Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

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Previous issues for Vienna

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Austria : Vienna - March 2009

Country Code: Dial for Austria

Getting around

Vienna International Airport

Bus: A bus will take you to the city centre in 20 minutes, leaving every 30 minutes, with a return fare of €11.
Train: The City Airport Train (CAT) takes 16 minutes to reach the centre and leaves every 30 minutes. Return tickets cost €16. The regular municipal railway SBahn goes every 30 minutes and takes 24 minutes to reach the city centre. Single tickets cost €3.
Taxi: A trip to the city from the airport costs a standard fee of €31.
Tourist information: Vienna Tourist Office is at 38 Untere Augartenstraße and 1 Albertinaplatz (555, www.wien.info).

1ST DISTRICT

The 1st district is the heart and soul of the city. Take a romantic fiaker (horsedrawn carriage) ride around the Ringstraße, where many of Vienna’s famous sights are located.

Sleep soundly – Hotels are plentiful in Vienna. Try Hotel Bristol (1 Kärntnerring, tel. , westin. com, rooms from €235) for unbridled luxury, good food and excellent service.

Culture vultures – The Museum of Contemporary Art, the MAK (5 Stubenring), is currently hosting an exhibition by Turner Prize-winning artist Anish Kapoor. Retrace the Habsburgs’ footsteps by taking a tour of the Hofburg Imperial Palace (Hofburg – Michaelerkuppel). Or visit The Age of Rembrandt exhibition at the Albertina (1 Albertinaplatz).

Must eat – The Viennese are very proud of their cuisine. Try Drei Husaren (4 Weihburggasse, tel. ), an elegant place which serves up local delights like escalope of beef with crisp onions and sautéed potatoes, and veal goulash with small butter dumplings.

Must drink – Barbaro (8 Neuer Markt) is a swanky cocktail bar with a laid-back atmosphere. 1516 (18 Krugerstraße) is a popular microbrewery in the heart of the city, with an extensive drinks list and a cosmopolitan clientele.

Dance the night away – Try Flex (Augartenbrücke) for a casual evening. For something a little classier, head to Passage (1 Burgring).

Shop til you drop – Stretching between the State Opera and St Stephen’s Cathedral, the Kärntnerstraße is a shopper’s paradise. Make sure you visit Steffl (19 Kärntnerstraße), a vast department store.

19TH DISTRICT

Not many cities can boast vineyards within their boundaries. Escape the bustle of city life and get a taste of the ‘real’ Vienna.

Sleep soundly – Apart from being surrounded by beautiful countryside, Hotel Kaiser Franz Joseph (4 Sieveringerstraße, tel. , deraghotels.de, rooms from €105) is really comfortable and well appointed.

Culture vultures – Take a stroll up to the Kahlenberg mountain and you’ll have superb views over the vineyards, the Danube, the city and beyond.

Must eat – Weingut Reinprecht (22 Cobenzlgaße, tel. ) is a traditional Viennese heuriger (wine tavern), housed in a former monastery. Come here for the lavish Austrian buffet and fabulous selection of local wines.

Must drink – You are spoilt for choice with the local wine taverns. Sirbu (210 Kahlenbergerstraße) does fine, locally produced wines. There’s a large terrace that commands panoramic views of the city.

13TH DISTRICT

Just a stone’s throw from the city centre, upmarket Hietzing is full of beautiful architecture.

Sleep soundly – The Parkhotel Schönbrunn (10 Hietzingerhauptstraße, 804, austriatrend.at, rooms from €115) is Emperor Franz Joseph’s former guest-house and has all the trappings that you’d expect from a high-end hotel.

Culture vultures – Schönbrunn Palace (1 Schloßallee) is a must for all visitors to Vienna. Take a tour of the baroque palace and marvel at the stunningly preserved interior. And don’t miss the gardens – take a stroll up to the Gloriette, where you’ll get the best views over the grounds.

Must eat – Plachutta (1 Auhofstraße, tel. ) has been called the ‘Grande Dame of Viennese gastronomy’. Its menu is full of traditional dishes and it also boasts outstanding service.

Must drink – After touring the vast palace head to the Meierei Schönbrunn Concert Café (13 Schloßpark). It was originally built by Emperor Franz Joseph and his siblings, and is good place to stop for a melange (Viennese coffee made with lots of milk) and one of their many delicious cakes.

Compiled by Kathryn Quinn