Nuttela

Some of you may or may not recall but I am planning my honeymoon and was the one who asked a lot of questions about the train route. (Thanks to all your help, I was able to get the train tickets I needed.) I went through the guidebooks and threads on here and thought I would ask this simple question.

If you had to pick one sightseeing location only in Vienna which place would it be? Also, if you have any details about the location feel free to include them.

I would appreciate any feedback since if I had the time I would see everything. Thanks in advance.

amaclise

I would walk the pedestrian streets of the city center...but it is a very hard question.

BTilke

How much time do you have?
With a limited amount of time (just a few hours) I would take one of the trams that circle the ring...this way you would at least pass by many of the major sights...the opera, art/history museum, rathaus, etc.
Then I suppose I would walk the main pedestrian district of the Kartnerstrasse and Graben and perhaps visit St. Stephan's Cathedral. And have a pastry and coffee at one of the "great" cafes...Sacher, Demel, etc., although my preference is firmly with Oberlaa.
If I could go to only one museum, I would go to the Kunsthistoriche Museum, but others would say the Belvedere or even the beautiful Liechtenstein Museum...it all depends on your taste.

Nuttela

I am there for three days....so I definitly have some time to wander. I just figured I would get opinions of people who have been there.

amaclise, I do imagine the question is simple and hard at the same time. I find it always hard when people ask what should I not miss in the various places I been to.

Btilke, I am glad pastries are definitly something I shouldn't miss. I love desserts.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

BTilke

With three days, you'll have time to see quite a bit!
1. Tram around ring
2. Karntnerstrasse/Graben
3. St. Stephan's
4. Museums of your choice--so many!
5. Out to "Copakagrana" if you're there in the summer and want to join the Viennese relaxing and partying.
6. Cafes: Sacher, Demel, Diglas, Oberlaa, Gerstner, Central, as many as your time and waistline will allow.
7. Schonbrunn
8. Music performance
9. Food, perhaps try for one of Vienna's top restaurants for lunch or dinner. There is SO much more to Austrian cuisine than wienerschnitzel! Fortunately, you have many to choose from and compared to the top restaurants in Paris and London, they're quite reasonably priced. My favorite "ordinary" restaurant is Hotel Riviera (which is not a hotel) on a side street behind St. Stephan's.

I'm sure others will have their favorites to add to the list.

noe847

The one sight not to miss is the Stephansdom - it is the heart of Vienna!

tcreath

I too would walk the Graben and the streets around central Vienna, and St. Stephens is definitely not to be missed. We also really enjoyed visiting the imperial apartments and imperial treasury at the Hofburg.

And I agree with the above; the pastries in Vienna are incredible! I love sitting in a cafe with a cappuccino and a wonderful pastry or apfelstuedel!

Taking a ride on the tram that goes around the ring road is a great introduction to Vienna.

Tracy

aljo

The Viennese are a wine and music loving people. Grinzing is where the Viennese (and tourists) go on a Friday and Saturday evening to enjoy both. It's a lovely district of Vienna which can be reached by taking streetcar 38. There are umpteen gasthauses to choose from. When the weather is good, it is a treat to sit in one of the gasthaus gardens and enjoy the wine, the music, the food and the people. I highly recommend it.

PalQ

The Big Wheel in the Prater - built over a century ago i believe this has become in many ways the symbol of Vienna. This slow-moving London Eye-like huge Ferris Wheel with enclosed cabins is in the popular Prater park. Back in the day when it was erected it created a sensation all over the Austro-Hungarian Empire that was centered in Vienna.

Nuttela

These sound like great ideas. You definitly get a different look at locations when people talk about it instead of just reading from a guidebook.

The tram that a few are talking about? Exactly how would I find it.

Thanks again

ekscrunchy

I agree with Aljo about Grinzing..really lovely and a fun way to get into the spirit, so to speak, of Vienna. I would also attend an opera if you are there in season. And the Kunsthistorische Museum has one of the most spectacular collections in the world! Do not miss!

tcreath

Nuttela,

The trams in Vienna are great and very extensive. Most tourists use tram 1 and 2, which ride along the Ringstrasse, where the old city walls that surrounded the historic center use to be. You can find them pretty easy. We usually picked up the tram right in front of the Hofburg. They are cheap, easy, and give a great overview.

Tracy

tcreath

Oops, I meant to post this link as well! This gives you an overview of the public transportation options, including the tram.

http://www.wien.gv.at/english/transp...ublictrans.htm

Tracy

dfr4848

St. Stephen's and Schonbrunn (I know. That's two, but...)

PrincessOfPenguins

Catch the Mozart exhibit at the Albertina Museum, if you're into Mozart...

Salm Bräu near Lower Belvedere has the best microbrews, and good food too... mmmm....

MaureenB

How about the Hofburg complex? It's right in the heart of town, you can walk it from the Stephansdom. It has very interesting and beautiful Imperial Apartments to tour, plus the Lipizzaner's Winter Riding School is a beautiful arena in which you can catch a "morning exercise with music" (if you're there during the right months) or tour the stables.
You could easily see the Stephansdom and the Hofburg in the same day, with a nice walk and lunch on the pretty streets of Vienna in between them.

Nuttela

Once again you all have been very helpful and I think I definitly have some great insight. Thanks again!

tcreath

Nuttela (by the way, love your name!), I hope you have a great time. You will most certainly love Vienna. Its a beautiful city that I long to visit again.

Tracy

blackduff

I miss the Käse Kreiner (sp.??) most. This is a sausage stuffed with cheese. You have to find a street cart and buy one on a cardboard dish. They'll slice the sausage with an electric knive, gives you a small roll and a bit of mustard.

This is really used when it's late in the afternoon, before you head towards your hotel. Or, even better, find a cart around 11 pm, when you're a bit hungry before you go to bed.

ATTENTION: Not for Dieters!!!!

Blackduff

PrincessOfPenguins

Vienna is definitely not the place to be if you're on a diet.

Be sure to try a Zotter's chocolate bar. They're filled with all kinds of weird stuff, and otherwise great with a fruity red wine. Yum yum...