Vienna City Guide: Naglergasse

Old Vienna Walk – The ONE Route Covering 80 Percent

Old Vienna Walk.If you are a first time visitor and self-explorer, start with this Old Vienna walk. Not only does it cover about 80 per cent of all key attractions in this UNESCO world heritage site you will stumble across amazing hidden gems.

On your way, you will pass key attractions, hidden alley ways, lovely cafés, great shops and well known film locations such as from Orson Welles’ The Third Man. For a thoroughly rich visitor programme of key landmarks, Viennese history and culture review my selection of the best guided Vienna walking tours.

1. Walk Off At The Vienna State Opera

Old Vienna Walk: Vienna State OperaBecause it’s so central theopera house(Wiener Staatsoper) is a great starting point as it is not only a main landmark but also THE local urban transport junction. Three tram lines, four bus lines and three underground lines stop here.

Walk left of the Opera’s main entrance into the Operngasse. At the first crossing, choose between a hotdog at one of the bestlocal sausage standsin the city, visiting theAlbertinato your left, a superbly renovated imperial palace and museum, and visiting theSacher Eckcafé(caution: tourism hotspot) of Hotel Sacher in Philharmonikergasse, right behind the Opera. In fact, that particular sausage stand is one of the many stops of a private culinary tour through Vienna’s central district. Touch base to learn more.

2. Explore Kärntnerstrasse And Side Alleys

Old Vienna Walk: LobmeyrOld Vienna Walk.A walk in the city centre sooner or later crossesKärntnerstrasse, our prime shopping promenade and part of a large pedestrian area full of history, if you manage to look above the shop levels. Watch out for the beautiful facade and shop of glass ware manufacturerLobmeyr(see photo below), former Imperial Supplier to the Court, at no. 26.

Rauhensteingasseis where your walk starts to let you get intimate with this city. It’s all more quiet and private there.Blumenstockgassegets really narrow, with some of the houses bending towards you. Continue throughBallgassewhich bends to the left and then, enter Vienna’s loveliest tiny square, the Franziskanerplatz, entrance to the Hieronymous Church and the adjacent Franciscan monastery. Take a break at theKleines Caféright on the square and join the Viennese inpeople watching, our favourite pastime.

On your way to Kärntnerstrasse, two shops for traditional Austrian folkloric clothes, Gössl and Original Salzburger Trachten Outlet, turn up.Gösslstocks up-market authentic Austrian clothes and accessories and new collections of modern simplistic design. TheOriginal Salzburger Trachtenoutletis more moderatly priced and sells good quality and sometimes quirky, partly authentic, pieces. Select one single piece and wear it with your jeans or a white shirt.

3. Pay Tribute To St. Stephen’s Cathedral

Old Vienna Walk: StephansdomAs you continue, you will eventually hit my city’s most famous landmark, Stephansdom(St. Stephen’s Cathedral). Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart got married there, as well as countless Habsburg Emperors. For the purpose of this walk take a few minutes to glimpse into Stephansdom’s interiors. In fact, you may want to return later to see the cathedral in more details, and for brilliant panoramic views from the North Tower

Just opposite, ultra modern Haas Haus reflects the gothic cathedral. Besides hosting a small shopping mall, Haas house includes the flagship restaurant and society bar of international catering and restaurant success story Do&Co. Keep the spectacular Onyx Barin mind for the evening.

If you love design headwear with a unique Austrian twist take a little detour to Mühlbauer Hutmanufaktur in Seilergasse.

4. Add Coffee And Iconic Sandwiches

Old Vienna Walk: Cafe HawelkaOld Vienna Walk.If you feel like it add some fuel to your walk with a snack in my absolute favourite original 1950’s Viennese snack bar, the Trzesniewski.

Just a few steps further you will find Café Hawelka, Vienna’s most famous artists’ and writers’ coffeehouse. Its fame has been attracting loads of tourists, but do sneak in for a check. Alternatively, head down the Graben to the legendary ‘Zum Schwarzen Kameel’for an Art-Deco style fine lunch.

5. Visit Café Central

Old Vienna Walk: NaglergasseOld Vienna Walk.Naglergasse, off Kohlmarkt, is a long narrow street full of nice little shops and bars. Before I started to take old Vienna walks just for fun, it was my usual passage from university into the city centre.

Optional: Before you enter Freyung square, head down left into Strauchgasse. At its end you’ll find legendary Café Central. Walk back through Herrengasse and into Freyung passage shopping mall until you arrive at Freyung square.

The major building complex on Freyung belongs to Schottenstift, a monastery built by monks from the Irishscotesand dating from the 12th century. To local Viennese, the Schottenstift is widely known for its private secondary school. Interrupt your old Vienna walk to take a glimpse of this fine baroque church.

6. Finish With Movie Favorite Mölkerbastei

Old Vienna Walk: MoelkerbasteiOn toMölker Bastei. When studying in Vienna I discovered that hidden place as the university is next to it. Clearly, this is one of the most picturesque corners of the city: a jungle patch of history in the midst of the perfectly manicured flower beds of the surrounding areas. Just ask Orson Welles or David Cronenberg. In fact, Orson Welles used Mölker Bastei scenery in his cult film The Third Man.David Cronenberg filmed here for his Sigmund-Freud-Film “A Dangerous Method”.

Most importantly, the Bastei is one of the few visible remains of Vienna’s old city wall. Around the corner, pass – or enter – the flagship store of internationally acclaimed Ludwig Reiter. For decades, the Viennese family business has been creating icons of fine shoewear. Eventually, your itinerary will slow down at the Dreimäderlhaus(Three Girls’ House, see photo). Back in the 19th century, owner Mr. Fröhlich had arranged piano lessons with a certain Franz Schubert for his daughters Hannerl, Kati and Nannette.

As you end your tour head towards Schottentoron theRingstrasse,where you will likely fall into a tram, underground, bus or taxi – you’ll deserve it.

Old Vienna Walk Map

Old Vienna Walk.Click on the icons for further details on the recommended spots, and on the linklarger mapbelow to zoom in. The path looks like a two day walk, but don’t feel overwhelmed. Lots of the sites are shops and cafes, so you are not supposed to tick off each and every one of them. Factor in1.5 to 3 hours, depending on the number and length of stops you make.


ViewVienna Walk I: Old Viennain a larger map

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