Horse hooves clip-clop amid a steady stream of operatic street chatter. In the air, the sweet smell of chocolate sacher torte wafts your way. With your eyes closed, you could imagine yourself during Vienna’s heydey—perhaps among such illustrious companions as Freud, Schubert, Haydn, Strauss, Klimt and, yes, Mozart. Luckily you don’t need to close your eyes since Vienna sparkles with an imperial air reflected in grandiose façades, soaring gothic spires and spacious leafy boulevards in addition to the Art Nouveau, baroque, and rococo architecture. As 19th-century Austrian satirist Karl Kraus said, “The streets of Vienna are paved with culture, the streets of other cities with asphalt.”
Sound ostentatious? Perhaps, but you can’t argue with a city that once ruled an empire and a country that was the second largest in Europe—stretching from Bohemia to Bosnia, and from Tyrol to Transylvania, and ruling over 50 million people. This city is a feast for the senses: Listen to a concert at the majestic Vienna State Opera, inhale and savor sinfully rich delights at an elegant coffee house, watch the precision of the Lipizzaner horses at the Spanish Riding School, or pick up any of the numerous goods sold at the airy bazaar-like Naschmarkt.
Despite its compelling past, Vienna isn’t a city that rests on its laurels. The ever forward-thinking Viennese are waltzing into the 21st century with aplomb. Contemporary architecture, an innovative culinary industry and a vibrant nightlife add to the modern allure of Austria’s capital. Check out the Museum Moderner Kunst, a cubist building enveloped by basalt lava; the sophisticated vegetarian eatery Wrenkh, which offers cooking classes; and Flex, a nightclub featuring renowned DJs Kruder & Dorfmeister.
Whether you prefer period styles or more trendy flair, there are numerous accommodation options available for every traveler. Hotel Rathaus Wein & Design, a small hotel behind City Hall, has a retro-chic wine bar and rooms dedicated to different Austrian wineries. The Hollman Belletage presents an open "home-y" design, while the Style Hotel, smack in the center of it all, has 78 smartly designed rooms. Le Méridien Vienna, situated near the Opera House, is an “Art+Tech” hotel that offers stylish rooms with complimentary high-speed Internet access. The Palais Coburg’s modern regal splendor—in a 19th century palace—is steps from the heart of the city. DO & CO Hotel Vienna offers sleek contemporary comfort right next to St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Moderately priced Pension Pertschy is superbly located and has old-fashioned ambience, and the garden at the Hotel Stadthalle is a cosmopolitan oasis.
Unlike Venice, Amsterdam and Prague, cities that seem designed for wandering, Vienna is best with an itinerary. A visitor could devote 72 hours here just going from museum to museum! With that in mind, here’s our take on how you should spend three days in Wien.
FESTIVALS
The month before Christmas offers a bounty of festive markets, among whose overflowing stalls you can meander while drinking hot spiced wine and enjoying your gift shopping. In March and April, elaborately decorated Easter markets pervade the city. From mid-June to early July the classics are put on hold in favor of the blues at Jazzfest, when famous jazz artists converge on the city and take over venues where classical music is usually performed.
DAY
1
Vienna fans out like a seashell, split into three parts: the historic center, known as the Inner Stadt; the Ringstrasse, the road that circles Vienna’s historic section; and the Vorstädte, the suburbs beyond the ring. It’s best to begin right in the center of it all, at St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Towering above the city like a gothic skyscraper, Stephansdom, as it’s locally referred to, is the core of medieval Vienna. Begun in 1304 (with the finishing touches finally put on in the 20th century), the cathedral is fun to explore both inside and out. The roof, which is decorated with colorful tiles forming giant chevrons, is said to be modeled on the pattern of a Saracen carpet. When you enter the soaring interior, make an immediate right at the entrance: the Pötscher Madonna painting, which is still venerated today, apparently wept during a 1697 battle against the Turks and is thus credited with giving the Viennese inspiration to win the battle.
The Turkish threat on Vienna lasted more than a century. By the time the Turks finally headed back east, their influence on certain aspects of Viennese culture was indelible. One of these was the coffee culture that’s still alive and well in 21st-century Vienna. High-ceilinged coffee houses where one can sit all day reading the many newspapers on hand are ubiquitous. One of the oldest, Frauenhuber, just a short walk from the cathedral, was founded by Empress Maria Theresa’s chef in the late 18th century. Beethoven and Mozart are reported to have been regulars.
For Mozart fans, the sites are endless, with plaques on various buildings in the historic center announcing that the young composer had performed, lived, eaten or drunk there. But one of the best stops on the Mozart trail is the Figarohaus, the apartment where he lived for three years (because of his constantly changing financial situation, he moved around a lot—thirteen times in a decade!). Today the house is a Mozart museum. Another noteworthy Mozart stop is St. Michael’s Church, located on Michaelerplatz. Here, his last composition, Requiem K. 626, was first performed one week after his death. The church has a striking gothic interior with rococo touches.
Outside on the square, note the Roman ruins before you head over to the arched gate of Hofburg, the Habsburgs’ fortress. It’s so extensive it’s impossible to avoid (each generation of the ruling family wanted to put their stamp on the castle, so extension after extension was built). Two of Vienna’s most famous sites are housed in the Hofburg: the Vienna Boys’ Choir, which performs in the Hofburgkapelle, and the Spanish Riding School, or Winterreitschule.
One of the most stunning and memorable parts of the Hofburg is the Schatzkammer, which displays precious relics of the Holy Roman Empire (including the dazzling crown of Rudolf II). You’ll also see golden goblets, shiny reliquaries, a supposed piece of the True Cross and too many other priceless pieces to list. A couple of less visited but worthy sites to check out in Hofburg are the National Library, with its soaring floor-to-ceiling walls of ancient books and baroque domes, and the Museum of Ancient Musical Instruments, whose prized possession is a violin that belonged to Leopold Mozart, Wolfgang’s father. For a few really offbeat museums, try the Esperanto Museum, dedicated to what was hoped would be the world’s next lingua franca, and the Globe Museum, displaying ancient globes mostly dating to the 19th century.
The refurbished Albertina (also in the Hofburg megaplex) is made up of parts of a palace and a monastery, and today features nearly 50,000 watercolors, drawings and etchings, including some by Klimt, Schiele, Picasso, Breughel, Michelangelo, da Vinci and Raphael.
For a walk on the darker side of Viennese history, you can venture to the Kriminalmuseum. The faint of heart will want to wait outside while the intrepid explore the capital’s most shocking crimes, from medieval times to modern day. Note that exhibits are graphic. Gruesome displays aside, more lighthearted entertainment awaits at the nearby Museum für Unterhaltungskunst (Circus Museum). This Big Top bonanza celebrates circus life from props to costumes to those crazy clowns.
After spending part of your day walking through museums and looking at so much art, you’ll certainly be in need of refueling. You needn’t go far, as the rooftop of the Albertina houses a great restaurant. DO & CO Albertina serves modern takes on Viennese dishes as well as sushi. In warm weather you can grab a table outside; otherwise, lounge inside under one of the oversized Egon Schiele prints. Want something slightly more traditional? Try Zum Schwarzen Kameel, an Art Deco-style restaurant that dates back to 1618 and serves slightly upscale, traditional fare. For fun, fresh, meatless delights, Wrenkh Restaurant serves chic veggie fare that you can both savor and learn to make—ask about cooking classes in their studio. For a nightcap, slip over to the sleekly sophisticated 7 bar to sip signature cocktails included in a menu of more than 350 selections. Then settle into one of the lengthy banquettes for conversation or people-watching.
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