jinz

Hello,
During our late April 2016 visit to Austria we have two days for Vienna. We want to go to a concert preferably orchestral more than singing (probably the palace one?) and for the rest apart from the palace and its gardens we just want to stroll around, enjoy the cafe scenes and street food. Not really worried about museums or being indoors. Please advise whether we would should make the visit Sat/Sun or Wed/Thurs? This would mean we would go to a concert on the Saturday or Wednesday night. Wondering if Saturdays are more crowded but have read that the markets outside the church on Sundays is good for street food -will there be sausage stalls (hubby's favourite) during the week. Thank you for your help.

sandralist

Sundays are good in the evening for music in the cafes if that interests you. You can look up various venues online.

nytraveler

Vienna is full of sausage stalls at all time if you are in the central tourist area. there are often lines of people at 10 or 11 pm standing at them for worst snack.

Can't comment on better nights for music - but strongly suggest you do some research and pick out some indoor places to go if you run into rain - not at all unlikely in April. We loved seeing the performance by the Lippanzer horses, Schoenbrun Palace in the suburbs and the museum with the famed venus of willendorf (a 30,000 year old goddess statue).

sandralist

I thought I would add, in case my post wasn't clear, that the music in the cafes is informal trios, singing old Viennese popular songs, which is different from what you asked for precisely, but thought you might be interested.

jinz

Thank you so much for your help. Sandralist we love cafes with singing so really appreciate the tip. Coming from New Zealand we are used to rain and have really good gear! Will make sure to have a few places on hand to duck in if it gets too much. Will definitely go to the horses if they are performing. Do you have any suggestions for a good hotel? We will rely on public transport - a mid range budget (don't mind splurging if it is non-smoking). Thank you for responding.

fourfortravel

Personally, I would visit on a Wednesday/Thursday. Vienna essentially shuts down on Sundays, and if the weather is inclement strolling around can be miserable without stores and the like to duck into; plus, cafes and restaurants are often very crowded on Sundays (nothing else to do!), more so in rainy weather. Hardly a memorable experience if the only option is the smoking section of an unremarkable cafe.

Sausage stands are "everywhere" in Vienna, especially within the tourist areas and the tram stations along the Ringstrasse. If you want to eat at the oldest sausage stand in Vienna, head to Leo Würstelstand. Not too many tourists venture to this stand, though it is easy to reach on public.

Take a little time to learn about the various sausages, or your experience may not be as positive as you'd like. For example, there is the Käsekrainer (a sausage studded with bits of cheese, and totally disgusting in my personal opinion); the Debreziner, a spicy Hungarian sausage, and a Bosna, the (former) Yugoslavian equivalent. Try as I might, I can not tell them apart. Some stands offer the Berliner Currywurst, a sausage doused in ketchup and sprinkled with curry powder; and most offer Bratwurst and plain old Frankfurter for those whose mind goes Tilt with the many choices. For the most part, whatever you order will pretty much include dark bread or Semmel, mustard, and perhaps fresh grated horseradish.

Cowboy1968

Fourfortravel makes an important point about Vienna shutting down on Sundays.
Even if you are not interested in shopping, there is much more going on in the streets when the stores are open. Though you could have a wider choice of concerts on Saturdays. Anyway, if "street life" is higher on your list than that one concert, you should go Wed/Thu.
And the Käsekrainer wurst really is a love it/hate it thing
The Austrian nickname for that wurst is even more disgusting than the look - but quite appropriate.