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ОглавлениеAUSTRIA
Arguably the world capital of classical music, Austria is home to many of history’s greatest musical minds. Mozart is, of course, the country’s favorite son, and his homes throughout Salzburg and Austria are remarkable tourist destinations—but the musical landmarks don’t stop there. The Vienna State Opera is world famous, the Haus der Musik demonstrates the creation of music down to the scientific mechanisms of sound reverberation, and Salzburg’s ball season offers dancing until the early morning in the birthplace of the waltz.
This music scene comes into the modern age with a visit to the country, where melodies old and new seem to hang in the air like electricity. You may find public outdoor symphony concerts in Vienna that draw attendees of all ages to stand, sway, chat with neighbors, and pop open bottles of wine. Classical music has never felt more enveloping yet casual. In Salzburg, side effects of The Sound of Music setting may include running, skipping, and spinning with arms outstretched. Here, the city does indeed seem to be alive with the sound of music, and visitors may find the voice of Queen Julie Andrews (this title is legitimate, just ask the people of Genovia) rattling around their heads, seemingly without end.
Meanwhile, Austria is a sight to behold, a stunning vision of mountains and man-made edifices wishing they could be mountains, too. Cities boast architectural works that reach for the skies, from the towering Gothic spires of the Rathaus and St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna to the clunky hilltop fortress of Salzburg that cradles the clouds in its own right. In Hallstatt, hillside churches and sharp, elongated steeples sit alongside a glistening lake, nestled between mountains. Home to its own corner of the Alps, the road through Austria winds among jagged peaks and sparkling bodies of water. Here, you’ll find the air fresh, the language German, and the living easy.
SALZBURG
Coverage by Antonia Washington
The name Salzburg translates to “mountain of salt,” and it was this very resource—known colloquially as “white gold”—that made this city great (and the archbishops that reigned incredibly rich). With the spoils from mining, the members of the ruling class built opulent state rooms and concert halls. The city took shape within just a few decades, and is now considered one of the most exemplary showcases of Baroque architecture in the world. Salzburg’s city center is arguably the best preserved in Central Europe with tall domes peeking over the rooftops of Old Town and hillside fortresses looming overhead. Additionally, Salzburg is notable for its exquisite cultural composition. Once the social and governmental seat of its region, Salzburg was an independent state for nearly 300 years, after breaking from Bavaria and before becoming part of Austria in the early 1800s. It is also the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (and the von Trapp family—can’t forget about them), whose work is emblematic of the region’s musical legacy.
ORIENTATION
Salzburg is a relatively small city built up on either side of the Salzach River, a right tributary of the Inn River and your number-one tool for orienting yourself. The city center spans both sides of the river. To the east you will find the Mirabell Palace and Gardens, the main train station, and Mozart’s residence. Areas to note include Linzer Gasse, a major pedestrian street, and Mirabellplatz, a major square just in front of Mirabell palace and a frequent rendezvous site for tour groups and open-air markets. To the west lies Salzburg’s Old Town. Here, pedestrian streets bustle with people from all walks of life, and most of the city sights, including Mozart’s birthplace and the Salzburg Cathedral in the DomQuartier, stand in all of their former glory. Areas to note on this side of the river include Judengasse, Linzer Gasse’s western counterpart, Residenzplatz, a main square in the middle of the Residenz Palace, the Salzburg Cathedral and the Salzburg Museum.
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE
The airport, named for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, can be reached on flights from most major cities in Europe and many major cities around the world, though the latter requires a connecting flight. If you are coming from elsewhere in Europe, travel via train is often the most convenient, as the Salzburg Hauptbahnhof train station is situated just on the northeast corner of the city center, easily within a bus ride or walking distance of many sights and accommodations.
GETTING AROUND
Salzburg does not have an underground metro, but buses go just about anywhere you may wish to go, and 1hr tickets cost just over €2. Once in the city center, Salzburg is very walkable, and, in fact, you will often be forced to walk, as much of Old Town consists of pedestrian streets. Bikes are also a popular method of transportation. Rental stores can be found throughout the city.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Tourist Offices: Located in Old Town in Mozartplatz, a smaller square right off of Residenzplatz (Mozartplatz 5; 66288 98 70; www.salzburg.info/en; open daily 9am-6pm).
Banks/ATMs/Currency Exchange: Most establishments in Salzburg only accept cash, but banks and ATMs are widely available to withdraw money.
Post Offices: There are many post offices throughout the city, one central location is listed (Residenzplatz 9; 0800 010 100; open M-F 8am-6pm).
Internet: Internet access is fairly standard at most accommodations in Salzburg, but worth checking ahead on.
BGLTQ+ Resources: The brochure “Austria Gay Guide” includes information about gay resources and establishments in cities including Salzburg. Find more information online at www.gayguide.me.
EMERGENCY INFORMATION
Emergency Number: 112
Police: Police stations are located throughout the city. Listed below is the information for the station located in Salzburg’s town hall (Rudolfskai 2; 059 133 55 88100).
US Embassy: Austria’s US Embassy is located in Vienna (Boltzmanngasse 16; (+43-1) 31339-0; open M-F 8am-4:30pm). In case of emergencies, the US consulate in Munich, Germany may be easier to access (Königinstraße 5; 8928880).
Hospitals: Unfallkrankenhaus (Doktor-Franz-Rehrl-Platz 5; 059 3934 4000; open daily 24hr)
Pharmacies: Pharmacies in Salzburg are widespread. Pharmacies are called apotheke, and are marked with a red symbol that looks like a cursive “L” or the number four. Engel-Apotheke (0662 87 32 21) is the most central pharmacy.
ACCOMMODATIONS
NATURFREUNDEHAUS STADTALM ($)
Mönchsberg 19c; 0662 84 17 29; www.stadtalm.at; reception open daily Sep-Apr 10am-6pm, May-Aug 10am-11pmt
You’ll find this hostel on the second floor of a restaurant, housed inside a castle, and sitting on top of a mountain. Amid a combination of stone and wooden décor, you’ll feel like fairytale royalty, though in real life you’ll probably be a lot dirtier and sweatier, especially because getting up to the hostel on foot means hiking up the hill. Once you make it to the top, however, the recently renovated rooms and bathrooms will welcome you warmly. Another perk: the price of the room includes breakfast.
i Dorms from €24.50; reservation required; no wheelchair accessibility; free breakfast
YOHO INTERNATIONAL YOUTH HOSTEL ($)
Paracelsusstrasse 9; 066 2879649; www.yoho.at; reception open 24hr
Yoho International Youth Hostel is one of the youngest, most centrally located, and cheapest options in Salzburg. The rooms are clean, simple, and spacious, and communal areas like a bar and a lounge with daily Sound of Music screenings make Yoho a fun place to hang out with your new hostel friends. Plus, as a family-run establishment, staying here can mean sticking it to the man. Our only complaint is the name, which reminds us of Yoo-hoo chocolate milk (which we are missing dearly while abroad).
i Dorms from €20; reservation required; max stay 1 week; Wi-Fi; limited wheelchair accessibility; towels €0.50; laundry €2.50 per wash/dry; breakfast buffet €4, dinner from €3.50
SIGHTS
CULTURE
SALZBURG CATHEDRAL
Domplatz 1a; 662 80477950; www.salzburger-dom.at; open May-Sept M-Sa 8am-7pm (subject to change for worship)
The Salzburg Cathedral is a massive seventeenth-century Baroque edifice where Mozart once served as the church organist. If the exterior looks large, the interior feels even larger, with a nave that seems impossibly vaulted and a series of orange frescoes that heighten the intensity of the white walls. The decorative moulding inside is accented by unpainted groove-work, creating a stark aesthetic severity that may make you feel meek in comparison. It’s exactly the kind of self-esteem booster you were looking for.
i Cathedral free, museum admission €12, students €10; limited wheelchair accessibility
NONNBERG ABBEY
Nonnberggasse 2; 662 841607; www.benediktinerinnen.de/index.php/adressen/2-uncategorised/26-nonnberg; open daily 7am-dusk (7pm in summer), visits not permitted during worship
The Nonnberg Abbey in Salzburg, established during the beginning of the eighth century, is one of the oldest continuously active nunneries in the world. Created in the late gothic style, the abbey is also known for its smaller works of art and murals. Its true claim to fame, however, may be its role as the abbey of Maria soon-to-be-von-Trapp, whose story was brought to the global stage in the smash 1965-hit, The Sound of Music. When the von Trapps married in 1927, they wed at the church of Nonnberg Abbey, though the movie filmed the scene elsewhere. Today, there are 21 nuns living at the abbey.
i Free; limited wheelchair accessibility
ST. PETER’S ABBEY
St. Peter Bezirk ½; 662 8445760; www.erzabtei.at; church open daily Apr-Oct 8am-9pm, Nov-Mar 8am-7pm; cemetery open daily Apr-Sept 6:30am-8pm, open daily Oct-Mar 6:30am-6pm; catacombs open daily May-Sept 10am-6pm, Oct-Apr 10am-5pm
One of the oldest continuously-employed monasteries in German-speaking Europe, St. Peter’s Abbey was founded in the seventh century, more than a millennium before its female counterpart, the Nonnberg Abbey. Long connected to the likes of musical geniuses such as Johann Michael Haydn and the Mozart family, St. Peter’s possesses some 100 autographs of the former and two dozen manuscripts of the latter. Haydn and the sister of W. A. Mozart are also buried in St. Peter’s cemetery. The monastery is a large complex with much to see, but the cemetery—famous for its beautiful gravesites—is certainly a highlight.
i Catacombs €2, students €1.50; limited wheelchair accessibility
LANDMARKS
RESIDENZ PALACE
Residenzplatz 1; 662 80422109; www.domquartier.at; open M 10am-5pm, W 10am-8pm, Th-Su 10am-5pm
Touring through the Residenz Palace will give you an insight into the Salzburg line of prince-archbishops, who dominated oth poltical and religious life until the early nineteenth century. Because of the region’s hugely successful salt mining industry, the prince-archbishops had no shortage of funds and were constantly renovating and redecorating the residence, creating lavish series of rooms that are now open for visitors to explore. Come see ceiling frescoes featuring images of Alexander the Great (even supreme rulers need role models), intricately woven tapestries with interpretations of the months of the year—a trending topic at the time—, and works of stucco that will make you say stucc-no you didn’t!
i Admission €12, students €10; wheelchair accessible
HOHENSALZBURG FORTRESS
Mönchsberg 34; 662 84243011; www.festung-salzburg.at; open daily May-Sept 9am-7pm, Oct-Apr 9am-5pm
As the largest fully-preserved castle in Central Europe, this mountainside fortress is one of the most important sights in Salzburg. Today, it consists of expansive castle grounds, a restaurant, and walkways along the outer walls with incredible views of the city. The central building has been converted to a museum, where visitors can learn about the fortress’ military history, the use of torture on prisoners, and more generally what life was like in the Middle Ages. There is a funicular that shuttles visitors from the base of Festungsberg Hill to the entrance of the fortress, but expect the line for this option to be downright insanity. We recommend choosing to hike the hill, so long as you’re okay spending the rest of the day dripping with sweat.
i Basic tickets €12, standard tickets €15.20, discount from €2 (without lift); guided tours available; last entry 30min. before close; limited wheelchair accessibility
MIRABELL PALACE AND GARDENS
Mirabellplatz; open daily 8am-6pm
The Mirabell Palace and Gardens are, we think, the most significant sight in Salzburg east of the Salzach River. The palace itself does not factor significantly into this because, though the Marble Hall is open to the public, the rest of the building is used for office space. The gardens, on the other hand, are a sight to behold. Covered in roses, trees, fountains, and tourists, the gardens include the site upon which The Sound of Music’s iconic “Do-Re-Mi” scene was filmed and provide the perfect opportunity to run down a tunnel of vines with your arms outstretched skipping and weaving about wildly.
i Free; wheelchair accessible
MUSEUMS
MOZART’S GEBURTSHAUS (MOZART’S BIRTHPLACE)
Getreidegasse 9; 662 844313; www.mozarteum.at; open daily 9am-5:30pm
The museum at Mozart’s Birthplace is more personal than many accounts you’ll find of the great musician’s life. Of course, plenty of attention is paid to his career and compositional genius, and exhibits of his child prodigy will make you wonder what the hell you’ve been doing with your life. But, we truly appreciated the displays dedicated to the people who formed the man. See where Mozart spent the first 17 years of his life, learn about his family’s involvement in his musical upbringing, and speculate on whether his ex-wife’s marriage to his biographer was awkward because they were both in love with the guy. If you’re into fetish history, you may also like the several locks of Mozart’s hair the museum has managed to preserve.
i Admission €11, students €9; no wheelchair accessibility
SALZBURG MUSEUM
Mozartplatz 1; 662 620808700; www.salzburgmuseum.at; open Tu-Su 9am-5pm
Voted Europe’s best museum in 2009—a title that we are still loving a decade ago—the Salzburg Museum houses exhibitions celebrating Salzburg itself. Many of the exhibitions focus on the artistic development of the city itself through a variety of media, including literature, science, craftsmanship, and archeology, among others. The museum is housed in the Neue Residenz, across from the Residenz Palace, which once belonged to the prince-archbishops of the city.
i Admission €8.50, students €4; wheelchair accessible
FOOD
CAFÉ LATINI ($$)
Judengasse 17; 662 842338; cafelatini.at; open summer M-Sa 9am-10pm, Su 10am-10pm; winter M-Sa 9am-7pm, Su 10am-6pm
Drawn by the promise of a Latini Panini (they don’t call them this, but they should), we gravitated to this café after a tiring stint in the DomQuartier museums. The café name may have “Latin” in it, but Café Latini still offers Austrian foods at an affordable price, like goulash and a pastry (€5.70) or sausages with mustard and horseradish (€4.80). Often, the specials board includes an offering of paninis (€6.80), piled high with salami, bacon, tomato, and mozzarella.
i Entrées from €4; vegetarian options available; limited wheelchair accessibility
HALLSTATT
Describing Hallstatt as “a picturesque lakeside town” as we, admittedly, were about to do, would be a huge understatement. Compared to the reality of the scene, the adjective “lakeside” is about as lackluster as it gets. Standing on the shore of Hallstätter See, surrounded by stone cliffs and beautiful wooden structures that somehow, despite enduring centuries of harsh weather, are just as vibrant as they were when first constructed, is an experience that no image, no matter how enhanced, can truly capture. Hallstatt’s nested configuration is accented by the towers of the Lutheran Protestant and Catholic Parish Churches, which draw the eye upward along the steep slopes of the Alps to the sky above. The town is indeed closely linked to the mountains themselves, as its history was shaped by the salt mining industry. Check out the history of salt mining at the Hallstatt Museum or take a cable car up to see the salt mines themselves.
Hallstatt sits on the southwestern bank of Hallstätter See, which itself is located in southwestern part of Austria. The small town hugs the lake pretty closely, with the city center and promenade—the most tourist-dense region—literally sitting on its shore. For this reason, the water is the simplest way to orient yourself in town. It is almost always visible between buildings, above buildings, or right in front of you. Hallstatt’s main street, Seestraße, intersects with major thoroughfare Hallstättersee Landesstraße (and by major we mean you’ll maybe pass a dozen other cars while following it) near Marktplatz, the town’s main square.
GETTING THERE
Getting to Hallstatt is easiest by train. Trains stop at many towns surrounding the lake; Hallstatt’s station is across the lake from the town itself. A ferry runs back and forth between the station and the center of town, and is both a convenient and fun way to start your visit (€2.50 one-way). Buses also loop from Hallstatt back and forth between Obertraun and Bad Goisern.
GETTING AROUND
Walk! Apart from bus and ferry services to get in and out of town, walking is your best option, and it’s half the fun of visiting the town. Bicycles are a hassle to navigate in the city center, but can be great options for exploring the promenade, nearby beaches (the best are on the southernmost tip of Hallstätter See), or surrounding region.
Swing by…
LUTHERAN PROTESTANT CHURCH OF CHRIST IN HALLSTATT
Oberer Marktplatz 167; 613 48254; hours vary
A place of worship since 1863, the Lutheran Protestant Church is an interesting cultural sight, sure. Upon entering, you’ll be greeted by an understated interior and a note written by the church’s pastor encouraging visitors to take whatever words of encouragement they may need from bible verses on display and to have a pleasant visit to the region. But the real reason we love this sight (and the reason we think of it as a crucial landmark) is its tall steeple, which reaches far above all but the highest hillside buildings in town and defines the Hallstatt skyline.
i Free; limited wheelchair accessibility
Check out…
MUSEUM OF HALLSTATT
Seestraße 56A; 6134 8280 15; www.museum-hallstatt.at; open daily 10am-6pm
The Museum of Hallstatt tells the history of the region, beginning in 7000 BCE and reaching the current day, through exhibits of archaeological artifacts uncovered at excavation sites in the region (some of the findings can also be seen at the Natural History Museum in Vienna). The most important part of the region’s history is its relationship with salt mining, which the museum explains in detail. In our opinion, the highlights of the museum were the interactive videos that accompany each exhibition, some of which are even in 3D.
i Admission €10, students €8; last entry 5pm; no wheelchair accessibility
Grab a bite at…
CAFÉ ZUM MÜHLBACH
Oberer Marktplatz 53; 067 65348519; open Tu-Su 10am-7pm Just slightly off Seestraße, Café zum Mühlbach offers a handful of quick-seller menu items—burgers, pizza, pastries, and beer—alongside fish, caught fresh from the lake daily. The patio seating spans the width of multiple buildings, creating its own de facto square on the small, quiet street. As for the pizza, the crust is fluffy and delicious, but for a cheese pizza, the amount of cheese is borderline paltry, not the gooey cheese-laden dairy swamp we prefer.
i Entrées from €5.50, fresh fish from €18; cash only; vegetarian options available; limited wheelchair accessibility
Don’t miss…
HALLSTÄTTER SEE
Boat rental hours in season 6am-8pm
The best part about visiting Hallstatt is the Hallstätter See, so use it! Of all of the outdoor activities available, we recommend hitting the beach or renting a boat. Beaches can be found on the south rim of the lake, between Hallstatt and Obertraun, and are free to use. Signs for boat rentals are visible all over Seestraße. If you’re traveling in a small group, we recommend the paddle boats, an age-old tourist classic, but small motor boats are also available.
i Boat rentals from €10, depending on boat type and time
CAFÉ TOMASELLI ($$)
Alter Markt 9; 662 8444880; www.tomaselli.at; open M-Sa 7am-7pm, Su 8am-7pm; summer open M-Sa 7am-9pm, Su 8am-9pm; summer kiosk open M-F 11am-6pm, Sa 10am-6pm
Established in 1705 as Café Staiger, this charming establishment was once frequented by members of the Mozart family and is now one of Salzburg’s most famous cafés. It takes great pride in the tradition of Austrian coffee houses and serves a food menu of Austrian breakfast classics: eggs, ham, and toast with jam. Though many of the options are admittedly out of the backpacker price range, some egg dishes won’t break the bank, and you can enjoy one on a second-floor balcony overlooking a courtyard next to the Residenz Palace. Café Tomaselli is worth a visit for its history alone, so if you’re hungry but not willing to splurge, grab a bite at nearby Kiosk Tomaselli.
i Entrées from €5; vegetarian options available; wheelchair accessible
FUCHSHOFER BAKERY ($$)
Linzergasse 13; 6769 352551; open M-Sa 9am-7pm, Su 11am-6pm
A quaint café on a main pedestrian street on the east side of the river, Fuchshofer serves light breakfasts, smoothies, and refreshments. Its true draw, however, lies in the pile of fresh-made pastries sitting in the storefront. When we visited, the display case was literally overflowing with sweet, breaded treats. Walking past it takes an inconceivable amount of will-power. Better to just give in, we’d say, and opt for a plate-sized sticky bun. Though it won’t last long in your hands, it’ll last long in your stomach, giving you the kick in the ass (more like sticking to your ass, are we right?) needed to get up off your chair and on your way.
i Breakfast from €4, cakes and pastries from €2; vegetarian options available; limited wheelchair accessibility
GASTHAUS WILDER MANN ($$)
Getreidegasse 20; 662 841787; www.wildermann.co.at; open M-Sa 11am-9pm
Nestled in an alleyway that took us way too long to find (seriously, we walked right past it five times–turns out it’s the alley next to Café Mozart), Gasthaus Wilder Mann is a local favorite for regional cuisine. As such, you should be aware that “Salzburg’s calf’s lights” refers to calf lung and heart, which we found out when we tried to order it and the waiter was like, “Um, I don’t think you have any idea what that is. You’re getting your advice from experts here,” and that salad refers to a small bowl of sauerkraut topped with shredded carrots and a few leaves of lettuce. A menu section of light fare items also provides options at a lower price.
i Entrées from €9; limited wheelchair accessibility
NIGHTLIFE
AUGUSTINE BREWERY AND BEER HALL
Lindhofstraße 7; 662 431246; www.augustinerbier.at; open M-F 3pm-11pm, Sa-Su 2:30pm-11pm
If you are a human visiting Salzburg, we recommend a trip to the Augustinian Brewery. The beer hall includes a range of food vendors covering all five food groups: ham, sausage, salami, pretzels, and strudel. Beer is sold only by the liter or half liter. Where the beer is always flowing, there is little time to fret about the timid naïveté of novice travelers, so when you get to the taproom entrance, fall in line and do what the person in front of you is doing. Soon you’ll have a cold beer thrust #unfabulously into your hands by a grumpy bar-keep in a rush to fill the next pint. Take your bounty to one of the cafeteria halls or hang out in the massive beer garden, packed with people drinking their weight in the liquid gold.
i No cover, half-liter €3.10, liter €6.20
CITY BEATS
Griesgasse 23; 0664 149 10 00; www.citybeats.at; open Th-Sa 9pm-5am
One of Salzburg’s only real nightclubs, City Beats doesn’t get busy until around 1am, making it the perfect last stop for a night full of cocktails and dance battles. Depending on the night, you may be greeted at the door by glittering shirtless gladiators or women on stilts—a ploy, we’re convinced, to distract you from the three bouncers lumbering at the door. A big part of getting into City Beats is making sure you look the part. If you arrive dressed head to toe in workout clothes, regardless of the fact that you made the conscious decision to wear all black in hopes that your travel-wear could pass for club-wear, you will not make the cut.
i Cover up to €10, drink prices vary; cash only; upscale club attire recommended
MENTOR’S BAR KULTURE
Gstättengasse 3; 664 9133810; open M-W 4pm-1am, Th-Sa 4pm-2am
“Trendy” is the word that first comes to mind when describing Mentor’s Bar. There’s so much hip shoved into such a small space that it’s easy to feel suffocated by it, but it’ll also make you feel way cooler than you normally are. Clad in skinny jeans, suspenders, facial hair, and manicured button-downs that scream Los-Angeles hipster, the bartenders serve up a variety of drinks, including originals concocted on the spot. If you like gin, you’ll get a kick out of the Cranberry Cobbler and Torino Smash, mixed with homemade cranberry syrup and mint, respectively. Mentor’s serves some damn good cocktails, so go ahead, sip yours slowly and experience some Urban-Outfitters-circa-2013-euphoria.
i No cover, cocktails from €9; BGLTQ+ friendly; limited wheelchair accessibility
VIENNA
Coverage by Antonia Washington
With a look and feel like a cross between Paris and Manhattan, Vienna is a dream in the heart of Central Europe. One of the most open and fun-loving cities in the area, the “City of Dreams” is quite possibly the music capital of the world, boasting a proud history of operatic and orchestral music. Its claim to fame stems from its ties to great composers, from Mozart to Beethoven to the guy who was super jealous of Mozart (what was his name again? Oh yeah, Salieri). Take some time to soak up the city’s spirit—sit endlessly in cafés sipping cappuccinos and eating strudel, stroll along major shopping streets, or relax in one of Vienna’s many parks. A haven of chic, fashion-forward sun-seekers (who are a bit less stuffy than their Parisian counterparts), Vienna is the place to take a risk. Break out those mustard-yellow trousers, wear beige from head to toe like a Kardashian, or try to bring back flare jeans. We still, however, caution against wearing a fedora, as we would with any other time or place in the world. (Possibly the only exception is if you are in Cuba, under very specific circumstances. In that case, we think you should be Cuban, wearing white linen pants, and your name should not be Pitbull because something about that guy just pisses us off. If you’re playing someone Cuban for a movie, like Vin Diesel in The Fate of the Furious, that’s probably fine. You didn’t even wear a fedora in that movie, but you’re eternally off the hook, Vin.) With that digression, enter Vienna, land of culture, land of fashion, land of modern European living. Think New York City, if it were sunnier and more pedestrian-friendly.
ORIENTATION
Vienna rests on the Danube River (known as Donau in German), but it is not particularly useful for navigation. Instead, we suggest orienting yourself in relation to the Ring Boulevard (the name of this street changes in its different segments, but “Ring” is always in the name, and it is easy to identify on a map because of its circular shape). This street encircles the inner city, running the approximate route of the former city walls. Within the ring is the historic city center, including the Hofburg Imperial Palace and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Rimming the ring to its southern and western edges are many important public buildings like City Hall, the Vienna State Opera, and Maria-Theresien-Platz, which ties the city center to the Museumsquartier. Within the city center, major streets include Kärntnerstraße and Herrengasse. Another important neighborhood in the city is Neubaugasse, situated southwest of the city center in the seventh district. The neighborhood centers around Neubaugasse and Mariahilfer Straße, especially to the northeast of their intersection.
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE
Vienna is accessible by plane or train from just about anywhere. Trains come right into the city at Wien Mitte (city center), Wien Westbahnhof, or Vienna Central Station. Planes fly into the Vienna International Airport (“Flughafen Wien”). Be aware that the airport is not actually that close to the city. From the airport, the fastest public transport to the city is the C.A.T. train to Wien Mitte (€12). The S7 train (€4) also runs from the airport to Wien Mitte, although it makes several stops. Wien Mitte is a metro transfer station to metro lines U3 and U4. Taxis are expensive, but may cost less than the C.A.T. if you are traveling in a group.
GETTING AROUND
Public transport in Vienna is easily navigable. If you need to go a significant distance within the city, the metro is often the simplest way to travel. Metro stops are demarcated by a “U” and each line is associated with a number and a color. For example, the first metro line is called “U1” and is always marked in red. Single-ride tickets for the metro are €2.20. Within the historic city center, most destinations tend to be reachable on foot. Bicycles are also extremely popular in Vienna. City Bike in Vienna is free for the first hour, €1 for the second hour, €2 for the third hour, and €4 for every hour after.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Tourist Offices: There is one main tourist office in the city center called Tourist-Info Wien (Albertinaplatz S; www.wien.info/en; open daily 9am-7pm).
Banks/ATMs/Currency Exchange: Even in this large city, do not expect every business to accept cards. Cafés, especially, often only take cash. ATMs, however, are widely available; if at all possible, though, avoid using ATMs in major tourist areas such as St. Stephen’s Cathedral due to increasing reports of ATM fraud.
Post Offices: There are post offices throughout the city. The post office website, with a branch locator, can be found at www.post.at. We have listed a central location (Fleischmarkt 19; open M-F 7am-10pm, Sa-Su 9am-10pm).
Internet: Many major attractions, plazas, and public transport stations have free Wi-Fi (look for networks like Freewave or Free Austrian Internet), though network connection and strength are often unpredictable. Free Wi-Fi access is also available at the tourist office.
BGLTQ+ Resources: The tourist information office of Vienna produces a pamphlet called the Gay & Lesbian Guide (and stocks others) with information on BGLTQ+-specific events, sights, bars, and more. Pick up a pamphlet in person or go to www.vienna.info/gay to learn more.
EMERGENCY INFORMATION
Emergency Number: 112
Police: There are police stations available all over Vienna, and most of them are marked on tourist maps. We have listed one central location (Brandstätte 4; open M-F 8am-6pm).
US Embassy: The US Embassy in Vienna is located on the north side of the city center (Boltzmanngasse 16; 1 31339 0; open M-F 8am-4:30pm).
Rape Crisis Center: If you have been a victim of sexual assault, you can reach out to Weisser Ring. They are not a sexual assault-specific crisis center, but they specialize in victim advocacy and their services are free (Nußdorfer Straße, 67, 1090 Wien; 01 712 14 05; open M-Th 9am-4pm, F 9am-3pm).
Hospitals: There are two main hospitals in Vienna. The first is Allgemeines Krankenhaus (AKH), which typically treats sickness and disease; if you contract Ebola, you should go here. The second is Unfallkrankenhaus (UKH), which typically treats traumatic injuries; if you’re hit by a car, you should go here. In case of a life-threatening emergency, an ambulance will transport you to the nearest one; they are both well equipped to deal with a range of medical issues.
• AKH (Währinger Gürtel 18-20; 1 40400 0; open daily 24hr)
• UKH (Kundratstraße 37; 5 93 934 50 00; open daily 24hr)
Pharmacies: Pharmacies typically will say “Apotheke.” They are marked with a red symbol that looks like a cursive “L” connected to a pillar, making a shape that looks sort of like a “4.”
• Internationale Apotheke (01 512 28 25)
• Apotheke am Naschmarkt (01 586 51 59)
ACCOMMODATIONS
HAPPY HOSTEL ($$)
Kurzgasse 2; 1 208 26 18; www.happyhostel.at; reception open 24hr
Happy Hostel offers a quiet, sleepy stay on the western edge of the Naschmarkt district, with small but homey rooms and facilities. All rooms are equipped with access to a kitchenette, but the hostel also provides breakfast. The hostel donates breakfast tips to their partner NGO Happy Africa, which works building schoolhouses and medical facilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Unfortunately, the existence of dorms at the Happy Hostel is on the fritz because of noise considerations for the building’s other tenants, but apartment prices are generally still affordable.
i Apartments with shared facilities single from €35, double from €24, triple from €22, quad from €21; other dorms from €20; reservation recommended; BGLTQ+ friendly; limited wheelchair accessibility; Wi-Fi; laundry €2 per wash or dry; breakfast served for tips
A&O WIEN HAUPTBAHNHOF ($$)
Sonnwendgasse 11; 1602 0617 3800; www.aohostels.com; reception open 24hr
A&O Wien Hauptbahnhof feels more like a hotel than a hostel, with wide tiled corridors and a lobby where kids run around or cling to their parents’ legs waiting to check-in. Between the tile and the blue and orange color scheme, it somehow seems like a public pool doing its best to seem sterile. Large common areas provide opportunities to meet other solo travelers, but it may take a little extra effort. Our greatest critique is that A&O will nickel and dime you. Here, you’ll pay for everything from using the foosball table (€5/hr) to renting sheets (€3.50).
i Dorms from €20; reservation recommended; max stay 14 nights; wheelchair accessible; Wi-Fi; €2.95 fee if paying with card; towels and linens not included
HOSTEL RUTHSTEINER ($$)
Robert Hamerlinggasse 24; 189 34202; www.hostelruthensteiner.com; reception open 24hr
Hostel Ruthensteiner sometimes feels like a commercial. Sitting in the common areas or sipping a beer in the garden, you will find groups of travelers planning their activities, meeting other backpackers for the first time, or breaking out a deck of Uno playing cards. Ambiguous rock music plays in the background and occasionally, someone pulls down a guitar or a ukulele from the wall and starts strumming out a familiar melody. With spacious, usually well-populated common areas and helpful staff, Ruthensteiner is a great place to meet other travelers.
i Dorms from €10, singles from €36; reservation recommended; BGLTQ+ friendly; no wheelchair accessibility; Wi-Fi; 3% charge if paying with card; laundry €2 per wash or dry; breakfast buffet €4.50
MENINGER HOSTEL CENTRAL STATION ($$)
Columbusgasse 16; 0720 88 14 53; www.meininger-hotels.com; reception open 24hr
Part hostel and part hotel, Meininger Central Station (Hauptbahnhof) has a clean, modern aesthetic. Meininger sometimes hosts large groups, and, in our few days there, we overlapped with a lacrosse team, a boys’ choir, and a bunch of other people rubbing it in our face that they travel with friends. The group dynamic of travelers here can make it hard to meet people, so we recommend the hostel more to groups than to solo travelers. It is a convenient ride on the U1 from the city center, which is ideal because the walk is not particularly exciting.
i Dorms from €20; reservation recommended; min stay 2 nights on peak weekends; wheelchair accessible; Wi-Fi; towels not included; breakfast €6.90; packed lunch €4.50
SEVEN HOSTEL ($)
Lindengasse 4A; 1070; 06908 012 813; www.bestlocation.at; reception open daily 9am-11:30am, 1:30pm-7pm, and 9-11pm
Seven Hostel Vienna will not be the cleanest hostel you have ever stayed in. But if all you need is a bed, it does the trick. The hostel isn’t insurmountably dirty, but most of the time it smells just a little bit like sweat and urine, reminiscent of that one kid we all had in our high school PE class. The shower-stall floors are always wet and, on summer nights, when everyone gets in bed, it can become extremely humid. The perks of the hostel are few, but significant: the showers are hot and well pressured, the location is very central, and the beds are some of the cheapest in the city.
i Dorms from €10; reservation recommended; BGLTQ+ friendly; wheelchair accessible; Wi-Fi
SIGHTS
CULTURE
KARLS KIRCHE (ST. CHARLES CHURCH)
Karlsplatz; 1 505 62 94; www.karlskirche.at; open M-Sa 9am-6pm, Su noon-7pm
You’ll find St. Charles Church looming over the plaza at Karlsplatz, where dogs splash nearby in the fountain and the sun beats down on the church’s high, green dome. Inside, incense burns steadily, making the air is as thick as a Young Thug music video. Behind the haze, a huge altar shows off an opulent work of gold and stone meant to depict God’s light. The dome of the church is 74m high and guests can visit the top, where there is a view of the city, though unfortunately it hides behind windows and fencing. The walk to the top will take you through a monstrous collection of scaffolding, giving you a rare personal look at the ceiling frescos, but if you drop your phone, you’re so screwed.
i Admission €8, students €4; no wheelchair accessibility
MUSIK MÜLLER
Krugerstraße 4A; 01512 28 75; www.may-rische.at; open M-F 10am-1pm and 2pm-7pm
In the heart of Vienna lies a small storefront that reads “Musik Müller.” Musik Müller is a sheet music store where you will find a selection ranging from orchestral classics to the score of La La Land. Our favorites are titles that claim to offer “The 14 Most Passionate Latin Songs,” and “Love Songs from the Movies,” with music from Pretty Woman, Dirty Dancing, and Footloose, among others. Maybe one day, they’ll have sheet music written by you. Because in a city of music, the true magic is to play your own. The highest form of being is artistry; isn’t that why Kanye claimed to be a god?
i Free; no wheelchair accessibility
NASCHMARKT
Naschmarkt; www.naschmarkt-vienna.com
Open air markets are often where cities show off their best selves. The Naschmarkt, at the confluence of Vienna’s first, fifth, and sixth districts, pulls out all the stops. Picture this: aisles lined with colorful assortments of food from ripe red tomatoes to fresh baklava to Turkish delight to dried fruit. Booths are stacked high with hundreds of bags of curry powder. Restaurants range from fish counters to bakeries. On Saturdays, a flea market sets up shop. Beware: excessive flirting with the young vendors along the walk may get you swindled into buying an absurd amount of candied nuts. Then again, who doesn’t love candied nuts?
i Stand prices vary; wheelchair accessible; flea market Sa 6:30am-6pm
OPERA HOUSE
Opernring 2; 1514 442 250; www.wiener-staatsoper.at
Built in the mid-nineteenth century, the Vienna State Opera is a central feature in the “city of music.” Though only the front portions of the opera house remain in their original form, having faced considerable destruction during WWII, it still feels like one of Europe’s great opera houses (take that, Paris). Standing room tickets sell for a handful of euros, allowing you to explore the building and experience the opera for cheaper than a guided tour, though you may miss tidbits about the emperor drinking in his tea room instead of watching the show or figures on how much people spend for a table at the Opera Ball (let’s just say it’s a lot).
i Tours €7.50, students €3.50, standing room at performances vary by show from €3; tours daily in English 2pm and 3pm (may vary by season); wheelchair accessible
STEPHANSDOM (ST. STEPHEN’S CATHEDRAL)
Stephansplatz; 1 51552 3054; www.stephanskirche.at; open M-Sa 6am-10pm, Su 7am-10pm
This massive work of medieval Gothic style and home of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese is one of the most visited sights in all Vienna. At its highest point, the south tower of St. Stephen’s Cathedral stands at 137m tall, making it one of the tallest built in the Middle Ages. The church’s cavernous interior features an assortment of altars and ornamental characteristics of note, but our favorite part is the simple stained glass windows, which reflect glistening turquoise light off the massive stone-carved pilasters. Visiting the cathedral’s towers is also essential, as they offer visitors expansive views of the city, though a view devoid of the cathedral itself a characteristic piece of the skyline.
i Free; towers and catacombs from €4; wheelchair accessible; tour times and prices vary by sight at St. Stephen’s, check the website for more information
LANDMARKS
BELVEDERE PALACE
Prinz Eugen-Straße 27; 1 795 57 134; www.belvedere.at; palace open daily 9am-6pm (21er Haus opens 11am), lower Belvedere and 21er Haus open W until 9pm, palace stables open daily 10am-noon
The Belvedere Palace, once home to nobility of the Habsburg dynasty, now houses the world’s largest single collection of works by celebrated Viennese painter Gustav Klimt. Klimt’s famous masterpiece, The Kiss, is the Belvedere’s prized possession. Not only can you stand in front of the original, but you can visit the “selfie room” right next door where a poster board of the painting lets visitors pucker up and snap a picture alongside the lovebirds. Pick your favorite pose, but we like standing next to the couple and giving the classic “I knew I was going to be the third wheel” eye-roll. Make sure to experience the palace itself, which is said to be one of the most important Baroque structures in Austria, with gardens that you can peruse for free.
i Upper Belvedere €15, students €12.50, Lower Belvedere €13, students €10, both Upper and Lower Belvedere €20, students €17; both Upper and Lower Belvedere with Winter Palace €26, students €22; include 21er Haus museum of contemporary art €23, students €19.50, audio guides from €3; gardens free; wheelchair accessible
HOFBURG
Michaelerkuppel; www.hofburg-wien.at; open daily Sept-June 9am-5:30pm, July-Aug 9am-6pm
Hofburg Imperial Palace is an elegant monstrosity of Baroque architecture, gargantuan enough to spend countless hours getting lost in the museum and surrounding palace grounds. The complex is so big that you may find yourself asking, “Why do rich people do this? They couldn’t have just had a normal sized palace with one building and common sense hallways?” One of the most celebrated sights at the palace is the Sisi Museum, where you can view famous portraits of legend-inspiring Empress Elisabeth. The museum is by no means the only attraction on the grounds, though: check out the state hall of the Austrian National Library, the largest Baroque library in Europe.
i Attraction prices vary; tours of Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments €16.90, students €15.90; tours of Sisi Museum and Imperial Apartments daily 2pm; last entry 30min. before closing; wheelchair accessible
PRATER
Prater 7/3; 1 729 20 00; www.praterwien.com; open daily Mar 15-Oct 31 noon-midnight
The Prater is an amusement park on the north end of the city where you will find Vienna’s Giant Ferris Wheel. In its nineteenth century heyday, it was one of the largest ferris wheels in the world, and continues to offer incredible views of the city today. A staple of Vienna and a symbol of the city’s fun-loving character, the ferris wheel was one of the first major restorations after WWII. Given its historic construction, the ride moves at a glacial pace, allowing for the perfect shot of Vienna, roller coasters, and children driven to the edge of madness by the ecstasy of sugar and adrenaline.
i Park entry free, rides have individual prices, Giant Ferris Wheel €10; wheelchair accessible
RATHAUS (VIENNA CITY HALL)
Friedrich-Schmidt-Platz 1; 1 525 50; www.wien.gv.at/english/cityhall
Vienna City Hall is a display of Gothic showmanship that made no attempt at conserving tax dollars. (Thank god our own city halls are sticking to the bare necessities.) The building’s high gothic towers are reminiscent of the spires built on cathedrals, and we’ve heard of multiple people mistaking city hall for St. Stephen’s Cathedral upon first glance. We don’t think taking a tour of this landmark is necessary, but it’s definitely worth checking out. The park out front is lined with benches squeezed tightly shoulder to shoulder if you need to rest in the shade.
i Free; wheelchair accessible
SCHÖNBRUNN PALACE
Schloß Schönbrunn; 181 11 30; www.schoenbrunn.at; open daily Apr-June 8am-5:30pm, July-Aug 8am-6:30pm, Sept-Oct 8am-5:30pm, Nov-Mar 8am-5pm; main gardens open daily 6:30am, closing times vary by season
Schönbrunn Palace, the summer residence of the Habsburg monarchs, is the largest and most ostentatious of the palaces in Vienna—enormous enough to house the industrious procreation of the Habsburg family (Empress Maria Theresa had 16 children, which we think sounds excruciatingly awful). Visitors can tour the palace rooms, visit the Schönbrunn Zoo, or spend time meandering the gardens. Built on more than 400 acres of land, the gardens are expansive, with extremely varied designs. Think, grass areas, rose gardens, an enormous fountain, and tunnels with mazes of vines. Bring a picnic or a book and spend sometime enjoying what the Habsburgs once casually thought of as their backyard.
i Palace tickets from €14.20, main gardens free, other garden attractions from €3.80, all-attraction pass €24; wheelchair accessible
MUSEUMS
LEOPOLD MUSEUM
MuseumsQuartier, Museumsplatz 1; 1 52 57 00; www.leopoldmuseum.org; open daily M-W 10am-6pm, Th 10am-9pm, F-Su 10am-6pm
The Leopold Museum, one of the major institutions within Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier, is known for its collection of works by painter Egon Schiele, who was inspired and advised by (guess who?) Gustav Klimt. The founder of the Leopold Museum, Rudolf Leopold, spent more than a half century compiling the collection of Schiele’s work. (Can anyone say, um, stalker?) Though Schiele is particularly well-known for his self portraits, one of our favorite pieces is House Wall on the River (1915), which depicts a patchworked house. But in front of the cracked and graying concrete façade, a clothesline is strung with colorful shirts and fabrics. The oil paint is raised from the canvas especially on these fabrics, so that they seem to float in the foreground of the scene.
i Admission €13, students €9, audio guide from €4; wheelchair accessible
MUMOK
MuseumsQuartier, Museumsplatz 1; 1 52 50 00; www.mumok.at; open M 2pm-7pm, Tu-W 10am-7pm, Th 10am-9pm, F-Su 10am-7pm
You never can guess what’ll be showing at mumok, the museum of modern arts, though it’s sure to be something that piques your curiosity. With exhibitions curated by both the artists themselves and guest curators, the museum provides an uninhibited space for the curator’s vision, allowing it to be completely transformed with the intention of display in mind. In effect, the museum itself becomes part of the exhibition. This is all very vague, we know, but mumok holds the true surprise in its MuseumsQuartier location.
i Admission €11, students €7.50; tours in English Sa 4pm; wheelchair accessible
WIEN MUSEUM KARLSPLATZ
Karlsplatz 8; 1040; 01 505 87 47; www.wienmuseum.at; open Tu-Su 10am-6pm
The Vienna Museum focuses on the history of the city itself. Though it displays many exhibitions from Viennese artists and features installments tracing the history of the city’s nobility, our favorite pieces are those dedicated to the city’s physical form. These include several large, wood-carved models of Vienna over time, which attempt to define the whole of Vienna, finding only that their image of the whole will never be objective or complete. It’s all very “existential teen realizing there are no universal truths,” but we’re into it.
i Admission €10, students €7, free first Su of the month; free tours Su 11am; wheelchair accessible
OUTDOORS
THE CANAL
The Canal; open daily 24hr
In the summer months, the canal is the perfect place to see the city and the river come together. Wide walkways give lots of room for foot traffic, biking, and rollerblading. Friends and couples out for a stroll often sit on the edge of the canal wall and dangle their feet above the water. Check out the canal area next to Schwedenplatz square. Here, you’ll find beverage and snack stands with sand areas and lounge chairs for reclining in the sun (somebody call Corona because it may be artificial, but we found our beach). Nearby, the Badeschiff Wien offers a pool above the river, a restaurant, and a sun deck. Be aware that more forested parts of the canal may be unsettling areas to walk alone at night.
i Pool day-pass at Badeschiff €5; stairs at most access points
FOOD
AMERLINGBEISL ($)
Stiftgasse 8; 1070; 15261660; www.amerlingbeisl.at; open summer daily 9am-2am; winter M-Sa noon-midnight, Su 9am-midnight
The outdoor seating is major key when it comes to Amerlingbeisl restaurant. With garden and patio space, outdoor seating is extensive but often full. Tendrils of hanging vines dot the garden, nearly tickling the heads of guests walking through to find their seats. Eat amid soft yellow light from wall lamps that sit in vinyl records molded into lampshades. The food is mostly standard Austrian fare, and we recommend the beef goulash with bread dumplings, though this may be personal bias because we are suckers for bread dumplings.
i Entrées from €6; vegetarian options available; limited wheelchair accessibility
CAFÉ TIROLERHOF ($)
Führichgasse 8; 1010; 01 512 78 33; open M-Sa 7am-10pm, Su 9:30am-8pm
A café house that feels a bit like a Sherlock Holmes movie, Café Tirolerhof features those old tea room style booths that we don’t know the name of but find delightful and intriguing. Take a seat at a velvety booth rounded inward to hang out with friends, or at one rounded outward to sit with your back to your arch nemesis Moriarty and inconspicuously whisper threats to each other without ever seeing the other’s face. Serving Viennese breakfast until 11am, it also has an all-day menu consisting mostly of egg dishes.
i Entrées from €4; vegetarian options available; limited wheelchair accessibility
MOZART’S ($$)
Haidmannsgasse 8; 1150; 1892 08 78; www.mozartsvienna.com; open daily M-Th 6pm-2am, F-Sa 6pm-6am, Su 6pm-2am
Mozart’s is a dinner and late-night restaurant serving delicious Austrian cuisine. Grab a booth, hang your hat on the coat rack, and take a seat on a sheepskin rug covering the restaurant’s smooth wood benches. We recommend the pan-fried dumplings and scrambled eggs (€6.90), a savory scramble of potato, egg, and onion that is comfort food at its finest. For dessert, go for the apple strudel (€4.20) or try the pulled fluffy pancakes with rum-soaked raisins and stewed plums (€6.80), which come as easily-shareable, bite-sized poppers. If that wasn’t enough, put in an order online and they’ll deliver.
i Entrées from €6; vegetarian options available; no wheelchair accessibility
VOLLPENSION ($)
Schleifmühlgasse 16; 1585 04 64; www.vollpension.wien; open Tu-Th 9am-10pm, F-Sa 9am-midnight, Su 9am-8pm
In a brick basement, amid a soundtrack of tunes from the golden oldies, Vollpension has created an antique living room café. You might recognize it from I Love Lucy reruns, all the time you spent obsessing over mid-century aesthetics on Tumblr, or your actual grandma’s house. With offerings made by a group of grandparents, watch an 80-year-old man bake cake after cake right at the counter while you sip a cappuccino or a wine spritzer. Live a Pink Lady fantasy when you order Gerti’s Breakfast, a bun with butter and homemade jam served with a glass of prosecco, a tabloid magazine, and pink nail polish (€4.80). Or treat yourself to a tart (€3.90). Pastry selections vary by chef, dictated by which of their own family recipes they’d like to share with the world.
i Cake €3.20, tart €3.90, breakfast from €4.80, other light dishes from €4; gluten, vegan, and vegetarian vegetarian options available; no wheelchair accessibility
CENTIMETER II RESTAURANT ($$)
Stiftgasse 4; 1070; 1 470060 642; www.centimeter.at; open M-Th 8:30am-midnight, F-Sa 8:30am-1am, Su 8:30am-midnight
For those of you leaving the United States out of devotion to the metric system (probably the reason for most of our expats, don’t you think?), and for the rest of you with a little metric pride, this is the restaurant for you. Centimeter Restaurant takes its name seriously, with measuring tape decor, “science experiment” beaker shots held by a ruler stand, and even measurement based foods! Try one of their specialty bread pastries ordered by the centimeter (€0.20-0.25/cm depending on warm or cold). Treat yourself to two meters of sausage (€9.20), or if you’re with a group, get one Meter of Austria, a meter-long box with six different servings of traditional Austrian cuisine (€28).
i Entrées from €6; vegetarian options available; limited wheelchair accessibility
FIGLMÜLLER ($$)
Wollzeile 5; 1512 61 77; www.figlmuller.at; open daily 11am-10:30pm
A popular restaurant in Vienna’s central city, Figlmüller claims to be the home of the schnitzel, a massive, flat, breaded pork dish, which, from afar, looks something like a cross between fried chicken and an elephant ear dessert. The reality is a larger than life meat pancake. You can give it a go by yourself (€14.90), but it’s large enough to split if you’re not up for the commitment. This is usually paired with potato field salad (€4.70), but be warned that the dressing has a flavor we can only describe as a combination of mayonnaise and balsamic. If you plan to eat here for dinner you will need reservations, but you might be able to wiggle in for lunch.
i Entrées from €9; no wheelchair accessibility
WIENERWALD RESTAURANT ($$)
Annagasse 3; 1010 Wien; 15123766; www.wienerwald.at; open daily 11am-11pm
Our eyes see Wienerwald, but our brains see Wiener World. Think of the comedic potential; all the thinly veiled references to museums in Iceland. We were so ready to write, “Sorry, you’ll have to go to Reykjavík for that.” Sadly, the menu is surprisingly devoid of sausage; we only counted four schnitzel dishes. Mostly, there is a wide variety of breaded and fried meats. Pro-tip: skip the fried stuff (your cardiologist will thank you) and order the grilled chicken in garlic butter with a baked potato and sour cream (€11.90). With a portion size of one half chicken, once you get around the bones the meat is tender and the garlic butter gives it a soft, melt-in-your-mouth taste.
i Entrées from €8; vegetarian options available; limited wheelchair accessibility
NIGHTLIFE
1516 BREWING COMPANY
Schwarzenbergstraße 2; 1961 15 16; open M-Su 10am-2am
If you’re in the market for a killer local beer, look no further than Vienna’s own 1516 Brewing Company. Offering an array of unfiltered beers (mostly ales and lagers), it’s hard to go wrong. Try one of their summer selections like an IPA spiced with earl grey tea, a lager and lemonade shandy, or an elderflower gose. We recommend coming with friends, ordering a round of different styles to pass around, and getting a big plate of bar snacks to split. Our favorite is the potato wedges with aioli and cheddar cheese melted on top, a slippery and cheesy delight that, similar to Totino’s Pizza Rolls, will scald your mouth in all the right ways.
i No cover, drinks from €2.10, food from €4; BGLTQ+ friendly
DANZÓN
Johannesgasse 3; 676 5505 840; www.danzon.club; open daily Tu 6pm-2am, W-Th 6pm-4am, F-Sa 6pm-6am
If you need some Latin flavor in your Central European adventure (don’t we all?), Danzón is a lounge for you. Here, you can expect to see some seriously spicy dancing, couples twirling around the dance floor to salsa, bachata, and rumba. Frankly, we need those couples to lower the barrier to entry for the rest of us. The club lends itself to stylized dancing more than downright clubbing, but the mood is light and receptive to veterans and beginners alike. Spanish-speakers may find a bartender dressed head to toe in white chatting them up about those family members who salsa way too aggressively.
i Cocktails from €8; cash preferred, card accepted
GRELLE FORELLE
Spittelauer Lände 12; www.grelleforelle.com; www.grelleforelle.com; open daily F-Sa 11pm-6am
If you’re looking for a place to dance all night to live electronic music performances, Grelle Forelle is the place for you. A dark nightclub on the canal, people come here to rage into the morning hours. With rules explicitly banning photo and video, the club hopes to promote an atmosphere where people are free to dance however feels right. Though dancing here can take any form, people really go for it, and we have seen some stop to stretch between songs. As one of our friends told us, “You just have to close your eyes for like five minutes, and then when you open them, you’re dancing way better.”
i Cover €7, extra charge for live shows; card minimum €30
RED CARPET BAR
Magdalenstraße 2; 676 7822966; www.red-carpet.co.at; bar hours M-Th 9pm-4am, F-Sa 9pm-6am; club hours F-Sa 11pm-6am
Small bar on weekdays, dance club on weekends, casually black-lit even when the lights aren’t fully down, Red Carpet is a hangout catering mostly to gay and lesbian patrons. Amid the neon lighting, the DJ plays the hits of 2000s pop icons like The Pussycat Dolls and Pink! (quick pause for us all to wonder, where did Pink! go?). A great place to bring a group of friends and meet new people, you can also come here to check up on community news, as a TV in the corner cycles through local BGLTQ+ news and events, a counter in the back lounge offers pamphlets with BGLTQ+ resources.
i No cover; cocktails from €5.50, beer from €3.30; BGLTQ+ friendly
THE SIGN
Liechtensteinstraße 104-106; 66496 432 76; www.thesignlounge.at; open daily 6pm-2am
If you’re looking for fancy cocktails whose cost might make you cringe momentarily, The Sign offers a menu full of creative combinations served in unexpected presentations. Here, we sipped fruity vodka drinks topped with fortune cookies, and espresso and rum concoctions served in ceramic, cigar-smoking chimp mugs. If you’re looking for something simple, we recommend the Special Pimm’s Cup (€9.50), a gin and tonic with blackberry and elderflower. Feeling extravagant? Get the Lei Lani Volcano (€11), a pineapple and Malibu combination served in a bird-shaped watering can with a burning cinnamon stick for incense.
i No cover, most cocktails from €9; BGLTQ+ friendly
TRAVEL SHACK VIENNA
Mariahilfergürtel 21; 0196 101 31; www.travelshackvienna.com; open daily 4pm-4am
Travel Shack Vienna is a popular destination for college students looking to make mistakes on their spring break trip to Europe. If you want to take your top off and smoke out of every orifice of your body, do that here. Go wild under the disco ball or add your bra to the rack hanging along the bar. Try their specialty interactive drinks where the theme is self-humiliation: the evidence is Snapchat and the consequences are your friends never letting you live it down. One of these is called the “Cum Shot,” which involves liquor being poured into your mouth from a dildo. Another is the “Tequila Suicide,” which involves snorting the salt, tossing back the tequila, and squirting lemon into your eye. Planning to make it out with your dignity intact? Good luck.
i No cover, specialty shots from €2; BGLTQ+ friendlyKehlsteinhaus (Eagle’s Nest)
AUSTRIA ESSENTIALS
MONEY
Tipping: Tipping in Austria is common in interactions with most service workers. Generally, tip by simply rounding up to the next convenient number. Tipping about 5% is standard and a tip should not surpass 10%. It is common for a service charge to be included in the bill, so look on menus and bills to find out if the tip has already been included.
Taxes: Many goods in Austria are subject to a value added tax (VAT) of 20%, included in the purchase price of goods. The VAT is a standard rate, though it fluctuates based on the goods purchased, so you should ask the retailer for exact rates. Non-EU visitors taking these goods home unused can apply for a VAT refund for goods exceeding €75 at one retailer. To apply for this refund, ask the store for a VAT refund form and carry your passport with you as retailers may ask to see it. Present the refund form and be prepared to show the unused goods you are exporting at the customs office at your point of departure from the EU. Refunds usually must be claimed within 90 days of the original purchase.
SAFETY AND HEALTH
Local Laws and Police: Police in Austria are reliable if you need assistance, but always have your passport with you when interacting with police officers, as they may ask to see it. Under Austrian law, you must either have your passport with you, or be able to produce it within one hour.
Drugs, and Alcohol: The drinking age in Austria is 16 for beer and wine and 18 for distilled alcohols. Penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol tend to be stricter than in the United States. The legal blood alcohol limit for driving in Austria is 0.05%. Use or possession of illegal drugs in Austria can come with long prison sentences and harsh fines. Tobacco stores are the place for purchasing tobacco products in Austria and are marked with a sign depicting a cigarette. It is also common to purchase tobacco products in grocery stores and even occasionally restaurants. It is illegal to sell tobacco to persons under the age of 18.
Prescription Drugs: Austrian medical centers will not accept American medical insurance, so you will have to pay out of pocket for services and then seek a reimbursement from your insurer independently. Carry any prescription medications in their original packaging.
