cristine27

Hello everyone! In two weeks exactly we'll be in Vienna for 4 days! Usually i don't have a problem finding interesting things to see & do in the cities, but in Vienna i really don't know how we'll spend 4 days as we're not exactly keen on visiting palaces. ;-)

Apart from that which are the top museums or things to do/see there?

Thanks!!

molker

Try -


St. Stephens Catedral directlyin the city center

Augustiner Church in the Hofburg

Spanish Riding School

Schtzkammer - the Royal Tresaury

The belvedere - - Klimts "Kiss " among many other fine art in a finr location - yes a palce but more.

The" Reisenrad "- Giant ferris Wheel in the Prater

The famous Naschmarkt - added on saturday - a flea market with antiques- collectibles junk in addition to the daily food stands of all types

a visit to one of the Vienna Cafes-like Central, Diglas Oberlaa and many more - savor the pastry and scene

time in a wine tavern - Heuriger

a concert or Opera at one of the numerous venues.

Look for some time at the Hundertwasserhaus for an architecdtural gem an apartment complex famous all over the world

Some time in a Vienna Heuriger - wine tavern - food , wine msic atmosphere

for much more info - opening times - directions etc.

www.wien.info

Top museums

The Fine Arts Museum
Liechtenstein Museum
Belvedere as noted above
The Museum Quarter
Albertina
Various museums in the Hofburg complex

Michael

Browsing though guidebooks (Fodor's, Michelin) might be useful in this instance.

DalaiLlama

Don't worry, this is not exactly a palace, but a unique building, there is nothing else like it in the world in terms of concept, architecture and design - check out the www.hundertwasserhaus.at/

HappyTrvlr

The Freud Museum is interesting and it is located in his former apartment.

yk

Must see for me would be the KHM. Just the Bruegel room alone is worth the plane ticket to Vienna.

2 years ago, we spent about 4 days in Vienna. Here's my trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34905605

cristine27

Thanks so much for the suggestions so far!!

DalaiLlama we'll definitely go to Hundertwasser! I didn't know that it was just a building..all these years i thought it was an entire neighborhood!!

Molker do you have any suggestions for a nice, cosy 'Heuriger'?

Cathinjoetown

Weather permitting, the Hoher Markt and Wollzeile Street are interesting--the first is the oldest square in Vienna, dating back to Roman times and Wollzeile is just an interesting quirky little street of cafes, restaurants and shops.

Both are very near St. Stephen's Place. If you like porcelain, the Augarten store is close by at Stock-im-Eisen-Platz 3. We don't see much of it in the US and I think it's very beautiful.

The Hofburg complex is more than a palace although I found the tour of the palace rooms interesting. They primarily reflect how they looked when Franz Josef was emperor. He ruled for so long that he had a huge effect on the appearance of Vienna including the building of the ring roads.

There's a separate exhibit about his wife, Empress Elizabeth (Sisi) who was enormously popular in her day and was assassinated by an anarchist.

The Lichtenstein Palace has been beautifully restored and is now an art museum--it's an easy tram ride from the center.

If none of that appeals, you can always do a cafe and konditori tour for some of the best coffee and pastries anywhere.

isabel

I'm not really into palaces either but I did do the Hofburg (was there for 4 days in July) and found it worthwhile. The Sisi musuem part was actually really interesting, even though it didn't sound like it would be.

Browse my photos of Vienna, you might get some ideas from that. http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/vienna_austria_bavaria

cristine27

Isabel are all the sets of the various cities your photos?

They are all wonderful!! I've already seen your site several times!

molker

Hundertwasserhaus is more than just a building - 50 + apartments and seveal shops - yes more like its own neighborhood as it is in great contrast to its neighbors.

if you go - buy a souvenir. it is likely that a recent court case will bring a change of name.

For heurigers

most tourists go to or are taken via a tour to Grinzing for a heuriger experience - less than great to me - but if you go that way - easy to get there via streetcar #38 look to Reinprecht -near to the end station of the streetcar perhaps best wine in that area

www.heuriger-reinprecht.at

also not too far away but still considered Grinzing- but best accessed by the bus 38A is Mayer am Pfarrplatz- an interesting place - numerous rooms and often good music.

www.pfarrplatz.at

in the area Stammersdorf - accessed by streetcar#31

Wieninger

www.wieninger.at

in area Neustift

Zimmermann

www.wienhof-zimmermann.at

bus 35 A

check websites for opening days and times -
moat have location map to assist.

have a look and see which you like

Cathinjoetown

Isabel,

Beautiful photos.

thursdaysd

I'm more into arts and crafts than fine arts, and I would definitely recommend Vienna's Applied Arts Museum - www.mak.at/e/jetzt/f_jetzt.htm. My trip report from 2007, including Vienna, is at http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35096856 and my pix at kwilhelm.smugmug.com/Travel/419378.

lanejohann

we loved the woodlands
we caught a train and bus out to these geat little villages
a waitress in a cafe told us how to get there
we headed towards Kahlenberg
from Schwedenpl ( train station close to us) on the U4 to Heiligenstadt then caught bus 38A which wove its way up to Kahlenberg

we went up through Grinzig and had a look at Coblenz which had a great view of Vienna but was foggy
so we decided to go further to Leopoldsberg and had a coffee at the restaurant there
there was a fantastic view here of the danube canal and vienna beyond
then we decided to walk back to Kahlenberg which took 20 minutes ( instead waiting for the bus)
caught up with the bus back to Helingenstadt ( 2 euros each)
got off at Grinzig to look for the narrow alleys and Elizabeth church but couldnt find these! so we caught the number 38 tram back to vienna

we paid another 2 euros but this wasnt necessary because the tickets we had were still valid

this was a great day
i loved walking down the hill - it was beautiful woodland so different from home

magical!

Vttraveler

I agree with yk about the Kunsthistorisches Museum (fine arts) with its wonderful collection. The building itself is spectacular, too.

isabel

christine - glad you liked the photos. I always plan my trips by looking at other peoples photos so I'm happy to share mine. As you can see, Vienna is a visually beautiful city.

There is another post floating around recently talking about how rude the people in Vienna were. I also have a close friend who felt the same. I just want to say I did not notice it. Everyone I met was just fine. The other poster (sorry can't find it today) stayed at the Marriott and my friend also stayed at a fairly high end hotel. My hotel was a small pension (City Pension) and the staff there were very nice.

cristine27

Thanks so much for all of your suggestions!! I will try and check everything out this weekend in order to start making a plan!

Isabel i believe that there are rude/polite/wonderful/horrible people everywhere!! I guess about Vienna we'll have to wait and see! ;-) (still, all the vienese i've contacted so far from the b&b to the restaurants we have booked were very friendly)