Vienna off the beaten track: Insider tips off the beaten track

Discover Vienna off the beaten track

With these Vienna insider tips you can get to know Vienna off the beaten track. We have been to Vienna and always looked at the highlights of this great city. What isn't there to see: the Hofburg, St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Prater, the wonderful museums, Schönbrunn Palace and much, much more. During our visit to the Hotel Capricorno Vienna However, we looked at Vienna's insider tips off the beaten track and were amazed at how interesting and worth seeing this unknown Vienna is. We came across all sorts of surprising things on our tour of downtown Vienna. Which is your Vienna insider tip?

 

 

We were traveling in the same city regions as on our previous visits to the city on the DanubeThe only difference on this tour through the city was that we didn't walk on the main streets through the city, but simply made our way through Vienna by taking a few side streets away from them.

We'll show you what we discovered in the pictures we brought back from this tour of Vienna off the beaten track. You can follow us on our tour of Vienna off the beaten track.

 

 

You can discover Vienna off the beaten track here

We discover Vienna insider tips off the beaten track on our city tour from SchwedenplatzFrom there we find our way through Griechengasse, a small, cobbled alley that is only easily accessible on foot or by motorbike.

Horse-drawn carriages once drove through here, as the bolts on the walls of the houses prove. They were installed to prevent the carriage wheels from damaging the walls of the houses in the narrow alley. How cramped it must have been back then.

 

 

This is also shown by a sign from 1912 that I discovered on one of the walls of the house. Apparently it was not safe for pedestrians to move through these narrow streets, as shown by the warning sign that instructs coachmen to keep their horses under control or even to send someone ahead to warn pedestrians.

 

 

Do you know where dear Augustin should have sung his song?

A Vienna insider tip of a historical nature: At the end of Griechengasse, the double-headed eagle hangs above the entrance to the Griechenbeisl, a traditional Viennese pub, on whose facade there is a relief indicating that dear Augustin is said to have sung his song for the first time here. Augustin really did exist. He was a ballad singer from the 17th century who entertained the Viennese during the time of the plague.

Apparently he was not averse to wine himself, and once he was left lying on the side of the road after a night of drinking. Sick servants who were traveling through Vienna in search of plague victims loaded him onto their carts and disposed of him in a mass grave outside the city. The next morning he screeched and sang so loudly that the Viennese rescued him from his premature grave. From then on he evidently made a good living by recounting his experiences in ever new pubs.

 

 

The Greek Church of the Holy Trinity

In addition to the Greebeisl the Greek Church stands for the Holy Trinity. As the church stands today, it originated in the middle of the 19. Century. Today it is the seat of the Greek Orthodox Metropolitans of Austria.

 

 

What we particularly like on our tour off the beaten track are the numerous old wrought-iron shop signs, which indicate what was produced in each house. Again and again we come across weathered frescoes, which were often uncovered by painting on the facades. So we catch a glimpse into the life of Vienna from yesteryear.

 

 

Vienna off the beaten track in Heiligenkreuzer Hof at Stiege 8

One of our Vienna insider tips that we particularly like is the Heiligenkreuzer Hof. The University Gallery of Applied Arts in the Heiligenkreuzerhof is located at staircase 8 in the Heiligenkreuzer Hof, one of the beautiful courtyards that we pass through on our tour of Vienna off the beaten track.

We learn that in the past the houses did not have house numbers, but were numbered according to the number of stairs. The Heiligenkreuzer Hof belongs to the Cistercian monks of Stift Heiligenkreuzthat we visited a few years ago. A beautiful chapel in the courtyard points to it.

 

 

Around St. Stephen's Cathedral

A Vienna insider tip that is controversial among Viennese is the Schnitzelhaus Figlmüller. Figlmüller at Bäckerstrasse 6 boasts the most famous schnitzel in Vienna. It remains to be seen whether other Viennese restaurants will agree. We definitely find the wine-blissful-looking gentleman above the entrance to this tavern funny.

 

 

We didn't notice it on our way through Vienna, off the beaten track, but we were getting closer and closer to the city center with St. Stephen's Cathedral. At Strobelgasse we suddenly found ourselves standing in front of Vienna's cathedral and looking at it from an unusual angle.

Here we are particularly struck by the roof of the cathedral with the two eagles. Here too we leave the main sights of the city to the left, pass St. Stephen's Cathedral and instead walk through Blutgasse and one of the pretty courtyards that are hidden behind simple house facades.

 

 

The monastery at the Franciscan church

Our next destination is the Franciscan church on the square of the same name. This building complex was once a penitential monastery, which means that former prostitutes were supposed to repent of their sinful lives there. Only later did the city of Vienna hand the building over to the Franciscans, who built the unusual-looking church.

The small square in front of the church is inviting, with cafés waiting for their guests in the summer months. However, we are there a little too early in the year. It is still too cold to enjoy a cup of coffee outside.

 

 

The Donnerbrunnen – one of our tips for Vienna off the beaten track

The Donnerbrunnen fountain, off the busy Kärntnerstrasse, shows us that not all Viennese people were prudish. There, one of the cast-iron statues sticks out its bare bottom towards us. Groups of tourists stand around it. The statue is obviously tempting to be touched, because its bottom is suspiciously rubbed bare.

This fountain was a thorn in the side of Empress Maria Theresa. During her time, the naked figures were even removed at the instigation of the Chastity Commission. However, their artistic value was recognized and they were saved from being melted down. They were not put back on the fountain until 1801.

 

 

Conclusion: Vienna off the beaten track – what you must see

Here we end our tour of the city off the beaten path and invite you to once yourself on the search for something extraordinary and unknown by the Danube metropolis to make. If you need more travel tips for Vienna, have a look our contributions to Vienna. Perhaps there is one or the other tip to go on an expedition through Austria's capital?

In the run-up to Christmas, perhaps the Christmas market on Karlsplatz interesting for you if you are looking for places in Vienna off the beaten tourist track. Petar made a video about it:

 

 

Questions and answers about Vienna away from the tourists:

Which lesser-known museums in Vienna are worth visiting?

The Clock Museum in Palais Obizzi and the Narrenturm Museum of Pathology offer unique insights into specialized collections. Both museums are less visited but still offer interesting perspectives on Vienna.

Are there any hidden gardens or parks in Vienna?

Yes, the Setagaya Park in Döbling is a small Japanese garden that is off the beaten track. It offers peace and quiet and a special atmosphere in the middle of the city.

Where can I find interesting architecture in Vienna off the beaten track?

The Hundertwasser waste incineration plant in Vienna's Spittelau showcases the creative architecture of the artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. It is also a fascinating example of environmentally conscious construction and artistic design.

Are there special markets that are less well known?

The Meidlinger market is less touristy and offers an authentic Viennese market experience with fresh produce and small restaurants. It is worth a visit to experience local life.

Where can you discover alternative art and culture in Vienna?

The Museumsquartier is not only home to large museums, but also smaller, experimental galleries and event venues. Here you can discover alternative art and culture outside the mainstream, for example.

Sources on the history of Vienna

• Vienna History Wiki
• Online collection of the Vienna Museum
• Austrian National Library

 

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Other Cities in Austria for Slow Travel Experiences can be found here, for example.

 

 

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Source: Vienna off the beaten track: On-site research for insider tips in Vienna. The article was paid for by Vienna Tourism and ImperialTalk. However, our opinion remains our own.

Text: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos: © Copyright Monika Fuchs as well as TravelWorldOnline and Unsplash
Video: © Copyright Petar Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline

Updated on 19.08.2024

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