Vienna Unwrapped Inspiration and Planning For Independent Travellers who are visiting Vienna
This art walk ties together my favourite local spots in and around Vienna’s trendy seventh district Neubau. It mixes museums and galleries, art and design shops, and cafés, bars, and private dining. As you walk around you will discover little alleys, more artisanal shops, and modern urban cafes and bars. Book out four to six hours if you decide to do the whole tour including museums.
Museumsquartier
Art Walk. The epicentre of modern Vienna and an art walk in itself is the Museumsquartier (MQ), one of Europe’s ten largest cultural areas, located at the border of Vienna’s 7th district and the city centre. I like the Museum for Modern Art because of its state of the art exhibitions and large space.
Before you leave Museumsquartier, have a coffee and snack at Café Corbaci, a contemporary cafe boasting a beautifully tiled vaulted ceiling. The interiors mix oriental with industrial styles, the food is a great combination of creative Viennese cuisine and Middle Eastern elements. Leave Museumsquartier through Glacis Beisl in the back and alight at Breite Gasse.
Spittelberg
Art Walk. Spittelberg is one of the most picturesque quarters of the city, and may on top add a little shopping fun to your art walk. The former home of gamblers, crooks and prostitutes, Spittelberg’s doll-house like Biedermeier homes have been completely refurbished and are now housing art and junk shops, cafes, bars and restaurants.
Walk up Spittelberggasse. Take a rest under the lime trees of the little square there. Pop in to my favourite local artisan shop Kunstwerkstatt (Siebensterngasse 16). The local Christmas market with its artisan jewellery and toys has been popular for many years though has become too commercial for many locals recently.
Neubau
Art Walk. Vienna’s creative cluster Neubau houses the spirit of contemporary Vienna. Before the Second World War Neubau was Austria’s little Hollywood, with dozens of film studios and producers, film suppliers and film rental shops.
The creative scene in Vienna has both matured and increased. You will experience this vibrancy in art and design shops such as Kunstwerkstatt, or in modern cafés such as Das Möbel (Burggasse 10), and , one of Vienna’s best shops for design and gift accessories.
Walk up Fassziehergasse to Neustiftgasse, where you turn left until you stand in front of restaurant Durchhaus (Neustiftgasse 16). Enter the historic passageway to one of Vienna’s best kept secret courtyards. You will pass through three beautiful courtyards with shops and little cafes until you arrive at Lerchenfelder Strasse. If you are into contemporary jewellery, continue left on Lerchenfelder Strasse, until you arrive at Tina Polisoidis lovely fashion jewelry store at number 31. Alternatively, return through the passageway to Neustiftgasse, and continue right on Neustiftgasse.
Just after Cafe Nepomuk, turn into another passageway that will lead you to St. Ulrichsplatz, a hidden square boasting a baroque church (St. Ulrich), a jazz and blues café (Morgenstern) and a few independent fashion shops. Secret tip: Ulrichsplatz no. 2 hides Vienna’s most picturesque baroque courtyard. The entrance is usually open, absolutely worth a glimpse. Walk through St. Ulrich’s square to Burggasse, then turn right and sneak into Kirchengasse.
Reward yourself at a nearby trendy café with a distinct local flavour: Caffé Latte (Neubaugasse 39) is the extended living room of many local urbanists who love nothing more than a good brunch, chill out music, coffee and a chat. Probably THE cafe hot spot in Neubau.
From Caffé Latte, follow Neubaugasse a few metres to the right and you will land at Art Nouveau paradise Jugendstilgallerie Neubau (Neubaugasse 40). The antique shop sells high quality, and not cheap, Jugendstil glass and silverware, ceramics, porcelain, jewelry, and furniture from renown designers such as the Thonet Brothers, Josef Hoffmann and Otto Wagner.
Design concept store Park (Mondscheingasse 20) is Vienna’s top avant garde shop for fashion, books, design magazines, art, furniture and architecture. The store stocks fashion labels such as Maison Martin Margiela, Ann Demeulemeester, Raf by Raf Simons, or Comme des Garçons. An established address for local fashionistas.
Imperial Furniture Collection
Art Walk. If you love interiors and just have time for one museum, ring fence an hour of your art walk for the Imperial Furniture Collection (Hofmobiliendepot), one of the largest interior design museums of the world, and a mecca for interior design freaks.
You will encounter a broad range of styles, from rococo to post World War II design. For further information go to Hapsburgs Museum of Furniture.
Art Walk Tour Map
Review the map below and read more about each stop further down. Click where it says ‘link to larger map’ to zoom in. You can also click on the icons to read the details on each place.
View Vienna Walk III: Art and Design in a larger map
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