Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

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Austria : Vienna - June 2010

Country Code: Dial for Austria

It may have a regal past, but the Vienna of today is up to speed with the coolest culture. This month, Europe’s largest open-air festival, the Danube Island Festival (25-27 June), brings the best in Austrian and international rock and pop acts to the city – and it’s all free. Dana Dramowicz tunes in

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).

INNERE STADT

The historic and geographic centre of Vienna, the First District boasts flagship stores, gourmet restaurants and cafés.

Sleep soundly – Opulence and tradition are foremost at the five-star Hotel Sacher Wien (4 Philharmonikerstrasse, 4560, sacher.com, rooms from €355), where every guest can feel like royalty. Be sure to indulge in the café’s trademark sachertorte (chocolate cake).

Must eat – The peaceful terrace at Hollmann Salon (3 Grashofgasse, tel. ) is perfect for fine dining in the summer. The daily-changing menu offers modern European dishes bursting with fresh, seasonal flavours.

Shop til you drop – Those with high standards and deep pockets should head to Kohlmarkt street, where the flagship stores of the world’s most elegant brands include Chanel , Cartier , Gucci and Burberry .

7TH DISTRICT

Home to the vast MuseumsQuartier, the Seventh District is undoubtedly Vienna’s top spot for culture. But if museum hopping isn’t your thing, you can head to nearby Mariahilferstrasse – the city’s main drag for shopping.

Sleep soundly – Full of gorgeous details and special touches, the Hotel Altstadt (41 Kirchengasse, tel. , altstadt.at, rooms from €119) is elegant and modern, but not over-designed.

Culture vultures – The Leopold Museum (1 Museumsplatz) is the most popular attraction in MuseumsQuartier. Inside this stark cube you’ll find the world’s biggest collection of works by Egon Schiele, as well as other modern Austrian artists such as Gustav Klimt.

Must eat – Take a break from schnitzels at Die Burgermacher (12 Burggasse, ), serving juicy organic burgers and thick-cut fries.

Must drink – Both a café and furniture showroom, Das Möbel (10 Burggasse) will sell you the designer chair that you’re sitting on, though a cappuccino and a slice of quiche is decidedly cheaper.

Shop til you drop – For a funky alternative from Mariahilferstrasse, try the quartier21 (1 Museumsplatz) cultural centre, home to forward-thinking studios, publications, galleries and fashion boutiques. Gamers should check out Subotron (address as above), a shop and museum that presents vintage videogame consoles and gadgets.

4TH DISTRICT

Popular with students and artists, the Fourth is home to much of the city’s alternative culture. This could have something to do with its proximity to the sprawling Naschmarkt, with its fabulous fashions and food.

Culture vultures – The Generali Foundation (15 Wiedner Hauptstrasse) is a gallery specialising in mind-bending conceptual and performance art from the 1960s to the present day.

Must eat – Bookshop, open kitchen and foodie paradise, Babette’s (17 Schleifmühlgasse, tel. ) is a friendly joint for a home-style lunch.

Must drink – Schikaneder (24 Margaretenstrasse) has a laid-back vibe and bonus indie cinema space next door. A real local’s haunt, where the intellectual banter flows as freely as the cheap beer.

Dance the night away – Open since the 1960s, Roxy (24 Operngasse) has managed to keep its cool and is the top destination for urban sounds in Vienna.

Shop til you drop – Attracting trendsetters from far and wide, Flo Vintage (15a Schleifmühlgasse) is the best spot in Vienna to pick up unique threads in mint condition.

Compiled by Dana Dramowicz