice for vegetarians, and many dishes are lactose and gluten free.
FETT+ZUCKER
CAFE
€
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(www.fettundzucker.at; 02, Hollandstrasse 16; cakes & snacks €2.50-6;
1-9pm Wed-Fri, 11am-9pm Sat & Sun;
;
Taborstrasse,
2 Karmeliterplatz)
The cheesecakes, strudels and brownies at this relaxed retro cafe don’t skimp on the fat and sugar. Wholesome vegetarian snacks like lentil salad and bean strudel are more of an afterthought – cake is the big deal here. There are lactose and gluten free options.
SPEZEREI
ITALIAN
€€
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(
0699-1720 0071; www.spezerei.at; 02, Karmeliterplatz 2; antipasti €7.50-14, lunch special €9;
11.30am-11pm Mon-Sat;
;
Taborstrasse,
2 Karmeliterplatz)
Wine bottles line the walls of this intimate and friendly
Vinothek
(wine bar). Top quality wines are matched with a tempting array of antipasti and freshly made pasta – from
mortadella
(Italian sausage) with fig mustard to homemade
fusilli
(spiral-shaped pasta) in tomato-vanilla sauce. The pavement terrace bubbles with life in summer.
SKOPIK & LOHN
MODERN EUROPEAN
€€
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(
219 89 77; www.skopikundlohn.at; 02, Leopoldsgasse 17; mains €11-26;
6pm-1am Tue-Sat;
Taborstrasse)
The spidery web of scrawl that creeps across the ceiling at Skopik & Lohn gives avant-garde edge to an otherwise French-style brasserie – all wainscoting, globe lights, cheek-by-jowl tables and white-jacketed waiters. The menu is modern European, but sways heavily towards French, with spot-on dishes like entrecôte with skinny frites and Béarnaise sauce and slow-braised rabbit with candied lemons.
TEMPEL
INTERNATIONAL
€€
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(
214 01 79; www.restaurant-tempel.at; 02, Praterstrasse 56; mains €15-22, 2-/3-course lunch €12.50/16;
noon-3pm & 6pm-midnight Tue-Fri;
Nestroyplatz)
Rudi runs a tight ship at this intimate bistro, hidden in a courtyard off Praterstrasse. Presented with an eye for detail, dishes such as braised veal shank with caper-lemon sauce and chilli polenta reveal true depth of flavour and creativity. The selection of Austrian wines is excellent, as is the outdoor seating on warm summer evenings.
RESTAURANT VINCENT
INTERNATIONAL
€€€
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(
214 15 16; www.restaurant-vincent.at; 02, Grosse Pfarrgasse 7; 10-course menu €110, mains €20-30;
5.30pm-midnight Tue-Sat;
Taborstrasse)
Art-slung walls and candlelight set the scene in Vincent, which has evolved from a humble student place into its higher calling as one of Vienna’s top gourmet addresses. Courses vary with the seasons but the focus is on classic produce, such as lamb, beef and pheasant prepared expertly, but locally produced snails also feature.
RESTAURANT
MRAZ & SOHN
INTERNATIONAL
€€€
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(
330 45 94; www.mraz-sohn.at; 20, Wallenstein Strasse 59; mains €40-48, set course menus €49-99;
7pm-midnight Mon-Fri;
Jägerstrasse,
5 Rauscherstrasse)
Mraz & Sohn is not only a snappy name, it really is a family-owned-and-run restaurant. The
chef de cuisine,
Markus Mraz, is the creative force behind the Michelin star, chef hats and other accolades awarded for innovative dishes. The menu changes frequently, but in winter you might find expertly prepared saddle of venison with chicory, tonka beans and black salsify.
KARMELITERMARKT FOR FOODIES
Set in an architecturally picturesque square, the
Karmelitermarkt
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(02, Karmelitermarkt;
6am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, to 5pm Sat;
Taborstrasse,
2 Karmeliterplatz)
reflects the ethnic diversity of its neighbourhood; you’re sure to see Hasidic Jews on bikes shopping for kosher goods here. On Saturday the square features a
Bauernmarkt, where farmers set up stalls brimming with seasonal goods from fruit and veg to cheese, freshly baked bread, speciality salamis and organic herbs. The Viennese fill their bags here in the morning before doing brunch or lunch in one of the deli-cafes, many with outdoor seating. Take their lead and rest your shop-weary feet at one of these five favourites:
Kaas am Markt
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(www.kaasammarkt.at; 02, Karmelitermarkt 33-36; light meals & mains €5-9;
9am-6pm Tue-Fri, 8am-2pm Sat;
;
Taborstrasse,
2 Karmeliterplatz)
S
Deli-restaurant making the most of farm-fresh and organic produce. Sells picnic goodies like cheeses, salamis, preserves and apricot liqueur.
Zimmer 37
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(02, Karmelitermarkt 37-39; lunch mains €7-8;
9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, to 5pm Sat;
;
Taborstrasse,
2 Karmeliterplatz)
S
Cosy, oft-candlelit cafe rustling up wholesome lunches like white bean chilli and homemade pasta.
Madiani
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(http://madiani.com; 02, Karmelitermarkt 21-24; snacks €4-7, menus €8.50;
8.30am-10pm Mon-Fri, 8am-2pm Sat;
;
Taborstrasse,
2 Karmeliterplatz)
Relaxed boho cafe serving Georgian dishes like
chikhirtma
(chicken-coriander soup) and lamb kebabs.
Einfahrt
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(www.einfahrt.at; 02, Haidgasse 3; breakfast €3.80-8, snacks €2.50-5;
11am-1am Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm Sat;
Taborstrasse)
Arty cafe with generous breakfasts, appetising snacks and occasional gigs in the evening.
Tewa
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(http://tewa-karmelitermarkt.at; 02, Karmelitermarkt 26-32; breakfast €5.50-9.50, lunch €7-8;
7am-11pm Mon-Sat;
Taborstrasse,
2 Karmeliterplatz)
Great bagels, wraps, salads and breakfasts. The terrace is packed when the sun’s out.
DRINKING & NIGHTLIFE
LE LOFT
BAR
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(02, Praterstrasse 1;
10am-2am;
Schwedenplatz,
2 Gredlerstrasse)
Wow, what a view! Take the lift to Le Loft on the 18th floor of the Sofitel to reduce Vienna to toy-town scale in an instant. From this slinky, glass-walled lounge, you can pick out landmarks such as the Stephansdom and the Hofburg over a pomegranate martini or mojito. By night, the backlit ceiling swirls with an impressionist painter’s palette of colours.
SPERLHOF
COFFEE HOUSE
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(02, Grosse Sperlgasse 41;
4pm-1.30am Mon-Sun;
Taborstrasse)
Every Viennese coffee house ought to be just like the wood-panelled, poster-plastered, fantastically eccentric Sperlhof, which opened in 1923. It still attracts a motley crowd of coffee sippers, daydreamers, billiard and ping-pong players and chess whizzes today. If you’re looking for a novel, check out the table of secondhand books.
TACHLES
BAR, CAFE
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(www.cafe-tachles.at; 02, Karmeliterplatz 1;
4pm-1am Sun-Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat;
;
Taborstrasse,
2 Karmeliterplatz)
Smack on the main square in up-and-coming Leopoldstadt, this Bohemian cafe-bar attracts an intellectual and laid-back crowd of locals in relaxed, wood-panelled surrounds. Small bites with a Slavic slant (such as pierogi) are on offer and it hosts occasional live music and readings; the last Thursday of each month features young musicians in its vast cellar space.
ENTERTAINMENT
MUTH
CONCERT VENUE
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(
347 80 80; www.muth.at; 02, Obere Augartenstrasse 1e; tickets for Vienna Boys’ Choir Fri afternoon performances €39-89;
4-6pm Mon-Fri & 1hr before performances;
Taborstrasse)
Opened to much acclaim in December 2012, this striking baroque meets contemporary concert hall is the new home of the Wiener Sängerknaben, or Vienna Boys’ Choir, which previously only performed at the Hofburg. Besides Friday afternoon choral sessions with the angelic-voiced lads, the venue also stages a top-drawer roster of dance, drama, opera, classical, rock and jazz performances.
The acoustics are second to none in the 400-seat auditorium and there’s a cafe where you can grab a drink before or after a show.
PRATERSAUNA
CLUB
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(www.pratersauna.tv; 02, Waldsteingartenstrasse 135;
club 9pm-6am Wed-Sun, pool 1-9pm Fri & Sat Jun-Sep;
Messe-Prater)
Pool, cafe, bistro and club converge in a former sauna – these days, you’ll sweat it up on the dance floor any given night. Pratersauna hosts light installations and performance art to check out before or after you groove to electronica played by international DJs. On warm nights it all spills out onto the terrace, gardens and illuminated pool.
FLUC
CLUB
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(www.fluc.at; 02, Praterstern 5;
6pm-4am;
Praterstern)
Located on the wrong side of the tracks (Praterstern can be rough around the edges at times) and looking for all the world like a prefab schoolroom, Fluc is the closest that Vienna’s nightlife scene comes to anarchy – without the fear of physical violence.
Black-clad students, alcoholics and the occasional TV celebrity all share the stripped-back venue without any hassle, and DJs or live acts play every night (electronica features heavily).
ODEON
CONCERT VENUE
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(
216 51 27; www.odeon-theater.at; 02, Taborstrasse 10;
6pm-performance time;
Schwedenplatz,
2 Gredlerstrasse)
This oft-forgotten performance venue looks suitably grand from the outside but the interior doesn’t impress as much – come for the performance versus a palatial theatre
experience
. Anything from classical concerts to raves are held within its walls.
SHOPPING
NAGY STRICKDESIGN
FASHION
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(02, Krummbaumgasse 2-4;
2-6pm Tue-Fri, 11am-1pm Sat;
Taborstrasse)
The stripy cotton and viscose knitwear here is both classic and up-to-the-minute, with flattering shapes and vivid colours, and designs for hot and cold weather. There are also linen pants and skirts in a refreshing range of bright colours and casual styles.
SONG
FASHION
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(www.song.at; 02, Praterstrasse 11-13;
1-7pm Mon, 10am-7pm Tue-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat;
Schwedenplatz,
2 Marienbrücke)
A holy grail for style-seekers, this industrial-
minimalist gallery and boutique hosts rotating exhibitions of modern art and is a showcase for designer furnishings, jewellery, accessories and fashion from the revered likes of Dries van Noten and Paul Harnden.
STILWERK WIEN
DESIGN STORE
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(www.stilwerk.de/wien; 02, Praterstrasse 1;
10am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat;
Schwedenplatz,
2 Marienbrücke)
Plug into Vienna’s contemporary design scene at this cluster of concept and interior stores in the glass-clad Design Tower.
WORTH A DETOUR
INTO THE WOODS: THE WIENERWALD
If you really want to get into the great outdoors, scamper across to the
Wienerwald
(Vienna Woods; www.wienerwald.info). The Austrian capital’s rural escape vault, this 45km swath of forested hills, fringing the capital from the northwest to the southeast, was immortalised in ‘Tales from the Vienna Woods,’ the concert waltz by Johann Strauss Junior in 1868.
These woods are made for walking and the city council website (www.wien.gv.at/english/leisure/hiking/paths) details nine walks, a couple of which take you into the forest. You’ll need about three hours to complete the 7.2km trail No 4, which threads up to the
Jubiläumswarte. Rising above the Wienerwald’s green canopy, this lookout tower offers sweeping views from the uppermost platform that take in most of Vienna and reach as far as the 2076m hump of Schneeberg. On a breezy day the climb to the top is exhilarating. Grab some picnic supplies, jump on tram 49 to Bahnhofstrasse and walk in the direction of the tram to Rosentalgasse, then follow the signs. From the Jubiläumswarte the trail is mainly through suburbs, so it’s nicer to return the way you came.
A slightly longer alternative is trail No 1, an 11km loop, which starts in Nussdorf (take tram D from the Ring) and climbs
Kahlenberg
(484m), a vine-streaked hill commanding fine city views. On your return to Nussdorf you can undo all that exercise by imbibing at a
Heuriger
(wine tavern). You can spare yourself the leg work by taking the Nussdorf–Kahlenberg 38A bus in one or both directions.
Another way of exploring the Wienerwald on your own is on one of the 46 marked mountain-bike trails, covering 1000km of terrain. These are signposted and graded according to difficulty, from ‘Family’ (easy) to ‘Power’ (tough). The website www.mbike.at has routes listed and mapped.
In winter, the
Hohe Wand
(
979 10 57; Mauerbachstrasse 172-174; day pass adult/child €13/6;
9am-9pm Dec-Mar;
249, 250,
Wien Hütteldorf)
ski slopes in the Wienerwald can be used only when there is enough natural snow on the ground to bond with daily layers of artificial snow. It offers rides down the Rodelbahn (like a bobsled on wheels).
SPORTS & ACTIVITIES
DONAUINSEL
ISLAND
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(Danube Island 22;
Donauinsel)
The svelte Danube Island stretches some 21.5km from opposite Klosterneuburg in the north to the Nationalpark Donau-Auen in the south and splits the Danube in two, creating a separate arm known as the Neue Donau (New Danube). Created in 1970, it is Vienna’s aquatic playground, with sections of beach (don’t expect much sand) for swimming, boating and a little water skiing.
The tips of the island are designated FKK (
Freikörperkultur
; free body culture) zones reserved for nudist bathers, who also enjoy dining, drinking, walking, biking and inline skating
au naturel
– it’s quite a sight. Concrete paths run the entire length of the island, and there are bicycle and inline-skate rental stores. Restaurants and snack bars are dotted along the paths, but the highest concentration of bars – collectively known as Sunken City and Copa Cagrana –
is near Reichsbrücke and the U1 Donauinsel stop. In late June the island hosts the
Donauinselfest
(www.donauinselfest.at).
ALTE DONAU
WATER SPORTS
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(22, Untere Alte Donau;
Alte Donau)
The Alte Donau, a landlocked arm of the Danube, is separated from the Neue Donau by a sliver of land. It carried the main flow of the river until 1875. Now the 160-hectare water expanse is a favourite of Viennese sailing and boating enthusiasts, and also attracts swimmers, walkers, fishermen and, in winter (if it’s cold enough), ice
skaters.
NATIONALPARK DONAU-AUEN
OUTDOORS
(
400 04 9495; www.donauauen.at; 22, Dechantweg 8;
10am-6pm Wed-Sun late Feb-late Oct;
91A, 92A, 93A,
S80)
A vast ribbon of greenery looping along the Danube from the fringes of Vienna to the Slovakian border, the 9300-hectare Donau-Auen National Park is one of the last remaining major wetlands in Europe. Established in 1996, the park comprises around 65% forest, 20% lakes and waterways and 15% meadows, which nurture some 700 species of fern and flowering plants.
The park’s quieter reaches attract abundant birdlife and wildlife, such as red deer, beavers, fire-bellied toads, eagles, kites and a high density of kingfishers. The
wien-lobAU National Park House, located at the northern entrance to the park, offers a
series of themed guided tours, ranging from winter walks to birdwatching rambles, most of which cost around €10/5 for adults/children.
Boat tours
into the national park leave from Salztorbrücke and last 4½ hours; booking is necessary. See the website for further details.
LOBAU
OUTDOORS
(
91A, 92A, 93A,
S80)
This one is for those who want to go off-piste in summer. The Lobau, at the southern extremes of Donaustadt, is an area of dense scrub and woodland home to the western extension of the Nationalpark Donau-Auen, with an abundance of small lakes, walking and cycling trails. In summer, Vienna’s alternative crowd flock to the Lobau for skinny-dipping.
PEDAL POWER
CYCLING
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(
729 72 34; www.pedalpower.at; 02, Ausstellungsstrasse 3; per hr/half-/full-day €5/17/27;
8am-7pm Apr-Oct;
Praterstern)
Pick up city and mountain bikes here or, for an extra €5, arrange for the two wheels to be conveniently dropped off and picked up at your hotel. Pedal Power also offers ‘City Segway’ and guided bike tours, which start at €70/29 respectively for a three-hour spin; visit the website for further details.
Child seats and helmets are €4 extra a piece.
COPA CAGRANA RAD UND
SKATERVERLEIH
BICYCLE RENTAL
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(
263 52 42; www.fahrradverleih.at; 22, Am Kaisermühlendamm 1; per hr/half-/full-day from €5/15/25;
9am-6pm Mar-Oct, to 9pm May-Aug;
Kaisermühlen Vienna International Centre)
All manner of bikes are on offer here –
city, mountain, trekking, tandem, kid’s and more. Also has rollerblades for hire (from €6 per hour).
KRIEAU
HORSE RACING
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(
728 00 46; www.krieau.at; 02, Nordportalstrasse 247;
Krieau, Stadion)
Sidling up to the Ernst-Happel-Stadion in the Prater is Krieau, the track where Vienna’s trotting meets (tickets from €6) are held. Visit the website for a timetable of race days. An open-air cinema operates here in July and August.
MINOPOLIS
THEME PARK
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.minopolis.at; 22, Wagramerstrasse 2; adult/child €10/19, 2hr before closing adult/child €2/8;
1-7pm Fri-Sun, during school holidays daily;
Kaisermühlen Vienna International Centre)
So what do you want to be when you grow up? This future-focused theme park gives the little ones the chance to find out. It’s all about hands-on role play in this mini city, complete with bank, bakery, TV studios and fire station. Kids are given Eurolinos, the money of Minopolis, to spend or save as they see fit.
STRANDBAD ALTE DONAU
SWIMMING
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(22, Arbeiterstrandbadstrasse 91; adult/child €5/1.70;
9am-7pm May–mid-Sep;
Alte Donau)
This bathing area makes great use of the Alte Donau during the summer months. It’s a favourite of Viennese locals and gets extremely crowded at weekends during summer. Facilities include a restaurant, beach-volleyball court, playing field, slides and plenty of tree shade.
STRANDBAD GÄNSEHÄUFEL
SWIMMING
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(www.gaensehaeufel.at; 22, Moissigasse 21; adult/child €5/1.70;
9am-7pm May–mid-Sep;
Kaisermühlen)
Gänsehäufel occupies half an island in the Alte Donau. It does get crowded in summer, but there’s normally enough space to escape the mob. There’s a swimming pool and FKK (read: nudist) area. The playground, slides, splash areas and mini golf keep kids amused for hours. Besides swimming, Gänsehäufel offers activities like tennis, volleyball and a climbing zone.
SAILING SCHOOL HOFBAUER
BOATING
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(
204 34 35; www.hofbauer.at; 22, An der Obere Alte Donau 191;
Apr-Oct;
Alte Donau)
Hofbauer rents sailing boats (from €14.80 per hour) and row boats (€8.50 per hour) on the eastern bank of the Alte Donau and can provide lessons (in English) for those wishing to learn or brush up on their skills. Pedal boats (€12 per hour) are also available for hire.
Enjoying a slice of Viennese park life in the
Prater
Click here, with boulevards for strolling, woods for roaming and a funfair. Take a nostalgic twirl above the capital in the
Riesenrad
Click here, at its twinkling best after dark.
Waltzing over to the Johann Strauss Residence, where ball chart-topper ‘The Blue Danube’ was composed.
Seeing banquet-worthy porcelain in the making behind the scenes at the Porzellanmuseum im Augarten.
Meeting Freud, Klimt, Falco and a host of other Austrian waxwork wonders at Madame Tussauds Vienna.
Relaxing Viennese-style at a riverside beach or bar on the Donauinsel
in summer.