Vienna Suggestions
 

I am going to Vienna next month and staying at the Imperial Hotel. Does anyone have any suggestions for "must see" places, sites, or good non-touristy restaurants? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hi D,

Have you clicked "Destinations" and looked up Vienna?

((I))

the imperial hotel is fantastic. there are so many good resturants. we loved do @ co.

Regarding restaurants:

Plachutta- Wollzeille 38- excelent Austrian Kitchen and service

Kervansaray- Mahlerstrasse 9- excelent seafood specialties

Palais Coburg- Palais Coburg- international menu

All of the above a few minutes walk from the hotel-ask for directions

Also good - Fabios- near Graben
could name more , but you did not list your " Likes"
Look at website-
www.info.wien.at for information to " Must sees" and other good information on the city.



In my opinion - must sees


Schönbrunn Palace
Hofburg ( winter palace- imperial apartments )
Spanish Riding School
An evening at the Opera or Concert House

Please note - prior poster- it is Do and Co. restaurant-

Just returned from a week in Vienna and would give my suggestions but I do not know what you like to do. Are you fussy about smoke in the restaurant?
Do you like a particular art period? Are you interested in music-classical or otherwise? Are you traveling in a group or alone? A little information will elicit more help from the many experienced travelers who frequent these forums.

for restaurants we really liked
Korso, Steirereck, and Do & Co.
The first two are high-end, the last more casual and moderate.
Korso is in the Bristol Hotel, Do & Co is across the plaza from St Stephan's Cathedral.

I have a file on Vienna; if you'd like to see it, email me at
[email protected]

Here's what I reported on our trip to Vienna last spring:

We had been in Vienna three years ago, so this trip had some specific goals. We wanted to see the Leopold collection of modern Austrian art (mainly from 1900 to 1950), I wanted to revisit Schönbrunn and see the Schatzkammer. Schönbrunn was Melk in spades, with the added change that no photographs are allowed inside, but no slides of the inside are available for sale (I am still on slides). I really dislike fighting my way through the slow tour group or being engulfed by the one behind. This was the case in late May; I hate to think of what it is like in July and August. In my opinion, the Glorietta is not worth the price of the climb to the top of the building. You get almost as good a view from the terrace in front, which was a view of Vienna behind Schönbrunn with scaffolding on half its facade plus a huge outdoor performance tent on the parterre when we were there. Similarly, the French garden next to the palace itself is not very impressive, but it costs extra to see it. When arriving at the palace, there is no way to know that the only thing worth paying for are its interiors. If going to Vienna, save your money by not visiting the French garden and climbing to the top of the Glorietta and buy yourself an extra beer or a glass of wine at a heurige, or even at the Glorietta's café. For a better overall view of Vienna than from the Glorietta and a nice view of the Grinzing vineyards, drive up to Leopoldsberg or take the bus up to the Kahlenberg.

The Leopold collection is a must for anyone who likes early 20th century Austrian art. It rivals the Upper Belvedere in its holdings, although the Upper Belvedere has more Klimts and the Leopold has more Egon Schieles (which I prefer). The building is absolutely modern and perfect for exhibiting art. It is not a statement in itself like the Guggenheim in Bilbao--there is a tape à l'oeil element to Frank Gehry buildings. The Schatzkammer in the Hofburg is an absolute must--an incredible collection of imperial finery and appurtenances (capes, crowns, etc.) that are impressive for the handiwork that they are.

Eating: On the Seegasse there is a very good restaurant, what I would call an upscale bistro, where we had perhaps a better than expected meal because our host knew the owner/cook. It is called Stomach and features a modified cuisine from Steier (to get there take the D to the Seegasse and walk a couple of blocks east). The wines are also from that area, and because we got into a discussion of comparative value between California, Alsace and Steier wines, I got to taste a range of wines from that area's vineyards (the range was from fresh grape juice to a dry wine to a sweet wine to a grappa), plus a wine from a "wild" grape that has the foxy taste of Concord grapes--I will not touch anything with Concord grapes, but this wine held my curiosity. The restaurant is on the ground floor of an old two story building stuck between apartment houses, with low ceilings and a ceramic stove in the middle of the room to provide heat in the winter. I highly recommend the place, especially if you can get the owner's attention, but reservations are a must. We also ate at a brewery on the 38 streetcar line which had good beer and good but simple food, and wine for non beer drinkers (http://www.fischerbraeu.at/). Other friends took us to a heurige (http://www.zumweihrauch.at/essen.html) that was tucked between fancy villas of Grinzing, away from all the tourist hoopla--good wine and plain food served buffet style. Three years ago we went to a Turkish restaurant called Kent which is a few blocks off the OttakringstraBe, beyond the outer ring. On a balmy evening the garden dining is very pleasant even if crowded and noisy and the mixed grill is very cheap.

Hello Demure:

In addition to searching the wealth of information on this forum, I invite you attention to my earlier post, as follows, for a great restaurant that will escape most tourists:

Author: gradyghost
Date: 07/04/2004, 08:08 am
Message: Hello Mike: If you don't mind a 15 minute cab ride, Restaurant Vincent, GroBe Pfarrgasse 7, 1020 Wien Telefon: (01) 214 15 16, was by far our favorite (6 courses and 5 different Austrian wines to sample, with a great personal touch by the patron). We thought it trumped Restaurant Korso (Hotel Bristol) which was fabulous. Ahh, Wien!


Good luck. Gradyghost

Good morning a trip up the Danube
by boat to MELK return via rail...
Richard of LaGFrange Park Ill.

Ristorantes
Rathauskeller in the basement of the city hall and Cantinetta Antinori Jasomir-Gott Strasse 3/5....

Second the idea of a trip to Melk and Krems. Get the combi-pass at the train station. It's about 33 EU apiece and covers train fare from Vienna to Melk, admission to one of the sights at Melk (the monastery is beautiful and impressive), boat ride up to Krems, then train back to Vienna. It's a great day-trip. Lovely sights along the riverside, and wine country to see. You may have time to get off the boat and check out a winery, but I'm not sure about that-- we didn't have time to do it.

I am in Vienna now and will be back shortly and will file a trip report. Best restaurants so far on this trip were Steirereck (at the new location, with completely new menu and "feel" in comparison to the old place) and Meinl am Graben. Steirereck is almost completely booked out for dinner for the next several weeks but you can probably get a lunch reservation. Or perhaps the Imperial has the pull to get a dinner reservation (if any hotel could, it would be them!).

Hello BT:

If you're on the spot why not try Restaurant Vincent? Gradyghost

With regard to the restaurant "Stomach" mentioned above, I'm glad to read another positive review of it.
It had been on our restaurant list when we went last year but we ran out of dinners.

Also glad to hear from BTilke that the new Steirereck is still excellent. We loved our meal there in the old place.