Curious things to do in Vienna

1. Wine tasting

If you like wine, you’ll love the traditional Heuriger

Waiting by sun-brushed hills outside of the city centre, Vienna’s Heuriger are winery-run taverns where glasses of white are ‘chewed’ (as some locals say) beneath a tangle of vines. Mayer am Pfarrplatz is a traditional spot, often filled with Heuriger music – think accordions – and guests pairing Riesling or Gemischter Satz with cold meats. It’s also a great place to try the city’s famous Wiener schnitzel. For the music lovers, it’s worth noting Beethoven lived here once: the composer stayed on Pfarrplatz while dreaming up Symphony No. 9 in 1817. You might feel rather dreamy yourself after an evening sampling local wine and listening to your chatter mingle gently with the live music.

Top tip: Reach Mayer am Pfarrplatz from the city centre via metro and bus or take a taxi for the roughly six-mile drive.

2. Viennese waltz

If you long for Vienna’s ballrooms, learn to waltz like a local.

Vienna’s winter balls are visions of black dinner jackets, white cotillion gowns and dazzling chandeliers. Coat-tails and dress hems swing in time to Strauss as couples dance the Viennese waltz. If you’re preparing for the ball season or simply interested in trying this type of Viennese whirl for yourself, learn the city’s signature dance at a workshop held somewhere like Waltz School. Get to know the flow of the lead-and-follow dance, arms held out and toes poised to pivot. Most classes take place in ballrooms and dressing up is encouraged, giving you a taste of the tradition.

Top tip: Wear shoes with smooth soles. It makes gliding easier – and heels aren’t often appreciated by partners whose toes might be in danger of being stepped on.

3. Local shopping haunts

If you like a souvenir, shop local.

A typical snow globe isn’t an unusual souvenir. A snow globe from the family-owned shop where they were invented in the 1900s, however, is rather special. Make your way to The Original Viennese Snow Globe Manufacture in the 17th district, where inventor Erwin Perzy’s ancestors still hand paint and assemble glass globes filled with gentle flurries. Perzy originally only put church dioramas in his globes. Today, however, you can find scenes of snowmen, trees, Viennese landmarks and even sausage buns. Step into the little shop (open Monday to Thursday) to see rows of glinting globes ranging from the size of small bubbles to spheres bigger than your head. Oh, and don’t bother asking what the snow is made of – it’s a secret.

Top tip: If you’re visiting Vienna during winter, you’ll often find an Original Viennese Snow Globe Manufacture stall at the Vienna Christmas Market.

4. Coffeehouse culture

If you love Vienna’s coffeehouse culture, tuck into strudel at Demel.

Coffee isn’t actually the main attraction at a Viennese coffeehouse. Of course, like everything else in the city, the melanges (similar to cappuccinos) are always elegantly prepared. Yet, it’s the conversation and the long hours of socialisation that matter most. Central Cafe stands out as the place where Freud and Trotsky held court beneath vaulted ceilings. Over at Demel – Purveyor to the Imperial and Royal Court since 1786 – you could easily soliloquise about the kaiserschmarrn pancakes dusted in powder sugar or the flaky apfelstrudel bought to tables by white-aproned waitresses. Take a seat, take a bite of something sweet, and take a moment to connect with one another under the chandeliers.

Top tip: Pick up some candied violets from the shop on the ground floor. They were known as Empress Elisabeth's favourite treat and regularly delivered to the Hofburg by Mr Demel himself.

5. Secession Building

If you like Klimt’s art, you’ll love the Secession Building.

The Belvedere tends to steal the show when it comes to art in Vienna. Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss glows in all its gold-leaf glory at Upper Belvedere, while the Marble Hall is Baroque extravagance defined. If you’re a big fan of Klimt’s work, though, you’ll also want to add the Secession exhibition space to your itinerary. The Secession, founded in the late 1800s by artists (including Klimt) breaking away from traditional art institutions, was all about innovation and has the motto ‘To every age its art, to every art its freedom’. Look up at the laurel leaf copula atop the building before heading inside to ponder the questions posed in contemporary exhibitions. You’ll also find Klimt’s Beethoven Frieze on permanent display on the second underground level.

Top tip: The Secession Building is next to the Naschmarkt, so you can easily combine your visit with a bite to eat at one of Vienna’s most famous markets.

6. Schoenbrunn Palace

If you like Vienna’s music, you’ll love a classical concert at Schoenbrunn Palace.

Once you’ve seen the Vienna Philharmonic perform at the Musikverein, attend an intimate concert in the orangery of Schoenbrunn Palace. Sit beside towering plants reaching for arched ceilings and let the music soar over you. Mozart played here in 1786 and today the Schoenbrunn Palace Orchestra, accompanied by two opera singers, a soprano and a baritone, continue to captivate audiences with his overtures, arias and duets. Music from the waltz king Johann Strauss also fills the orangery on low-lit concert evenings, sure to make you feel like grabbing the person next to you and spinning around the room (do remain seated, please, and save the dancing for Vienna’s ballrooms).

Top tip: Mozart fans should also see the palace’s Hall of Mirrors. This is believed to be the room in which a six-year-old Mozart performed for Empress Maria Theresa in 1762.

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