Vienna

Austrian Airlines

Rome (FCO) - Wien (VIE); Wien (VIE) - Rome (FCO) After this trip the Austrian flag carrier was named by CAT&DVD the best in Europe and third in the world overall, after Cathay Pacific and Qatar Airways. Considering the short flight, the lunch offered is not only good but unequalled. The attentions given to TEO (various little toys, pillow and blanket) were much appreciated.

Hotel Graf Stadion

Buchfeldgasse 5, 1080 Wien; hotel@graf-stadion.com; Hotel located behind the Rathaus (Town Hall) on a quiet little street and easily reachable by metro. The ground-floor rooms (no. 12, no. 13) are very spacious and easily accessible with pushchairs. Bathroom a little small but the large walk-in shower is handy.

SIGHTS (for reasons of space we've listed the most important ones) - Neue Hofburg (New Imperial Palace): although it was the centre of Austrian power for more than six centuries, we decided not to visit it. For short trips like this one, we prefer to walk the streets and visit museums only if they are truly unmissable. The Neue Hofburg is not among them. - Graben: like the previous one, it's an elegant pedestrian street that ends at Stephansplatz. The absence of cars is very welcome, letting you stroll in complete freedom. Many of our own historic centres don't show us the same courtesy. - Stephansplatz: the setting of this square, with the Cathedral and its historic buildings, is far from banal, yet it is diminished by the crowd of buskers and jugglers who distract the tourist. Disappointing. - Stephansdom (St Stephen's Cathedral).

The view of the cathedral as it appears when you come from the Graben is anything but evocative. The facade and the outer aisles are blackened by smog and are off-putting for their sense of grime. The northern facade is far more striking, with the glazed tiles forming the double-headed eagle of the Habsburgs. The contrast between the Gothic form and the Baroque interior doesn't work in its favour. Disappointing. - Kärntnerstrasse: a pedestrian street less elegant than Kohlmarkt and Graben but full of tempting places for a lunch break. If you like fish, the Nordsee chain is certainly an excellent choice. - Schloss Schönbrunn: seat of the Habsburg imperial house, symbol of grand imperial Vienna, the guidebooks compare it to Versailles (Paris). In our view the comparison doesn't hold up.

It's likely that the entrance courtyard crammed with tourists doesn't let you fully enjoy the view of the complex, but even so we weren't impressed. Quite the opposite feeling is given by the gardens, which we found enchanting. A special mention goes to the hedge maze, where the old classic maze alternates with new types of maze that entertain visitors with logic puzzles, water and sounds. Sublime, and much-envied, is the children's playground inside it. For the maze too a cinematic reference is a must: The Shining (1980) by Stanley Kubrick. - Naschmarkt: without looking for it too hard, it appeared before us after the vain attempt to find Otto Wagner's Majolikhaus. Divided into sections ranging from flowers to fruit, from spices to meats, it fully embodies the idea of a market we like.

The long stroll among the stalls is accompanied by the view of the KunstHausWien, the art gallery designed by the quirky Hundertwasser. Definitely beautiful. - Karlsplatz: a square you pass through, from which interesting walks branch off. The garden is pleasant but not as much as the Stadtpark. - Thai Festival: here's the classic "unexpected event" that can't be missing from a trip. We venture into the gardens of Karlsplatz when we see a crowd of people. We land in the middle of the Thai Festival organised for peace and civil coexistence between peoples. Women in traditional costume move among the tables where diners are busy eating typical cuisine. To our great regret, still full from lunch, we taste nothing and just watch the traditional dances put on for the occasion. - Burggarten: here's the quintessential Vienna garden.

It lies behind the imperial palace (Neue Hofburg) and is, fortunately, a public garden. The classic park where you could spend an entire afternoon sitting on the grass watching the clouds go by. We go in, as always, to catch our breath and rest a little. But the break doesn't last long. CAT has a flash of genius: shall we go and get a slice of Sacher? Curious after iaronob's account, we pass in front of the Butterfly House (Schmetterlinghaus), determined to visit it, but the pull of Vienna's most famous cake wins over our botanical curiosity. - Prater: apart from the Ferris wheel, which offers a view of Vienna from above, it's a very ordinary amusement park. The wheel, although the oldest in Europe, doesn't compare (height/view) with London's. Disappointing. - Tram number 1: pros: from the window you see Vienna's wonderful Ringstrasse buildings glide by.

cons: if the tram is full or you're standing, the spectacle is lost. We took it but after a few stops we got off, quite happy to go back to walking. Pointless. - Stadtpark: a pleasant, peaceful place to relax and rest a little between one walk and another. - Hundertwasserhaus: absolutely not to be missed. The reference to Gaudí's architecture is immediate but the style is different and the visual impact very striking. Unmissable. Given the pleasant surprise of discovering a corner of Vienna wrongly underrated by the various tourist guides, we certainly rank it first among the city's many architectural beauties and reasons to travel here.

EATING

- Bratwurst: the big sausage with baguette-style bread and plenty of mustard is a must. The little stands that make it are everywhere, so don't wear yourself out looking for one. The rules of the connoisseur demand a run-down stand as a guarantee of an excellent product. - Figlmüller: historic establishment for enjoying the Wiener Schnitzel (veal cutlet) as big as a plate, thin and crispy. We tried to book without success; apparently bookings are only valid for locals. No matter. We happily queued, which moves along quite fast, also because once you've finished your plates you pay and leave. Unmissable. - Nordsee: a fish-based fast-food chain. Actually the description is quite an understatement, since Nordsee is a very valid alternative to cafés for a tasty and inexpensive meal. From fried bites to fish dishes with vegetables or potatoes, the options are many.

- Demel: if the Bratwurst is a must, skipping a snack with Sacher torte and coffee or chocolate is a real crime! Due to various circumstances we tried Demel twice instead of the Hotel Sacher. So we can't make a comparison. An incomparable cake, completely different from the one our local pastry chefs foist on us. Excellent. - Beim Czaak: recommended by the LP [Lonely Planet]. For once this guide gives a precious recommendation, and we don't regret going.

VIENNA CARD: if you don't plan to visit museums and you're staying four days, it's not worth it. Better to get the 72-hour ticket, which we made full use of; it also let us take the train back to the airport.

THANKS to Fabrizio & Alessia for sharing this pleasant trip with us. THANKS to Sara for covering a reluctant and not always available TEO with kisses.