Guide to Vienna

SHOP + PLAY

To market

Vienna has more than 26 markets but the most central for tourists is the Naschmarkt, (1 Wienzeile, naschmarkt.eu, from 6am, closed Sundays), a large produce market with good cafes and restaurants scattered throughout. Each Saturday, a large, hectic flea market containing fabulous treasures is held behind the Naschmarkt — but be ready to elbow in. Away from the crowds, the Brunnenmarkt in the Turkish 16th district connects with the Yppenmarkt (Brunnengasse and Yppengasse, Monday to Friday 6am-6.30pm, Saturday 6am-2pm) to form the largest street market in Vienna selling fresh produce. From mid-November, Vienna's famed Christmas markets are held in City Hall Square, Maria-Theresien-Platz, the Belevedere Palace and the Freyung, where Christmas markets have been held since 1772.

Go shop

The newly opened Stilwerk (1 Praterstrasse, 212 061 050, stilwerk.de) is a curious fusion of design emporium and modern mall, with 28 indie shops in one space. Commissioned in the 19th century by Emperor Franz Josef I to make an anniversary gift for the Empress Elizabeth (better known as "Sisi"), Austrian jeweller Koechert (15 Neuer Markt, 512 5828, koechert.com) created 27 diamond stars, which the empress wore braided in her hair. The jeweller sells the same design today but save your pennies — each star costs a few thousand euros. Following the Sisi theme, those after Austrian haute couture should head to Sisi Vienna (11 Annagasse , 513 0518, sisi-vienna.at), where contemporary designs take inspiration from traditional Austrian courtesan fashions.

Live music

The Vienna Boys' Choir performs in the Hofburg Chapel on Sunday mornings as part of Mass (Wiener Hofmusikkapelle, 533 9927, www.hofburgkapelle.at). Ticket prices range from €5-€29, or you can queue from 8.30am for free places to stand. Held in the former greenhouse of the Schoenbrunn Palace, the Orangery classical concert (812 5004, imaginevienna.com, 8.30pm) is popular (buy your tickets from the spruikers in Mozart costumes). Cheap standing-room tickets for the State Opera (2 Operngasse, 444 7880, wiener-staatsoper.at) are sold 80 minutes before the performance from a separate box office on the Operngasse. However, acquiring them before the opera diehards do is a cutthroat business.

Nightclubs

Passage, (Babenbergerstrasse, 961 8800, sunshine.at) is one of Vienna's biggest clubs, playing a mainstream mix of tunes in a central location in the first district. Sister club Roxy (24 Operngasse, www.roxyclub.at), in a renovated 1960s theatre, also runs club nights on Friday and Saturday. Branding itself as a "hotel without rooms", the peculiar Aux Gazelles (5 Rahlgasse, 585 6645, auxgazelles.at) hosts club nights every weekend and has its own hamman. Running for more than three decades, U4 (222 Schoenbrunnerstrasse, 817 1192, u-4.at) in the 12th district is another reliable option, accessible by its namesake U4 subway line.

SEE + DO

Icons

Mozart lived in more than a dozen homes in Vienna, including Mozarthaus (5 Domgasse, 512 1791, mozarthausvienna.at), which is now a museum dedicated to his memory. The Wiener Riesenrad at Prater Park is the world's oldest Ferris wheel and well worth a turn in its classic, graffiti-covered cabins. Go at dusk to see the sun set behind the mountains and the city light up (1 Riesenradplatz, 729 5430, www.wienerriesenrad.com). The Lipizzaner stallions at the Spanish Riding School (1 Michaelerplatz, 533 9031, srs.at) perform twice a week (closed Mondays and July-August, check the website as schedules vary). Morning training sessions are open to the public on a first come, first served basis from 9am.

Culture

Empress Elizabeth was a free spirit trying to escape the confines of royal life until she was assassinated. The myth and reality of her life is explored at the Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments at the Hofburg Palace (Michaelerkuppel, 533 7570, hofburg-wien.at). The Museum Quarter (1 Museumplatz, 523 5881, mqw.at) includes nine permanent museums, quirky shops, cafes and performance spaces. But the Belvedere Palace (6 Renweg,795 570, belvedere.at) is the pick for its stunning Gustav Klimt collection, including his iconic painting, The Kiss. The Museum of Natural History, (Maria-Theresien-Platz, 7 Burgring, 521 770, www.nhm-wien.ac.at) is one of the biggest museums in Europe, with 39 exhibition halls and 25 million specimens and is a great rainy day or winter option.

On foot

Vienna's main attractions are packed into a compact, pedestrian-friendly grid. Stroll through the Naschmarkt and turn left down the Getreidemarkt to the Museum Quarter, turn right through Maria-Theresien-Platz and wander through the rose gardens of the Volkgarten. Take in the Hofburg Palace and continue past the Spanish Riding School, and down the Kohlmarkt. Be sure to wander into the back room of patisserie Demel (14 Kohlmarkt, 535 1717, demel.com), where you can see strudel and Sachertorte being prepared (you can also grab a take-away box), before turning right down the pedestrian boulevard of shops to the Stephansdom cathedral. From here, lose yourself to the beauty of Vienna in tiny streets and alleys.

Follow the leader

Vienna's ball season runs from January to March. To brush up on your waltz, take a dancing lesson at Dancing School Elmayer (13 Braunerstrasse, 512 7197, Elmayer.at) — just remember your leather-soled shoes. Following the equine theme, horse-and-carriage rides are offered in 20-minute, 40-minute and one-hour blocks at set prices from outside the Hofburg Palace. Vienna has a fantastic series of bike paths along the Danube. Pedal Power (729 7234, pedalpower.at) runs a three-hour Culture & Danube tour leaving from the opera house. Half-day tours to the Vienna Woods include Mayerling Hunting Lodge, Heiligenkreuz Abbey and the real highlight, a boat ride on the Seegrotte, claimed to be the largest subterranean lake in Europe (712 4683, viennasightseeingtours.com).

EAT + DRINK

Snack attack

Known as the unpronounceable Polish Toast shop, Trzesniewski (1 Dorotheergasse, 512 3291, speckmitei.at) has snack-size pieces of bread covered in spreads and small "whisper size" beers from €1. Pick up a piece of apple strudel made to a royal recipe at Cafe Residenz Schonbrunn (52 Kavalierstrakt, 410 0300, cafe-wien.at), with hourly demonstrations of the process including strudel and coffee. Post opera, you'll see people in black tie queuing with drunken soccer louts for the wurst, or sliced Austrian sausage, served at the Albertina sausage stand (Albertinaplatz) just across from tourist office and behind the Opera house.

Cafe culture

Vienna is known for its decadent coffee shops filled with display cases of indulgent pastries. For a decent Melange (real Viennese coffee doesn't have cream on top), head to rough-around-the-edges Cafe Hawelka (6 Dorotheergasse, 512 8230, hawelka.at), a refuge for artists and intellectuals since the 1930s. Just near the Naschmarkt, century-old Cafe Sperl, (11 Gumpendorfer, 586 4158, cafesperl.at) has billiard tables and a refined atmosphere, while Cafe Central (1 Herrengasse, 533 3763, www.cafecentral-wien.at), with its vaulted ceilings, is beautiful but wall-to-wall with tourists. For something less touristy, there are a number of good cafes in both the Museum Quarter and in the Naschmarkt.

Top of the town

Set in the Stadtpark, Restaurant Steirereck, (2A Am Heumarkt, 713 3168, steirereck.at) has a reputation as Vienna's premier dining experience, offering a la carte and degustation menus (closed weekends). More low-key but with fine food, the Palm House (1 Burggarten, 533 1033, palmenhaus.at), set in the grounds of the old palace, serves modern cuisine in a stunning glasshouse, where you can see butterflies floating in the conservatory next door. An excellent version of the classic Viennese dish, wiener schnitzel, can be found at Restaurant Fromme Helene (15 Josefstadter, 406 9144, frommehelene.at), which is open late, has a great internal beer garden and good service.

By the glass

Go underground to a Heurigen, or Austrian wine cellar, at Augustinerkeller (1 Augustinerstrasse, 533 1026, bitzinger.at), in the vault of the Albertina Museum. The cavernous hall has live music each night and also serves food. Microbrewery Salm Brau (8 Rennweg, 799 5992, salmbraeu.com) has its own traditional beer hall just near the Belvedere Palace and serves a mix of diverse organic beer. For trendy types, the gorgeous Rote Bar (1 Neustiftgasse, 501 5013, rotebar.at), in the back of the Volkstheater, has beautiful domed ceilings with chandeliers and a sophisticated crowd. The wine bar at the Hotel Rathaus (see Luxe Hotels) is also recommended.

Hot tip

Sold in most hotels and shops, the Vienna Card is one of the best-value city passes in Europe at only €18.50 for 72 hours, which includes public transport, reductions in ticket prices for major museums and discounts in shops. However, its one drawback is the need to lug around the coupon book to redeem most offers, so don't leave it lying around in the hotel room like this visitor did. www.wienkarte.at.

Getting there

Emirates (1300 303 777, emirates.com) flies from Sydney to Vienna via Dubai from $2004.

Visa and currency

The currency is the euro (€1 = $1.35). Australians do not need a visa for a stay of less than 90 days. Austria's country code is +43 and 1 for Vienna. To call Vienna from abroad, add +431 to the numbers listed.

More information

wien.info.

- Sun-Herald