Vienna Day Tripping
Words by Lisa Pollen
Discover hidden wonders just a short hop away from the home of Sacher Torte and the waltz. What are you waiting for?
There’s no denying it – Vienna is a stunning place. But why be restricted to the city –even one as gorgeous as Vienna – when there’s so much to see right on its doorstep? Drag yourself away from the imperial palaces and bratwurst to discover ravishing countryside, sprawling vineyards and loveable towns, not to mention fairy-tale castles and bubbling thermal springs. And the best bit? All these great days out are just that – doable in a day.
The Prater amusement park
A visit to Vienna’s landmark amusement park on the outskirts of the city centre takes minimum effort but results in maximum fun. For starters, the Prater is home to the 65-metre-high Giant Ferris Wheel (Riesenrad; pictured far left) that featured in the classic Orson Welles film The Third Man and provided the blueprint for the London Eye – superb city views come as standard. Among the whopping 250 attractions there’s a ghost train, go-karts, rollercoasters, merry-go-rounds, a planetarium, cinemas, arcades, crazy golf, motor boats and the Prater Museum. Phew! There’s also an adjacent area, the ‘Green Prater’, with a forest, meadows and shady tree-lined paths. The Liliputbahn miniature railway whisks visitors around the green oasis, or find yourself an authentic Fiaker – an old Viennese horse-drawn carriage. The Prater beats your average funfair hands down, in fact some people like it so much they get married on the ferris wheel! Visit www.prater.wien.info for more information.
Wine tasting in the Wachau Valley
Vineyards in the
Wachau Valley
The Wachau Valley, sandwiched between the towns of Melk and Krems on the banks of the Danube, is paradise on earth for those who enjoy a tipple. Famous for its production of apricots and grapes and only an hour’s drive from Vienna (rent a car with Avis at www..skyeurope.com), it’s blanketed with some of Austria’s best vineyards. Sample the country’s finest plonk on a tour of the wineries, find out how schnapps is made and soak up the atmosphere at a traditional wine tavern.
A wine route – snaking past monasteries, castles and medieval ruins – could take you to cosy taverns in Krems, Dürnstein (where King Richard the Lionheart of England was imprisoned), Retz and other enchanting towns. Tour the cellars at Domäne Wachau, visit the Loisium Wine Centre in Langenlois and spend some time – assuming you’re steady enough – strolling through Krems’ Old Town centre. Isango offers a Wachau Valley tour (+44 (0)20 7631 0109, www.isango.com).
The spa town of Baden
Lower Austria is home to over a dozen spa resorts, and most popular of them all is the town of Baden (meaning “to bathe”), south of Vienna. Even in Roman times inhabitants enjoyed the medicinal, 36°C sulphur springs, which bubbled to the surface from a depth of 1,000 metres. Baden is a sleepy town with parks, mansions, palaces and elegant villas – and more importantly numerous pools and spas. The largest is the glass-roofed Römertherme (www.roemertherme.at), said to be the biggest spa in Europe. It has a whirlpool, sulphur pool, vitality pool with underwater lighting and music, cloverleaf pool with massage jets, plus steam rooms, saunas and a huge range of treatments. The Strandbad outdoor thermal pools with the largest sandy beach in Austria is also worth a visit. Baden can
be reached from Vienna’s centre by car,
train, bus or (much more fun) streetcar in
less than an hour.
Hiking in the Vienna Woods
Dig out those muddy hiking boots and set off on a journey to the magical Vienna Woods – the Wienerwald. Vienna’s western border runs right through the woods, brimming with legends straight out of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale. You can drive or reach them via a short train and tram hop from Vienna’s centre, then enjoy a day’s gentle hiking, sucking up the revitalising fresh air. Immortalised in Johann Strauss’s famous waltz, the woods are also a great place to picnic and gawp at the view from the summit of the Kahlenberg mountain, soaring above the mighty Danube. The woods are criss-crossed with hiking and biking paths, so pick up a guidebook from a tourist office. More adventurous hikers can trek to the foothills of the Alps, which begin about 30 miles west of Vienna and extend to the borders of Styria and Upper Austria.
WHERE TO STAY
Bargain
Rathaus Wine & Design
Lange Gasse 13, Tel. +43 (0)1 400 1122
www.hotel-rathaus-wien.at
A beautifully designed hotel with quirky features themed around wine – from the the wine cheese on the breakfast buffet to the wine cosmetics in bathrooms. Modern, unpretentious and great value. (doubles from €118)
Moderate
Hotel Royal
Singerstrasse 3, Tel. +43(0)1 515 680
www.kremslehnerhotels.at
In the heart of Old Vienna, the elegant Hotel Royal has the piano Wagner used to play taking pride of place in its lobby. Two excellent restaurants have an Austrian and Italian slant. (doubles from €180)
Luxury
Hotel Sacher
Philharmonikerstrasse 4
Tel. +43 (0)1 514 560
www.sacher.com
This 19th-century hotel, close to the bustling Ringstrasse, is renowned for its Sacher Torte. Former celebrity guests include Cate Blanchett and Jane Fonda. (doubles from €310)
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