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Upon Arrival: Vienna

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Housed in a beautiful, meticulously restored palace that dates to the late 1600s, Vienna’s Albertina museum has one of the world’s largest graphic art collections, including drawings by Dürer, Michelangelo and Rembrandt. Most impressive are the palace’s Hapsburg staterooms, which were made accessible to the public for the first time in 2003, when the Albertina reopened after being shuttered for nearly a decade. The ultramodern titanium roof that juts out from over the palace’s entrance, in stark juxtaposition to the Baroque sculpture of Erzherzog Albrecht on horseback, was designed by Pritzker Prize–winning architect Hans Hollein and caused quite a controversy when it was unveiled (some locals likened it to a ski chute).

An interesting detail to note is that most of the drawings on display in the Albertina are actually reprints; the originals are kept in a vault and come out only for special exhibits. I was tipped off to this fact when I found myself standing alone in front of Dürer’s famous <em>A Young Hare</em> watercolor with nary a guard or alarm system in sight. When I asked a museum employee, she explained that the originals are extremely fragile and nearly impossible to insure (the Albertina has 50,000 drawings and approximately a million Old Master prints).

The Albertina hosts fantastic temporary exhibits that are always worth seeing. After a visit, take a short stroll to the Hofgarten and have lunch or coffee at the <a title="Palmenhaus" href="/destinations/europe/austria/vienna-austria/historic-center-vienna-austria//restaurants/palmenhaus/">Palmenhaus</a>. Open daily.


Facade of Albertina, Vienna, Austria - Courtesy Lois Lammerhuber

Albertina

This huge, sprawling complex—home to the Hapsburg royal family until 1918—includes an embarrassment of riches, like the Treasury and Museum of Ethnology, the <a title="Spanish Riding School (Spanische Hofreitschule)" href="/destinations/europe/austria/vienna-austria/historic-center-vienna-austria//activities/spanish-riding-school-spanische-hofreitschule/">Spanish Riding School</a>, Imperial Court Chapel and National Library. There are also the Imperial Apartments and Sissi Museum. Depending on whom you ask, the Hofburg also technically encompasses the <a title="Museum of Fine Arts (Kunsthistorisches Museum)" href="/destinations/europe/austria/vienna-austria/historic-center-vienna-austria//activities/museum-fine-arts-kunsthistorisches-museum/">Kunsthistorische</a> and <a title="Museum of Natural History (Naturhistorisches)" href="/destinations/europe/austria/vienna-austria/historic-center-vienna-austria//activities/museum-natural-history-naturhistorisches/">Naturhistorische</a> museums, though they are located across the Ring boulevard (near the MuseumsQuartier).

A great insider tip is to visit the Hofburg on Sunday morning: start the day at the Imperial Court Chapel, where the Vienna Boys’ Choir performs at 9:15 a.m. Mass lets out right before the performance of the Spanish Riding School at 11 a.m., so you can watch the horses and costumed riders crossing the road between the stables and the riding school. Then, if you’re in the mood for more classical music, there are free concerts at 11 a.m., mostly of classical liturgical works of Mozart, Schubert, Haydn et al, in the Augustinerkirche, one of the most beautiful churches in Vienna.


Aerial View-Imperial Palace (Hofburg) ,Vienna, Austria

Imperial Palace (Hofburg)

Founded more than 400 years ago, the Spanish Riding School (Spanische Hofreitschule), part of the Hofburg complex, is housed in a Baroque hall where riders perform under glittering chandeliers. The performances, during which the white Lipizzan stallions move through a variety of formations, culminates in a quadrille, which requires eight stallions to move in perfect unison to classical music. Historically, the Spanish Riding School has been male dominated (there are no women riders), but in 2007 the venerable institution finally made a step into the 21st century by naming Elisabeth Gürtler, the owner of the Sacher hotel, as its director.

Tickets for performances have to be ordered in advance (there are several price categories, and you can request to be seated in the original Royal Box). However, you can also attend one of the training sessions, which are also performed with music, without a reservation; these tickets can be purchased at the Visitor Center (Michaelerplatz 1) or the Josefsplatz (Gate 2) on the training days. Contact our Bookings Team for tours or help with tickets.


Interior View-Spanish Riding School (Spanische Hofreitschule) ,Vienna, Austria

Interior View-Spanish Riding School (Spanische Hofreitschule) ,

Spanish Riding School

Having gained popularity in the early 19th century, balls are now an integral part of Viennese culture. While the formal events usually tend to be glamorous and over-the-top, a handful of the roughly 450 balls a year have a more convivial, carnival-like atmosphere. The ball season runs from November through March, with the exception of two elegant summer balls, the Concordia Ball and the Fête Impériale, held at City Hall and the <a title="Spanish Riding School (Spanische Hofreitschule)" href="https://www.indagare.com/destinations/europe/austria/vienna/historic-center-vienna/activities/spanish-riding-school-spanische-hofreitschule/">Spanish Riding School</a>, respectively. The most famous is undoubtedly the Opera Ball, held at the <a title="State Opera (Wiener Staatsoper)" href="https://www.indagare.com/destinations/europe/austria/vienna/historic-center-vienna/activities/state-opera-wiener-staatsoper/">Vienna State Opera</a> each February. Indagare members can contact the <a href="/contact/">Bookings Team</a> to arrange tickets and a private table.


Interior View - Indagare Tours: Vienna Balls,Vienna, Austria - Courtesy Maxum

Indagare Tours: Vienna Balls

The best way of experiencing Vienna’s gem of an opera house (Wiener Staatsoper), one of Europe’s most beautiful, is to see a performance (the opera and the ballet alternate during the year). But if you don’t have time, taking a tour of the building is the next best thing. The Staatsoper, which opened in 1869, has an illustrious history—its principal conductors have included Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Herbert von Karajan andLeonard Bernstein—and hosts the annual Vienna Opera Ball. There are several guided tours daily.


Interior View-State Opera (Wiener Staatsoper) ,Vienna, Austria

State Opera

See & Do

This legendary hotel, opposite the State Opera and within walking distance of the Albertina, opened in 1876, and even today its chandelier-lit reception halls and antiques-filled drawing rooms exude old-world elegance. The 152-room family-owned property occupies a city block, with six connected buildings, but its clever layout and cozy public spaces make for an intimate ambiance. Most of the cheerful rooms, designed by owner Elisabeth Gürtler and star French designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, are done in a sumptuous 19th-century style with high-quality reproduction antiques, silk-covered walls, white stucco along the ceilings and original paintings from the Sacher’s private collection.

Rooms on the first floor have the highest ceilings; those on higher floors have better city views (request one that faces the opera) and some even have balconies. The in-room design scheme on these floors is more modern, with sleek black lacquer furnishings, bathrooms with floor heating and flat-screen TVs, and the layouts tend to be smaller than those on the lower floors.

Considering that the Sacher is one of the city’s most traditional hotels, service is refreshingly down-to-earth, friendly and high-touch. The concierge team is excellent, most likely due to the fact that the hands-on Frau Gürtler, who has been running the Sacher since 1990, is one of the most plugged-in owners in town: she was the chair of the Viennese Opera Ball for eight years, served as the president of the Hofburg, and is the director of the Spanische Hofreitschule.

A major perk is the tranquil Sacher spa on the fifth floor, which is also open to non-guests. It has a short but terrific menu of treatments featuring Ligne St. Barth’s and La Prairie products. The renowned Café Sacher is located on the ground floor of the hotel, and a miniature version of the famous Sachertorte, which originated in the hotel’s pastry kitchen in 1832, is placed on your pillow during turndown service.

Located at the beginning of the Kärntnerstrasse, one of the city’s main shopping hubs, the Sacher is steps away from the Albertina and the State Opera, but be aware that it is an area buzzing with tourists, especially on weekends. And thanks to its famous café, the Sacher is on most people’s to-do lists, so it is not the most serene setting.


Lobby at Hotel Sacher Wien, Vienna, Austria - courtesy Hotel Sacher

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Hotel Sacher Wien

Discover and book now with Indagare Travel: Read the Rosewood Vienna hotel review, Vienna's newest luxury hotel on Petersplatz.

Rosewood Vienna Premier Room

Rosewood Vienna

The Ritz Carlton Vienna opened in 2012, joining the <a title="Grand" href="https://www.indagare.com/destinations/europe/austria/vienna/historic-center-vienna/hotels/grand/">Grand</a> and <a title="Hotel Imperial" href="https://www.indagare.com/destinations/europe/austria/vienna/historic-center-vienna/hotels/hotel-imperial/">Hotel Imperial</a> on the Ringstrasse, the tree-lined boulevard that snakes around the 1st District. Housed in four 19th-century historical palaces, the Ritz Carlton merges traditional features like a stunning central marble staircase with a contemporary design scheme. Rooms feature white-on-white fabric headboards and abstract paintings, while some suites have unique aspects like a traditional carved wooden ceiling and chandelier. The elegant property has 202 rooms and suites, a club floor and lounge, an 18-meter indoor pool, and classic Austrian cuisine in the Dstrikt restaurant. It also hosts the first Guerlain spa in Austria, offering a range of treatments for guests.

Both visitors and locals have embraced the cafe’s decadent hot chocolate from the on-site chocolate sommelier, which is best enjoyed on the rooftop bar Atmosphere overlooking a spectacular view of Vienna’s skyline. The buzzy rooftop bar has been so successful that they now offer a small menu of bites and light aperitifs.


Aerial view - Ritz-Carlton Vienna, Vienna, Austria - courtesy Ritz Carlton Vienna

Ritz-Carlton Vienna

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Berlin, Germany's capital, with its thriving art and fashion scenes, is one of Europe’s most exciting and vibrant centers of contemporary culture. The city’s creative scene is permeated by a sense of exploration and risk-taking—perhaps one of the reasons that Berlin is often likened to 1980s New York City. Shaped by a complex history and a current urgency to prove itself, Berlin is a massive place to explore.

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Surrounded by a spectacular landscape of lakes and mountains and divided by the clear turquoise waters of the Salzach River, Austria's Salzburg is a baroque jewel on the northern boundary of the Alps. Shaped as much by its natural setting as by industrious human creativity, the city is a delightful mixture of old and new. Its lofty past easily blends with a lively present: monuments and modern works of art sit side-by-side; 600-year-old restaurants serve modern cuisine.

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