Description:
Traveling to Vienna for the first time? This is your guide to make sure you see all the highlights of this beautiful and historic city, from the famous Lipizzaner dancing stallions at the Spanische Reitschule (Spanish Riding School) to the Vienna Boys' Choir, or Wiener Sangerknaben, which was first started in the 1400s. With a stay in hotels in the heart of the city, most main attractions are within walking distance.
View Iternary mapDay Note:
Begin with a tram tour along the Ringstrasse for your first introduction to the city. Next, visit the Judenplatz, site of a Holocaust memorial, as well as a medieval synagogue and museum. For lunch, head to Hawelka, a traditional Vienna coffeehouse. Take a bus to the Belvedere (a can't-miss), and spend several hours (you could spend much more) walking around the palace and the gardens, which offer beautiful views of the city. Finish off the day with a relaxing...read more
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Hawelka
Contact:
- 43 1 512 8230
- visit website
Location:
- Dorotheergasse 6
- Vienna,Wien1010
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Map
- user rating
Description:
One of the most famous coffeehouses in Vienna, this well-known gathering spot has been run by the same couple since it opened shortly after World War II. Small, smoky and cozy- it is still one of the favorite places for impoverished writers scribbling their works into small notebooks to congregate. Delicious coffes are on hand, of course, but make sure to also try the house specialty. The Hawelka is famous for its freshly homemade Buchteln (cakes filled with Povidl - a type of plum jam) served at midnight.
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Stomach
Contact:
- 43 1 310 2099
Location:
- 26 Seegasse
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Map
- user rating
Description:
Meat eaters rejoice, one of the main specialty at Stomach is beef. The beef dishes are fantastic, but if you're not in the mood for meat there are also a few vegetarian dishes. The menu changes weekly so you can try something new each time you come to the restaurant. However make sure you reserve a table because you might not be able to dine without a reservation. You should also look at the attractive backyard of the restaurant. Pair your meal with a glass of wine from the wine menu featuring bottles from Austria's Styria region.
Day Note:
Start at the Spanishe Reitschule in the morning for a less-expensive look at the Lipizzaner horses doing their morning workout and for a tour of the Riding School. Then head over to the Hofburg, the imperial palace, which is also the birthplace of Marie Antoinette. To the south is the Cafe Mozart, good for local lunch fare. Then spend a few hours in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, to the west, before heading to the Volksgarten Pavillon for a relaxing outdoor...read more
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Spanische Reitschule/ Winter Riding School
Contact:
- 43 1 533 90 31
- visit website
Location:
- Michaelerplatz 1
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Map
Description:
The Spanish Riding School was founded by the Habsburgs in the late 16th century in order to improve horsemanship and to help with the breeding and training of Spanish horses. The Winter Riding School was built in 1729-35 and now provides the venue for classic dressage shows by Lipizzaner horse-riders clad in medieval costumes. The interior is spectacular and hailed as the most beautiful riding hall in the world. Performances are given several times a year, and although tickets are very expensive, they are often sold out weeks in advance. A cheaper alternative is to attend the morning exercises or dress rehearsals. Morning exercises: February-June, August-October, December: 10am-noon daily; tickets available at the entrance.
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Cafe Mozart
Contact:
- 43 1 2410 0210
- visit website
Location:
- Albertinaplatz 2
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Map
Description:
This elegant coffeehouse, right behind the state opera, has been in existence since 1794. Fifty years ago it gained international recognition as a location in the movie "The Third Man". The café has its own pastry shop, so there is a vast variety of cakes and gateaus. Besides the coffee, five different versions of hot chocolate are offered.
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Volksgarten Pavillon
Contact:
- 43 1 532 0907
- visit website
Location:
- 1 Burgring
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Map
Description:
It is probably impossible to spend a better summer's evening in Vienna than one would in the gardens of the Pavillion. Guests congregate around tables dimly lit by old-style 50s lamps, and under the branches of the surrounding trees with a stunning view over a mass of sunflowers towards Hofburg. There is even a small stream that flows through the farthest end of the gardens. The menu includes a wide range of delicacies, and the music is provided by DJs who are often amongst the best-known mixers in Vienna; their tunes are carried outside through speaker systems. The music style depends on the day of the week: Drum and Bass, techno, jazz and Latin are all house specialities. Many connoisseurs of these genres of music make a date to attend the "Tuesday Techno Cafe." The terrace also proves a good spot during the day and is considerably calmer then. At these times, the Pavillion entertains older and more touristy visitors in addition to their trendier regulars.
Day Note:
Spend the morning walking through the Osterreichische Galerie im Belvedere. Along the river to the west is Weibels Wirtshaus, which offers an interesting take on typical Austrian cuisine. After lunch, head south to visit the Franziskanerkirche, if you have time, but try to fit in a trip to the Mozarthaus. There are concerts here, too, on several different weekdays as well as Saturday, so come back after dinner if you choose not to attend an opera. Stop for...read more
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Weibels Wirtshaus
Contact:
- 43 1 512 3986
- visit website
Location:
- 2 Kumpfgasse
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Map
- user rating
Description:
Don't be fooled by the unpretentious and cozy feel to this place, which at first glance might look like a simple tavern. Food is considerably better than the wirtshaus (tavern) appellation implies, and the clientele is a lot more upscale than the usual wurst-with-potatoes-and-beer crowd. There are only two rooms (and about 40 seats) within this wood-paneled restaurant, each on a separate floor of a building whose age is estimated to be around 400 years old. During clement weather, another 30 seats become available within a garden in back. The wine list, with more than 250 varieties of Austrian wine, looks like a patriotic, pro-Austrian statement in its own right. Menu items include pumpkinseed soup, sliced breast of duck with lentils, well-prepared schnitzels of veal and chicken, and a superb saddle of lamb with polenta and spinach.
Day Note:
Start off the day with a Sunday morning mass performance of the Vienna Boys Choir. Fuel up with some beef at Plachutta, then go west to tour the beautiful Karlskirche (pictured at the top of the page). North of the Karlskirche is the Naschmarkt, a bustling street market with a huge variety of food, spices, and sundries. Saturdays can be a bit busy, but there is a flea market open as well with a wider variety of items for sale. Treat yourself to fine Austrian...read more
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Wiener Sängerknaben
Contact:
- 43 1 216 3942 ext 0
- visit website
Location:
- Obere Augartenstrasse 1C
- Augarten-Palais
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Map
Description:
Founded in 1498 by Emperor Maximilian I, the Wiener Sängerknaben (Vienna Boys Choir) is quite possibly the oldest boys' choir in the world. It is also one of the best known, having performer works with Mozart, Schubert, Strauss and Britten. The choir consists of 100 choristers between the ages of 10 and 14, and spends much of its time on tour. It has, however, maintained its tradition of providing the music for Sunday Mass in Vienna's Imperial Chapel, as it has done ever since 1498.
- Destination(s): Vienna
- Type: First time visit
- 4 DAYS
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