Bennett Boyd Anderson III
In the Germanophone world, if Berlin is a hipster with beat-up jeans, then Vienna is a fur-clad grand dame—taking herself a bit seriously, perhaps, and occasionally with a touch of hauteur, but full of elegance, refinement and not-so-hidden charm. (Think Maggie Smith’s character in Downton Abbey.) If Berlin is the future, full of tech startups and cutting-edge designers, Vienna in many ways is the past: wistful, beautiful and stubbornly static in a rapidly shifting world. This is not to say that Vienna is not an exciting place to be (it is) or that it lacks innovation (it doesn’t), but simply that it treasures its legacy in a way few other cities do. Vienna is a world unto itself, and the Viennese know it. Papered about the streets are flyers boasting the city’s slogan, "Wien ist anders"—Vienna is different. Indeed it is. But how did it become so?
After centuries of presiding over a major European power, Vienna received a shock at the end of the Great War as the Habsburg Empire collapsed practically overnight, leaving the Viennese reeling and their city an imperial capital without an empire. On the eve before the war, Austria-Hungary counted over fifty million inhabitants and an enormous amount of European territory surpassed in size only by Russia; when the dust settled, the new Austrian republic was a small country that contained fewer than seven million people.
Before the Great War, Vienna rivaled the likes of London, Paris and Rome as a global center of taste and so-called civilization. The Empire is no more, but this mentality is still alive and well in the minds of the Viennese. Vienna is more than coffee and classical music. Allow me to share with you my recipe for a day in the city with the world’s highest quality of life.
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A Day around Vienna’s Historical Center
MORNING:
Demel
Nestled in the Innere Stadt, Vienna’s First District, breakfast at Demel is an excellent start for those who wish to experience the smug elegance for which the city is so famous. Historians will tell you that Demel is one of the two entities claiming to have invented the ubiquitous Sachertorte (a feud resulting in a legal battle won by the Hotel Sacher); locals may suggest a box of the famous candied violets beloved by the Empress Sisi. I recommend hitting two birds with one stone by sampling a Demeltörtchen, a little chocolate cake sprinkled with candied violets. Take care not to arrive too late, or you may face a significant wait.
Shops and the Stephansdom
The Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Cathedral) dominates the First District. Damaged and repaired after the Second World War, its unusually patterned roof makes it easy to find. You’ll want to check this off early; if churches are your thing, the Peterskirche and the Michaelerkirche are other notable ones nearby.
The First District has plenty of good shops (although I prefer the more bohemian Sixth and Seventh Districts), but there are two in particular near the Stephansdom that I like: Knize and Loden-Plankl. Knize is an upscale menswear store that serviced the Habsburger in their glory days*; it is not cheap, but it is a paragon of Old World elegance. Loden-Plankl stocks a variety of folk and folk-inspired clothing, the latter of which is currently rather trendy not only in Austria but also worldwide. It too is not cheap, but the quality is excellent and the stock eminently unique.
The Maria-Theresien-platz and the MuseumsQuartier
It takes perhaps fifteen minutes to walk from Loden-Plankl to the Maria-Theresien-platz. The latter is difficult to miss, partially because there the Habsburg Empress Maria Theresia, immortalized in verdigris-tinted bronze, gazes with aristocratic disdain at the masses of tourists huddled beneath her plinth. She is flanked on either side by cavernous, intricately carved buildings: the Naturhistorisches Museum (the Museum of Natural History) and the Kunsthistorisches Museum (the Museum of Art History). There’s no wrong choice, but if that’s not your scene, head to the MuseumsQuartier area behind the statue, whose museums and exhibition spaces carry more modern and contemporary flavors. One could spend an entire day wandering through this cluster of museums, so pick wisely—if you tend to be a thorough museum-goer, you might only have time for one.
NOON:
The Naschmarkt
For an overwhelming but charming experience, visit the Naschmarkt to be bombarded by scents, smells and sellers. Awash with vendors speaking traditional Viennese dialect, prepare to be kindly assaulted by stall-keepers offering you bites of baklava and other treats. Half of the market is dedicated to stalls selling spices, pastries, coffee, tea, wine, cider, meat, cheese, seafood and much more; the other half consists of restaurants, although by the time the vendors finish stuffing you with free samples you may not even need them.
AFTERNOON:
The Schmetterlinghaus and the Albertina
If you’re museum-ed out after the MuseumsQuartier, the Schmetterlinghaus (Butterfly House) is an enjoyable way to unwind. Set in an enormous art nouveau palm house, an architectural jewel worth seeing for its own sake, the structure replicates a tropical climate and is home to hundreds of plants, flowers and brightly colored butterflies. Opening times are seasonal, so be sure to check before you go.
If you’re raring to see more museums, the Albertina is an excellent one. It’s debated whether the structure should properly be referred to as a palace or an art museum, and in truth the two are inseparably intertwined. History fans will enjoy the Habsburg state rooms, which are furnished with authentic and sometimes original furniture; art buffs can view works by Dürer, Klimt, Monet and Picasso, as well as a changing selection of special exhibits. You’ll want to see both to maximize your experience.
Die Bim
It’s really only six or seven blocks to the Stadtpark, but as a fun thing to do, I recommend taking the tram (colloquially known as die Bim) down the Ringstraße, the long, grand avenue that encircles the First District. Incidentally, while Vienna has been crowned the city with the world’s highest standard of living for several years in a row now, you’d never guess it when talking to one of the famously grumpy Viennese. If you want to act like a local, forget sitting in coffeehouses and reading newspapers; what you should do is grumble. Grumble loudly and often. If die Bim is thirty seconds late, that’s it, your day is ruined, don’t bother reading the rest of this article, it’s all over. Pack up and go home, and make sure to tell your friends and family about it. That’s the Viennese way.
The Stadtpark
Vienna’s first public park is a lovely place to take a walk and escape the urban jungle. It’s safe and green, and in the summer you’ll often see people picnicking. Dotted about are marble statues of some of Vienna’s most famous past inhabitants. This is also the site of Vienna’s most highly acclaimed restaurant, Steirereck im Stadtpark (ranked among the world’s top twenty).
Café Schwarzenberg
No trip to Vienna is complete without a trip to a coffeehouse. I have several favorites (as does every Viennese), and among them is the Café Schwarzenberg, located a couple blocks away from the Wiener Staatsoper.
I’ve a confession: I do not generally love Sachertorte, finding it rather dry. The one here is an exception, but be sure to order it mit Schlagobers (with whipped cream) to complete the dessert. The Café Schwarzenberg is not a great place to hunker down and work, being a bit busy, but it’s a lovely place to relax and chat for an hour or two.
EVENING:
Wiener Staatsoper
The Wiener Staatsoper, the Viennese Opera House, is a pillar of the city’s cultural scene, although it was so unpopular when first constructed that the architect hanged himself. The Viennese have since come to appreciate it, and it ranks among the busiest and most famous opera houses worldwide. (Equally famous is the lack of mercy among regular theatergoers, who, in typical Viennese fashion, will not hesitate to display displeasure at a performance they consider subpar. On a brighter note, they will bestow lavish praise on a performance that exceeds their expectations.)
Performances are generally not in English, but the seats have screens that present subtitles in a variety of languages. You can buy cheap standing-room tickets immediately before a performance, but that’s a risky game, and I recommend reserving tickets in advance. Prices vary widely depending on the seat, and make sure to dress up for the occasion.
(Pro tip: There is also a screen outside the Staatsoper that broadcasts whatever is playing within. It’s not ideal, but if all you want is a little taste of culture, it’s easy to stand outside for ten minutes and watch—just to get the general idea of things. It is also free.)
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And there you have it. That is one day in the lovely city of Vienna. There’s so much more to see and do than this: coffeehouses both traditional and modern, a plethora of antique shops, art museums, local markets, architectural marvels, noteworthy universities, mouthwatering bakeries, Habsburg palaces, restaurants and bars, cemeteries, hiking trails in the Wienerwald and the aforementioned bohemian districts. Across the Pond can help you find these places and more—why settle for a crumb when you can have a whole cookie? Vienna has twenty-three districts, and we’ve barely covered one. But this makes for a nice start, and I hope that when you’re done you’ll love Vienna as much as I do.
*If you're wondering, the Habsburger do still exist, although technically the House of Habsburg is extinct and what remains is the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. Their titles and most of their lands have been revoked by the state, but they retain a certain amount of wealth. One of the younger members, Ferdinand Zvonimir von Habsburg, is a notable racecar driver. (One wonders whether the name “Ferdinand” might perhaps have been an unfortunate choice considering that the demise of the erstwhile Archduke Franz Ferdinand, also a Habsburg, was responsible for the outbreak of the Great War. However, one must be merciful, particularly as, partially due to centuries of inbreeding, the Habsburger have traditionally not been considered the brightest bulbs in the Austrian chandelier.)
Bennett Boyd Anderson III is a writer, editor and dedicated traveler. A Louisiana Creole with knowledge of French, German and Japanese, he has lived in Lafayette (Louisiana), New Orleans, Vienna, Singapore and Oxford, where he is currently earning his MSt at the University of Oxford.
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