sandralist

You probably won't be able to avoid the Xmas markets -- and I agree with your overall assessment -- so definitely focus on what is open when and what you want to see.

I found the Schoenbrunn a real slog indoors, and in November, unless it was blindingly sunny and not freezing cold, I have a hard time imagining the vast gardens being a pleasant place to be. The Belvedere is much more beautiful, I think, with a much more rewarding interior and very beautiful grounds. If you have a special interest in stone sculpture or Miro, then a visit to the Albertina is rewarding, but the permanent collection and other rooms are not as important as other collections in town.

The Kunsthistoriches is absolutely enormous, and they will not let you in and out again, so lunch on the premises is the only possibility. Although Vienna is not a huge city, the sheer grandeur of the layout makes for some almost comically long treks from one sight to another that appear quite close on a map but simply getting from one end of a platz to the other, or walking around the outside of a single grand edifice like the Statsoper, can take you more time than you thought it would.

Public transportation is not complicated but it is not intuitive either, so if you are going to spend some time researching, that would repay the investment of your time. I did not find taxis all that expensive, but you cannot hail them on the street, but go to taxi ranks instead. There are many, but you will need to know where they are.

Much of the absolute core of Vienna is unpleasantly "touristy" and devoted to all the brand-name shopping you see everywhere. But there also still exists in Vienna some extraordinary handcraft, like chandeliers, ceramics, hat makers and of course pastry makers that might be a lot more rewarding than Christmas markets, even if you only window shop.

sandralist

Here is an article about the area of your hotel

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/30/ar...anted=all&_r=0

Dukey1

Hmmmm, thanks for that link. It is beginning to sound like that "overprice alleyway" between the Gritti where we stayed in Venice and San Marco. I wonder if there will also be a bunch of people selling knock-off Chanel bags, too, a la Venice. Knowing the Austrians, probably not.

Thanks for that link. I'll keep my Mountain HardWear coat and pass on the Vuitton vomit-colored luggage.

thursdaysd

I was just in Vienna, for the first time in seven years, and thought that the center was much more crowded than last time. Get outside the ring, and the crowds diminish.

I stayed at the Opera Suites, almost opposite the Opera House, which was convenient for public transport. However, since I was limping I mostly used the buses and trams, as there can be a long walk to the actual train once you get underground. The transport maps aren't bad, and this is a good site for planning trips: http://www.wienerlinien.at/eportal2/ep/tab.do?tabId=0

Besides the Hundertwasser apartment building there is also a museum, which I found very interesting. I was doing less well-known museums on this trip, and also enjoyed the Imperial Furniture Repository and the Globe Museum (which someone in Fodors mentioned).

It was distinctly cold and grey for my visit, hope you have better luck.

sandralist

I don't think you'll find street vendors but you will find a huge mall like shopping street that makes the matter moot. Mixed in with Gucci is plenty of H&M and McDonald's etc. I thought it was a pity this area had been made so generic.

I stayed outside of the ring, and I found it and the other areas outside the ring so generally devoid of life at night that I wondered if I would have preferred being inside the ring instead, at least in the evenings. If you find the center to crowded and touristy during the day, you can easily head out to places like the Nachsmarkt or the Hundertwasser, but in the evenings you will have a greater choice of restaurants and cafes if you are inside the ring.

WillTravel

I stayed at Lindner Hotel am Belvedere just outside the ring. And I loved it! My trip was in late November a few years ago.

maxima

Schoenbrunn Palace is a bit out of town but easy to reach by U Bahn(subway). You can take an audio tour, through furnished rooms. Schoenbrunn is all about imperial splendor. But it does not house a major art collection. The Albertina is a manageable size, and the Kunthistoriches is much larger, but of course you can chose what interests you the most.

if you will be using the U bahn and trams, you can either get individual tickets or 24 or 48 tickets.. if you are going to take 4 trips or more in a single day, you can get the Vienna shopping pass, good 8am-8pm except sundays and holidays. it will cost less than single tickets for that many trips a single ticket is 2,20 euros.

Percy

Good suggestions above, so I will not add anything else.

Been to Vienna 4 times, but do not know how the Schoenbrunn will be in November.

I was there in June last year, it was 92 above and walking was a bit hot, especially when you climb the hill to the Gloriette.

scrb11

I'm going for 3.5 days the week of Thanksgiving.

Hoping for dry weather. If not, these museum recommendations sound great. Plus I heard since I visited in 2006, there's a smoking ban even in the cafes?

I liked the Rathaus tours they give, going to check it out again.

Was hoping to do the Statsoper tour but they're not offering it on the days I'll be there.

Also playing around with the idea of doing a coach tour along the Danube out to Melk. I didn't realize until after I booked the flights, that there are train and boat ticket packages out to that area, though only through the end of October.

fourfortravel

By 22 November all of the usual Advent and Christmas markets will be open in Vienna; the Salzburg markets open 14 or 15 November.

In Vienna it really pays to do your Christmasmarkt homework; otherwise it is too easy to be lulled into monotony. There is, of course, the "big" WienerChristkindlmarkt at Rathaus: commercial and touristy, but so merry and bright that you can't help but feel holiday cheer. For other markets, the setting is more enjoyable than the actual market offerings (Schloss Schönbrun and Schloss Belvedere come to mind, especially at night); while the reverse is true for the AltWiener Christmasmarkt and markets like the ones at Karlsplatz and Am Hof, all of which offer beautiful handcrafted items and excellent food but without a palace backdrop. Then there is the Spittelberg Adventmarkt, which combines artsy and handcrafted items in the tiny lanes of the Spittelberg area, trimmed with pretty Biedermeier architecture.

The market at the Altes AKH (Old General Hospital) is super child-friendly with small and pleasant rides and often animals to pet. Traditional craftsmen can also be seen practicing their crafts, too. The food and drink is "meh," though.

A little further afield (and a short train ride) from Vienna are the Bratislava Christmas markets. A friend and I day-tripped to experience their two markets, and found them enjoyably small, folksy, and with no shortage of heavy and delicious Central European fare.

Within the InnerStadt there are almost no tacky vendors selling knock-off items; the few vendors who do sell that kind of stuff are on the fringes of Naschmarkt. The two high-end shopping streets, Kartnerstraße and Graben, are just like what you would find in any major city (except they're closed in the evenings, Sundays, and holidays); the mid-level shopping street of Mariahilfestraße is just that: H&M, C&A, etc. Not terribly exciting for most people.

scrb11, I'm not so sure how well that smoking ban is working here. There are "non-smoking" sections of many cafes and restaurants, though typically one has to pass through the smoking section to reach them. The ban on outdoor seating goes into effect on 15 November, as well, except for touristy places like Cafe Landtmann and the like, so there's little escaping the smoke. Also, if you will be here on 29 November, the UN Women's Guild Bazaar is taking place that day, a short and easy ride on the U1 from the InnerStadt. It's a massive event showcasing the food and crafts of its member countries. If you go, I suggest to go early, go hungry, and bring lots of small bills.

As for heurigers in November, keep in mind that most do not offer non-smoking sections (because their inside seating is too small); also, this month is "Ganslzeit," meaning that some offer the goose menus and a limited regular menu. I would confirm hours and make reservations if you're planning to trek up into Nußdorf (Kierlinger or Schubel Auer) or Heiligenstadt (Heuriger Muth). Skip Grinzing; they're a victim of Rick Steves accolades, and now I and others have to navigate around HOHO and tour buses and their disgorged passengers.

kja

Another vote for the Kunsthistorisches Museum. I don't think the Secession has been mentioned -- absolutely breathtaking IMO. And the Belvedere. (I am obviously a fan of Klimt!)

Another option that I don't think has been mentioned yet is the Volkerkundemusum (Museum of Ethnology) -- I was awed by Montezuma's feathered headdress and other treasures there.

Enjoy!

Dukey1

Once AGAIN, I am very grateful for all these thoughtful recommendations including those involving the Christmas market venues.

We are looking forward to this trip and more than a little because i=until a couple of weeks ago we didn't even think we would be using the return segments of the tickets we had bought simple to get back home from Venice the first time around!

We are prepared for the weather; this time I'll add in the cap and probably gloves just in case.

Best regards to all of you.

thursdaysd

I love transport passes - doesn't matter if you get on the wrong bus, and you can go just one or two stops if you like. There are mini buses zipping around inside the ring now, and the passes are good on them. However, you need to price the Vienna passes carefully. The weekly pass is the best deal if you are there for more than a couple of days, but it only starts on a Monday. I wound up buying a 48 hour pass and then the weekly pass.

Of course, if you are sleeping outside the ring, and want to eat inside, you can take public transport in. It is quite safe. There are restaurants outside the ring, too....

Another museum not mentioned yet is the MAK, the applied arts museum. It was modeled on the V&A in London, and I don't think it measures up, but it is certainly worth a look, and has a well regarded if somewhat pricey restaurant. (The chef has changed recently, but I still enjoyed my meal. One course would have been plenty!)

Definitely cap and gloves. And scarf.

Cathinjoetown

Gloves and a scarf are more important to me than a heavy coat.

About 8 years ago one of the highlights of my trip to Vienna was the Lichtenstein Palace, beautifully restored Viennese residence of the royal Germanic family. I found the house and gardens more interesting than the paintings, mostly baroque.

From the website, it appears the focus has changed to an events venue but tours can be booked:

https://www.palaisliechtenstein.com/en/home.html

I have a similar somewhat jaded view of Christmas markets but difficult not to get caught up in the seasonal cheer, helped by a liberal sampling of the gluhwein!

WeisserTee

I agree with Cath (although I did/do love their baroque works of art) -- the LP was one of my absolute favorite spots in Vienna, I enjoyed wandering through the museum, lingering over my favorite paintings, listening to the free classical music concerts they hosted on Sunday afternoons, and having a glass of Austrian wine in their cafe. I wonder what drove the change in access.

Next year, DH and I will be spending a week in Vienna (his first visit) so we will try to book a tour.

Gordon_R

Not much to add to the recs others have given, but one important tip that catches many visitors out (including myself) is the difficulty in paying by credit card in Vienna. We experienced few places (museums, restaurants, cafes etc) that accepted credit cards (in fact ANY card payment) and consequently had to carry a lot more cash with us than we would normally.

Cathinjoetown

Weisser,

I am curious about the change as well--perhaps the great unwashed were causing too much wear to what really is a gem. I seem to remember security being very tight--checking handbags/purses required, but access was allowed simply by showing up during opening hours.

The limited access works for the Borghese in Rome, so perhaps this does as well.

Or, could just be a financial decision.

Dukey1

Gordon, your credit card post is of interest I can assure you.

thursdaysd

I, on the other hand, did not have trouble paying by credit card. Possibly it was because I had managed to acquire a chip and signature/pin card - it was supposed to be chip and pin but defaults to signature first. In fact the only place so far that I have ben asked for the pin was the ticket machine for Vienna transport, but the card does go in the chip and pin slot in the card machines, instead of needing to be swiped.

Dukey1

Our recent trip to Europe which ended this past weekend and included London, Berlin, and Venice reinforced the notion that the places and sites we frequented/used all accepted my swipe credit card. I have a chip and pin which I use as a back-up but never needed to do so. However, we did not buy any rail tickets where a chip and pin card may have been a requirement.