Austria’s capital city was shaped by the artists and intellectuals who resided there— including Mozart, Beethoven, Gustave Klimt, Egon Schiele, and Sigmund Freud. Coffee houses and “café society” shaped Viennese culture. In fact, the "Viennese Coffee House Culture" is listed as an "Intangible Cultural Heritage" by UNESCO, “where time and space are consumed, but only the coffee is found on the bill." Perhaps, this is one of the reasons why Vienna has earned the top stop for over 10 years running on the Mercer Quality of Life Survey. Here is our guide to Vienna.

STAY

HOTEL SACHER
Art nouveau-style rooms with chandeliers are part of the ornate furnishings at this stately hotel, but its claim to fame is its revered Sachertorte, available at either of the two restaurants, cafe, bar, or the gift shop. Philharmoniker Str. 4; sacher.com

PALAIS COBURG RESIDENZ This opulent hotel, and former palace dating from 1844, includes a fine-dining restaurant and incredible wine cellar. The hidden treasure of the hotel is its secluded garden. Coburgbastei 4; palais-coburg.com

ROSEWOOD VIENNA Located amongst museums and shops in the Old Town, the new Rosewood Vienna has a cozy bar, an airy lounge, and a brasserie with terrace dining and city views, plus a 24/7 gym, and a spa with a sauna and steam room. Peterspl. 7; rosewoodhotels.com/en/vienna

GRAND HOTEL WIEN This Belle Époque hotel opened its doors in 1870 to much fanfare, drawing the glitterati of Viennese society. Its grand reputation was cemented in 1894 when Johann Strauss took the stage during his golden jubilee celebration. Today, the hotel remains an ideal choice for guests. Le Ciel restaurant has panoramic views from its 7th-floor terrace, and the terrace of the Schanigarten Café is an ideal venue for enjoying a Gugelhupf pastry, Viennese Coffee, and people-watching. Kärntner Ring 9; ihg.com/spnd/hotels/us/en/vienna

HOTEL IMPERIAL A grand hotel in the Kärntner Ring with a cake that rivals Hotel Sacher’s famous Sachertorte. The Imperial Torte was originally created in honor of his majesty Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1873. It is still made by hand from a secret recipe, and it includes layers of whipped chocolate cream and sliced almonds, surrounded by marzipan and coated in chocolate glazing. Order one in the hotel’s café or gift shop. Kärntner Ring 16; marriott.com/en-us/hotels/vieil-hotel-imperial-a-luxury-collection-hotel-vienna

HOTEL GRAND FERDINAND A boutique hotel with a scenic rooftop. Schubertring 10-12; grandferdinand.com

THE RITZ-CARLTON VIENNA This palatial hotel includes a spa, fitness center, restaurant and rooftop lounge in the Schubertring. Schubertring 5-7; ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/vierz-the-ritz-carlton-vienna

HOTEL BRISTOL Opened in 1892, the luxurious Hotel Bristol, a Luxury Collection Hotel, sits directly next to the Vienna State Opera. Kärntner Ring 1; marriott.com/en-us/hotels/vielc-hotel-bristol-a-luxury-collection-hotel-vienna

HOTEL TOPAZZ LAMÉE
The contemporary rooms are inspired by Viennese artists and feature wall murals and oval window seats overlooking the city. The hotel's sister restaurant and bustling rooftop bar are across the street. Lichtensteg 2/3; hoteltopazzlamee.com

DO&CO A member of Design Hotels, this recently opened hotel features a rooftop terrace with an onyx bar and wraparound glass walls facing St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Stephansplatz 12; docohotel.com

HOTEL MOTTO A charmingly feminine, 1920s Paris-inspired boutique hotel with a fun rooftop restaurant on Mariahilferstrasse, the biggest shopping street in the city. Highlights include fun floral wallpaper, a mix of contemporary art and vintage furniture, and an on-site organic bakery. Mariahilfer Straße 71A; hotelmotto.at

HOTEL ZOLA A zen-like, adults-only boutique property with 24 rooms and suites in the Second District has a bohemian-chic vibe and a creative international restaurant, Zazatam. Vorgartenstraße 217/1020; hotelzola.com

THE LEO GRAND Just steps from the Rosewood, The Leo Grand is a playful, vaguely Baroque boutique property. The Leopold Suite offers unique penthouse views (which can also be enjoyed in the standalone soaking tub, lofted above the bedroom). You can’t miss the bright-red lacquered façade when passing by. 1, Bauernmarkt 1010; theleogrand.com

THE ALMANAC PALAIS An anticipated addition to the grandeur of the Ringstrasse, the Almanac will be located within the restored Henckel-Donnersmarck palace, offering five-star luxury, a sprawling spa and interiors by Jaime Beriestain. Parkring 14/16; almanachotels.com/vienna

THE HOXTON This trendy brand is set to arrive in the Stadtpark later this year within the former headquarters of Austria's Chamber of Commerce. In addition to a coffee bar and speakeasy, the hotel will also house an auditorium and cultural space for live performances and events. Rudolf-Sallinger-Platz 1; thehoxton.com/vienna

PARK HYATT This upscale hotel in the early-20th-century former Bank of Austria HQ has art nouveau decor and the breakfast buffet is terrific. It is near the Hofburg Imperial Palace and St. Stephen's Cathedral. The plush rooms and suites mix contemporary with traditional Viennese decor, and amenities include a lavish restaurant, a ritzy cocktail bar and an elegant, wood-paneled whisky/cigar lounge. The spa has a heated indoor pool and a fitness center, and there's also a refined tea room and a business center. Am Hof 2; hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/austria/park-hyatt-vienna

THE GUESTHOUSE An old brutalist youth hostel renovated by Terence Conran with a showcase for furniture by Carl Auböck. Führichgasse 10; theguesthouse.at

DINE | DRINK

STEIRERECK One of the world’s 50 best restaurants according to S. Pellegrino led by Chef Heinz Reitbauer where white-glove waiters serve nouveau-Austrian cuisine. Am Heumarkt 2A; steirereck.at

DEMEL This confectioner and chocolaterie was established in 1786 and bears the title of a Purveyor to the Imperial and Royal Court. Pick up a pale pink box of their famous les langue de chat chocolates as a gift. Kohlmarkt 14; demel.com

ZUM SCHWARZEN KAMEEL The Black Camel is one of our favorite cafés and restaurants in Vienna, dating from 1618. Bognergasse 5; schwarzeskameel.at/shop/pub/kameel

LOOS AMERICAN BAR Our favorite place come nightfall in Vienna. An intimate and iconic art deco venue designed by Adolf Loos serving classic cocktails. Kärntner Durchgang 10; loosbar.at

EDEN BAR A former officer's casino with live music. Liliengasse 2; edenbar.at

FIGMLÜLLER The best (and possibly the largest) Weiner Schnitzel in Vienna. Come hungry! Bäckerstraße 6; figlmueller.at/en

HOTEL SACHER Visit the Sacher Ech Vienna hotel café for a slice of Sachertorte and a cup of Weiner Melange. Philharmoniker Str. 4; sacher.com/de/wien

PLANTER’S CLUB This chic dimly-lit bar is designed in the colonial style of a Ceylonese tea planter’s mansion featuring leather sofas, wooden fittings, and potted palms. Try the Planter’s Punch! Zelinkagasse 4; plantersclub.com

CAFÉ LANDTMANN A classic cafe and restaurant with storied clientele from Sigmund Freud to Paul McCartney with a shaded terrace. Universitätsring 4; landtmann.at

CAFÉ SPERL An 1880 coffeehouse with homemade pastries, live music, and a garden. Expect to wait in line, but worth it! Gumpendorfer Str. 11; cafesperl.at

JOSEPH BROT
A new Austrian bakery with organic options and freshly baked bread. joseph.co.at

NENI
The perfect spot before or after the Saturday flea market— full of artists, designers, and creatives. Naschmarkt 510; nenifood.com/restaurants/naschmarkt

CAFÉ ANSARI
Not that you would, but should you tire of Austrian cuisine, this café offers excellent Georgian food with a stylish atmosphere. Try the Georgian breakfast of dumpling and mozzarella with a fried egg on top, plus tomato and basil salad. Praterstraße 15; cafeansari.at

MARKTWIRTSCHAFT
A concept store with daily menus featuring local and organic food in the trendy Seventh District. Meidlinger Markt 89-92; wirtschaftammarkt.at

HEUER
Located in the same building as Kunsthalle at Karlsplatz. A popular breakfast place, especially with artists. Treitlstraße 2; heuer-amkarlsplatz.com

SALONPLAFOND
Next door to the beautiful Museum of Applied Arts with a menu of contemporary Austrian cuisine. Stubenring 5; salonplafond.wien

NASCHMARKT A food market with fresh produce, spices, and picnic fixings. wien.info/en/dine-drink/markets/naschmarkt

DAS LOFT On the 18th floor of the Sofitel with 360-degree views of Vienna. Praterstraße 1; dasloftwien.at

MOCHI Delicious sushi. Praterstraße 15; mochi.at

TAUBENKOBEL A restaurant in a Relais & Chateaux farmhouse hotel outside town, but every December the owners, Barbara Eselböck and her husband Alain Weissgerber, the chef, run a pop-up in some abandoned building, say, a train shed or the ballroom of an old hotel. Exquisite food in such a haunting location is a special experience. relaischateaux.com/us/hotel/taubenkobel

CONCORDIA SCHLÖSSL By the Central Cemetery; it has a huge statue outside and serves traditional Viennese food by candlelight. It’s spooky but cool – if you share my morbid sense of humour. Simmeringer Hauptstraße 283; concordia-schloessl.at

GASTHAUS PÖSCHL Famous for Wiener schnitzel and goulash – and if you need to walk it off, there’s a lovely Franciscan church nearby to explore. Weihburggasse 17; gasthauspschl-qmb.com

VOLKSGARTEN One of Vienna’s oldest clubs that was recently redesigned with original 1950s furniture. Volksgarten; volksgarten.at

ROBERTO AMERICAN BAR Founded by a former employee at Loosbar and with a serious cocktail menu. Bauernmarkt 11/13

BONBONNIÉRE A piano bar, which is fun – it looks like an old jewel box and feels like being in a 1960s French movie. Spiegelgasse 15

CAFE PRÜCKEL In a traditional atmosphere you will find everything that has made the Viennese coffee house world-famous. Prückel is a Viennese institution, located close to the MAK and 5 minutes walk from Stefansplatz. Stubenring 24; prueckel.at

AIDA There are many of these in Vienna, recognizable by their iconic sugar-pink décor. aida.at/en

DAS KLEINE PARADIES A dinner restaurant in the heart of Josefstadt with a pretty garden and comfort food. daskleineparadies.at

CAFÉ JELINEK Order bread with tomato and cheese, a regional delicacy. Otto-Bauer-Gasse 5; cafejelinek.steman.at

VERANDA A restaurant serving up experimental, seasonal Austrian cuisine in contemporary surroundings. Hotel Sans Souci Wien, Burggasse 2; sanssouci-wien.com/veranda-wien

LUGECK From the owners of Figmüller, Lugeck serves classic Viennese cuisine in one of Vienna’s most picturesque and storied buildings. Lugeck 4; lugeck.com

ART | CULTURE | ACTIVITIES

SPANISH RIDING SCHOOL The home and training grounds of the classical dressage Lipizzaner horses, originally opened as early as 1572, and designed by the Rococo architect Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach. Visit for morning training exercises or afternoon performances of the Ballet of the White Stallions in the baroque Winter Riding School at Hofburg Palace.

MUSEUM OF APPLIED ARTS The MAK is an arts and crafts museum oriented towards design, focusing on architecture and contemporary art. We especially loved their recent Thonet chair show and the attached restaurant, Salonplafond.

IMPERIAL FURNITURE COLLECTION One of the world’s largest furniture collections, mostly from the Habsburg monarchy, with 16,5000 artifacts from over 3 centuries.

LIECHTENSTEIN CITY PALACE MUSEUM The Stadtpalais Liechtenstein is a private art museum in a residential building built in 1692 by the Italian architect Domenico Martinelli and the Swiss architect Gabriele Gabrieli.

RATHAUS Vienna’s City Hall, available to tour.

SECESSION
Established in 1987 by artists with a basement featuring Gustave Klimt’s Beethoven Frieze mural.

STAATSOPER One of the world’s most revered opera houses, which counts Mahler and Strauss among its famous past directors. The annual Vienna Opera Ball is held here.

MOZARTHAUS Mozart's residence from 1784 to 1787, in Vienna's Old Town, not far from St. Stephen's Cathedral.

MUSIKVEREIN A concert hall and home of The Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s concert— the largest worldwide event in classical music since 1959.

KONZERTHAUS A concert hall, which opened in 1913, and emphasizes both traditional and innovative musical styles.

SCHLOSS BELVEDERE Consisting of two Baroque palaces, the Orangery, and the Palace Stables, as well as the Belvedere Museum— home of Gustave Klimt’s iconic work, The Kiss.

SCHLOSS SCHÖNBRUNN Mozart gave his first public performance in the gilded Mirror Room at the tender age of six at this Hapbsurg Summer Palace in Hietzing.

ST. STEPHEN’S CATHEDRAL The zigzagging mosaic-tiled roof of this Roman Catholic Church is an iconic structure and focal point in Vienna’s Stephansplatz.

HOFBURG The official residence and workplace of the President of Austria, formerly the principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty, originally built in the 13th century. Our favorite section is the Sisi Museum, which is home to gowns and personal belongings of the famous and often misunderstood Princess.

ALBERTINA A museum in the Innere Stadt, housing one of the largest and most important print rooms in the world with approximately 65,000 drawings and approximately 1 million old master prints. We especially love the view from the balcony.

LEOPOLD MUSEUM Home of the world’s largest collection of Egon Schiele works.

MUMOK In the Museumsquartier, and filled with 20th and 21st-century modern and contemporary art designed to scandalize and shock, including major works from Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Joseph Beuys, Nam June Paik, Wolf Vostell, Gerhard Richter, Jasper Johns and Roy Lichtenstein.

KUNSTHISTORISCHES MUSEUM Home to our favorite museum café and a fine arts collection with an Old Masters gallery featuring Rubens, Raphael, and Caravaggio.

TBA21
A contemporary art foundation with programming by Francesca von Habsburg.

SCHLEIFMÜHLGASSE & ESCHENBACHGASSE
These two streets are home to an amazing grouping of contemporary art galleries.

WAVES VIENNA MUSIC FESTIVAL
An underground electronic music scene comes above ground during this festival.

BURGGARTEN A park with an Art Nouveau butterfly garden.

STATE HALL OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRIA In Josefplat and a bit tricky to find, but worth it for the grand 18th-century baroque hall and rare antique tomes on display.

GALERIE KRINSINGER Ursula Krinzinger’s contemporary gallery; she has been supporting young artists since the ’70s.

GALLERY KARL HAGENAUER Beth buys still more of those Bosse animals that she craves. (Guess what is playing at the movie theater right next door?) There are simply too many tiny Austrian bronzes for me to pick from—devils and dogs; cats and clowns—and besides, I am saving my euros for the flea market tomorrow. karlhagenauer.at

SHOP

LOBMEYR
Hand-produced glassware since the days of the monarchy. Classic, modern, and timeless.

PARK
A boutique for Austrian as well as international designers.

SONG
The owner, Myung Saba-Song, is a style icon in her own right.

ELFIE RIEDL
The place for custom-fitted shoes.

ZUR SCHWÄBISCHEN JUNGFRAU
Monarchs bought their linen here back in the day. Follow their lead and purchase something that will last for centuries.

AUGARTEN
Producing porcelain since the age of the monarchy. Nowadays, more cutting-edge designs and designers are displayed alongside the classics.

PHILIPPE PERZI
A men’s clothing boutique with expertly tailored suits and shirts, and the best selection of socks in all of Austria, we might add.

MUEHLBAUER
Hands down the best hats in the country— come summer, winter, and everything in between.

LICHTERLOH A vintage design store. Dagmar Moser, one of the owners – she styles it so well, it’s hard to leave empty-handed. And I always stock up on food, especially cheese, from Urbanek, a delicatessen that also has a wine bar: they’ll make up a plate of cheeses for you and suggest wines to go with them.The specialty is quirky but beautiful mid-century furnithings. Beth buys five miniature Walter Bosse bunnies—she collects these—plus a Walter Bosse horseshoe and Hagenauer brass Letter A. Gumpendorfer Str. 15-17; lichterloh.com

KARMELITERMARKT I buy garden produce and armfuls of flowers at the farmers’ market here. Karmelitermarkt 21; wien.gv.at/freizeit/einkaufen/maerkte/lebensmittel/karmelitermarkt

BLUMENKRAFT Christine Fink is the best florist in Vienna, and an expert at arranging flowers. Schleifmühlgasse 4; blumenkraft.at

KUNSTUBE An interesting bric-a-brac shop on Stallburggasse, a street full of similar places. Stallburggasse 4; khm.at/en/visit/collections/kunstkammer-wien

ALTMANN & KUHNE Renowned for its tiny, exquisite chocolates and wonderfully printed treasure boxes. (I fall in love with a little candy-filled armoire that even has a mirror.) The women running the shop are spectacularly unfriendly—no touching! No photos! Graben 30; altmann-kuehne.com

WÄSCHEFLOTT A custom haberdashery shop where Leonard Bernstein, among other luminaries, bought his pajamas. The store opened in 1948, just after the Second World War, when the city was still divided into four zones controlled by the Americans, British, Russians, and French. Augustinerstraße 7; waescheflott.at

LODEN PLANK A superior lederhosen store, a vast emporium boasting dirndls, puff-sleeve blouses, boiled wool jackets, and other traditional costumes. Michaelerplatz 6; loden-plankl.at

FLO VINTAGE The owner claims is the best shop of its kind in the world. And it is pretty good. Schleifmühlgasse 15A; flovintage.com

DOROTHEUM An auction house where you can also buy things outright. (It was founded by Emperor Joseph I in 1707, which means it was already in business for over a hundred years before Lobmeyr opened.) Here are art nouveau armoires and barrister bookcases, Werner Werkstatte clocks and art deco diamonds. Dorotheergasse 17; dorotheum.com

DAY TRIP

TAUBENKOBEL Only 40 minutes away in Burgenland – during summer go for dinner, stay overnight, and in the morning take an old gondola to Neusiedler lake to Haus im See, a peaceful, summer-only restaurant in Hungary, at the end of a long pier.