Vienna is a European Capital Constantly Reinventing Itself

The Austrian capital of Vienna is famed for its houses of culture, but there’s more to this vibrant city than just museums and palaces.

9 am

Check-in at the city’s most luxurious new hotel, the Park Hyatt Vienna. Part of the new Golden Quarter luxury precinct at the heart of the city’s historic district, and overlooking Am Hof Square, famed for its summer evening theatre renditions and winter Christmas markets, the hotel (below) is housed in the 100-year old heritage-listed former headquarters of the Austrian Hungarian Monarchy Bank. Many of its bank-era elements have been beautifully retained, from the gold tiles of the former vault-turned-swimming pool to the main restaurant, named The Bank, to the imposing marble-clad lobby with its revolving door and elegant staircase.

Opt for the Belle Epoque Suite, an opulent space with exquisitely regal décor located in the gable of the building. The suite features two open atriums and a main bedroom with a plush king bed, combined with a spacious living room with a flat-screen TV and a large work desk. There is a walk-in closet for Frack and ball gown storage, as well as a standalone deep-soaking bathtub and walk-in rain shower for two.

READ: The Inn at the End of the World

Alternatively, another lavish newbie on the city’s hotel scene is the Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna, located in another heritage-listed icon on the city’s famed Ringstrasse. Housed in a stunning building designed as a hotel to coincide with the World Exhibition of 1873, the Kempinski opened in 2013 and remains one of the most luxurious retreats in Austria.

Of the hotel’s 152 rooms and suites, indulge with one of the Ring Suites (ask for one with a balcony overlooking the Ringstrasse), which features a separate living room, elegant soak tub, and rain shower, a spacious work desk, and views across one of Europe’s most famous boulevards. Leave time to rub shoulders with captains of Austrian industry in the hotel’s elegant cigar lounge, or dine on contemporary interpretations of regional Austrian classics in the Die Küche restaurant.

10 am

It’s only a short walk through the Old Town to the Spanish Riding School, which has a daily performance starting at 10 am. This traditional riding school, the oldest of its kind in the world, celebrates its 450th anniversary this year and attracts visitors from across the globe to its training sessions, held in the iconic Winter Riding School, which was built between 1729 and 1735. Named for the Spanish Lipizzan horses used in performances, the school has its roots in traditional cavalry training. Consequently, it only accepted its first female students in 2008, after more than 400 years of history. Watch the riders as they enter on their beautiful white horses, saluting to the portrait of Emperor Charles VI as they pass. Tickets are priced from €14 (US$16.60).

11.30 am

Better acquaint yourself with the central city with a tour of the Ringstrasse’s iconic tram line. The Ringstrasse celebrates 150 years since its inception by Emperor Franz Joseph I, who built the expansive, tree-lined boulevard in place of Vienna’s 13th-century city walls, in a showcase of the grandeur of the Habsburg Empire. One and a half centuries later and the result is a stately road that links a beautiful collection of neoclassical, neo-gothic, neo-renaissance, and neo-baroque buildings, from the Austrian Parliament to the State Opera House, the towering City Hall, and the Museum of Fine Arts, all of which are set between sprawling parks and public gardens.

You can go it alone with a cost-effective day ticket or enjoy audiovisual guides offered by the multimedia system on the Vienna Ring Tram, which departs from the Schwedenplatz and is the only tram that completes the whole 5.3-kilometer journey without the need to connect.

12.30 pm

Alight from the tram where you started and cut through the stunning Volksgarten, the People’s Garden. Built over city fortifications once destroyed by Napoleon, the gardens wreath the front of the Hofburg Palace and are famed for their rose beds. Beyond is the Palace; laid out by Ludwig Remy in 1821, the former imperial palace at the heart of Vienna has been the seat of power in Austria since 1279. Today it houses the office of the President of Austria, as well as the Imperial Treasury, the Spanish Riding School, the Imperial Horse Stables, and the Burgtheater.

A guided group tour is the best way to explore this amazing complex. Commencing at 2 pm daily, the tour takes in the Sisi Museum and the Imperial Apartments, while private tours offer access to the likes of the Swiss Wing, the palace’s oldest section dating from the 13th century; the Stallburg Imperial Stables; and the Leopold Wing, designed by Filiberto Lucchese.

READ: Insulation From the Gods

2.30 pm

Head east from the Palace into the Museum Quarter, following the Ringstrasse until you reach the acclaimed Stadtpark, for lunch at the visually stunning, Michelin-starred Steirereck (below), the leading Austrian restaurant in the country, located at the park’s center. Here, chef Heinz Reitbauer innovates on locally sourced ingredients, including a few rare finds like the Beta Sweet Carrot, a purple vegetable that’s cultivated in the gardens of the Schönbrunn Palace. Reitbauer’s tasting menu includes the likes of Castelfranco with pine tips; Duwicker carrot and sesame; alpine salmon with white asparagus, sprouts, and lemon savory; and malt with rhubarb, elderflower, and coconut.

4.30 pm

Walk to the University of Vienna and leave the boulevard behind by delving down Schottengasse into the fascinating narrow lanes of the city center. This is home to some of Vienna’s best retail therapy, including the stylish new Golden Quarter, a contemporary showcase of luxury local and international brands housed in two beautifully preserved buildings at the heart of the city’s
historic center.

This exciting new development is home to boutiques from the world’s leading designers; British designer Alexander McQueen is the latest to open a flagship store in the regal enclave, joining the likes of Louis Vuitton, Emporio Armani, Miu Miu, Roberto Cavalli, Prada, and Saint Laurent. An extension of Vienna’s elegant Kohlmarkt pedestrian arcade, the Golden Quarter (Goldenes Quartier to the locals), developed by the Signa Group, includes fine-dining restaurants, premium office space, and 12 luxury apartments overlooking the city, but it’s the luxury shopping – from Brioni and Valentino to Mulberry, Pamellato, 7 for all Mankind and Brunello Cucinelli – that has injected vitality into the Unesco-listed Old Town.

6.30 pm

Return to the Park Hyatt for a tipple to celebrate your new purchases at the hotel’s elegant Pearl bar. This has become the place to see and be seen during Vienna’s annual ball season, when the
city’s good and great convene in their ball gowns and traditional starched Frack tuxedos before heading to the State Opera House or other regal venues for a showcase of traditional Austrian
culture. With enchanting views across the Golden Quarter, the bar serves an inspired menu of contemporary cocktails and vintage champagnes.

8 pm

Walk the short distance to Fabio’s, one of Vienna’s most popular fine-dining restaurants. Located at the heart of the Golden Quarter, the restaurant was opened by Fabio Giacobello (formerly
of Italy’s famed Antinori wine company) and continues to draw the city’s upper crust with chef Christoph Brunnhuber’s simplistic but innovative Mediterranean fare.

11 pm

Finish the night off at one of Vienna’s best-kept secrets. The Sign lounge bar features a menu of classic cocktails inspired by the history of the humble libation, with influences from some of the mixology world’s leading legends, from Jerry Thomas and Harry Johnson to Louis Eppinger and Erik Lorincz. Expect beautifully presented cocktails in an elegant space that gets busy on weekends.

READ: We Cruise the Mighty Douro with Scenic