Vienna is a wonderful place to visit. Its historic buildings, palaces and monuments are reminiscent of an imperialist era as the capital of the Austrian Empire. But above all, Vienna is also famous for classical music and in the early 19th century, the city was home to many great composers of the classical music era, such as Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Vienna is also the city of the waltz and has been immortalized by the famous Blue Danube Waltz (An der schönen blauen donau) composed by Johann Strauss Jr. Johann Strauss Jr, whose father Johann Strauss Snr was also a composer (famous for the Radetsky March) has become an international Austrian icon.
Air Malta had a very convenient flight to Vienna leaving on Saturday at 06.50 and arriving in Vienna at 09.00. The Vienna Airport (Wien Schwechat) is served by very efficient transport that takes you to the city centre in less than 25 minutes. The most popular and least expensive of all is the S-Bahn train journey (S7) to Wien Mitte (€ 3.70) from where one could proceed with the same ticket to the final destination in the centre by using the U-bahn (Metro) which is also very efficient. So, I managed to arrive at my hotel around 10.00 and I had practically a whole day for
sightseeing.The Hotel I choose to stay in is found in the Innere Stadt (City Centre) which is the first district of Vienna. Vienna has 23 districts. The Hotel is Hotel Kaiserin Elizabeth in Wiehburggasse, just a few metres from the Stephansplatz Metro station which is an ideal location for enjoying the best of the city. http://www.kaiserinelisabeth.at/
This hotel is an awesome place to stay in, both for its facilities as well as for its location. I doubt if I could get a better hotel in the city centre considering also that I obtained a good rate through booking.com. The Hotel’s interior is very elegant indeed and boasts of an impressive hall with two large paintings, one portraying Emperor Franz Joseph and th
e other portrait features his wife Elizabeth of Bavaria, better known as Sisi, to whom the hotel is dedicated. In fact there are also two statues of the Empress, a small one near the reception and a bust near the main entrance.The hotel room was decorated in royal style with distinguishing brass chandeliers matched to other wall mounted chandeliers. The room was spacious and included a full desk, two armchairs and a small round table. There were other facilities such as a bag shelf, a 31 inch flat screen TV and an electronic coded safe box inside the wardrobe. Most important of all is the cleanliness of the room which was excellent. The room has also a double door which makes it more sound proof. The key was in the form of an electronic round sensor which functioned by touching it to a corresponding place above the door handle.
The breakfast at the Hotel was very acceptable and the staff was all very friendly and helpful. The staff at the reception also helped me obtain a ticket to the concert by the Vienna Mozart Orchestra which was scheduled to take place at the Konzerthaus on the same evening of my arrival.
As already stated, Stephansplatz (St Stephen’s square) may be the best location to reach all the attractions and sightseeing in the centre of Vienna. Infact it is located at the fulcrum of the so-called Ring, a single circular road which surrounds the inner city. This means that whatever place you wish to visit within the ring, it may be reached in not more than 10 minutes walk from this square. This is indeed a great advantage if you are on a short stay and would want to make the best out of it. It is also worth mentioning that unlike places outside the ring, the streets adjacent to Stephansplatz, like Graben, and Kartnerstasse are full of life in the evening or at night.
Public Transport
Public Transport in Vienna is very efficient. Most of the time, if you decide to do your sightseeing on foot, and you are staying in the inner city, you may not need to use the metro. However in cases where you use public transport it is much more convenient to buy a 24-hour ticket which is valid as from the time it is validated. Such ticket may be obtained through the machines inside the metro stations, from ticket sales offices of the Vienna Transport Authority or from tobacconists.
There are other tickets for a longer duration. The different tickets are listed below:
24-hour ticket (€5.70)
18-hour ticket (€10.00)
72-hour ticket (€13.60)
Single ride ticket (€1.80)
There is also the Vienna Card which is valid for 72 hours (€18.50) provides also discounts for various attractions.
What to see in the Inner City
The Inner City practically contains most of the important historical sites of Vienna. This is the very centre, which is like a round wheel formed by the ring with, as already said, Stephansplatz as the fulcrum. The most important sites and monuments lie within the area encircled by the Ring road and on the Ring’s external border.
Sightseeing of the inner city may be organized into two parts; one focused on the area to the east of Stephansplatz and the other to the west, where the most important Viennese monuments (including the Hofburg) are found. Here is a good way of sightseeing the inner city http://www.your-friend.info/fileadmin/downloads/PDF/Vienna-Map.pdf
Public Transport
Public Transport in Vienna is very efficient. Most of the time, if you decide to do your sightseeing on foot, and you are staying in the inner city, you may not need to use the metro. However in cases where you use public transport it is much more convenient to buy a 24-hour ticket which is valid as from the time it is validated. Such ticket may be obtained through the machines inside the metro stations, from ticket sales offices of the Vienna Transport Authority or from tobacconists.
There are other tickets for a longer duration. The different tickets are listed below:
24-hour ticket (€5.70)
18-hour ticket (€10.00)
72-hour ticket (€13.60)
Single ride ticket (€1.80)
There is also the Vienna Card which is valid for 72 hours (€18.50) provides also discounts for various attractions.
What to see in the Inner City
The Inner City practically contains most of the important historical sites of Vienna. This is the very centre, which is like a round wheel formed by the ring with, as already said, Stephansplatz as the fulcrum. The most important sites and monuments lie within the area encircled by the Ring road and on the Ring’s external border.
Sightseeing of the inner city may be organized into two parts; one focused on the area to the east of Stephansplatz and the other to the west, where the most important Viennese monuments (including the Hofburg) are found. Here is a good way of sightseeing the inner city http://www.your-friend.info/fileadmin/downloads/PDF/Vienna-Map.pdf
If you would like to perform all important sightseeing in one day, especially if there’s good weather and no rain, here is a way how to do it. You will need a map of the centre.
Start from Stephansplatz (you may start with a visit inside the cathedral) then move towards Rotenturmstrasse to Sonnenfelsgasse until you arrive in front of the Jesuitenkirche (Jesuit Church). You walk back same street and through the first alley on your left walk to Bäckerstr and then across to Wollzeile
until you come in front of the Café Diglas. Move through Strobel, cross Schulerstrasse and then turn left through Domgasse. The building opposite Blutgasse is Figaro Haus where Mozart wrote his opera Figaro’. Continue walking through Blutgasse and turn left through Singerstrasse then right through Grünangergasse as you arrive in front of the Franziskanerkirche. Walk through Weihburggasse towards Palais Coburg which lies in Coburgbastei. Then proceed to Parkring which you should cross towards the Stadtpark (City Park). Visit the Stadtpark where you will find the famous statue of Johann Strauss.After takin
g a rest at the Stadtpark exit through Lothringerstrasse which is a street parallel to the ring. Along Lothringerstrasse you will see, to the left, the Konzerthaus and the Akademie-theater. Further down to the left of Schwarzenbergplatz you will see to your left the monument to the Soviet Army - Sowjetisches Ehrenmal (who fought against the Germans in the world war). As you cross Schwarzenbergplatz you will reach Karlsplatz and the famous Karlskirche. On the opposite side of Karlsplatz you will see the Musikverein, the venue of the famous Vienna New Year concert.Walk along the side of the Musikverein to Kärntner Ring from where you can reach the beautiful Staatsoper. This can also be reached through an underground passage from Karlsplatz.
As you walk along the side of the Staatsoper, through Operngasse you will find yourself in front of the famous Albertina Museum. Walk to the left through Philharmoniker Strasse towards the Burggarten where you can see the monument dedicated to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. From the exit of the Burggarten cross Burgring towards the
Museum Quarter. There are two identical buildings opposite each other, the Natural History Musuem and the History of Art Museum. In the middle of the square there is a moment dedicated to Empress Maria Theresa.Go back to Burgring and walk towards Heldenplatz and enjoy a magnificent view of the semi-circular Hofburg façade with the monument of Prinz Eugen in the centre. Through the left facing the statue, walk through the passage into the Royal Palace courtyards until you reach Michaelerplatz. Inside the Hofburg there is also the Imperial Chapel where every Sunday at 09.15, there is holy mass accompanied by the Vienna Boys Choir. Seat reservations to attend such mass are made at least two months before the performance (€5-29).
Before you leave the Hofburg building note the entrance towards the Imperial Palace Apartments which you should find time to visit later during your stay. A visit to the Imperial Apartments also includes the Silver Collection Exhibition and the Sisi Museum. Opposite the Imperial Apartments entrance there is the entrance to the Spanish Riding School.
In Michaelerplatz at the Michaeler Kirche (St Michael’s Church) on Easter Sunday there was holy mass accompanied by the music of the Church’s choir which performed Mozart’s Spatzenmesse (Messa Breve).
From Michaelplatz walk through Herrengasse to Figlgasse to the Minoritenkirche. Back from Herrengasse continue towards Schottenkirche and then straight to Schottenring where you will immediately notice the Votivkirche. From Schottenring proceed to Dr Karl Lueger Ring and you can see the first of three
other beautiful buildings at the Ring border. These are the University, then the Rathaus (Town Hall) and finally the Parliament Building. Across the road, on the opposite side of the Rathaus lies the beautiful Burgtheatre. Next to the Burgtheater there is the Volksgarten with an entrance opposite the Parliament. Inside the garden there is the Theseus Temple.One last effort
and you would have nearly seen it all. Walk towards the Museum Quarter from Burgring and see the lovely architecture of the Volkstheater. You are now at the very beginning of Vienna’s famous shopping street, Mariahilferstrasse.The Maltese Church
In Kärtnerstrasse there is a Church called the Malteserkirche (the Maltese Church) built in the mid-15th century. The church is dedicated to the Order of the Knights of Malta and is of relevance to Maltese visitors to Vienna.
The Imperial Apartments – Hofburg
A visit to the Hofburg gives an insight of the troubled life of Empress Elizabeth known as Sisi who’s tragic death (she was stabbed to death by an Italian anarchist) ended her tormented life which was always in contrast with the strict etiquette of the royal court. The ticket for the visit (€9.9) includes the Imperial Apartments, Sisi’s museum and the Silver Collection.
Schonbrunn Palace
A visit to Vienna would be incomplete if one does not visit the famous summer retreat of the Austrian Imperial family, the Palace of Schonbrunn. Surrounded by a magnificent area that includes a park and a bush, Schonbrunn is a jewel. It is esthetically beautiful from the outside and royal and wealthy on the inside. Walk behind the Pala
ce up to the Gloriette where you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the Palace gardens and also part of the city.
A visit to the Hofburg gives an insight of the troubled life of Empress Elizabeth known as Sisi who’s tragic death (she was stabbed to death by an Italian anarchist) ended her tormented life which was always in contrast with the strict etiquette of the royal court. The ticket for the visit (€9.9) includes the Imperial Apartments, Sisi’s museum and the Silver Collection.
Schonbrunn Palace
A visit to Vienna would be incomplete if one does not visit the famous summer retreat of the Austrian Imperial family, the Palace of Schonbrunn. Surrounded by a magnificent area that includes a park and a bush, Schonbrunn is a jewel. It is esthetically beautiful from the outside and royal and wealthy on the inside. Walk behind the Pala
ce up to the Gloriette where you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the Palace gardens and also part of the city. Visit the Imperial Rooms. You will be given a time on the ticket to indicate when you would be allowed to enter the palace. Take an audio guide (free of charge) and listen to the history of the Hapsburgs and their life in the Palace.
Schonbrunn can be reached by using metro line U4 (direction Hutteldorf) stopping at Schonbrunn station. From there you walk for about 10 minutes to reach the main entrance.
The Belvedere PalaceThe Belvedere is a baroque Palace complex built by Prince Eugene of Savoy. It consists of the Upper Belvedere and the Lower Belvedere and its gardens. Today it houses the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere museum. It may be reached by metro line U1 (direction Reumannplatz) stopping at Sudtiroler Platz and a short walk of about 5 minutes.
UN City, Donaupark and Donauturm
A visit to the UN City and the Donaupark would be a nice experience.
You may reach UN City by metro line UI (direction Leopoldau) stopping at Kaisermühlen
– Vienna Int. Centre. From UN City you can walk through the Donaupark to reach the Donauturm (the Danube Tower). There is a lift that takes you up the tower (€5.9) to the Restaurant and Panorama.
On the way back from Kaisermühlen – Vienna Int. Centre you can stop at Vorgartenstrasse (same Metro line U1) and visit Mexico Platz where you find the beautiful church of St Francis of Assisi. You can walk towards Handelskai, which is the quay on the banks of the river Danube from which river tours depart.
The PraterThe Vienna Prater (from latin pratum meaning meadow) is a large public park, part of which is dedicated to an amusement park bearing the same name. The famous Reisenrad (Giant Ferris Wheel) in such amusement park is today a synonymous of Vienna.
You may reach the Prater through the metro line U1 and stop at Praterstern.
Where to Eat
Viennese food is good but there is not a lot of variety to choose from. The most famous dish is the Viennese Schnitzel which is the austrian version of the italian “Scaloppa Milanese”. For those who like it Viennese food also seems to include the liver in many dishes.
There are many good restaurants which serve Viennese or International cuisine, especially Italian restaurants.
One word of advice. If you go into a restaurant and you don’t want surprises at the end when you see your bill, then I suggest, you either order from the menu or ask the price of the dish that is being recommended. Some restaurants have the habit to offer you the dish of the day which is not listed on the menu, and whose price is quite expensive.
Moreover be careful of what wine you are offered and know the prices before you order. Some wines can cost you over €125 a bottle. In one restaurant, I asked for a glass of wine and I was served with less than a half-filled glass of red wine for which I was charged €12.50. The same restaurant also charged me €1 for every thin slice of bread (approx 7cm x 4cm x 0.7cm each) I was given with my meal.
Finally, be careful of restaurants that are attended by very few patrons or that are empty. Also be aware that red carpet treatment in a restaurant could bring you surprises in the end, unless of course money is no problem for you.
I would recommend the following restaurant:
La Cantinetta
Dr Karl Lueger-Ring 8
http://www.lacantinetta.at/
