EMPIRE TRAVELLER

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TO STAY

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SACHER HOTEL: A luxury boutique hotel in the heart of Vienna's Old Town. Founded by the renowned Sacher family and home of the original Sacher Torte (one of Austria's proudest creations), the hotel carries a rich history and much of Vienna's classic charm. Ideally located in Innere Stadt, just across the Opera House and around the corner from Kärntner Straße, Sacher Hotel puts guests within walking distance to most major sites and streets - an ideal starting point to explore the city on foot. The hotel is beautifully decorated with antique ornaments, valuable paintings, elegant furniture... an enchanting world of its own. Between the lobby's signature-red sitting area, the Blue Bar, the classic Sacher Cafe as well as two fine dining restaurants, the hotel offers lots of space to dwell. Staying here is a perfect introduction to Vienna's enchanting charm, and always a memorable experience.

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TRADITIONAL CUISINE

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FIGLMÜLLER WOLLZEILE: Traditional Viennese Cuisine - Home of the Schnitzel

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Figlmüller deservedly upholds the title of "the original home of the schnitzel"; and if you're looking for the perfect schnitzel in Vienna, this is it. Their famous XL pork cutlet schnitzel, so big that it spills over the sides of the plate, has become almost a Viennese icon of its own. Paired with a classic potato-field salad (ask for pumpkin seed oil on top) and a glass of local Grüner Veltliner, this is one of the best meals you'll have in Vienna - time and time again. Just a short walk from Stephansplatz, Figlmüller is ideally located in the Old Town. Nestled in a narrow alley at Wollzeile, in a quaint tavern-like setting, the restaurant steals you away from the world outside; from food to atmosphere, it's a charming experience of a bygone age. Reservations at the original Wollzeile location are highly recommended and almost always required; though if you're early (and lucky), they often have walk-in availability between bookings. Otherwise, you'll be sent off to their second location at Bäckerstrasse - which also serves their signature pork schnitzel and a more varied menu. But really, you do not want to miss the original Figlmüller experience. 

                        

PLACHUTTA: Traditional Austrian Cuisine - Home of the Tafelspitz

 

Tafelspitz is another major staple in Austrian cuisine and a must-try food experience there. Consisting of fork-tender boiled beef served in broth with bone-marrow, alongside toasted bread, rösti potatoes, apple-horseradish and chive-cream (ask for creamed spinach too), it's a hearty and fulfilling meal; and Plachutta offers a fun DIY way of enjoying it. Plachutta is known as "the home of the Tafelspitz" and for first-timers, it's an excellent place to try it. They have a few locations around the city, but their original Wollzeile location is the biggest and most popular - reservations are highly recommended. Plachuttas Gasthauszur Oper is an excellent alternative, this one specialises more in schnitzel but also serves their world-famous Tafelspitz.

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ZUM SCHWARZEN KAMEEL: Traditional Austrian Cuisine 

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Just around the corner from Kohlmarkt, surrounded by up-scale boutiques, Zum Schwarzen Kameel is one of the oldest restaurant-cafés in the city - dating back to 1618 and still housed in its original building. In spite of its age, it stands today as one of Vienna's most fashionable spots. Offering a dining space inside, an outdoor terrace, and a standing-bar area and patisserie, it's pleasantly busy and lively throughout the day. The restaurant serves classic Viennese dishes from breakfast to dinner, but their famous open-faced sandwiches are the true highlight (all on display). Be it a leisurely meal or a quick bite & drink by the bar, Schwarzen Kameel's exciting atmosphere is memorable.

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HUTH GASTWIRTSCHAFT: Traditional Austrian Cuisine - Modern Setting

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Serving traditional classics in a contemporary setting, Huth offers the best of Austrian cuisine in a simple and casual atmosphere. The menu consists of staples like Tafelspitz, Zwiebelrostbraten (Onion Roast Beef), Viennese Meatballs, as well as a choice of Veal Schnitzel or Bäckhendl Schnitzel (chicken) - both of which are excellent. Located in Innere Stadt, within walking distance to the area around Kärtnerstrasse as well as Stadtpark, it's an ideal place for lunch or dinner in the centre. 

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MEISSL & SCHADN: Traditional Austrian Cuisine - Modern Setting

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In an elegant but laidback bistro setting, Meissl & Schadn serves traditional Austrian cuisine with style. The menu offers classics like Tafelspitz and Viennese Roast Beef, but their generously-sized Wiener Schnitzel is the most popular choice here - you can watch their chefs beat, bread, and fry cutlets on demand in their open kitchen. Best paired with a classic potato salad, a side of wild cranberries, and Austria's national Almdudler drink. Located on Schubertring, within walking distance to Innere Stadt's major sites - reservations recommended but walk-ins are also welcome.

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CLASSIC COFFEEHOUSES

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SACHER CAFÉ: Any trip to Vienna is incomplete without a Sacher Torte, and there's no better place to indulge in one than where it all first happened in 1832; when 16-year-old Franz Sacher's lucky attempt to impress the State Chancellor resulted in one of Austria's proudest creations. A decadent chocolate cake coated with thick, dark icing and a slightly tart but sweet apricot filling. Most restaurants and coffeehouses serve an imitation of it, but nothing surpasses the original at Sacher Hotel & Café.  Enjoying it at its birthplace just makes it all the more delicious. They also sell whole cakes as well as bite-size cubes to take home.

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DEMEL: Founded in 1786 on the corner of Kohlmarkt, Demel still stands as one of Vienna's best konditoreis. Elegant interiors, antique fixtures, old-fashioned confectionary; a live-station of kaiserschmarrn, hand-rolled buchteln, and of course their iconic cake display...  it's absolutely marvellous. A haven for one's sweet-tooth, just steps away from Hofburg Palace.

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CAFÉ CENTRAL: What was once a popular hub for the intellectual and literary scene, now stands as one of the city's most iconic coffeeshops - just a short walk from Michaelerplatz, Hofburg Palace and Kohlmarkt. With an impressive reputation of having welcomed names like Freud and Trotsky, Café Central offers a glimpse into a by-gone age of Vienna. Though it is certainly a tourist hub, with queues forming outside for a table, it is at least worth a quick peek inside.

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CAFÉ LANDTMANN: Another classic coffeeshop to visit in Vienna. Café Landtmann is cosy and elegant, and slightly less popular amongst tourists. They also serve one of the best Kaiserschmarrns in the city. Sitting across Vienna's City Hall Building (Rathaus) on Universitatsring, and just a short walk from Votivkirsche, it's the perfect go-to if you're exploring the area. Reservations are highly recommended for an indoor table, though they do welcome walk-ins on the terrace.

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CAFÉ SCHWARZENBERG: Better for atmosphere than food, this café also offers a cosy and intimate space for coffee breaks. Try to reserve a booth by the window, because that's where it's really worth sitting. The waiters can be slightly unwelcoming of tourists, but the café is strategically located on Karntner Ring and close to Musikverein if you're attending a concert there.

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PALMENHAUS CAFÉ: Just outside the Albertina Palace & Museum is an all-glass green-house-turned-brasserie; high ceiling, glass roof, and larger-than-life plants give this café a spacious and airy atmosphere. It's a great spot to drop in between sight-seeing for a break as well as for drinks & music later in the evening.

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PLACES TO VISIT & THINGS TO DO

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ART & HISTORY

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BELVEDERE PALACE & GARDENS: One of Vienna's most significant palaces with a breathtaking stretch of botanical gardens and an impressive collection of art. The Belvedere houses some of the world's greatest masterpieces - ranging from Medieval and Baroque to Impressionism and Contemporary Art; but of course it's most famously known as the home of Gustav Klimt's The Kiss - the museum's most popular attraction. Entrance tickets are designated by time-slots; you can purchase them online in advance to avoid queuing for long.

 

SCHONBRUNN PALACE: Once the main summer residence of Habsburg rulers and considered to be Vienna's Versailles, Schönbrunn Palace is absolutely worth a visit. There are so many elaborate rooms and original antiquities to marvel at; perhaps the most anticipated would be the breathtaking Hall of Mirrors. Start with a tour of the palace then stroll through its vast stretch of gardens. At the other end of the park sits another beautiful building that now houses Café Gloriette, where you can enjoy an afternoon break in an imperial setting. Schönbrunn is a little outside the city centre (a 15-20 minute drive) and will take a few hours to explore, but certainly not to be missed.

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KUNSTHISTORISCHES MUSEUM: For art & history enthusiasts, Kunsthistorisches Museum is integral. It's one of Europe's biggest art museums and perhaps Vienna's greatest, with an incredible collection of artworks & artifacts; from Ancient Greek and Roman treasures to masterpieces by Rubens, Rembrandt, Caravaggio and more. The museum's palatial setting and its elaborate architecture alone are worth seeing. The Historical Music Museum is an extension located nearby, housing rooms of original instruments belonging to Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart.

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NATIONALBIBLIOTHEK: Austria's National Library houses one of the most breathtaking halls, with grand wooden fixtures and elaborate wall paintings, towering bookshelves and a marvellous ceiling. It holds some of the oldest books and documents to date. Just around the corner from Michaelerplatz and a short walk to Kunsthistorisches Museum.

 

ALBERTINA PALACE: Not a particularly significant palace, but there are some gorgeous rooms inside painted in different pastel colors and a collection of work from artists such as Monet, Picasso, Degas, and Renoir. 

 

MUSEUMSQUARTIER: For modern and contemporary art, Museumsquartier is a great place to start. There you'll find Leopold Museum for the world's largest collection of Egon Schiele, many of Klimt's earliest art, and important works of Austrian modernism. Just across, Mumok houses contemporary & experimental art exhibitions.

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ARCHITECTURE

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ST. STEPHAN'S CATHEDRAL: In the heart of Stephansplatz is Vienna's most significant cathedral. St Stephen's is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna and a national symbol, dating back to the 12th century. With a magnificent Gothic edifice and intricately tiled roof, elaborate Baroque fixtures and massive stained-glass windows, the cathedral stretches over 100 metres long and carries 13 bells (the Pummerin being Europe's second biggest). It is truly breathtaking.

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KARLSKIRCHE: Located at Karlsplatz, this 18th century church is a Baroque masterpiece; also revered as the last and greatest work of Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach (one of the most eminent architects of the Habsburg Empire). Crowned with white & gold and an enchanting beam-like fixture, the church apse and altar are truly splendid. Beautiful frescoes fill the domed ceiling, which visitors can admire up close from the panoramic elevator as well as a view of Karlsplatz from above.

 

RATHAUS & VOTIVKIRCHE: Just a short distance from one another, the City Hall building and the neighbouring Votivkirche are two significant symbols in Vienna. Rathaus is the centre of Vienna's local government and Votivkirche is the second tallest church in the city; both showcasing magnificent Neo-Gothic architecture. Rathaus sits right across Café Landtmann and within walking distance from Votivkirche is the Sigmund Freud museum.

 

OTTO WAGNER: For admirers of the Art Nouveau, Vienna is a haven and perhaps the most important city of the movement. As a leading figure of the 'Jugendstil', Otto Wagner's architectural works are iconic as well as integral to understanding its style. The five major Wagner sites to visit are: Eglisé Saint Léopold Steinhof - Ernst Fuchs Museum (formerly Otto Wagner's Villa) - Majolikahaus (make sure to see the elevator inside) - Österreichische Postsparkasse - Karlsplatz Pavillon.

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EXPERIENCES

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CLASSICAL CONCERTS: Vienna was once home to many of the world's greatest composers, which is why attending at least one classical concert is an unmissable experience. The State Opera House and Musikverein run some of the best shows - check their programs in advance and book your tickets online. Many cathedrals like St Stephen's and Karlskirche also host classical concerts - an enchanting setting.

 

PEDESTRIAN VIENNA: Vienna's Innere Stadt is filled with lively pedestrian streets to stroll & shop through. The major ones like Kohlmarkt, The Gräben and Kärntner Strasse are great starting points to branch out from - they all cross over and lead onto one another. Lined with department stores, local boutiques, cafes and restaurants, there's lots to see and do.