Things to do in Austria
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Noi
The natural wood floors and furnishings, and the cruisy music create the perfect backdrop for gourmet dining based around organic ingredients at Noi. The menus change each week, such as a chicken terrine with pumpkin pesto, lardon (speck or a bacon cut) and radish salad, followed by leg of chicken in a light rosemary sauce with celery puree and fig biscuit – brought together under the motto ‘In chicken we trust’ (€27.50). This top-class act also does surprise menus in which staff decide who gets what, also taking vegetarian preferences into account. It’s elegant, down to earth and delicious, but book in the evening to be sure of a table.
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Una
Striking tiled walls, arched ceilings and massive windows complement a menu sporting upmarket salads and pasta through to goulash and seasonal specialities.
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Blaue Gans Restaurant
In the 650-year-old vaults of Arthotel Blaue Gans, this restaurant is a refined setting for regional cuisine, like roast saddle of Hohe Tauern venison and poussin with nettle ravioli and chanterelles, which are married with full-bodied wines. The olive tree-dotted terrace is popular in summer.
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B72
Fringe live acts, alternative beats and album launches are the mainstay of B72’s entertainment line-up, which collectively attracts a predominantly youthful crowd. Its tall glass walls and arched brick interior are typical of most bars along the Gürtel, as is the thick, smoky air and grungy appearance. Its name comes from its address, Bogen (arch) 72.
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Café Sperl
With its gorgeous Jugendstil fittings, grand dimensions, cosy booths and unhurried air, Sperl is one of the finest coffee houses in Vienna. And that’s to say nothing of a menu that features Sperl Tort, a mouth-watering mix of almonds and chocolate cream. Grab a slice and a newspaper, order a strong coffee, and join the rest of the patrons people-watching and daydreaming.
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Albertina
Once used as the Habsburg’s imperial apartments for guests, the Albertina now houses the greatest collection of graphic art in the world. The collection, founded in 1768 by Maria Theresia’s son-in-law Duke Albert von Sachsen-Teschen, consists of an astonishing 1.5 million prints and 50,000 drawings, including 145 Dürer drawings (the largest collection in the world), 43 by Raphael, 70 by Rembrandt and 150 by Schiele. There are loads more by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Peter Paul Rubens, Michael Bruegel, Paul Cézanne, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Gustav Klimt and Oskar Kokoschka.
The enormous collection of graphics, architectural sketches, photographs, prints and…
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Minopolis
This city theme park offers children the chance to play grown-up for the day. The 6000-sq-m park of streets, buildings, shops and cars includes 26 stations that provide information and activities on various occupations, such as journalist, fire fighter, and doctor. Children are given Eurolinos, the money of Minopolis, to spend or save as they see fit, and while it’s commercially orientated entertainment, children seem to love it.
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Kim Kocht Shop & Studio
Kim Kocht has been the talk of the town for years. Its Korean and Japanese cuisine is highly sought after in Vienna's culinary circles for its originality, quality and the creativity shown in presentation. The restaurant only seats 25 and its popularity means reservations at least one month ahead are essential; if it's full anf you haven't booked, stop in next door at the Shop & Studio for a quick snack of sushi, wok-vegetables or Thai noodles.
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Ring Tram
This ring tram runs the length of the Ringstrasse and is essetially a hop-on, hop-off service with video screens and guided commentary along the way. Tickets can also be combined to include 24 hours of public transport and other variations. Schwedenplatz is the start/end of the tour (arrives at 15 and 45 minutes past each hour; the entire ring tour is 24 minutes without disembarking); however, the first tour of the day starts at the Staatsoper station.
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Expedit
Expedit has successfully moulded itself on a Ligurian osteria and become one of the most popular Italian restaurants in town. Its warehouse decor, with shelves stocked full of oil, pesto, olives and wine from Liguria, helps to create a busy yet informal atmosphere and a clean, smart look. Every day brings new, seasonal dishes to the menu, but count on a few divine vegetarian, meat and fish specialities. Reservations are recommended. The affiliated Expedit Lager in the same building does takeaway.
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Aubergine
Aubergine greets you with its namesake, a delicate slither of salted, marinated eggplant to whet the appetite. After that it leads you into a culinary wonderland that might include Kalbsbeuschel, thin slices of offal accompanied by snails and garnished with snail caviar for €16.80 (snail caviar is less salty than sturgeon caviar and doesn’t explode as easily when you bite on it). Plenty of delicate meats and accompaniments also feature on the menu. The wine list is mammoth – about 800 bottled Austrian wines. Reserve for an evening table.
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Österreicher im MAK
Located in the Museum für angewandte Kunst (Museum of Applied Arts), Österreicher im MAK is the brainchild of Helmut Österreicher, one of the country’s leading chefs and a force behind the movement towards back-to-the-roots Austrian flavours. He goes beyond strictly classical Viennese dishes such as Tafelspitz by complementing them with exotic or non-regional ingredients. These are served in two sections of the restaurant – a lounge and bar area up front where you can also get breakfast from 8.30am until 11am, and the more formal restaurant out back. Inside sleek architectural lines create a modern flourish.
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Benedictine Abbey
Apart from the lake itself, Millstatt’s main attraction is its Romanesque Benedictine abbey, founded in 1070. This pretty complex consists of the 11th-century abbey, a graveyard that invites a stroll, and foundation buildings south of the abbey, with lovely yards and arcades. If you walk downhill along Stiftsgasse from the abbey, you see on the left a 1000-year-old lime tree. Millstatt was no exception to the practice common during the Middle Ages of holding trials beneath a tree (often a lime tree) and using the same tree for hangings.
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Bio-Hotel Alpenrose
This eco-hotel is 3km north of town in Obermillstatt and serves an organic lunch buffet and evening menu. It’s open most of the year.
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Full House
For pub entertainment, Full House, near the Volksbank, is the place to hang out.
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Pizzeria Peppino
This pizza joint in town is convenient for eat-in or take-away.
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Stiftsmuseum
The Stiftsmuseum contains everything from documentation of the town’s history to reliquaries and a geology collection.
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Wassersport Strobl
Windsurfing boards costing €9 to €14 per hour are hired out from three locations in Millstatt by Wassersport Strobl, along with electric boats (€11 to €13 per hour) and kayaks (€5 per hour). One is alongside Villa Verdin. East of Millstatt is Bad Kleinkirchheim, a spa resort and large winter skiing centre with 26 lifts and cable cars.
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Fun & Sail
Fun & Sail has equipment for hire and offers kite-surfing courses.
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Surf- & Segelschule Nordstrand
Surf- & Segelschule Nordstrand rents out sailing boats and holds weekday sailing courses (from €160).
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Weinklub 21
This excellent Vinothek represents 21 wine producers in town and the region; it holds regular tastings and events.
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Rogner-Bad Blumau
Rogner-Bad Blumau, near the town of Bad Blumau, 50km east of Graz. The spa has all the characteristics of his art, including uneven floors, grass on the roof, colourful ceramics and golden spires. Overnight accommodation includes entry to the spa.
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Grossglockner Road
Surely one of Europe’s greatest drives, the snaking Grossglockner Road is a 1930s feat of engineering and a feast of perpendicular towers, ice blue glaciers and razor-sharp peaks. If the 43km highway doesn’t take your breath away with its hairpin bends, the incredible views of Grossglockner ringed by snowy peaks should do the trick.
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Auerhahn
The chef cooks fresh and seasonal fare at this restaurant, with a tree-shaded garden. Wood beams, crisp linen and candlelight create the backdrop for flavours like herb-crusted rack of lamb and fluffy Topfenknödel (sweet dumplings). Auerhahn is 2km north of town; bus 23 stops nearby.
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Humboldt Stub’n
Cartoons deck the walls and a nail-studded Mozart punk guards this upbeat bar opposite Republic. Try a Mozart cocktail, a sickly composition of liqueur, cherry juice, cream and chocolate. Wednesday is student night, with beers a snip at €2.50.
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