top 10 cool vienna had a very unusual trigger. i wrote it to prove a point. many people have been telling me how they avoid vienna because it’s imperial and old fashioned. so i tried to clarify things offline. i told them how vienna may be beautiful in that classical way but it is also super happening and modern. here you have my arguments!
10. i will start with the business district, donau city. there, i like the donau city kirche with its minimal exterior and blonde wood interior.
i love to go up the danube tower, have a drink in the revolving restaurant and check out the void beneath my feet. yeah, they have an area where you are standing on clear glass. very, very thick clear glass!
9. if you like contemporary architecture, go see what jean nouvel and the others did with the century old gasometer.
8. hundertwasser‘s work is the magical part of vienna. whether you choose the museum, the house or you get off the subway at spittelau to see the waste incineration plant, you will not be disappointed by his playful and colourful take on architecture!
7. on the circular ring strasse, you have the mak – the museum of applied arts. i don’t think i have ever been in vienna without visiting it. it’s where i discovered, among others, anish kapoor and coop himmelblau.
i love their in-house restaurant, the oesterreicher. i love the bottle chandelier they have in the main room. also, please make sure you make a trip to the toilet. i hope you’ll like the design!
6. flex is a night destination. located on the side of the donaukanal, the underground club and cafe have the right ingredients for fun: great crowds, wonderful location and a superlative sound system. must not be missed if you want to sample the viennese night life!
5. i’m not very interested in mariahilfestrasse (shopping central). but i do love its cooler neighbours, gumpendorfer strasse (vintage clothes and furniture) and neubaugasse (on the artsier side of modern).
the gumpendorfer has ramien and if dogs run free. and lots more!
on neubaugasse, i recommend this place: for less that 10 euro, you can get a delicious austrian schnitzel menu that can satisfy two people. the dish is so big, when they bring it over, they also bring a piece of wax paper to wrap the leftovers! no kidding!
4. i love viennese style. it’s often understated and interesting. you will rarely see too much skin or make up. they don’t try too hard to impress and that’s essential.
and i know two concept stores that have selections that look exactly like the upscale version of this look. my complete favourite is park, right off neubaugasse.
song is another great experience worth having. you’ll find it on prater strasse.
3. i have 3 recommendations when it comes to accommodation. 25h, the museum quartier adjacent hotel with a technicolor circus theme and a fantastic terrace bar.
i also like the daniel hotel in the belvedere.
for smaller budgets, the wombat naschmarkt offers nice rooms in a central location for very affordable prices.
2. the museum quartier is a city of culture and art in itself. the yard is full of the enzis, the unique shaped benches that undergo yearly colour changes.
the leopold museum has an extensive collection of klimt and schiele in its interesting holey building. the in-house cafe doubles up as a bar at night. but the highlight of the museum right now is its oskar kokoschka show.
the mumok is another interesting building: lots of concrete and no windows. do not expect them to have trendy, crowd pleasing shows.
there is also the kunsthalle, the tanzquartier (contemporary dance) and the architektur center.
when i’m in vienna, i’ll be there every day! even the kantine is really good!
1. naschmarkt is an ali baba cave of fruit and produce. especially on saturday mornings, when the regular market doubles in size because of the flea market. it’s full of second hand junk but there are certainly treasures to be found there. so, wake up early, browse and then do brunch with friends! it’s the heart of vienna!
extras: you can take day trips to either bratislava or graz.
remeber to take the twin city liner to bratislava. you’ll love it!
as far as graz is concerned, i will be back soon with news as i’ll be there on sunday.
i hope my top 10 cool vienna makes you nay sayers at least consider a trip to vienna. here you have the key to the city: wien.info.
i know the rest of us don’t need any persuading. i personally love vienna: it’s one of the few cities i’d move to!
NOTE: i’ll be in vienna for the following days. until i return, watch my facebook for updates! 🙂
if you are in vienna on monday, i have a date with my readers. see you there?
photo credits: copyright owners
3 comments
MOOD BOARD NO 12 - little aesthete's blog says:
Dec 16, 2013
[…] board no 12 is the result of my recent trip to vienna. check it […]
Rachel says:
Feb 14, 2014
If I could recommend another excellent address it would the Hotel Sacher a combination of tradition, luxury, style and Viennese charm with comfort and pleasure. And you should have a taste of the chocolate cake that is a hallmark of the hotel, at Café Sacher. The glassed-in terrace is transformed into an open sidewalk café during summer.
little aesthete says:
Feb 14, 2014
oh, rachel! if hotel sacher would make it on a list that would be top 10 imperial vienna, right? 🙂 that post is indeed coming up and i will consider your nomination! 🙂