With such a rich cultural and historical heritage, the Austrian capital is a wonder to wander but don’t overlook its diverse neighbourhoods, cuisine and bars
Vienna is divided into 23 districts (Bezirke), each distinct in reputation and purpose. The old town, officially the Innere Stadt (1st district, with St Stephen’s cathedral at its heart), is surrounded by the Ringstrasse, a splendid boulevard begun in the 1850s and not quite finished by the time the Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed in 1918. Beyond the Ring lie districts two to nine, which are in turn surrounded by a much larger ring road, the Gürtel (belt). The Viennese often prefer to shop, drink and eat in their own district or a neighbouring one than venture into the centre. In winter, I advise huddling in the cosy bars and cafes of the 4th district (especially around Schleifmühlgasse), or the streets either side of the Mariahilferstrasse, the city’s unremarkable shopping drag. In recent years, Leopoldstadt (2nd district and traditionally the Jewish part of town) has happily re-emerged, and is also replete with warm and atmospheric cafes, bars, restaurants and clubs.
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