Six things you must do while you’re in Vienna
Explore sights of the city with a Polaroid camera, and take dip in the Danube
Austria’s capital might be full of beautiful palaces and breathtaking opera houses, but some of the best attractions are also the most surprising.
Hot Rod Citytour
Sign up for a Hot Rod Citytour and you’ll spend two hours whizzing around Vienna in a soapbox-style vehicle. The single-person contraptions, which were all hand-built in Hamburg, Germany, have automatic transmission and a maximum of speed of 88 kilometres per hour.
Your guide will point out the various sights using the in-car radio and a van, adorned with the words “follow me,” will lead the way, minimizing the risk of wrong turns.
Badeschiff
Vienna’s famous for its outdoor pools and locals can regularly be seen taking a dip in the Danube, which passes through the city. If that doesn’t appeal, opt for the next best thing — a floating swimming pool in the centre of Vienna.
Afterward, head to the outdoor decking for a cocktail. The Badeschiff is also one of the city’s most popular nightspots, with regular DJ sets and live music.
In winter, the pool closes, but the bar remains open.
The Bank Brasserie & Bar
The beautiful Bank Brasserie & Bar can be found on the ground floor of the Park Hyatt Vienna. Dine at this restaurant — housed in a former bank’s cashiers’ hall — and gawk at the spectacular open kitchen or enjoy a cocktail in what was once the vault.
The food is typically European and delicious (the scallops and steaks seem to be the most popular dishes), and the cocktails are wonderfully quirky. The Tresor, for example, is a saffron-infused concoction served in a wooden vault, while the Ternobuchtel and Kanarimilch contains honey and plum jam.
Wiener Riesenrad
The Wiener Riesenrad is a 64.6-metre-tall ferris wheel in Vienna’s Prater amusement park. Built in 1897, it was the world’s tallest ferris wheel between 1920 and 1985.
Feel like splashing out? Reserve the Crystalline Luxury Cabin — you’ll enjoy a candlelit, three-course meal served on fine china. It’s especially popular on Valentine’s Day and is one of Vienna’s most sought-after proposal spots.
Museum of Art Fakes
Think you can tell a Manet from a Monet? Test your skills with a visit to Vienna’s Museum of Art Fakes, which is filled with some of the world’s best fakes.
You’ll find out how to identify the genuine articles and will learn about the stories surrounding the world’s most famous examples of art fraud, including how Hermann Goering, a leading member of the Nazi party during the Second World War, was tricked into buying a faked Vermeer painting.
PolaWalk
Ditch the iPhone and snap the city on a good old Polaroid camera instead. Visitors who sign up for a PolaWalk will be given a Polaroid camera for the duration of the tour.
As you explore Vienna, guides will offer advice about how to take perfect pictures of the various landmarks, including the Imperial Palace, the Parliament building and the State Opera. Tamara Hinson’s trip was sponsored by the Magdas Hotel and the Vienna Tourist Board, which didn’t review or approve this story.