A weekend in Vienna

Recently a friend was going to Austria on business, but would have the weekend free to explore Vienna. With so little time, she asked me to help her pack in as much as she could. The only criteria she had was that it must include some shopping time and also that she wanted the opportunity to drink some Austrian beer and wine.

Eventually, her itinerary changed and the plans I made for her became obsolete. I thought I would share them here in case any of my readers could make use of them. Perhaps on business, or perhaps as you are passing through for other reasons. Here is how I planned 2 days in Vienna.

DAY 1

In this scenario, she was arriving by overnight train from Germany and we wanted to find her a central hotel to make it easy to navigate the city. We chose the Mercure, which is about a kilometre from the Naschmarkt - considered to be one of the best markets/flea markets in Europe. It spans 1.5 kilometres along the Wien River and is open six days a week (Mon-Fri 6:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).

From the Naschmarkt, take the tram to Schonbrunn Palace, one of the most visited sites in Vienna. There is something for everyone at the palace - beautiful architecture and art, a garden labyrinth, and even a children's museum for families.

As late afternoon approaches, take the no. 38 Tram to Grinzing on the outskirts of Vienna. There, you will find a beautiful winery where you can have a nice schnitzel dinner and taste the fine wines grown in the vineyards. The village is charming on its own and worth a stroll around, including the 19th century cemetery where a few notable people (such as writer Thomas Bernhard) are buried. When you're ready, take the tram back to your hotel and rest up for another busy day tomorrow.


DAY 2

Leave the hotel and head to Kärntnerstrasse, which is the main shopping district in Vienna – kind of like the Fifth Avenue of NYC. You may only want to window shop here, but you’ll also pass some stunning architecture, such as the French-Renaissance style Opera House.

Turn left onto Walfischgasse , which crosses Tegetthoffstrasse and turns into Augustinerstrasse. Follow to the roundabout 500m up the road. There is a foot path (in der burg) about halfway through the roundabout (to the left). This leads to Hofburg Palace. The main attractions are Albertina, Augustinerkirche, Kaiserappartments (Imperial Apartments), and the magnificent Schatzkammer (Imperial Treasury). If you’re lucky, you may also catch the Spanish Riding School practicing, or the Vienna Boys’ Choir.

When you have seen enough in this area, return down the same path and head out to the roundabout; follow round and come out directionally on the opposite site (Kohlmarkt). Follow to the next major pedestrian footpath, about 100m up the road. Turn right at the Erst Bank, then turn left at the Onyx Bar and follow to St. Stephen’s Cathedral. You may or may not be able to go in, depending on the time (open 7am-noon and 5-7pm), but the architecture on the exterior is worth the stop. Although it has undergone many renovations over the years, the church has been there for nearly 1000 years.

Depending on your schedule, you may need to head back to the hotel for your belongings. Always leave plenty of time to get to the airport, since in some cities, the airport can be quite some distance from the heart of the city. Asking at the hotel is a good idea, as they will know how long you should need to plan and what the transportation options are available (taxi, shuttle, bus, train, etc.).

If you don't need to leave until late in the evening or even early morning the next day, then a streetcar ride around Ringstrasse  (the road surrounding the old city of Vienna) is advisable and can be quite stunning at dusk.