The Attic City Guides, Vol. 5: Vienna
As the Attic community stretches across the globe, we often find ourselves in different cities visiting each other or simply traveling – abroad or even at home, sharing recommendations for favorite restaurants and old gems, neighborhoods to get lost in, and coffee shops to harbor us from the rain (or let’s face it, from exhaustion after walking around for miles). Here, we share those recommendations with you, looking not to establish any sort of classical guide to the world, but to share the places close to our hearts (and our stomachs).
All photographs courtesy of Rhea Peters.
There are few places I’ve fallen for as deeply and effortlessly as Vienna. It’s hard not to love the city’s classic Baroque buildings, imperial sights and delicious pastries. But beyond breathtaking architecture and grand palaces, the city has so much more to offer. Vienna is littered with antique bookshops and quirky little museums you’d be hard pressed to find in most travel guides. Here are some of my favourite spots – both the known and the unknown – that Vienna has to offer.
Demel.
CAFFEINATE
Demel
Kohlmarkt 14, Vienna 1010
demel.com
Must try: hot chocolate, Sacher torte.
Demel is one of those iconic buildings that you can’t miss. Founded in the late 1700s, Demel Café features exquisite neo-Baroque architecture and waitresses who still wear the same white apron uniform that was common when the cafe was built. Visitors can catch a glimpse of the kitchen – separated only by a glass wall – and see the pastry making in action. The service is a little slow but the ambiance definitely makes it worth it. I’d avoid visiting during peak hours.
Café Central
Herrengasse 14, 1010 Wien
cafecentral.wien
Must try: Viennese pastries.
Located in the heart of the city, Café Central looks more like a grand hall in a palace than a café – think low-hanging chandeliers, large oil painting, and elaborately decorated columns. It was also a regular haunt for several prominent figures like Freud, Trotsky and Polgar. Today you can find an impressive dessert menu at the cafe, including the famous Sacher torte of Vienna.
Café Phil
Gumpendorfer Str. 10 - 12, 1060 Wien
phil.business.site
Must try: Cho Guevara.
One of the lesser known venues in Vienna, Café Phil is a café-slash-bookshop with a distinctly hipster vibe. Most of the books on display are in English and cover a wide range of genres from non-fiction to modernist poetry. You can also browse through a small selection of record players and DVDs. Since Cafe Phil lies in the newer part of the city, it is a long walk from the regular tourist stops.
(BOOK)SHOP
Shakespeare & Company
Sterngasse 2, 1010 Wien
+43 1 5355053
www.shakespeare.co.at
Although the most famous branch is in Paris, Shakespeare & Company can also be found a short walk away from Stephansplatz in Vienna. It’s fairly small compared to the original, but houses a large collection of books in English, from well known classics to newly released bestsellers. The large windows facing the street are filled with literary paraphernalia that make for a great picture!
National Library of Austria
Neue Burg, Hofburg, Innere Stadt
Fee: €8 for adults
website
With more than 12 million items in its collection, The National Library of Austria is a must see for lovers of both literature and history. Apart from being a priceless source of knowledge, the library also provides valuable insight about the city beginning from the Middle Ages. The main hall of the library features an intricately painted dome, ancient-looking globes and numerous frescos that lend it a regal air.
Antiquariat Burgverlag
Burgring 1, 1010 Wien, Austria
+43 1 5877311
burgverlag.com
This is definitely my favourite find in Vienna. The interior of this antique bookshop has a magical quality to it- dark wooden shelves stuffed with leather-bound volumes, pretty vintage paraphernalia strewn around, ancient looking maps scattered all over the floor. The owner of the shop is a lovely old man who speaks little English but was endlessly helpful. Most of the books are in German, but there is a small shelf at the back where I was able to find a selection of books in English at a reasonable price.
VISIT
Albertina Museum
Albertinaplatz 1, 1010 Wien
Fee: €16.90
www.albertina.at
Vienna has more than a hundred museums for to your discover at your leisure, but if you’re pressed for time, I’d suggest the Albertina. It houses one of the largest print rooms in the world and is home to a treasure trove of works by Picasso, Munch, Chagall, Klimt, Degas and many other artists. I personally loved the palace staterooms, which offer a glimpse into 19th century aristocratic life.
Central Cemetery
Simmeringer Hauptstraße 234, 1110 Wien
+43 1 5346928405
Visiting a cemetery might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but Vienna’s largest one is the final resting place of many classical musicians like Beethoven, Mozart, Franz Schubert and Johannes Brahms. Get away from the bustle of the city and spend a quiet afternoon strolling through the vast cemetery. Famous graves aside, many of the mausoleums are works of art in themselves.
The Spanish Riding School
Michaelerplatz 1, 1010 Wien
Fee: €19 for guided tour
website
Another one of my favourite finds, the Spanish Riding School houses the famous Lipizzaner stallions of Austria. Visitors can watch their morning routine, take a guided tour of the school, or watch one of their orchestra events. I wasn’t able to catch any of the special events, but simply watching the horses go about their daily training was a treat.
Kaiserliche Schatzkammer Wien
Hofburg, Schweizerhof, 1010 Wien
Fee: €12
kaiserliche-schatzkammer.at
The Imperial Treasury of Vienna covers almost a millennium of European history – jewels from the Holy Roman Empire, precious items from the Order of the Golden Fleece, and even a bowl from Late Antiquity (thought to be the Holy Grail). For royal enthusiasts, this is a great place to spot some of the most gorgeous jewels from the Hapsburg family collection.
Continuing our tour of the world, Rhea Peters takes us around the Austrian capital and shares her favorite Viennese finds while concentrating on books, culture, coffee, and pastries.