Vienna City Guide - Sightseeing

The heart of Vienna is the Innerestadt - the area that lay within the city walls, until they were demolished in the mid 19th century. It is here that some of Vienna's most popular tourist attractions can be found, along with pedestrianised streets lined with countless shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. The centre point is Stephansdom, the city's celebrated gothic cathedral, which is surrounded by the wide Stephansplatz.

Following the demolition of the city walls in 1857, the Ringstrasse was laid out and some of Vienna's most beautiful buildings were built along it, between 1858 and 1865. Among the most important are the Staatsoper (State Opera House), Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts), Naturhistorisches Museum (Natural History Museum), Parlament (Parliament), Rathaus (City Hall) and Burgtheater (Palace Theatre).

Although most major attractions are in the First District, the other inner districts have much to offer. Leopoldstadt (Second District) lies on the eastern side of the Danube Canal, and it is here that the massive Prater can be found.

Landstrasse (Third District) includes the Schwarzenberg Palace and the Konzerthaus, although the main attraction is the Belvedere Palace. Wieden (Fourth District) is a small neighbourhood that is almost as fashionable as the First District. Karlsplatz, with its domed namesake, Karlskirche, is the district's dominating feature.

Margareten (Fifth District) is more residential and the historic homes of Schubert and Gluck still stand here. Mariahelf (Sixth District) includes Vienna's busiest shopping street, Mariahilferstrasse. The Naschmarkt (Produce Market) and the Flohmarkt (Flea Market), on Saturday morning, add to the excitement, while the surrounding streets are packed with beisls (small taverns), theatres, cafes and pubs.

Neubau (Seventh District) includes the Spittelberg Quarter, where the old houses have been renovated into boutiques, restaurants, theatres and galleries, and the  MuseumsQuartier, Vienna's prime art and cultural space. Josefstadt (Eighth District) was once the area favoured by civil servants - the Josefstadt Theatre, the city's oldest (1788), is still in operation.

Alsergrund (Ninth District) is often called the academic quarter - Freud's home, now a museum, is located here, as is the Lichtenstein Palace, which now houses the Museum of Modern Art.

Further afield, in Hietzing (13th District), is Schönbrunn Palace, one of the finest baroque edifices on the planet and the former summer residence of Habsburg royalty.

Wien Tourismus
Albertinaplatz/Ecke Maysedergasse
Tel: (01) 24555.
Website: www.wien.info  
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1900.

Other tourist information offices are located in the airport arrivals area. These provide information, make reservations and supply brochures, maps and the Vienna Card (see below). A number of annually printed guides are available, including Kunst & Genuus (Arts & Delights), Architecture, Konzert-Cafés, monthly events and a Gay Vienna guide.

The Vienna Card offers discounts at 200 attractions, theatres, shops, cafes, restaurants and heurigen (wine taverns), as well as on the CAT train from the airport. It also includes unlimited travel on the U-Bahn, bus and tram networks (including night buses) for 72 hours. Passes are available from tourist information offices, hotels and Wiener Linien sales and information counters. Vienna Cards are also available online (website: www.wienkarte.at).