Albertina

Albertina, Habsburg’s enormous collection of graphic arts, houses works by Dürer and Rubens along with masterpieces by Schiele, Cézanne, Klimt, Kokoschka, Picasso and Rauschenberg. The permanent Batliner Collection illustrates the progression from Monet and Picasso to Gerhard Richter and Georg Baselitz and presents highlights from the last 130 years of art history. Albertina also has a collection of architectural works and photos (including Helmut Newton and Lisette Model among others), which are on display in special exhibitions.

• Web:

  www.albertina.at/en

• E-mail:

  info@albertina.at

• Address:

  Albertinaplatz 1, District 1 ,Vienna

• Phone:

  +43 1 5348 30

• Opening hours:

  Daily 10am–6pm, Wed & Fri 10am–9pm

• More info:

  Visit the Albertina Modern brunch at Karlsplatz 5.

• Subway:

  Underground: U1, U2, U4 (Karlsplatz); Tram: 1, 2, D, 62, 65 (Staatsoper/Kärntner Ring); Bus: 3A (Albertina)

Austrian National Library

The Austrian National Library is a monument to Habsburg intellectual ambition, centred around its Prunksaal (State Hall). This 80-metre-long Baroque masterpiece, crowned by a dome with Daniel Gran’s fresco of Emperor Charles VI’s apotheosis, houses over 200,000 historic volumes. Leather-bound tomes line wooden shelves and marble statues of Habsburg rulers guard the aisles. Though books are too fragile to handle, their displayed pages reveal exquisite illustrations, and two monumental Venetian globes (one celestial, one terrestrial) anchor the space. Beyond the Prunksaal, the library’s vast collections span 12 million items, with museums dedicated to papyri, maps, and Esperanto. Located in the Neue Burg Wing of the Hofburg Palace, it's not just an archive of centuries of knowledge: it’s a temple to Enlightenment ideals, where every frescoed curve and gilded bookcase whispers of imperial power and the pursuit of knowledge. Allocate time to simply gaze upward.

• Web:

  www.onb.ac.at/en

• Address:

  Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Josefsplatz 1, District 1, Vienna

• Phone:

  +43 1 53410

Belvedere Palace

With its magnificent gardens, this former residence of Prince Eugen von Savoyen is one of the most beautiful Baroque ensembles in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Upper Belvedere houses the world’s largest collection of paintings by Gustav Klimt, including the Art Nouveau icons The Kiss and Judith. It also contains masterpieces by Schiele, Kokoschka, Waldmüller, Renoir, Monet and Van Gogh as well as important collections of works from the 19th and 20th centuries, the Baroque and the Middle Ages. Top-quality special exhibitions are put on in the Lower Belvedere and Orangery. The exquisite Baroque garden between the two palaces offers an extraordinary view of Vienna.

• Web:

  www.belvedere.at/en

• E-mail:

  info@belvedere.at

• Address:

  Prinz-Eugen-Straße 27, District 3, Vienna

• Phone:

  +43 1 795 570

• Opening hours:

  Upper Belvedere: daily 9am–7pm. Lower Belvedere & Orangery: daily 10am–6pm. Belvedere 21: Tue–Sun 11am–6pm, Thu 11am–9pm

• Subway:

  Tram: D, O, 18 (Quartier Belvedere), D (Schloss Belvedere), Bus: 13A, 69A (Hauptbahnhof)

Central Cemetery

Wiener Zentralfriedhof is the second-largest cemetery in Europe, home to graves of numerous celebrated personas, including composers Beethoven, Strauss, Mozart and Salieri. The multidenominational cemetery represents a unique park landscape, hosting a Funeral Museum, monumental tombs of honour and an Art Nouveau cemetery church Lueger Kirche. More than 250 original objects and photographic material are on display in the Funeral Museum, including an original "Fourgon" (coach for transporting bodies) from around the year 1900. Don't miss this macabre journey into the ceremonial past.

• Web:

  www.friedhoefewien.at/zentralfriedhof

• Address:

  Main gate: Simmeringer Hauptstraße 234, District 11, Vienna

• Opening hours:

  Daily 7am–6pm

• Subway:

  Tram: 6, 71 (Zentralfriedhof)

Christmas Markets in Vienna

From mid-November until Christmas, a number of markets in the city of Vienna spread Christmas cheer. Mulled wine, roasted chestnuts, music and handcrafted goods sold at the little stalls create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, despite the at times cold Austrian winters. Some of the most exciting Christmas Markets include the Viennese Dream Christmas Market in front of the City Hall, the Christmas Village at Belvedere Palace (Prinz-Eugene Straße) and the Christmas and New Year's Market at Schönbrunn Palace; there are many other smaller markets with similar charm.

• Web:

  www.austria.info/en-gb/highlights/christmas-markets-in-vienna

Church of the Most Holy Trinity (Wotruba Church)

The church is a fine example of classic brutalist and cubist architecture, designed by the architect Fritz Wotruba. 152 concrete blocks have been assembled to form this unique-looking structure, with windows built into the remaining spaces. As strikingly different as the facade might look, the inside resembles a familiar church interior.

• Web:

  www.georgenberg.at

• Address:

  Wotrubakirche (Kirche zur Heiligsten Dreifaltigkeit), Ottillingerplatz 1, District 23, Vienna

• Phone:

  +43 1 888 61 47

Augarten

Augarten are amazing Baroque gardens where visitors can marvel at lavish flower landscapes and walk through an extensive area criss-crossed by shady avenues and lined with chestnuts, elms, lindens, ashes and maples. Amongst other things, the Augarten is home to the Vienna Boys’ Choir in the Augartenpalais. With some luck, the Boys’ Choir can also be heard rehearsing here.

• Web:

  www.bundesgaerten.at/augarten.html

• E-mail:

  office@bundesgaerten.at

• Address:

  Obere Augartenstraße 1, District 2, Vienna

• Phone:

  +43 1 813 59 500

• Opening hours:

  Changing according to the season; generally from early morning until dusk.

• Subway:

  Underground: U2 (Taborstraße)

Austrian Film Museum

The Film Museum in the Albertina is a must in Vienna for every film enthusiast, serving as a cinematheque and an archive for a collection ranging from the origins of film history to the present days; make sure to check the schedule on their website to see what is currently being screened, as this isn't a "museum" in the traditional sense of the word, but more of a historic cinema. National and international films are screened all year round, with changing retrospectives and individual presentations offered to the public. The Film Museum also boasts the widest collection of film literature in the country, as well as a selection of cinema-related photos, posters and periodicals.

• Web:

  www.filmmuseum.at

• E-mail:

  kontakt@filmmuseum.at

• Address:

  Österreichisches Filmmuseum, Augustinerstraße 1, District 1, Vienna

• Phone:

  +43 1 533 70 54

• Opening hours:

  Box office opens one hour before the first screening of the day and closes 15 minutes after the start of the last screening

• Subway:

  Underground: U1, U2, U4 (Karlsplatz); Tram: 1, 2 (Oper - Opernring)

Bitzinger Sausage Stand

The Bitzinger sausage stand at Albertinaplatz is reportedly the best würstelstand in Vienna, which is why you should definitely pay a visit for a snack or cheap meal when staying in the city. There is usually a queue — this is one of the most famous sausage stands in the city, after all. Besides the classic bratwurst and currywurst they also sell some other specialities, like the cheese-filled sausage.

• Web:

  www.wien.info/en/dine-drink/viennese-cuisine/hot-dog-stands-348128

• E-mail:

  wurst@bitzinger.wien

• Address:

  Bitzinger Würstelstand Albertina, Albertinaplatz, District 1, Vienna

• Phone:

  +43 664 88 62 24 28

• Opening hours:

  Daily 8am–3am

• More info:

  Bitzinger has another stand at Prater.

• Subway:

  Underground: U1, U2, U4 (Karlsplatz); Tram: 1, 2 (Oper - Opernring)

Brotfabrik

Brotfabrik, a former bread factory turned contemporary art gallery and photography exhibition hall, is a must for any art lover. Studios, galleries and showrooms have settled around the inner courtyards, creating a real cultural melting pot around the impressive industrial building. The cafe, Magdas Kantine, is run as a social business, employing refugees and those unemployed long-term.

• Web:

  www.brotfabrik.wien/en

• Address:

  Absberggasse 27, District 10, Vienna

• Subway:

  Tram: 6 (Absberggasse)

Campus of Vienna University of Economics & Business Administration

The new campus of the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration is an impressive architectural achievement which has soon turned into a landmark of the area nearby the Prater. Conceived and designed by internationally acclaimed architects, this futuristic and yet sustainable complex of innovative buildings is a must-see for architecture lovers. Guided tours are also available.

• Web:

  www.wu.ac.at/en/the-university/campus/architecture-buildings

• Address:

  Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien, Welthandelsplatz 1, District 2, Vienna

• Phone:

  +43 1 313 360

• Subway:

  Underground: U2 (Krieau or Messe Prater)

Freihausviertel

Lively, affordable and with a vibrant atmosphere, Freihaus is considered to be the trendiest district in Vienna by many. Stretching south of Naschmarkt and Karlsplatz, this eclectic neighbourhood is famous for its creative scene, full of entertainment and hip hangouts. Besides design shops and modern galleries, refreshments can be enjoyed in any of the exciting cafes or restaurants, while night owls can find plenty of trendy meeting places in Freihaus. The most popular streets are Operngasse and Schleifmühlgasse.

• Web:

  www.wien.info/en/shopping-wining-dining/markets/freihausviertel-346310

• Address:

  Margaretenstraße, Vienna

• Subway:

  Underground: U1, U2, U4 (Karlsplatz), U4 (Kettenbrückengasse)