Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Welcome to the Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Destination Guides

bthere! Destination guides

Previous issues for Vienna

Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy,
please confirm event/venue details in advance.

Austria : Vienna - November 2009

Country Code: Dial for Austria

November can be pretty grim but why not embrace the gloom? Few cities are as gloriously ghostly as Vienna – the whole place seems to conjure a carnival of phantoms. emperors, Greek gods and moustachioed war heroes leap from plinths and portals at every turn. The hand of history is ever present. With this in mind, what better exhibition to catch this month than Edvard Munch and the Uncanny at the Leopold Museum (until 18 January)? Nick Hodge looks on the bright side

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

Travellers normally make straight for the Innere Stadt, the historic heart of Vienna. In spite of all the grand imperial relics, there are still hushed alleys where it feels as if you’ve slipped back a couple of centuries.

Sleep soundly – For a dash of contemporary cool, try DO and CO (12 Stephansplatz, 188, doco. com, rooms from €180). Rooms enjoy some fantastic views over the cathedral. Or for a full-on blast of Habsburg-era nostalgia, head to the Hotel Sacher (4 Philharmonikerstrasse, 4560, sacher.com, rooms from €215).

Culture vultures – One of the enduring symbols of the city is Saint Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansplatz), a craggy gothic marvel. Look out for special concerts for children this month at “interactive sound museum” Haus der Musik (30 Seilerstätte).

Must eat – For something superlatively cosy and Viennese, try Ofenloch (8 Kurrentgasse, tel. ), a beguiling little time capsule that does classic Austrian dishes such as Zwiebelrostbraten (beef escalope with fried onions). Try the superior Schnitzel.

Dance the night away – Passage (corner of Babenbergasse and Burgring) is housed in a former subway. The crowd dresses up, so make an effort.

Shop til you drop – Wolfrum (10 Augustinerstrasse) stocks albums, art books and the largest selection of postcards in town.

7TH DISTRICT

Much of this area faced destruction in the 70s, but it has since seen a resurgence, with the trendy stretch of Spittelberg leading the way.

Sleep soundly – The quirky Altstadt (41 Kirchengasse, tel. , altstadt.at, rooms from €119) is one of the city’s hottest boutique hotels.

Culture vultures – The huge enterprise that is the MuseumsQuartier (1 Museumsplatz) is a new state-of-the-art cluster of galleries. Alternatively, for an idiosyncratic blast of fantasy, check out Hofmobiliendepot (7 Andreasgasse), the Imperial Furniture Collection.

Must eat – Glacis Beisl (1 Museumsplatz, tel. ) is the ideal spot to have lunch, after looking round the MuseumsQuartier.

Must drink – Try Siebensternbrau (19 Siebensterngasse) for home-brewed delights: everything from traditional ales to chilli and hemp concoctions.

Shop til you drop – Chocoholics should head straight to Schokov (20 Siebensterngasse), a modern emporium for all things cocoa-based. Meanwhile, you can shop and drop at the same time at Das Möebel (10 Burggasse), a design shop that doubles as a café.

9TH DISTRICT

Alsergrund, the 9th district, has for centuries been the university quarter, and it’s packed with monuments (as well as students).

Sleep soundly – As its name suggests, the Hotel Rathaus Wine & Design (13 Langegasse, tel. , hotel-rathaus-wien.at, rooms from €99) marries a modern design aesthetic with an old-fashioned appreciation of wine.

Culture vultures – The Liechtenstein Museum (1 Fürstengasse) is a frescoed palace housing part of the collection belonging to the Princely House of Liechtenstein. It’s a baroque belter!

Must eat – Don’t be put off by the name: Stomach (26 Seegasse, tel. ) is a charming spot and does traditional Austrian food at its best.

Must drink – The upbeat Café Stein (6-8 Wahringerstrasse) pulls in the punters. It also serves good food.

Dance the night away – The Gürtel railway embankment is home to numerous nightspots. Those in the 9th district are aimed mainly at students, so expect a cheerful, cheesy music policy at venues such as Ride Club (175-176 Stadtbahnbogen).

Compiled by Nick Hodge