7 things to do in Vienna

When I first found myself in Vienna five years ago, I realized this was my city. And now, by a twist of fate, I have been living in the capital of Austria for a year and can confidently recommend to others: a guided tour of Vienna is certainly worthwhile, but if you truly want to experience the city, be sure to do the following on your own:

1. Take a walk through the city center

However, do not spend more than two days on it — if you have time left, it is better devoted to discovering Vienna from a different, non-touristy perspective. Fortunately, the Inner City (Innere Stadt) is fairly compact. All the main attractions can be explored on foot: the State Opera building, the Parliament, the City Hall, the Natural History Museum, and more. You will find all this information in any guidebook. Yet far fewer people are aware of the city’s other hidden gems.

2. Try the local coffee

It seems to me that the Austrian capital rests on three pillars: cigarettes, eternal complaints (more on that a little later), and coffee. But if your inner hipster voice urges you to dash into Starbucks, silence it at once. It would be like finding yourself in Willy Wonka’s magical factory and buying a plain chocolate bar instead. Be sure to seek out small coffee houses in Vienna where you will not be surrounded by crowds of tourists.

You can book a hotel in Vienna with discounts of up to 65% on the website.

Here you won't find the classic names of coffee drinks. But there is something like Kaffee verkehrt (latte), Kleiner Brauner (espresso with a little cream) and Melange (espresso with whipped milk, decorated with milk foam).

3. Visit the Prater

Where else to go in Vienna? Of course to the Prater, a small amusement park (Praterstern subway station, subway lines U2 and U1). This is a must go here for three reasons. First of all, there are rumors that it will be closed, which means you have to be there in time.

Secondly, there is the famous old Ferris wheel, which is more than 100 years old. Thirdly, the "space" economic university WU, which is located nearby, is also worth seeing.

4. Take pictures of the city from the observation deck on Leopoldsberg Mountain

For this you need to go to the 19th district, or Debling (green metro line U4 to the Heiligenstadt terminus, and then bus 38A to the Leopoldsberg terminus).

Here you can have a coffee, visit a small church and enjoy an incredible panorama of the whole of Vienna. In this district, the city is quite different: narrow streets, small mansions and restaurants - the contrast between the pompous center and the cozy, remote neighborhoods is particularly striking.

5. Go to a heuriger and drink wine

I think a visit to a heuriger (small inns with homemade wine) is the perfect way to get to know Vienna and the people here. Nussdorf, Grinzing, Heiligenstadt, Oberdöbling are places that are famous for the best wines and atmosphere. There is no beer or classic menu here, and white wine is usually drunk with mineral water.

The standard local order sounds like this: Liter, Liter weiß (a liter of white wine and a liter of mineral water). Wine and water are mixed in a 50/50 proportion, one glass is drunk, and then fresh bread and various toppings are taken from the buffet.

6. Meet the locals

Vienna is a wonderful place to experience local character through conversation. Viennese people are known for their distinctive sense of humor and their fondness for ironic discussions about everyday life — from the weather to city news.

Such friendly exchanges are an important part of local culture and often become the beginning of new acquaintances. Don’t be surprised if conversations quickly become lively — in Vienna, this is simply how friendships begin.

7. Dance on Schwedenplatz

When the clock strikes midnight, it's time to head to the Bermuda Triangle — as the locals call the Schwedenplatz neighborhood, which is full of bars and clubs where you can party all night long. Which is what most young people do every Saturday.

It is useful to know that the subway in Vienna runs 24 hours a day on Friday and Saturday nights, Saturday and Sunday nights and before holidays. So, you can have fun without having to keep track of time.