ViennaTraveller.info

Vienna City Guide

admin — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 05:56:07 +0000

Vienna is a unique blend of the historic and the modern, so full of tradition it can be read on the face of the city, yet with a forward-looking approach that will surprise the visitor. Vienna’s role as the seat of the Hapsburg Empire for centuries can be seen in the wealth of architecture and in the city’s artistic and musical heritage.

Many of the world’s most important composers, including Beethoven and Mozart, have lived and performed behind Vienna’s Baroque façades. In addition to this Baroque splendour, there are excellent examples of the Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) architecture that also flourished here.

Vienna is divided into 23 Bezirke (districts). The original city that lay within the protective walls comprises the First District of modern Vienna. The demolition of the city walls led to the construction of the Ringstrasse and an impressive parade of buildings along its length.

The majority of the tourist attractions lie on and within the Ringstrasse. Districts two to nine are arrayed between the Ringstrasse and the concentric Gürtel (Belt). The other districts lie beyond the Gürtel and extend into the foothills of the Wienerwald (Vienna Woods), where Heurigen (wine taverns) and pretty villages are dotted among the vineyards.

The city is not only the capital of Austria but also a federal province as well, surrounded by Niederösterreich (Lower Austria). Vienna’s location on the east–west trade route along the River Danube played an important part in its history – an empire that once covered a large part of Europe was ruled from here. Even today, Vienna is the financial and administrative capital of Austria and home to a number of international organisations, including the United Nations. And with the fall of Communism, Vienna is once again at the centre of Europe.

Loden Plankl

admin — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 07:08:58 +0000

Established in 1830 by the Plankl family, this store is the oldest and most reputable outlet in Vienna for traditional Austrian clothing. Children’s sizes usually begin with items for 2-year-olds, and women’s sizes range from 6 to 20 (American). Sizes for large or tall men go up to 60.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

Zur Schwäbischen Jungfrau

admin — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 07:08:07 +0000

This is one of the most illustrious shops in Austria, with a reputation that goes back almost 300 years. Here, Maria Theresa bought her first handkerchiefs, and thousands of debutantes have shopped for dresses. Come here for towels, bed linens, lace tablecloths, and some of the most elaborate needlepoint and embroidery anywhere. Service is courtly, cordial, and impeccable.

J. & L. Lobmeyr

admin — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 07:07:03 +0000

If during your exploration of Vienna you admire a crystal chandelier, there’s a good chance that it was made by this company. Designated purveyor to the Imperial Court of Austria in the early 19th century, it has maintained an elevated position ever since. The company is credited with designing and creating the first electric chandelier in 1883. It has also designed chandeliers for the Vienna State Opera, the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, the Assembly Hall in the Kremlin, the new concert hall in Fukuoka, Japan, and many palaces and mosques in the Near and Far East.

Behind its Art Nouveau facade on the main shopping street of the city center, you’ll see at least 50 chandeliers of all shapes and sizes. The store also sells hand-painted Hungarian porcelain, along with complete breakfast and dinner services. It will engrave your family crest on a wineglass or sell you a unique modern piece of sculptured glass from the third-floor showroom. The second floor is a museum of some of the outstanding pieces the company has made since it was established in 1823.

A. E. Köchert

admin — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 07:05:31 +0000

The sixth generation of the family who served as court jewelers until the end of the Habsburg Empire continues its tradition of fine workmanship here. The store, founded in 1814, occupies a 16th-century landmark building. The firm designed many of the crown jewels of Europe, but the staff gives equal attention to customers looking only at charms for a bracelet.

Ö.W. (Österreichische Werkstatten)

admin — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 07:04:53 +0000

Even if you skip every other store in Vienna, check this one out. This well-run store sells hundreds of handmade art objects. Leading artists and craftspeople throughout the country organized this cooperative to showcase their wares. The location is easy to find, only half a minute’s walk from St. Stephan’s Cathedral. There’s an especially good selection of pewter, along with modern jewelry, glassware, brass, baskets, ceramics, and serving spoons fashioned from deer horn and bone. Take some time to wander through; you never know what treasure is hidden in a nook of this cavernous three-floor outlet.

Mörwald im Ambassador

admin — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 07:03:12 +0000

This restaurant, in the Hotel Ambassador, is one of the best and most stylish in Vienna. Bankers, diplomats, and what one local food critic called “Helmut Lang-clad hipsters” show up here not only to see and be seen, but also to enjoy the delectable modern Viennese cuisine of Christian Domschitz. He’s shown a genius for giving classic Viennese dishes a modern twist. Prepared with élan and precision, some of his best dishes include saddle of suckling pig with white cabbage dumplings, veal meat loaf with pureed spring onions, and a spicy brook char, one of the best fish offerings. You might start with the chef’s velvety smooth foie gras in Kirschwasser. For dessert, we recommend the diced semolina pancakes, which sound ordinary but aren’t, as they are served with a spicy apple compote and feather dumplings with a fromage blanc (white cheese).

Korso bei Der Oper

admin — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 07:02:27 +0000

Cuisine	Viennese, International

Hours	Mon-Fri noon-3pm and 6pm-1am

Address	Kärtner Ring 1

Location	In the Hotel Bristol, Innere Stadt (Inner City)

Transportation	U-Bahn: Karlsplatz. Tram: 1 or 2

Reservations	Reservations required

Phone	01/51516546

Prices	Main courses 25€-40€ ($33-$52); fixed-price menu 45€ ($59) at lunch, 76€ ($99) at dinner

Credit Cards	AE, DC, MC, V

This chic and glittering choice is decorated with tasteful paneling, sparkling chandeliers, and, flanking either side of a baronial fireplace, two of the most breathtaking baroque columns in Vienna. Set in the elegant Hotel Bristol, the restaurant has its own entrance directly across from the Staatsoper, a position that has always attracted a legendary clientele of opera stars.

The kitchen concocts an alluring mixture of traditional and modern cuisine for discriminating palates. Your meal might feature filet of char with a sorrel sauce, saddle of veal with cèpe mushrooms and homemade noodles, or the inevitable tafelspitz. The rack of lamb is excellent, as are the medallions of beef with a shallot-infused butter sauce and Roquefort-flavored noodles. The wine list is extensive, and the service, as you’d expect, is impeccable.

Gasthaus Ubl

admin — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 07:00:54 +0000

This is a closely guarded Viennese secret. It’s where locals who want to enjoy some of the famous dishes enjoyed by their last great emperor, Franz Josef, go. This is an authentic guesthouse-like atmosphere with an old Viennese stove. Three sisters run it, and the whole place screams Old Vienna — nothing flashy or touristy here. Begin with one of the freshly made salads or soups, then follow with the classics — the best tafelspitz in the area or such old favorites as schweinebraten (a perfectly roasted pork). Desserts are old-fashioned and yummy. The staff is most welcoming.

Firenze Enoteca

admin — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 06:59:53 +0000

This is one of Vienna’s premier Italian restaurants. Located near St. Stephan’s next to the Royal Hotel, it’s furnished in Tuscan Renaissance style, with frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli. The kitchen specializes in homemade pasta served with zesty sauces. According to the chef, the cuisine is “80% Tuscan, 20% from the rest of Italy.” Start with selections from the antipasti table, and then choose among spaghetti with “fruits of the sea”; veal cutlet with ham, cheese, and sardines; or perhaps filet mignon in a tomato-garlic sauce. Be sure to complement any meal here with a classic bottle of Chianti.