Austria’s largest city brings to mind grand opera houses, stately homes, and traditional, hearty food. It’s not always known for its alternative scene so knowing where to find something a bit different can be tough! But beneath the tourist traps, Vienna has loads going on to tempt the authentic traveller in search of a culture fix. We asked our friends from the city to recommend their top eating, shopping and sightseeing spots, and here’s what we found out!
No trip to Vienna is complete without a trip to one of its coffee houses. Located on the ground floor of an Art Noveau building designed by Austro-Hungarian architect Oskar Marmorek, Café Rüdigerhof is tucked away from the crowds that visit the nearby Naschmarkt. You could easily spend an hour or two people-watching, reading, updating your blog, or mingling with students and retirees alike at this local spot. If you’re a coffee lover, you have to try their delicious Viennese coffee.
While you’re here, might as well as eat a hearty central European meal. Make sure to sample the roasted Knödel with eggs, which is kind of like a dumpling-based omelette. Or, you could treat yourself to a real Wiener Schnitzel. Hungover or not, both are definitely worth a try!
The Werk, which refers to itself as a “work in progress,” is an alternative cultural centre housed under the arches of a former railway station. Located on the banks of the Danube canal, they celebrate every anniversary with a weekend-long open-air festival called “Kunst am Kanal,” or “Art by the Canal.”
Home to a variety of club nights, gigs, book launches, art exhibitions, film screenings, theatre productions, and other performances, the Werk is known for its industrial, improvised atmosphere which sets it apart from other more polished venues nearby. You’ll be able to catch the crème de la crème of the electronic underground scene here as local DJs hone their skills live on the turntables.
The “Museum für Angewandte Kunst” or MAK has been at forefront of the art scene ever since its inception in 1864, when it was founded as the Imperial Royal Austrian Museum of Art and Industry. Contrary to what its old name implies, from the beginning the institution championed and developed an art collection that exclusivley featured works by local artists rather than taking donations from wealthy aristocrats or the former empire.
This set the gallery apart from its contemporaries, which were more closely aligned with traditional notions of what art was and how it should be represented. The MAK strove to open the art world up to everyone. It also sought to get craftspeople involved in the production of goods. It currently houses Glass, Ceramics, Textiles, and Carpets collections, amongst many others. The gallery is also home to the Vienna Biennale, which runs every two years.
Entry is free from 6-10pm every Tuesday, and it’s always free if you’re under 19. It’s also free on the Austrian National Day (26th October). If you’re under 19 and an EU citizen you are actually eligible for free admission to tons of other museums including the MAK, but also the MUMOK (Museum of Modern Art), the Austrian National Library, the Museum of Natural History or the Museum of Technology, just to name a few. For more information on free and cheap entry to museums and cultural sites, check out our guide here!
Every year for a couple of days in January, the Academy of Fine Arts (“Akademie der Bildenden Künste”) opens its doors to everyone interested in having a nosy around the interior of one of the oldest art schools in Europe Founded in 1692, The Academy of Fine Arts was also at the heart of the Austrian student education protests in 2009, students and teachers alike occupied the main auditorium to campaign against tuition fees.
During the open days you can explore the collections and galleries that belong the university and snoop around the historical classrooms and workshops. It gives an insight into the daily goings-on and work in progress, whilst allowing you to chat with other visitors, lecturers and students (of whom about half are from abroad) and join in the dialogue. Enjoy being a fly on the wall in one of the most influential art academies of the European continent, which has been shaping generations of art movements for more than 300 years. Performances, concerts, talks, guided walks, and and other entertainment are open to everyone.
Easily accessible via public transport, there are three main routes you can take to explore the romantic region near the Wienerwald, famed for its local wines. Every autumn the hiking trail attracts city-dwellers to venture out of the city to enjoy the breath-taking views over the city of Vienna. This is also when the local winemakers open their cellars and backyard cafés to participate in the “Wiener Weinwandertage”.
With at least 17 family businesses along the path participating, there are plenty of opportunities to try traditional delicacies and sweet desserts, and, of course, plenty of season’s wine. Unlike the cafés you’ll find all over the city centre, the people running the “Heurigen,” or wine taverns in English, are locals who do not own a licence to run a commercial business. Howver, thanks to Kaiser Joseph II, they are allowed to sell home-made wine, schnapps, juices, and cold snacks to hikers and day-trippers passing their homes on the trail.
The Stammersdorfer Kellergasse (literally “cellar alley”) can be reached by taking the subway U6 or the tram to Floridsdorf, then catching the Bus 228 to Kellergasse where you can start one of the most popular sections of the wine hiking trail.
You’ll find plenty of record stores in the city but there’s one at Hofmühlgasse 1 (near the U-Bahn station“Pilgramgasse”) that’s particularly worthwhile if you’re looking to stock up your collection with rare finds (or maybe now is the time to start one?!)
Allegedly inspired by East London’s Rough Trade, this “specialist independent shop for all styles” (as it reads on the green-and-black shopfront), has been around since the late 80s. Best of all it’s still run by the same visionary couple, Doris and Werner “Shorty” Schartmüller! On the one hand, they’re making sure that no one’s going to forget about Iggy Pop and Co, and on the other they’re supplying Vienna’s music fanatics with all the LPs, CDs, 12 and 7inches you or your pre-digital age siblings/parents could dream of. From old-fashioned musical rarities to the hottest albums off the press from all over the world, the range is impressive.
If Noisey/Vice – everyone’s favourite hipster music journalism mag – writes about this 30-year-old gem, Rave Up’s many devotees must have a point. Apparently even alternative rock giants Sonic Youth and the Melvins have paid Rave Up a visit in the past. If you’re a vinyl afficianado, it’s the perfect place spend a rainy afternoon.
Whether you just want to listen to that new album you just bought (because you definitely brought that old record player of yours with you), mingle with the city’s students between seminars, plan the next day of sightseeing with your friends, or wander around discovering the diverse range of street art, go to the banks of the Danube! The canal links the city to the famous river and is the perfect place to see what locals are up to. Bonus: you can do so without having to purchase any hot drinks or pay an entrance fee.
Want to explore our alternative hot spots in Vienna? Why not include it in an Eastern European adventure. Many of our most popular packages hit this spectacular capital – including the Iron Curtain, the Eastern Trooper and Central European small group tour.
Málaga Granada Seville Cáceres Madrid Ávila Segovia Ourense Santiago de Compostela
