Opening hours - shops and museum

Talking to Anne I realized that opening hours are different in Vienna and it might be a good idea to spell it out.

For people who want to go to any of the Museums. Check their opening hours first!
Many museums are closed on Mondays. So if you want to go plan another day or at least check. Sundays are generally good days to visit Museums.
I would also assume that all close at 18.00 and early/late evening is also no option.

Shopping otherwise......
Sunday is basically a day where every shop is closed. Even some Restaurants and Pubs are closing. You should not worry about the restaurants/pubs - enough will be open and you will find something to eat. No doubt.

Shops are often closing at 6pm with exceptions on big shopping streets like Mariahilferstrasse where shops may stay open until 7 or later (especially on Thursdays or Fridays, very unlikely on Saturdays).

Supermarkets the same...... no food shopping on Sundays. Water, juices etc. for the room (to avoid mini bar prices) you need to buy before Sunday and before 6pm on Saturdays.

A list with links to potential activities in Vienna

My parents have been active and collected a list of links to potential activities in Vienna.

Here it is....

http://www.imagevienna.com/ Konzerte / Concerts in Schönbrunn MOZART und STRAUSS

http://www.hgm.or.at/ Heeresgeschichtliches Museum, ~Museum of Military – Homepage auch Englisch

http://www.drittemanntour.at http://www.thirdmantour.at/ eh klar, a given

http://www.karlsplatz.org Übersicht diverse Veranstaltungen, Overview of different activities and events

http://www.khm.at/ Kunsthistorisches Museum Art History Museum – Homepage auch Englisch

http://www.albertina.at A Museum and special Cinema (where the Third man is playing quiet regularly)

http://www.wienmuseum.at Link zu „anderen“ Museen, z.B. Uhrenmuseum - link to a variety of museums, e.g. the clock or watch museum

http://www.wien.gv.at/ma53/museen/museen.htm#a Alphabetische Linksammlung aller Museen in Wien (unglaublich viele) - alphabetical selection of links to all museums in Vienna (unbelievable how many)

http://www.tschauner.at/ Original Wiener Stegreifbühne ist wohl eher nichts für Engländer, ad hoc Viennese Theater, but most likely not for English speaking people (even non Viennese might struggle)

http://www.bodiesvienna.at Die präparierten Original Menschen Körper - brrrrrrrrr gruselig, nix für mich , original human bodies 'prepared' (??) - brrrrrr awful, not for me

http://www.alte-musik.co.at Musik für Insider in der ältesten Kirche von Wien St. Ruprecht, Music for Insiders in the oldest church in Vienna, Church St. Ruprecht

Jetzt brauchen sie nur noch einige Monate da bleiben und schon kennen sie Wien besser als wir.

Now you need only to stay some months in Vienna, and you will know Vienna better then the Viennese people.

Things to do, things to see in Vienna

Hmmm, being born in Vienna and having lived in Vienna for all my life (beside the last year),
it is actually quiet hard to say what people should see or must see in Vienna.

I start with some of my selections:

1. City hall (Rathaus) by night
   You need to see the city hall (Rathaus) by night! It is on the Ringstrasse (street around the very centre of Vienna) at Rathausplatz.
   In the night it looks like from a fairy tale with its lights.
   It is one of my favorite places in Vienna.
   While you are there, there will be the summer festival infront of the city hall. That means every evening when it gets dark, an opera or concert will be presented on a screen and the whole square is full of huts with drinks and food. The only disadvantge is that it is very crouded (full of tourists - hihi).
   
2. The Secession
   It is very close to Naschmarkt - one of the oldest and famoust markets (food). It is an art gallery related to art nouveau.
   It is different and I like the gold cauliflower roof.
   It has the famous Beethoven Fries from Klimt.
   
3. Karlskirche
   My most loved church is Karlskirche at Karlsplatz. If it would have been possible, we would have get married there.
   I like the style and it is close to where I lived as a child.
   
4. Buildings along the Ringstrasse (Theaters, Opera, Parliament, .....)
   A good way to see a lot of impressive and famous buildings in Vienna, is to go via the tram (either line 1 or 2, or you walk) along the Ringstrasse.
   
5. Museum of Natural History and/or Museum of Fine Arts At Maria Theresienplatz
   (also along Ringstrasse) there are both museums opposite each other - I find the buildings (inside) impressive. I personally don't like the the Rubbens and Rembrandts, but I think the stairs and the whole building is impressive. Therefore I think it is worth a visit!
   
6. Heurigen
   You need to go to a Heurigen - which is a pub / restaurant related to wineyards.
   Traditionally the wineyards did open when the new wine (Heuriger) was ready to drink and they were only allowed to sell their own wine and food they produced themselves.
   Today they are selling their wine but also other things and a variety of food - typlically you have to collect it yourself from a kind of buffet.
   Good places are Grinzing and Neustift (I prefer Neustift).
   
7. Schloss Schoenbrunn
   And if you visit Schloss Schoenbrunn it is a must that you go to Gloriette and have a view over Vienna.
   
8. Schloss Belvedere
   Another Schloss in the middle of Vienna - with paintings from Klimt (even if some are gone - big scandale 2(?) years ago.
   
9. Hundertwasserhaus
   A museum and appartment house in the unique style of Friedrich Hundertwasser. Everything is wonky (on purpose), nothing is straight, a lot of colours, .... unique as I said.
   
10. Just walking through the city centre .....
    There are all kind of buildings and squares and ..... like the Albertina, the Looshaus, .....
    
    

And there are 1000 other things,

more to come......

Information about Vienna on the web (Wieninformation)

There is a website with information about Vienna.
It includes link to a map (city map) where you can also select to see public transportation etc.
It has some links to sight seeing and other things - a lot of them you will not need.

I thought it might be useful and I provide you with the link:
Vienna information website

And I found a second website - via Vienna for Tourists - and here you have some hints and tips too: Viennainfo

And here is the link to the map where you can select e.g. the address of the venue (Freyung 4):
Map