Photo: Karen Creed outside the Vienna Opera House
Best known for Mozart, Vienna has much more to offer the tourist than just wonderful music writes Karen Creed
Vienna has what estate agents would call: location, location, location. The Austrian capital sits at the centre of Europe with the dramatic backdrop of the Alpine Mountains. First time visitors need to come armed with a to-do list as there is so much to see and experience, including my favourites – the Giant Ferris Wheel and the world famous Vienna Schnitzel. The more cultural tourist won’t be twiddling their thumbs either as there are numerous museums, theatres and historical sights to marvel at all around the city. Despite being a capital, Vienna is a very green city and there are plenty of parks where you can find recreation or just relaxation. Incredibly Vienna has the highest percentage of green space of all major cities in Europe and around half of the area is green land. It is also the world’s only metropolitan city that has its own national park, the Donau Auenn National Park on the Danube. Another healthy feature is Vienna’s excellent drinking water – the crystal clear water comes directly from Apline mountain springs.
The Museum Quarter is one of the success stories of contemporary Vienna. It’s a trendy mix of old and new with up to 30,000 visitors during summer. What used to be the imperial stables is now an oasis of culture and relaxation with its vast courtyard, museums, open air restaurants and bars. The most striking feature is the unusual but very comfortable free seating that is painted a different bright colour every year. Within walking distance of the Museumsquarter are a range of contemporary galleries, Viennese cafes, the restaurant and bar scene and the Spittelberg quarter. This is one of the coolest parts of Vienna, and one of few areas that has managed to preserve their original 18th- or 19th-century appearance. Its baroque style buidings were carefully restored and many of the streets pedestrianised. The district makes for a charming walk, particularly on Saturdays when a little craft market is held in the streets. It is particularly enticing in winter when it plays host to the Christmas market. Spittelberg also boasts one of the city’s densest concentrations of bars, cafes and restaurants.
Hunderhassen house is Vienna’s second biggest tourist attraction and reflects the city’s colourful side. Designed by artist Hunderwasser, he wanted to prove that with a house in the city you could still live in harmony with nature. At a glance, “The Hundertwasser House looks like something out of an animated movie. Its playful character is inescapable. The entrance has a massive water fountain and vibrant colors like yellows, oranges, and blues that give the house a dazzling exterior. Huge onion shaped gold colored towers rest on the top of the building, extending a dreamy appearance to it. The house defies all the norms of academic architecture. The walls are made of only brick and the unique dwelling has more than 200 trees, plants, and bushes growing amidst the concrete. Even more fascinating is that inside it is an apartment complex housing local residents. The people who live here have become used to the fact that it is a major tourist attraction and almost always surrounded by groups of tourists eager to catch a glimpse of a house that truly signifies the back to nature theme.
Of all the landmarks in the city, the Giant Ferris Wheel is possibly the most striking and fun. It’s over a hundred years old and as charming an attraction as the day it opened in 1897. For movie fans, the giant ferris wheel is a star, thanks to its role in Carol Reed’s 1949 classic film “The Third Man”, in which Orson Wells and Joseph Cotten shared a quite dramatic ride in one of its large cars. Even if you are not a movie star you can feel you are on cloud nine on this giant ferris wheel and enjoy the view from art nouveau luxury carriages furnished like an old Viennese coffeehouse. The Ferris Wheel is in Prater Park – an amusement park with over 200 attractions for all ages including some designed for only the bravest. There are also many cafes, restaurants, snack bars, and beer gardens to relax in between the rides. The park is open all summer long and while it is dated in parts, there are always new exciting rides to keep visitors coming back for more.
While it’s unlikely you would visit Vienna solely for its shopping, the boutique scene make is an attractive retail destination, even for those used to shopping in Europe’s world capitals. Vienna’s most trendy shopping mile is the Mariahilfer Strasse which is located between the centre of the city and Westbahnhof. Here, hundreds of shops offer fashion, jewellery and accessories. Young fashion designers and offbeat stores can be found in many side streets in the area – and with a bit of luck you can pick up a unique piece at a good price. Vienna’s most exclusive shopping district is found right in the historic city centre. The most sought-after Austrian and international designers are found along the pedestrian area from the State Opera to St Stephen’s Square and the Imperial Hofburg Palace. Here you can combine sightseeing with a unique shopping experience.One of the most familiar Austrian brands is of course Svarkovski. The perk of shopping here is the excellent selection at a great price. There are huge sales in Svarkovski several times a year so if you time your visit right, you could do what I did and stock up on lots of Christmas and birthday presents.
Although a quick coffee is offered on almost every street corner, Vienna retains an active coffee house tradition. Café Lantmann is always busy because of its great atmosphere and excellent selection of coffees. As a richly traditional café restaurant Café Lantmann puts great value on its beer and wine selection as well as its coffees. Food is also served and there are lots of tantalising cakes and pastries that would tempt any sweet toothed customer. The sheer size of the café and its prime setting next to the parliament results in a high end clientele with many politicians lunching here or holding important meetings over coffee. Celebrities have also been known to pop in for a taste of traditional Viennese life. Of all the sweet treats in Vienna, the Sacher Tort is one of the most desirable. Its recipe remains top secret but this chocolate slice can be enjoyed in many chocolate confectioners and one of the tastiest is at Café Demel. Sahertorte is a chocolate cake invented by Franz Saher and is only made in Vienna and Salzburg. It is made up of chocolate, nuts, butter, eggs, sugar and apricot and it is as decadent as its ingredients suggests. It is the perfect gift to bring home as it is nicely packaged and stays fresh for several weeks. It also comes in several sizes for you to choose from, depending how generous you are feeling.
There are many things to get addicted to in Vienna, including the Vienna Schnitzel. The dish is traditionally eaten on a Sunday but at Figmuller you can eat it every day of the week. The history of Vienna’s most famous schnitzel began in the year 1905 when Johannes Figmuller opened a small wine tavern. The secret of the success of Figmullers schnitzel is first using the best cut of pork. To make sure the speciality lands on the plate thin and crisp, each schnitzel is given a good beating with a mallet. Then it is time for the easy part – seasoning the pork with flour, dipping it in egg, and then covering it in breadcrumbs. When its time to fry it – it is carried out with great tenderness and expertise, in fact three different pans are required to fry up the perfect schnitzel. All that is left is to enjoy it, accompanied by a traditional lemon wedge and salad and washed down with a nice dry Austrian white.
If you love rambling through markets of fresh fruit and spices there are plenty of places to do so. The best though is the Naschmarket which is full of places to shop and eat.Naschmarket is a Viennese institution dating back to the 16th century. The location itself is spectacular: Wienfluss, Vienna’s second river, was roofed over during the 19th century and some dealers put up their stalls on top of this roof. And there you have it, the birth of Maschmarkt. Today, Naschmarkt is a unique mixture of Austrian traditions and oriental influences. Expect Viennese shrewdness with bazaar mentality. It is a great place to shop for goodies and to have lunch at one of the many stalls, coffee shops and restaurants. When you are finished at the food market, you could move on to the adjoining market selling all types of gizmos and gadgets. Flea markets are alive and thriving in Vienna and a great place to find used goods at a reasonable price. This one opens almost every Sunday as well as striking a bargain; it’s a chance to mingle with the locals. It has become something of a tourist attraction and a Mecca for collectors of curios tidbits and souvenirs. Here you can find anything you might need for your house, be it a lavish gold clock, a jug from the 1950’s or a selection of vases. There is also lots of clothes, shoes, sunglasses, bags and other quirky items for sale. Beautiful flower stalls all over the market add a burst of colour and a wonderful scent as you walk about.
Going to Vienna and not experiencing its music is like visiting Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower. Opera is integral to Viennese life and the Opera House is definitely worth visiting or if you are there in winter the Opera Ball is a wonderful option. Vienna enjoys a reputation as the world capital of music and its 150 museums and 70 theatres make it something of a total work of art.
Like many other European cities, availing of a Vienna Card can mean a saving as it allows free access to all transport and to some museums and other attractions. Vienna’s cycle lanes mean hopping on a bike is an easy way to get around or visit the sights. City Bike Vienna hire out bikes for free for the first hour and €1 per hour thereafter. Before renting one you have to sign up at www.citybikewien.at There are over 100 cycle stations from which you can rent the bikes and deliver them back. Even without a map I found it easy to explore the city because of its ring road system. And after all that exercise, you definitely deserve to tuck into Viennese delicacies.
For more information on Vienna visit www.wien.info
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