What is so special about Vienna’s elegant city center? What sights are located here? What to do if you only have one day to visit Vienna? Where better to concentrate the splendor of the former Habsburg residence than in Vienna’s city center! You go out with Time Travel and find yourself right in the historic center of Vienna. Vienna’s city center has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. The most important sights are located in an area of approx. 3 km², which you can easily reach on foot . Vienna has a total of 23 districts and the 1st district – Vienna’s city center – is the place where everything is concentrated. This is where people come to work, shop and stroll. Only around 25,000 of Vienna’s 1.9 million inhabitants can afford the luxury of living in the city center.
Take a stroll and have a bite to eat
The Viennese often like to say: “Let’s go into town, darling”. Especially on Saturday mornings, shopping is done at Julius Meinl, a gourmet delicatessen on Graben. There you will find specialties from all over the world and, above all, very good coffee. This is the trademark of Meinl am Graben. Then perhaps a few sandwiches and a drink at the Schwarzes Kameel to people-watch before heading back to the noble outskirts of Vienna. A short shopping break at the store with the unpronounceable name – Trześniewski– is also popular. A ham and egg spread sandwich and a Pfiff (small beer) – that’s a great way to start or end a Saturday.
Many traditional Viennese coffee houses (Demel, Sacher, Bräunerhof, Hawelka, Sluka) invite you to take a break. One pedestrian zone follows the next and strolling through the elegant center of Vienna is a pleasure. The world-famous Ringstrasse encircles the city center. You stroll along the magnificent Graben (pedestrian zone) to St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Gothic heart of Vienna.
Walk in the historic center
We recommend the following walk through the historic center to get a nice overview of the city center : Time Travel Vienna – Graben – visit St. Stephen’s Cathedral – Kärntnerstraße – Hotel Sacher (fancy the world-famous Sachertorte?) – Vienna State Opera (possible guided tour of the opera house)- Albertinapatz – take the escalator up to the Albertina – beautiful view and a guided tour of the opera house. Albertinaplatz – take the escalator up to the Albertina – beautiful view of the State Opera and the square – steps down to the Burggarten (statue of Emperor Franz Joseph, statue of Mozart) – briefly along the Ringstraße past the Neue Burg to Maria-Theresien-Platz with the statue of Maria-Theresa – on the left is the Kunsthistorisches Museum (KHM), on the right the Naturhistorisches Museum (NHM), straight ahead into the Museumsquartier (MQ). Return via the Ringstrasse and the Outer Burgtor to Heldenplatz with the Neue Burg (Hofburg Information Center).
From the Volksgarten to St. Stephen’s Cathedral
A quick look at the Volksgarten to the Sisi statue and the Rose Garden is also recommended. View of the Parliament and the Burgtheater – back to the Hofburg in the inner courtyard, past the Sisi Museum and the Spanish Riding School to Michaelerplatz (Roman excavations) and the St. Michael’s Church. Kohlmarkt and Demel (short break) – back to the Stallburg (to see the white Lipizzaner stallions in their stables. Continue along Augustinerstraße with a stop at Josefsplatz to visit the Augustinerkirche (Sisi’s wedding church) – National Library – Dorotheergasse – Graben – St. Stephen’s Cathedral. This is a nice complete tour, which can be extended as follows:
St. Stephen’s Cathedral – Figlmüller Passage (Figlmüller restaurant, famous for the largest schnitzel in Vienna) – Lugeck – Hoher Markt (Anchor Clock) – Judengasse – Jewish Synagogue in Seitenstettengasse and to the Ruprechtskirche (oldest church in Vienna)
Time Travel Tip: If you only have one day in Vienna , spend it in the historic city center and drift from one sight to the next.
More info: Inner City (Vienna) – Wikipedia
Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Graben_Vienna_Sept_2006.jpg?uselang=de
