 Merette Uiterwaal-63 (2).jpg)
INSIDER TIPS
Summer in the City
MEINE INSEL
There’s nowhere better to cool down during a hot Vienna summer than your own little island on the Danube. Meine Insel is offering different sized islands to rent for just a couple of hours or even for an entire day. Pack your bathing suit, some snacks and enjoy summer on an island of your own.
PICNIC IN A BOX
SNEAK IN, one of our favourite cafés in our neighbourhood, is not just a great place to hang out and to enjoy the city life while having a refreshing iced coffee. They are now also offering picnic boxes for takeaway to be enjoyed in one of Vienna’s 1,000 parks. Psst! If you show your Max Brown room key, you’ll get 10% off your picnic box.
MQ AMORE MINI GOLF
Right in the heart of the Museumsquartier, this mini-golf and sculpture park is the perfect place to mix in a little leisure-pleasure after a history-heavy afternoon. Putt under the work of five contemporary artists and artist collectives, then linger a little longer with a refreshing drink from the course kiosk.
BIKERIDE – PRATER AND DONAUINSEL
Enjoy a lovely ride through the Vienna Prater and then cross over to the Donauinsel, where you can find a lot of great spots for a nice and refreshing swim. If you are feeling sporty you can ride far out to the quiet and sandy little bays located directly at the Donau opposite of the Kahlenberg.
STEINHOFGRÜNDE
One of the best places to escape the city and enjoy a wonderful walk, make sure to pass by the magnificent Otto Wagner church. Also the perfect place for a cozy picnic, so bring some snacks and a blanket.
URBAN ART TOUR
Get to know Vienna’s alternative-art side during one of Calle Libre’s guided walking tours through the vibrant 6th and 7th districts. For just €15 per person, their seasoned local guides will show you the most exciting works of street art and the intriguing stories behind each one, and maybe even some bonus city tips as well.
MAYER AM PFARRPLATZ VINEYARD
Up for a little wine with your culture? Don’t miss this winery and the epitome of Viennese Heuriger culture in the 19th district of Döbling, where you can witness the centuries-old tradition of Viennese wine crafting. Fun fact: Pfarrplatz was once the home of the renowned Ludwig van Beethoven. Need we say more?
BADESCHIFF WIEN
If a boat on the Danube with a rooftop bar and pool doesn’t sound like the perfect way to spend a summer day, we’re not sure what does. Day tickets start from just €3.50, which you can use to bask on the sun loungers, dip in the pool, or munch on snacks from the bar – all perfect ways to refresh before getting back to the bustle of Vienna’s city streets.
STRANDBAR HERMANN
You can have a city trip and a beach holiday all in one at this beach bar. Settle into one of their comfy beach chairs and enjoy a cocktail. You can also attend one of their open air cinema nights or dive into one of their vintage Sunday markets for a bargain.
INSIDER TIPS
ARTS & CULTURE
HAWELKA
“What would Vienna be without the Hawelka? What would the Hawelka be without his guests?” Café Hawelka’s history goes back to 1936 and in the ’50s it became the place to be for authors, poets and those who loved to listen to them. Hawelka is rich with culture, has a mysterious touch to it and is the best place to eat “Buchteln mit Vanillesauce”. You didn’t experience Vienna without visiting Café Hawelka.
HUNDERTWASSERHAUS
Located in the 3rd District, this apartment building was designed by the Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser (who is essentially the Gaudì of Vienna). It’s an absolute eye-catcher you shoudn’t miss on your strolls of the city.
ABOVE VIENNA’S ROOFTOPS
Walking on the roof of Vienna’s Natural History Museum sounds too good to be true, but it isn’t. It’s now happening four times a week. Enjoy an exceptional view from one of our absolute favorite museums in town.
STREET ART GUIDE VIENNA
If you’re as fascinated by street art and murals as we are, get the online map Street Art Guide Vienna before starting your city stroll. It’ll show you where over 100 murals by local and international artists are located all around the city. If you integrate this into your sightseeing tour and add a walk along the Donaukanal, you’ll get the full Vienna street art experience.
CAFÉ SPERL
Our new city has one really sweet cultural institution: the coffee house. The famous Viennese coffee house culture is not only known for celebrating a good cup of coffee, but also enjoying wiener melange while reading the newspaper. You’ll also find traditional pastries like apfelstrudel and sachertorte. For those who like it really rich, go for the kardinalschnitte. To experience a classic coffee house, go to Café Sperl in the 6th District.
VIENNA SECESSION
Secession was an Austrian art movement that was started in the late 19th century by a rebellious group of artists, namely Gustav Klimt. They exhibited their works in their iconic Succession Building, and it still exhibits experimental contemporary art today. It’s the world’s oldest independent exhibition institution, and the architecture alone is worth the visit. We recommend you sit on the stairs out front and watch Vienna go by.
ALBERTINA MODERN
This one is for all the modern art lovers. Get a look at art history of the last 80 years. The collection has 60,000 works from 5,000 artists. The museum is located in the beautiful Künstlerhaus.
COFFEE MUSEUM
Like no other place, the Coffeemuseum covers the entire history of the brown bean and gives an extensive insight into the world-famous Viennese coffee house culture. Coffee lovers can take the museum tour and go deep into Vienna’s strong coffee culture.
INSIDER TIPS
VIENNA ON A DIME
SOUS-BOIS CAFÉ
A small café with a French air and an Asian twist. Weather you decide to have breakfast, an espresso at the counter or drinks in the evening, Sous Bois is just that type of place—a go-to at any time of the day. And while you’re in the neighbourhood, drop by the stationary boutique just next door. You’ll find the perfect little souvenirs for yourself or your loved ones in there.
FÄLSCHERMUSEUM
A one-of-a-kind museum in Europe. The Fälschermuseum is filled with faked and forged artworks from world-famous forgers. Even if you’re not into art, you’ll find a ton of entertaining stories in this museum.
KARMELITERMARKT
Who doesn’t love a stroll through an authentic market?Karmelitermarkt is one of the oldest markets in Vienna and is still mostly visited by locals. Our favourite days to go are Friday and Saturday, when the farmers market is on. Soak up the sun and enjoy some local treats by some of the regional farmers.
CAFÈ KORB
Vienna’s rich coffee culture offers more than just one place to celebrate and enjoy the black beverage. One of our favorite ones is Café Korb located in the 1st District. Its history goes back to the early 19th century, when even Majesty Emperor Franz Josef visited.
Sit outside in their “Schanigarden” during spring and summer to feel the mix of the calmness of its history combined with today’s lively city vibes. Picture by @stories.and.coffee
SCHALLTER
You know we’re vinyl lovers and so are you probably. In this case, you don’t even have to leave the district of Neubau to get a wonderful selection of amazing old and new records. “Schallter” in Westbahnstraße has your back. Picture by @geschaefte_in_wien
Q21
If you’re into art as much as we are and you prefer various different art forms, aside from the more commercial exhibitions, Q21 at Museums Quartier is the museum, or should we call it space, you have to check out. Over the course of a year, around 40 international artists are invited to showcase their works. It’s a wonderful and exciting place to get some food for thought.
DONAUINSEL
This 20-kilometer-long, narrow island in between the Danube and the New Danube is great for outdoor activities. It’s a green island within the big city perfect for a walk, picnic or even a swim in the swimmer’s authobahn.
STRANDBAR HERMANN
You can have a city trip and a beach holiday all in one at this beach bar. Settle into one of their comfy beach chairs and enjoy a cocktail. You can also attend one of their open air cinema nights or dive into one of their vintage Sunday markets for a bargain.
INSIDER TIPS
VIENNA’S INDULGENCES
VINODEA
At Vinodea, wine is much more than a drink: ‘wine is poetry, dance, music, history, people, passion.’ It’s the first wine shop in the German-speaking region that only sells wines from female winegrowers and it’s a great place to soak in the founders’ passion and knowledge of young winegrowers during ticketed tasting sessions.
TOMA TU TIEMPO
Bringing the best of Mediterranean cuisine to Vienna’s Neubau district, Toma Tu Tiempo is a laid-back, day-to-night eatery and the perfect place for tapas with friends. Sprawl out on beanbag cushions by day in the summertime, or get cosy by the candlelit fireside on chillier nights.
PONYKARUSELL CAFÉ
After closing the historic Ponykarusell (pony carousel) in 2016, the site reopened as a modern café serving breakfast and lunch and quickly became a must-see in Vienna’s Prater amusement park. Stop by for breakfast on your way to the famous 1987 Wiener Riesenrad Ferris Wheel just a couple minutes away.
BITZINGER
An absolute must when visiting Vienna is Bitzinger, a chain of würstelstände (hot dog stands) in Vienna. Unlike other stands, it is famous for its modern and elegant design. Besides serving delicious and sizzling hot dogs, you can enjoy other comfort food and freshly tapped beers.
RAMASURI
Want to enjoy delicious, fluffy blueberry pancakes while enjoying one of Vienna’s cultural hotspots? Look no further. Ramasuri is a local, cute restaurant located in Vienna’s second district. Here, you can indulge breakfast, lunch and dinner or even a late-night drink with friends. In summer, it has a little terrace with a view onto the statue the famous Austrian actor and opera singer Johann Nestroy.
NASCHMARKT
The Viennese Naschmarkt is the epitome of a relaxed big city market. With its variety of restaurants, from Italian to Mediterranean, every hunger will be satisfied here and you’re spoiled for choice. Make yourself comfortable or stroll through the countless take-away market stalls. Spring tip: there’s less activity during the week, so you can enjoy the vibe even better. People-watching, tasting and enjoying life is the program here on sunny spring days. Picture by @kiteatsleepshop
VEGANISTA
If you think vegan food is always healthy, green and boring, think again. At Veganista, you’ll find the most hyped ice cream in Vienna. The ice cream is freshly made every morning with local and biological ingredients. And trust us when we say it tastes amaaaazing.
LEBERKAS-PEPI
This authentic little Austrian sandwich shop is the place to go for some real and undisputed leberkäse—the traditional Austrian sandwich with beef and pork. It’s only a minute away from the Opera House, so you’ll get a perfect Vienna experience. Open until 02:00 am.
INSIDER TIPS
CONSCIOUS VIENNA
HEALTH KITCHEN
Enjoy healthy and low carb salads, soups and bowls at the Health Kitchen nearby in the 7th District. You can order their delicious food to dine at home or visit them for a wonderful brunch.
BOOTIK54
If you love vintage as much as we do, make sure Bootik 54 is on your list. Here you’ll find amazing European and American secondhand vintage, bags, accessories and much more.
MOBY DICK BAR
The Moby Dick is Vienna’s most sustainable bar with a no-waste concept. Upcycling, low waste and waste avoidance describe their bar concept. Just like their motto, it’s about no waste, just taste.
GLEIN
Glein is one of our absolute favourite stores when it comes to sustainable ready-to-wear products. Go for affordable basics made in Europe, created with the highest quality materials. Everything is so beautiful that we can’t decide what to get. P.S. the atelier itself is defintiely worth a visit.
TOO GOOD TO GO
If you also can’t stand the fact that we’re throwing away way too much food on a daily basis, Too Good To Go is what you have to try when you’re in town. It’s an app that offers special deals at a lot of restaurants around the city. Instead of throwing food away, those restaurants offer you special deals for what is left.
BODY CONCEPT
If you feel the urge to charge your batteries and let it all out during your stay in Vienna, there’s no better place to do so than in Verena’s “Mindful Body” class at Body Concept. It’s a wonderful combination of yoga and toning. We’re hooked.
RAUMKOMPLETT
Just a few steps away from busy Mariahilfer Straße, you’ll find a small yet versatile shop, which will make you want to move in instantly. Among a lot of sustainable kitchen and bathroom wear, Raumkomplett also got some beautiful furniture pieces, as well as little “Mitbringsel” to make your loved ones smile.
SWING KITCHEN
Next to the great service, this restaurant’s vegan burgers are incredible. Their wall says, “Fantastic without plastic” because their tableware is completely CO2 neutral and biodegradable. Now, this is a place where you want to spend your money!
AUSNAHMSWEISE
Don’t miss Ausnahmsweise, the little vegan café located in Mariahilf, the district adjacent to the 7th District. The name means “treat yourself” or “just this one time,” and whether or not you’re vegan, we’re sure one time won’t be your last—Raphaela’s homemade cakes, cookies and lunch dishes will make you want more and more.
INSIDER TIPS
FANCY VIENNA
MOTEL A MIIO
From Portugal to Austria. We love a nice set of tableware as much as we love the food we eat from it, so you better be prepared when checking out Motel A Miio in Neubaugasse. You’ll get the most beautiful ceramic pieces directly from Portugal. Breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner just got even better.
MÜHLBAUER
Want to feel fancy and wear the same hats as Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep, Madonna and Yoko Ono? Then you can’t leave Vienna without checking out Mühlbauer Hutmanufaktur. It’s a family-run business that’s been around since 1903, and they design the most beautiful hats.
MOTTO
MOTTO is kind of an institution. Located in the heart of the 5th district, Motto is our go-to when it comes to having a nice but still easy-going dinner with friends, especially if you enjoy eating late. On the weekends, you can get their distinctive Strawberry & Nougat until the early morning hours. If you’re trying to cut out sugar in 2020, this definitely has Cheat Day potential.
ZUM SCHWARZEN KAMEEL
This super traditional Austrian restaurant was founded over 400 years ago, and it’s been crowded ever since. Sit down on the terrace, people-watch, and eat one of their famous sandwiches.
MOCHI
We’ve never heard a bad thing about Mochi. This modern Japanese restaurant has great staff, super fresh ingredients and an amazing vibe. The staff is extremely passionate about what they do, and it takes your dining experience to a whole new level.
VOLKSOPER
In the city that brought us Mozart and Strauss, a musical activity is a must. If you want to steer clear of the overpaid and overcrowded venues like Musikverein and the Wiener Staatsoper, see a show at the less touristy Volksoper. The tickets are reasonably priced and the operas are fantastic.