10 Things every visitor to Vienna should do
When will you realize ... Vienna waits for you!
Visit a Heurigen
Vienna and the wine
Vienna is the only capital city in the world, where wine is produced. It all started with the romans. Later on, the wineries received the right to sell food beside the wine directly from their estate. Consequently the “Heuriger” emerged. The Viennese usually visits a Heuriger not only to drink one or more glasses wine, but mainly to enjoy either live music, to sit in the wine yard and enjoying the sun, eat some delicacies or just to be in good company and relax with friends.
Our tip:
Visit Grinzing, a part of Vienna with many Vineries. Some of them offer a nice view of Vienna. The Tram Line D takes you from the Ringstraße (city center) directly into the heart of Grinzing.
![[Translate to English:] Naturhistorisches Museum](/fileadmin/_processed_/6/4/csm_Naturhistorisches_Museum_Nashorn_657a30a0a5.jpg)
Visit a Museum
Vienna's museum landscape
Vienna counts as a capital of museums. In no other city in the world you will find as many museums as in Vienna. There are museums for snow globes, funeral, torture, but also the famous ones like the Museum of Arts, of Natural History, the Albertina and of course the Belvedere Castle, where Klimts world famous painting “The Kiss” is exhibited.
Our Tip:
Once a year the “Long night of the Museums” takes place. With one ticket you may visit dozens of museums and enjoy the various exhibitions, but also the side events.
Shopping, eating, drinking, meeting people
Vienna's Markets
There are plenty of markets in Vienna. They are usually open from Monday to Saturday noon. The most famous one is the “Naschmarkt”. The name "Naschmarkt" comes from the vendors, who offer free samples of their food products. Over 120 market stands and restaurants offer a broad range of culinary highlights from all over the world. It is also a well known gathering point for the Viennese for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. In the evening some of the restaurants offer live music and DJs.
Our tip:
Every Saturday a farmer market takes place at the Karmeliter market in the 2nd district. Buy fresh products directly from the producer.
![[Translate to English:] Naschmarkt](/fileadmin/_processed_/5/c/csm_Naschmarkt_bd8703c528.jpg)
View on Vienna
Vienna's Skylines
Vienna offers a variety of possibilities to admire the view from above. While looking on Vienna you may enjoy a cocktail in one of the roof top bars like that one on the 57th floor at the Melia Hotel, or ride the Giant Ferries Wheel at the Prater, have lunch or dinner at the restaurant on top of the Danube Tower, or hike up to the Kahlenberg and drink a good glass of wine at the vineyard of a Heuriger.
Our Tip:
Book our Superior Apartment with private roof top terrasse overlooking Vienna
Explore Imperiale Vienna
Vienna's Royal Influence
For centuries Vienna was the capital of the Habsburg monarchy and imperium and consequently one of the most important places in Europe. Many buildings and monuments still proof about this imperial history. Schönbrunn Palace, the summer residence, and the Hofburg in the City Center, the Winter residence, were the home of the Habsburgs. Today the Hofburg is home of the Empress Sisi museum, the Spanish horse-riding school, the national library, the treasure chamber and last but not least it is the home of the Austrian's President Office. Other witnesses from the Austrians Imperial past are the Belvedere Castle and its wonderful Garden, Palais Schwarzenberg and dozens other Palais, the Ringstrasse with the many magnificent buildings alongside such as the National Opera house, the museum of art, the museum of history of nature, the parliament, the townhall and many more.
Our Tip:
To get an imperial feeling, take a ride on a horse carriage (Fiaker) along the ring and the city center.
Visit a concert
Vienna and the music
Vienna is a music capital. Concerts take place every day, most of them belong to the classic genre. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is world famous, but there are many more orchestras situated in Vienna. Mozart, Beethoven and the Strauss Dynasty left a mark on the classic music map. Falco comes from Vienna as well, so are Kruder and Dorfmeister, pioneers of electronic music.
Every week there are plenty of concerts, operas, musicals and other music events in Vienna, either at the Ernst Happel Stadion, at one of the opera houses, cert halls or Palais, in Parks or even on the Danube Isle.
Our Tip:
The Danube Island Festival is something you should not miss. It takes place once a year for 4 days and entrance is free.
Café Tradition
Vienna and the Cafés
Vienna Coffee houses are well known as place for comfort, relaxation and delicious treats. Some of the traditional Cafés do not only offer a broad variety of coffee and ways of preparing, but also pastries, snacks, international newspapers and a safe haven and tranquillity in a fast world. Since 2011 the Viennese Coffee house culture is even an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. Forget about Espresso and Cappuccino and explore the world of Mokka, Verlängerter, Melange and many other.
Our Tip:
Visit one of the Viennese Concert Cafés and enjoy coffee and pastries as well as live music composed by the great composers such as Johann Strauss, but also Folk, Pop, Jazz, Blues and other genres.
The Prater
Vienna's recreational area and amusement park
The Prater is a roughly 6 km2 big park in Vienna, that is divided in the amusement park with up to 250 attractions, many restaurants and bars and further attractions, the area with the “Ernst-Happel-Stadium”, home of the Austrian national Football Team and also host to concerts of local and international musicians, the trotting track and a public pool, the park area with woods, the prater meadows and many hiking trails, children playgrounds and more. The „Wurstelprater“ amusement park is probably the best known part and it is home of the famous Viennese Ferris Wheel, one of Vienna’s landmarks, by the way, the entrance is free.
Our Tip:
After riding with the Ferris wheel or one of the other attractions, enjoy a “Stelze” (knuckle of pork) with horseradish and good beer either at the restaurant “Englischer Reiter” or at “Schweizer Haus”.
The Danube, the isle and the canal
Vienna and the water ways
The Danube is without a doubt the most beloved recreation and relaxation area for the Viennese. In Vienna the Danube is divided by the Danube Isle into the Danube and the New Danube. The Isle was built in the 70ies and is 21 km long and its main purpose is for a flood control. However, the Viennese quickly used the isle for sports activities such as biking, running and hiking, but also for sunbathing and swimming in the New Danube. Today the New Danube is also used for “Stand up paddling”, wakeboarding, sailing and other water sports.
The Old Danube is an abandoned river course and also invites for all kind of water sports and is a hotspot for a unique sunset and the skyline view of the UNO City.
The Danube Canal runs in the west from the Danube to the City Center and in the east back to the Danube. In the City Center it is manly covered by restaurants, bars and night clubs and hence offers a well known hot spot for young and old.
Out Tip:
Take the Metro to the Danube Isle and enjoy the sunny weather, a cool drink and the atmosphere. Rent a bike or walk around or just jump into the New Donau for refreshing.
Let yourself be pampered with culinary delights
Vienna's Cuisine
Viennese Cuisine is mainly famous for “Wiener Schnitzel”, “Tafelspitz” and “Kaiserschmarren”, however it offers many more dishes. Vienna was always a meeting point of many cultures and consequently the Viennese Cuisine is influenced by foreign ingredients and cooking techniques. When you are in Vienna you should also try a Viennese “Hering Salad”, an “Alt Wiener Suppentopf” (Bowl of Soup), a “Gulasch”, “Beuschel” (=minced veal lung and heart in a creamy sauce served with a bread dumpling), “Krautfleckerl” (=Cabbage with or without meat and pasta squares), Platschinken (=Pancakes served with jam).
Out Tip:
A “Beisl” is a typical Viennese restaurant with good home cooking and traditional dishes. However, you have to go also for typically Austrian Street Food at the “Würstelstand” (=Sausage Stand), where you will find a good selection of different sausages such as “Debreziner”, “Käsekrainer” or “Burenwurst”. There are served either with mustard or ketchup and a slice of bread.