- Time of year: 1st weekend of October, 2023
- Weather: Sunshine and 20-25 C
- Travel companions: four life loving (and picky) girlfriends in their 50s
- Films/tv-series to watch before you go: The empress (Netflix, 2022), Amadeus (1984)
- What to pack: The locals dress classy. Bring a blazer for daytime and a dress for the evening.
- Where to stay: Hotel Sascher
As a first-time visitor to Vienna, my first thought when getting out of the taxi in downtown Vienna was: “What year is it?”. Had our driver taken us on a time-travel-detour to 1880? From almost every direction, I could see elegant 19th century open horse carriages, and hear the sound of clip-clopping horse hooves. To add to the impression, the beautiful historical buildings looked like they were just finished being built, crisp white, in pristine condition, almost like walking around a pastry shop full of gigantic wedding cakes, carefully decorated with delicate ornaments. A feast for the eyes. And it didn’t stop there. The Viennese know their brand and how to leverage it. You will find business minded and skilled musicians playing classical music wherever there is an open space and good acoustics.
The purpose of this review is not to share Vienna’s top 10 (there are plenty of those guides), but rather a guide to the good stuff enjoyed by picky people over 50. The focus for this trip was to discover classic Vienna (1st district) together with a couple of life loving, well traveled friends with appetite for the good stuff. Knowing the demanding crowd, all dinners and the first lunch were booked six weeks in advance. Do not expect walk-in availability if you are more than two. The same goes for the most popular museums.
What I loved:
The architecture
Although Vienna’s history takes you back to roman times, the stunning white “wedding cake experience architecture” is the result of a thorough city make-over, ordered by the emperor Franz Joseph in the 19th century. This is best enjoyed by foot. Start by the Opera house and then drop the map and use your wanderlust and get lost amongst the beauty around you.
Jewellery
For the finest jewllery, as well as a beat of history, make a long stop at A.E. Köchert on Neumarkt. Run by the same family for six generations, this jeweller became the favourite of the Austrian emperor and the famous empress Sisi. In the boutique you can browse through a selection of tiara designs and also buy your own Sisi diamond star.
For a (considerably) smaller investment, don’t miss the fun and colourful bijouterie from Austrian brand Cajoy Jewellery, specializing in statement earrings. The shop on Seilergasse 3 is just around the corner from A.E. Köchert.
Wine
When given a choice, I choose white wine over red, as long as its not Chardonnay (I am a life time member of the ABC club, Anything But Chardonnay). There are 26 white wine varieties in Austria (14 red), including one of my favourites – the Grüner Veltliner – which is one of the native varieties in the country. In fact, the city of Vienna is situated in the middle of the wine district.
The Grüner Veltliner is the preferred grape amongst Austrians, but was a well kept secret outside the country until late 1900’s. It has a lot of similarities with a dry Riesling, but more spicy, peppery and with notes of stone fruit. Devine. Especially when the weather allows you to enjoy it outdoors.
We were thorough in our testing and consistently brought in a bottle to the table, or two. This grape works well on its own, and is also a perfect match to Schnitzel and Asian food. If you want to try a wide variety of the bubbly kind without breaking the bank, take a 10 min stroll to the wine bar Sekt Comptoir Szigeti on Schleifmühlgasse 19, a very laid back bar offering only Austrian sparkling wine, including of course sparkling grüner veltliner.
Austrian made clothing
I often whine about the sameness of shops and brands in larger cities. But in the heart of Vienna, we discovered numerous of individual mom-and-pop shops of making and selling classical Austrian clothing made of high-quality materials. And as you will notice when visiting Vienna on the weekend, you will meet quite a few of the Viennese proudly wearing these classical pieces and looking amazing. Don’t miss the unique pieces at Sisi Vienna on Annagasse, Susanne Spatt of Salzburg on Plankengasse (that provides Austrian clothing to the Queen of Sweden).
For time travel and tailored men’s apparel (and a few women’s pieces) a stop at Jungman Wilhelm & Neffe, a Hotel Sacher neighbour is an absolute must. Even if your closet is full, the arrangement of wool fabrics, bow ties, umbrellas and shirts makes you need something more. And you would be properly dressed for any future royal event or hunting adventure, should they occur.
Pastry
Yes, get a slice of Sascher cake for the sake of it, but it’s quite a dry affair. If you love creamy pastry, chocolates and fruit pastries try anything else from the wide assortment of cakes at the coffee shop Konditorei Oberlaa located at Neuer Markt. They have lovely seating areas inside as well on the square in front of the building (and no cars). While enjoying our pastries (and wine) we saw a myriad of well-dressed Austrians of all ages exiting with beautiful packages of cakes and chocolates to take home for desserts.
Pork
What ever you do, don’t miss the pork sandwiches at Aumaerk Fleischmanufaktur on Seilergasse 14. In this posh hipster haven, you will find the juiciest pork sandwich in Europe, or possibly the world.
For the perfect schnitzel and eminent service (which unfortunately was rare in Vienna). They have been refining the art of schnitzel making since 1905 – you will not be disappointed. Without a reservation, expect to stand in line for 1,5-2 hours.
For more good pork, Asian food, and an amazing view, book a front row table at restaurant Onyx. Listed in Michelin as a Bib Gourmand venue, this hotel embedded restaurant located on the 6th floor allows your eyes to land straight on the coloured mosaic tiles roof of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, one of the symbols of Vienna.
Hotel Sascher
It deserves a section of its own. But it’s not for the Sascher chocholate cake. Instead, it’s the interiors on the first floor. Particularly the collection of bars with colour. The blue bar, the red bar and the green bar. Each one of them striking in their own ways, filled to the brim with lush décor of large flower arrangements, crystal chandeliers, portraits of the rich and famous from history, embedded in large gold frames. Sitting down in the blue bar (Blaue bar) you will experience immaculate service, a curated menu of drinks and an atmosphere that I can guarantee was the same when it was established in the late 1900’s. Simply stunning, but small. Make your reservations early.
The hotel has hosted all kinds of royalty including Kind Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, Queen Elizabeth, Grace Kelly, John F Kennedy, Placido Domingo and John Lennon (that hosted one of his press conferences here).
Wiener Sängerknaben
The finest boy voices in the world since 525 years. If you can’t find a concert while you are in Vienna, you can hear them sing in Hofburgkapelle (the royal chapel) during mass. If this is you option, pay the extra money for a good seat. The seating on the sides on floors two and three are extremely tight and you will only see the singers on a tv monitor.
Practical tips:
- Not all cafes and restaurant accept credit cards
- Über works very well
- Make reservations well in advance, also for museums
- Servings are enormous
- Sundays everything is closed, except for museums and restaurants
