Winter in Vienna – sightseeing tips from our expert (pt.2)

Our wombats Vienna guide and expert Charles gives you his personal recommendations for your stay in the Austrian capital. This is part two of the “things to do in Vienna in winter” series – the first part can be found here.

[caption id="attachment_338" align="alignright" width="300" caption="A great place for culture & arts: the upper Belevedere"][/caption]

Culture & Arts – Gustav Klimt

Vienna is celebrating the 150th birthday of Gustav Klimt, one the worlds’ most famous Symbolist painters and Viennese artists. There are a lot of exhibitions around these days, but there is one MUST SEE:

The Belvedere is hosting the Klimt exhibition “Pioneers of Modernism” ‘till 4th of March and permanently houses "The Kiss", the largest Klimt collection in the world. It is situated in the 3rd district at the Prinz-Eugen-Street 27. You can either get there with the tram line “D” to stop “Schloss Belvedere” as well as with the tram 18 and bus lines 13A and 69A to stop “Südbahnhof”.

“Alternative Sightseeing” - Cemeteries

And if you’re totally into Klimt, then you should also visit the “Hietzinger Friedhof” (cementery Hietzing), where he was buried along other notable historic figures. To get there just take the metro line U4 to Hietzing, from there take Bus 58B to stop “Montecucolli Strasse”.

Speaking of cemeteries – they are places of culture and part of Vienna’s history as a city. Apart from thousands of graves, there are also green spaces, trees, churches, historical buildings and cultural monuments to be seen. Especially the Central Cemetery (district Simmering, tram line 6 or 71, stop Zentralfriedhof) is one of Vienna’s must-sees. It is one of the largest cemeteries in the world and many of Austria’s (and international) personalities of art, music and politics are buried here - like Ludwig van Beethoven, Arthur Schnitzler, Falco or Bruno Kreisky, just to name a few.

Shopping – Museumsquartier

“Shopping” can be much more than browsing through the stores of international brands, which look the same all over the world. The Museumquartier Vienna (one of the largest art and culture complexes in the world - you can’t miss it) houses some really cool stores of young designers, artists and “cool nerdy stuff”.

My special recommendation: the Lomography Shop. Right under the MUMOK stairway next to the KUNSTHALLE wien shop, the Lomographic Society's store features an outstanding interior designed by Sally Bibawy, Karl Pircher, and Monika Singer. The shop sells cult cameras from the Lomo range and other trendy gifts and gadgets like films, books, Lomography-themed under- and outerwear, retro stuff and accessories.

Well, I hope you enjoy the winter in Vienna and that you have a great stay!

Yours, Charles