Vienna
Vienna
The Fodor's Five
The five things you need to know before traveling to Vienna
Leave your car at home—Vienna is pedestrian-friendly and has an excellent public transport system.
If you’re used to driving everywhere, you’ll have to get accustomed to a different way of getting around in this European city. Vienna is a very walkable city with plenty of pedestrian zones with many of the famous sights within walking distance once you are in the center. As a bonus, you’re always free to leave the tourist zone for a bit and wander around the surrounding neighborhoods. Cycling is also very popular with rentals (WienMobil) widely available. What’s more, Vienna has one of the most efficient and affordable public transport systems in the world. Many locals don’t even own a car as it’s often quicker to use the subways, trams, and buses to get from A to B.
Mingle with the locals in their living room, the coffee house.
Love your morning coffee? You are in the right place! The Viennese coffee houses are such an important part of the local’s everyday life that they have been put on UNESCO’s cultural heritage list. And the cafes are more than just places to get a quick caffeine fix! You can spend hours sipping coffee (traditionally served on a silver tray with a glass of water), eating cake, reading newspapers, and people-watching. Some of Vienna’s most traditional coffee houses include Cafe Central, Cafe Hawelka (frequented by Andy Warhol), Cafe Sperl, and Cafe Schwarzenberg.
There’s more to Viennese cuisine than schnitzel.
Even if you’ve never been to Austria, chances are you’ve heard of Wiener schnitzel, the breaded and fried cutlet of veal, typically served with potatoes or a potato salad and some cranberry sauce. The number one place to try it is Figlmüller (they also have a vegan version). However, it’s not all about schnitzel in Vienna. Tafelspitz (filet of boiled beef) is another classic, and Plachutta is the go-to place for it. Vienna also has an ever-growing plant-based scene with Michelin-starred Tian and Swing Kitchen (for vegan fast food) among the local favorites.
Embrace the city’s obsession with death.
While most of us would rather avoid thinking about our final days, the Viennese embrace and celebrate death like no other. Vienna’s Central Cemetery (Zentralfriedhof), the resting place of Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, Falco, among others, is considered a popular recreational area and a walkers’ and joggers’ paradise—and its on-site Funeral Museum is a slightly morbid tourist attraction where you can marvel at historical undertakers’ uniforms and carriages or listen to the most popular funeral playlists. One hundred forty-nine Habsburgers, including Sisi, are buried in the more central Imperial Crypt (Kapuzinergruft).
Venture out into Vienna’s vineyards.
Vienna is the only capital city in the world with a significant wine-growing tradition. Most of the produce is sold and consumed right at the city’s many wine taverns (called Heurige in German), where the grape juice is paired with traditional Austrian foods and stunning vistas over the vineyards and the city. Weingut Cobenzl, Fuhrgassl-Huber, Mayer am Nussberg, and Der Wiener Heurige Wolff are amongst the most well-known. A local speciality is Gemischter Satz, a wine made from up to 20 different grapes. Add a leisurely hike before or after visiting a vineyard and you can easily spend a whole day in the area.
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