Vienna on a Weekend?

Question

We'll be visiting Eastern Europe this November as our part of our honeymoon trip, but our stay in Vienna will fall on a weekend. I would like to know whether the tourist sites and shops are open on weekends, and if not, would Budapest or Prague be any better in terms of operation times of the tourist spots, shops and restaurants? Would really appreciate your answers! Thanks!

Answer 1

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Leisure activities

Nightlife

Vienna has a variety of nightlife options. Its low crime rate and extensive public transportation network make going out at night safe and convenient. Regular public transportation (subway, tram, and bus) runs until approximately 12:30. After this, nighttime bus lines provide service every half hour (fifteen minutes on some segments). Almost all night lines circle the inner city before heading outbound. Most lines are numerated the same as their corresponding daytime line. For example, if you take the 60 tram line followed by the U4 subway into the city, you can take the N60 bus directly from the city back out. At approximately 5 a.m. the daytime lines resume. Day and night lines use the same tickets.

Starting in the 1980s, the pedestrian zone between the Ruprechtskirche (the oldest in Vienna) and the Fleischmarkt became populated with bars etc. and became known as the "Bermuda Triangle" (the name starting as a local joke that in this area there are so many bars that you can disappear there completely and reappear days later, remembering nothing). It is the one area of the inner city district where relatively loud music and noise are (grudgingly) tolerated. Many bars and small clubs are located in this neighborhood, but drinks tend to be more expensive than in the rest of the city.

Jazz lovers may go to "Jazzland", situated beneath the Ruprechtskirche and "Porgy & Bess" (Riemergasse 11, First District).

The First District in general has an abundance of night life options for any budget. There are many Irish pubs with pint prices starting at €2. On the other side of the price-spectrum are bars such as Sky Bar and Do & Co., which are frequented by the Austrian elite. Opening hours vary essentially by neighborhood noise ordinance agreements. In the summer, bars' outdoor seating often has to be vacated by 11 p.m. Generally there is an abundance of establishments open until 4 a.m. or later, especially on the weekend.

Larger nightclubs are generally located further out. Popular ones include U4 Disco[1], located on the U4 subway line, two medium sized clubs in the wine-producing neighborhood of Grinzing, and an ever-increasing amount of large clubs on the eastern side of the Danube, often located in shopping malls and cinema complexes. One popular club located near the centre of the city is Flex[2], which was built into an abandoned subway tunnel on the shores of the Donaukanal, and, like U4 is also located on the U4 subway line. Flex often features world-acclaimed dance music DJs. Another new nightclub is the Ost-klub[3], which features music from the former east bloc states and the balkan area. It is located at the Schwarzenbergplatz. There you find also the Russian monument behind a coloured fountain. Other clubs include, Chelsea (rock/alternative/pop), Roxy, and Passage, among several others.

In the summer, the eastern shore of the Danube is very popular. It is called Copa Cagrana, which is a word-play of Copacabana and Kagran, which is a sub-district nearby.

Starting in the late 1980s, the city undertook much effort to revitalize the area around the Westgürtel (Western Beltway), which had become a red-light district. Today, large portions of the Westgürtel have been modernized, with many restaurants, bars, and mini-clubs now located under the elevated tracks of the U6 subway line.

Recently the Freihausviertel, right outside the First District by Karlsplatz has also gained some popularity for its restaurants. It includes the Naschmarkt, the major market in Vienna.

Useful nightlife terminology

Austria, particularly Vienna, has unique terminology for drinks. Here is the terminology commonly used:

Beer sizes: These are either ordered by name or small/large for the 0.3/0.5 L sizes. The names are usually one used for draft beer, as it is dispensed into glasses of the same name.

* "Ein Pfiff": 0.2 L (6 U.S. fl oz) (not always available) Meaning: "A whistle"

* "Ein Seidl" or Ein kleines Bier: 0.3 L (10 U.S. fl oz). (common)

* "Ein Krügerl" or Ein grosses Bier 0.5 L (17 U.S. fl oz). (common) Meanings: "A little crock" and "a big beer"

* "Ein Maß" 1 liter (usually only available in microbreweries) This term originates from Bavaria, and essentially means "a measurement."

Wine sizes: These are ordered in fractions of a liter

* "Ein Achtel" ⅛ L (4.2 U.S. fl oz)

* "Ein Viertel" ¼ L (8.4 U.S. fl oz)

It is also common to order a half-liter or a liter of wine with mineral water and then mix them to a desired concentration. The above mentioned quantities are also nearly always available pre-mixed with mineral water. This is called "G'spritzt" ("sprayed"). So to order wine one would say "Ein Achtel/Viertel Rot (red) / Weiß (white), followed by the word "G'spritzt" if one wants it diluted. The form "Ein weißer/roter Spritzer" is also used commonly.

Viennese coffeehouses

The Viennese coffeehouse represents a further specialty of Viennese culture. In addition to a plethora of coffee specialties, light dishes are also served inside these cafes. Many visit the cafes for hours on end, making use of the time to read newspapers which are readily available. In addition to the many new coffee bars containing polished chrome (called Espresso in the Italian manner), many "real" Viennese coffeehouses still exist, and they carry on the original charme of this institution in their offerings, furnishings, and style. Of additional note, the Armeniens were the actual founders of Viennese coffehouse culture.

Viennese cafés have an extremely long and distinguished history that dates back centuries, and the caffeine addictions of some famous historical patrons of the oldest are something of a local legend. The traditional coffee preparations are mostly based on espresso of a lesser intensity than may be found in Italy, served with (Brauner or Wolf) or without (Schwarzer or Bär) milk, Kaffeeobers (thickened cream) or Schlagobers (or simply Schlag) (whipped cream). In traditional coffee houses, there is a whole range of varieties in size and preparation. Addition of various alcohols is less common, creating sweeter drinks, some of which may be given obviously recognisable Austrian names, e.g. Mozart Kaffee (mocha with Cherry Brandy and Schlagobers) or Maria Theresa (mocha with a shot of orange liquor). Traditionally, the coffee comes with a glass of water. Coffee is generally served along with lighter fare (although some desserts are not to be reckoned with lightly). Visitors to traditional cafés are welcome to take their time and enjoy the large selection of newspapers on offer. In Vienna, a coffee house is a place to pass the time, to think, to meet, to read or write papers, to smoke if one so desires, or, as a writer once put it, "to be away from home without being exposed to fresh air". In addition to the many modern chrome-brightened 'Espressi', a number of 'real' Vienna coffeehouses still exist to maintain the original charm of this institution.

Viennese parks and gardens

Vienna possesses many park facilities and is one of the greenest cities in the world. The most famous parks and green areas are the Stadtpark, the Burggarten and Volksgarten, which belong to the Hofburg, the Schloßpark of Castle Belvedere with the Vienna Botanic Gardens, the Donaupark, the Schönbrunner Schlosspark, the Prater, the Augarten, the Rathauspark, the Lainzer Tiergarten, the Dehnepark, the Resselpark, the Votivpark, the Kurpark Oberlaa, the Auer-Welsbach-Park and the Türkenschanzpark, Laaer-Berg with the Bohemian Prater and the foothills of the Wienerwald (Viennese Forest), which reaches into the outer areas of the city. Small parks, known by the Viennese as Beserlparks, are everywhere in the inner-city areas.

Sport

Vienna has become a popular host of many different sporting events including the Vienna City Marathon, which attracts more than 10,000 participants every year and normally takes place in May. In 2005 the Ice Hockey World Championships took place in Austria, the final was played in Vienna. After already being the stage of four Champions League (originally European Champion Clubs' Cup) finals (1964, 1987, 1990, 1995) the final of Euro 2008, the European Football Championships, will take place in Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadium.

Austria's capital is also the home of numerous sports teams. The best known of them are the local football clubs SK Rapid Wien (31 time Austrian national champions), FK Austria Wien (23 time Austrian national champions and record 25-time cup-winners) and though the oldest is First Vienna FC. Important other sport clubs are the Chrysler Vikings Vienna (American Football), who won the Eurobowl title as Europe's best American Football team in 2004, the Vienna Hot Volleys, one of Europe's premier Volleyball-organisations, and the Vienna Capitals (Ice Hockey). Vienna submitted a bid for the 1964 Olympic Games.

Culinary specialities

Food

In winter small stands on bustling street corners sell hot chestnuts and potato fritters. Sausages are also well loved and available almost everywhere. The sausage known in the USA and Germany as Wiener (German for "Viennese") is called a Frankfurter here. However other varieties are more popular at Vienna's sausage stands, such as Burenwurst, a coarse, usually boiled, beef and pork sausage or Käsekrainer, spicy pork with small chunks of cheese within it. Hot dogs are also very common, whereas due to regional food legislation the Bosner or Bosna as the Austrian equivalent of a hot dog (filled with a fried Bratwurst sausage, onions and spices) can seldomly be found at the typical viennese Würstelstand.

Vienna is also well known for Wiener schnitzel, a cutlet of veal that is pounded flat, coated in flour, egg and breadcrumbs and fried in lard. It is available in almost every eatery that serves viennese cuisine for about 14 Euros. Don't confuse it with pork schnitzel viennese style (Schweinsschnitzel Wiener-Art).

Other Viennese cuisine includes Tafelspitz, very lean boiled beef, often served with grated horseradish.

Vienna has a long tradition of cakes and desserts. These include Apfelstrudel (hot apple strudel), Palatschinken (sweet pancakes), and Knödel (dumplings) often filled with fruit such as apricots (Marillenknödel). Sachertorte, a chocolate cake from the Sacher Hotel, is world famous and available to take home from many shops in Vienna airport.

The Naschmarkt is a permanent market for fruit, vegetables, spices, fish, meat and much more. It is well worth a visit. The city centre has speciality food stores like Julius Meinl.

Vienna is a Vegetarian and Vegan-friendly city, with many modern restaurants featuring a vegetarian section in their menus. There are also many vegetarian restaurants operating in Vienna, with some highlights being Vegetasia (Taiwanese menu/buffet featuring many styles of mock-meat), Rupps (Austrian-style menu featuring traditional Austrian meals utilizing mock meats), Art of Life (Gourmet veggie/vegan menu plus fish specialties) and Hollerei (Gourmet veggie/vegan menu). A list of more restaurants catering to vegetarians and vegans can be found at Happy Cow (in English) or vegan.at (in German).

Drink

Vienna is the world's only capital city with its own vineyards. The wine is served in small viennese pubs known as Heuriger, that are especially numerous in the wine growing areas of Döbling (Grinzing, Neustift am Walde, Nußdorf, Salmannsdorf, Sievering) and Floridsdorf (Stammersdorf, Strebersdorf). The wine is often drunk as a spritzer "Gespritzter" with sparkling water. The Gruner Veltliner, a white wine, is the most widely cultivated wine in Austria.

Beer is next in importance to wine. Vienna has a single large brewery, Ottakringer, and more than ten microbreweries. A "Beisl" is a typical small Austrian pub, of which Vienna has large numbers.

Tourist attractions

Among the most important places of interest are:

* Inner City

* Hofburg (Imperial Palace, winter residence)

* Kahlenberg

* Parliament

* Ringstraße

* Schönbrunn (Schönbrunn Palace and gardens, summer residence)

* Belvedere Palace

* Stephansdom (St. Stephens Cathedral)

* Tiergarten Schönbrunn (Vienna Zoo)

* Wiener Prater with the Riesenrad(ferris wheel), a local recreation area and Wurstelprater and the Schweizerhaus beer garden and restaurant.

Other tourist attractions:

* Albertina

* Beethoven historic sites

* Burgtheater (Imperial Court Theatre)

* Deutschordenskirche (German Order Church of the Teutonic Knights)

* Donauturm (Danube Tower)

* Gasometer (Dwellings and a shopping mall; converted from a former gasometer Gasometer-Website)

* Heldenplatz (Heroes Square)

* Hermesvilla Lainz (Villa of Empress Elisabeth, also known fondly as "Sissi"

* Hundertwasserhaus (Designed by architect and artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser)

* Jesuitenkirche / Universitätskirche (Jesuit Church / University Church)

* Judenplatz ("Jewish-Square") with Shoah-monument

* Kapuzinergruft (Imperial Tombs)

* Kaiserliches Hofmobiliendepot (Imperial Furniture Collection)

* Karl-Marx-Hof

* Lutherische Stadtkirche

* Karlskirche (St. Charles Church)

* Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Austrian National Library)

* Pestsäule (Vienna) (a plague column)

* Peterskirche (St. Peter´s Church)

* The Church Maria am Gestade

* Minoritenkirche (Greyfriars or Minorite Church)

* Millennium Tower

* Museumsquartier (Museums-Quarter)

* Palais Kinsky

* Palais Palffy

* Palais Schwarzenberg

* Rathaus (City Hall)

* Ruprechtskirche

* Schottenkirche

* Schottenstift

* Spittelberg (16th century houses)

* Staatsoper (State Opera)

* Stadtpark (City Park)

* Tempel (old Synagogue in Innenstadt)

* Theater an der Wien

* University of Vienna

* UNO-City (UN-Headquarters in Vienna)

* Urania (former observatory)

* Virgilkapelle

* Votivkirche

* Wiener Secession

* Zentralfriedhof with numerous graves of famous people

* Michaeler Church (Wikipedia Commons)

* St. Marx cemetery

Other attractions:

* Cafe Hawelka

* Cafe Demel

* Mariahilfer Straße

* Kärtner Straße

* Graben

* Kohlmarkt

* Heuriger in Grinzing

* Schloss Neuwaldegg

* Wienerwald (Vienna Woods)

* Donauinsel (Danube Island) with Copa Cagrana

* Republik Kugelmugel

other remarkable objects (not accessible for tourists)

* Funkturm Arsenal

* Mannesmann Tower Vienna

* GK Wien-Southeast

* Gemeindebauten

Answer 2

Vienn, Sucks a-ss.keep all your money and spend it on a trip to Greece or Asia

Answer 3

Tourist sites will be open but beware, vienna is VERY expensive.

I would suggest Prague instead, can't comment on Budapest as have never been there, better architecture, friendlier locals, better beer, great food ... AND MUCH CHEAPER.

Answer 4

Go to Vienna; you should be OK on the weekend and will have plenty to do in Vienna's "1" District.  That will give you plenty to do around Stephenzplatz.  The architecture and statues alone will make it worthwhile.

Answer 5

I love Vienna!

The shops and tourist sites are open on the Saturday, some will be open on Sunday as well.  

Definitely see;

St-Stephen's Cathedral

Palaces: Belvedere and Schonbrunn, and the winter palace of Hofburg.  This is where Marie Antoinette grew up.  Get the headphones.  It is a great tour.

Go see a concert, Mozart at the Vienna Opera House.  They have them all the time.  Tickets are reasonable, buy from an outlet, not on the street.

The city is ideal to walk about and the metro is very convenient.  You can visit the Judenplatz (Jewish quarter).

The St. Marx cemetery has a lot of famous musicians in it, including a marker for Mozart, although I believe he was buried in a mass grave which no one can find.

The is an amusement park in the city, Weiner Prater, I think.  It has a large Ferris wheel.  There is also a zoo.

Hundertwasser House was interesting, if you like architecture.

I also like to take one of the open air bus tours in any new city on the first day.  That way you get a good sense of what you can see, and what you would rather miss.  I found that a lot of people spoke only German.  

They have some nice shops too, a lot of upscale stuff.

For opening times, take a look at the links.

Answer 6

The shops close in Vienna on weekends saturday afternoon and will not open till Monday. The tourist sites are definitely open. I love Sunday in Vienna where the inner city is deserted because of the closed shops and you can wander aruond the city center nearly alone.

The toursit sites are exceptions.

In Budapest the shops are open in the Plazas throughout the weekend.