From: ehr@ecsvax.uncecs.edu (Ernest H. Robl)
Subject: Re: Vienna
Summary: suggestions
Organization: UNC Educational Computing Service
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 06:49:22 GMT



Since there appears to be some new interest in Vienna, here's a 
slightly revised version of something I first posted about a year
ago:

Okay, let me give this a try.  A couple of things come to mind.

If you are willing to do some walking around Vienna, I assume
you would also be willing to climb some stairs.  If so, I suggest
a climb to the observation room in the steeple of St. Stephan's
Cathedral in the center of old Vienna.  There is no elevator --
just a narrow winding staircase.  There is a moderate admission fee --
I don't remember how much, and it's probably changed -- and a 
spectacular view.  If you do this early in your visit, it may give
you ideas for other things to look at in the downtown area.

Access to the steeple is from the outside of the church -- at the
very base of the steeple.  If you face the front of the church from
the large square in front, go to your right and keep going around
until you find the entrance.

Though I'm not particularly religious, the interior of the church
is well worth a look, too -- particularly if you are already in the
area.


One of my favorite places to eat in Vienna is the Rathauskeller.  Yes,
it's a real Rathauskeller -- which in German means the basement of
the city hall -- and is, logically enough, located in the basement of
the city hall, a large gothic building on the Ring, which you can't
miss if you're in the area.  There are a couple of things worth 
noting about this.  First, they are closed one day a week -- but off-
hand, I don't remember which day (Monday?).  And, they have a number
of different dining halls.  Though the food is from the same kitchen,
the atmosphere in each is quite different.  The room you want is 
called the Grinzinger Keller.  When facing the front of the Rathaus,
the entrance for the Rathauskeller is at the front at the far right
of the building.  Go down the staircase and ALL THE WAY TO THE END
OF the long hall.  Don't let them steer you into one of the other 
rooms.

You will know you are in the right room when you see facing you 
what looks like a giant wine/beer barrel set into one wall.  Don't
go too early, at least not much before 7:30 p.m.  They have music
in that particular room, and I think that usually starts around
that time.  There's usually a quartet that plays an interesting
mixture of traditional Austrian and modern popular music.  The food,
particularly the Wiener Schnitzel, is very good and not too expensive.

I've eaten there many times over the years.  Sometimes if you get
just the right crowd, people not only make requests for particular
music but sing along also.  It can get quite lively.  Needless to say,
you don't need to dress up for this room.  In some of the other 
rooms of the Rathauskeller, coat and tie are more the norm.


To eat during the day, I would suggest the G"osser Keller.  It's a
fairly large restaurant owned by a major brewery.  It's about a 
block from the Opera, one block off the Ring.  I'll try to draw you
an ascii map -- but if you're in the area, most anyone should be
able to point you to it.  That's also a good choice for the evening
if the Rathauskeller is closed that evening.

         ---------------
         |  Opera      |
         ---------------
===========================================
     Ringstrasse
==========================================
         ---------------
         | office bldg.|
         ---------------
------------------------------------------
     Elizabethgasse   
-------------------------------------------
         ----------------
         | G"osser   ^  |
         | Keller    |  |       Entrance is on Elizabethg. about
         ----------------       where arrow is pointing.


Downtown, you can also walk around the outside of the former Imperial
Residence or take the subway out to the Sch"onbrunn area to see the
former Summer Palace.


One of my favorite areas near Vienna is the Semmering area, about
60 miles (106 km) south-west of Vienna.  This was the site of the
first major mountain railroad in Europe, and trains still follow
the original route.  It takes about an hour by train from Vienna's
SOUTH station (S"udbahnhof).  You can make either a half-day or 
full day outing out of this.  It's a nice trip even if the weather
isn't too great.

Be sure to sit on the LEFT side of the train when you head out
from Vienna, because that's where the best views will be.  Go as
far as the town of Semmering.  (Make sure you get a train that
stops at Semmering; some of the fast long-distance trains do not
stop there.)  It's a small mountain town where you can wander along
some of the backroads.  Semmering is the summit of the line, and
the entrance to a long twin-bore tunnel.  The station has a small
coffee shop where, in addition to coffee you can also get hot (as
in warm, not spicy) saussage and rolls and other simple food.


Another nice one-day outing, a little more "cultural" in nature and
in a different direction is to the town of Melk on the Danube.  That's
the site of a famous abbey.  The old town is also quite interesting
if you're willing to do some walking.  Melk is also 85 km from
Vienna on the WEST railway, on which you leave from the WEST Station
(Westbahnhof), logically enough.  Again, it takes about an hour to
get there.  You'll have to take local train, since many of the faster
trains also don't stop in Melk.  If you have any guidebooks, there
should be information on Melk.  It's been a while since I've been
there, but I think I remember it taking a little less than half an
hour to walk from the station to the monastery.


If you do try any of the above suggestions, do let me know how they
work out.  I realize people's interests vary, but other people do
ask me for advice on Austria from time to time, and I like to know
how that advice works out.  (I was born in Vienna and have made
frequent trips back to Austria.)

Have a good trip.

-- Ernest

P.S.:  As others have already pointed out, Vienna has an excellent
public transit system, with streetcars, buses, and subways.  Do not
try to drive in downtown Vienna if you can avoid it.  If you are
going to do much local travel, by all means get either a daily or
weekly transit system ticket.  The latter requires a small photo,
so bring a couple of extra passport type photos along.  These 
transit passes are also valid on local trains of the Austrian
Railways within the Vienna area.  Your hotel should be able to 
avise you where you can purchase these transit passes.

-- 
"My other computers are Nikon N8008s and an SB25." -- Ernest H. Robl
Ernest H. Robl (ehr@ecsvax)  Durham, NC, USA   +1  919   286-3845
                                         FAX:  +1  919   286-1696
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