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Vienna (Austria) Reviews |
Roley
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Vienna is lovely in December - though it feels different from Salzburg; more of a big-city sophisticated build-up to Christmas than sleighbells-in-the-snow type thing you get from Salzburg! There are loads of Christmas markets but most are much less traditional than those in Salzburg, with lots of toys and tat - though there are still some hidden gems in the smaller markets - Freyung, Spittelberg etc.
The big attraction for me in Vienna at Christmas is the music. There is always loads on, with church concerts, Christmas music, orchestral concerts, opera, operetta ... you're bound to find something to suit. The database on the Vienna tourist information website will have details - though not much just yet of course. See
http://www.wien.info/wtv/eventdatenbank-e.html
And there's always the Spanish Riding School - Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a prancing Lipizzaner or two! See www.srs.at for details.
I do most of my Christmas shopping in Vienna because the selection is so much nicer (especially for foodie gifts!) The centre of town has some marvellous shops - I especially like the area around the Wollzeile which has some weird and wonderful stuff and isn't as expensive as Kartnerstrasse/Graben area. There are several humungo mall type places including Shopping City Sud which can be reached on the Badener Bahn light rail. There's also Donau Zentrum and one or two more other people might be able to give details about. I don't generally shop in malls because I prefer the suburban shopping streets - Meidlinger Hauptstrasse or Favoritenstrasse/Keplerplatz (but not Mariahilferstrasse which is pretty scungey IMO!) The shopping is much more varied than Salzburg, as you would expect in a bigger city.
I can seldom prise myself away from the city for a daytrip but possibilities include Baden (the trip on the blue tram is fun!) or you could go to Bratislava, for the day, by bus or train.
I've never done the trip flying into Bratislava but I don't fancy it much a) because what you save on the airfare you partly pay back on bus fares etc b) because Slovakia doesn't use Euros so you have to go to all the bother of getting different currency and c) because I can't read or speak Slovakian and it makes me well nervous! Vienna airport is so efficient and easy to use I much prefer to fly direct and be whisked to town in the Schnellbahn for the princely sum of 3 euros. But it depends what flights you can get at the UK end, I know.
Curiously the run up to Christmas is a "low" season in Vienna - unlike Salzburg where hotel prices go through the roof. So if you book well in advance you should get a bargain. I usually stay at one of the Pertschy hotels because November-Christmas they generally offer a 4 nights for the price of 3 special. They're now split in two between www.pertschy.com and www.secrethomes.at I have stayed at several of their pensions and found the service great and the locations are excellent (Baronesse less so than the others). Another well-placed bargain is Pension Nossek www.pension-nossek.at which has big, comfortable rooms in a super-posh location right on the Graben for a moderate price - again, good service and comfortable.
Hope that helps to get you started. I had better get cracking on my December plans, now I think on it!
rol
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p.m.s.norton
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| A little early I know but planning a trip with a friend in December and considering flying into Bratislava which provides bus access to Vienna. Last year we loved Salzburg and wonder if Vienna is as Magical at this time of year as it was. Are there any Christmas markets or concerts which would be worth a visit. What day trips could we make which would be interesting either train or coach trip. Although we like to look around a city we do not want to spend all our time looking at museums and churches so any other suggestions. Are there any out of town shopping Malls which would be good for Christmas shopping. Any suggestions or recommendations on accomodation within reach of sights comfortable rather then posh would be appreciated.
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JERICHO
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Thanks very much for your advice and info.  
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JIMMY STATE
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| Vienna has much more to offer, especially the museums and the historic buildings, but also opera or concerts, if you like that. Salzburg is a cute little city, nice to walk around for one day, but definitely doesn't deserve the same attention as Vienna.
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VALMOOOR
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| Vienna is a much larger city with more to see and do. 3 days in Vienna is best
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JERICHO
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| I am planning to spend 5 days in Austria but I am not sure to stay 3 days in Vienna or in Salzburg. Please advise which city should I stay longer?
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Sue ad John Bates
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On the outskirts of Vienna, high up in the hills overlooking the sprawl of the city and the Danube, there is a place where time stands still.
Whilst modern cafés attempt to resurrect the spirit of Viennese coffee culture, Café Cobenzl (19 Höhenstr. Cobenzl, Vienna) still exists in that bygone age of decadence. In the town of the same name, on a hillside covered in vineyards, the curious circular café caught our attention instantly - not least as a refuge from the cold spring air.
On entering, we were greeted and politely directed to a small table; the interior was a perfect snapshot of Eastern Europe in its heyday. Plush red leather seats crowded around teak tables - both had seen better days, and the walls were draped in heavy flock papers.
Waiters hung around near the bar sporting black ties and waistcoats with the obligatory cigarette hanging from the corner of the mouth.
Struggling to understand most of the menu we opted for coffee and cakes. The waiter scribbled our order - 2 coffees, one chocolate torte and one apple strudel - straining to see the pad as the cigarette smouldered away in his mouth.
Outside the window the hill dropped steeply to the tourist infested village of Grinzing with its medieval heurigers or wine taverns and onwards to the outskirts of the city. Inside, Viennese couples whispered softly to each other and sipped coffee.
Our order arrived and we ate cakes with small silver forks from fine porcelain plates as Mozart played dramatically in the background.
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