Ideally, commence this walk in the morning, reaching Hoher Markt
[5] at midday and finish in one of four well known Viennese restaurants for lunch. The walks starts at
[1] Petersplatz, named after the Church of St. Peter. The interior decorations of this church are said to rank as some of the finest in Vienna (with beautiful interior frescoes by Austrian artist Johann Rottmayr).
Walk up the narrow Steindlgasse passing (or not)
[2] Gösser Bierklinik [Steindlgasse 4], well known for brewing and serving a very smooth Viennese beer, into Schulhof.
Head up Drahtgasse, where you may recognise scenes from
The Third Man. Remember Harry Lime's enormous shadow moving over walls in a wet rain-soaked street? This was the street. Then along
[3] Judenplatz, the heart of the Jewish ghetto in the 13th to 16th centuries. Explore the maze of narrow alleyways off Judenplatz and discover interesting bars and restaurants known only to the locals.
As you come out onto Wippinger Strasse, almost directly opposite is the
[4] Altes Rathaus (Old City Hall) [Wippinger Strasse 8]. Explore the interior passageways and courtyards, which are open during the day. In the interior courtyard is a nude sculpture of
Andromeda, one of the many masterpieces created by Georg Raphael Donner.
The
[5] Anker Clock [Hoher Markt 10/11] sits in the middle of a 10 metre archway connecting two parts of a building of the Anker Court. Every hour for 12 hours, a figure or pairs of figures from the history of Vienna, parade across the clock face. If you are here at precisely 12 midday, you will see all 12 figures parade past the clock face.
Time now to look at some of Vienna's well known eateries.
[6] Kiang [Rotgasse 8] is Vienna’s famous Chinese restaurant where the food is prepared in front of you. If loud decor and huge fish-bowl windows are not to your liking, then turn right into Fleischmarkt and about 100 metres along is one of the oldest restaurants in Vienna, the
[7] Griechenbeisl, or "the Greeks Inn" [Fleischmarkt 11], which has both inside and outdoor dining serving traditional Viennese cuisine. Next door is the
Greek Orthodox Church.
Alternatively, wander through the one of the oldest and narrowest streets of Vienna, Baskerstrasse, and try an inexpensive goulash and beer at
[8] Alt Wien (Old Vienna) [Baskerstrasse 9]. Formerly one of Vienna's chic places to be seen, it still has a somewhat mysterious atmosphere evocative of times past.
However, if you are after an even lighter lunch, proceed down Essiggasse and Strobelgasse, crossing Schulerstrasse into Domgasse.
Mozart lived for some time in a second storey apartment on the corner of Domgasse and Blutgasse ("Blood Lane"). Further along Domgasse, look into the
[9] picturesque courtyards in numbers 3 and 9. Look for the open balconies running around each floor of the apartment buildings, typical of the early 1900s. Now head alomg Singerstrasse, which becoms Graben. On the corner of Graben and Kartnerstrasse, note the
[10] Stock im Eisen, a wooden post with hundreds of nails ringed by an iron band and protected with a padlock. (See
Wikipedia for the history.)
Finally,
[11] Buffet Trzesniewski [Dorotheergasse 1] is an institution in Vienna, offering delicious, tasty sandwiches and deserts, washed down with a glass of beer.
Guten Appetit!