Simmering in a summer heatwave, the Viennese are cooling off at public spray stations and water fountains, or congregating in shady courts and urban parks. Heat doesn’t bother the statues of Strauss, Schubert, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Freud, and other influential personalities who dominated global culture when the city was the vanguard of art, literature, architecture and philosophy. Thanks to the wealth of an enthusiastic, if fading, empire, Viennese ideas flourished then and continue to flourish now. Big ideas like psychoanalysis, electric cars, the waltz and coffeehouse culture. Big ideas like reimagining vegan cuisine as a 10-course fine-dining experience in a city of schnitzels and sausages.

On our first night, we discover Jola, the culinary love child of partners Jonathan Wittenbrink and Larissa Andres, who transform vegetables into dishes that have to be tasted to be believed.  Short descriptions on the modest menu (printed on seed paper that can be planted) do little justice to the masterpieces that appear at our table. We walk it off on the famous Kärntner Straße pedestrian strip, seduced by the food, the atmosphere, and the illuminated St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

Over the course of a weekend, we feast on traditional Wiener schnitzels and Italian-Japanese fusion, street shawarmas and small-plate brunches. The food scene in Vienna is extraordinary, reflecting the city’s longstanding role as a cultural crossroads.

With more than 100 museums in the city, bucket lists should start with the big guns. Consider The Albertina, with its grand state rooms and priceless art collection spanning Michelangelo to Picasso. My wife, an art lover, was spellbound by the works of Miró, Signac, Chagall, and the 1504 masterpiece Young Hare by Albrecht Dürer. Consider the Leopold, with its Klimts and Schieles, and the adjacent Museum of Modern Art in MuseumsQuartier Wien.

In the past, I’ve spent entire days exploring the nearby ‘Twins’ – the palatial Art History and Natural History museums that face one another across the grand Maria-Theresien-Platz. There are museums that honour hometown heroes like Schubert, Strauss and Sigmund Freud, museums for furniture, museums for fashion, museums about Vienna’s history, even a museum about the city’s medical legacy. (See TEXT BOX).

Some museums have been around for centuries; others opened their doors more recently. We take a fascinating tour at the newly opened Villa Beer, an acclaimed and striking residence designed by the architects Josef Frank and Oskar Wlach. Beyond their striking innovations, we immerse ourselves in a human space with a tragic personal history, wrapped in pre- and post-war drama. There are stories everywhere in Vienna, with excellent off-the-beaten-track walking tours to learn more about them.

Elaborate, symbolic wall art depicts exotic tropical lands and animals, and the parlour contains original furniture dating back to the 1770s. These chairs were used by the Empress and her children, including the ill-fated Marie Antoinette. We learn about vampires and vampire hunters, of infidelities and palace plots, of cold-war spies and intrigue. Vienna has always been a city of stories, and it’s a treat to hear them from candid, knowledgeable locals who love what they do.

Stories and sounds sprout everywhere, however or wherever you choose to look for them. Book tickets to a classical music concert at the iconic Musikverein, vibrating with legendary acoustics beneath crystal chandeliers and statues from a golden era. Dialling back our personal years, we visit a nightclub on the former grounds of the Imperial Hofburg palace, just steps away from Austria’s Parliament. Crowds only show up after midnight at the Volksgarten Club Disco, scattering across several dance floors and bars.

We take a seat outside in the garden and observe the dynamics, noticing the number of smokers. Cigarettes are still popular in a city that only banned smoking indoors in public spaces in 2019, something to consider before taking your seat on a coffeehouse patio.

Where to stay

Amauris Hotel Vienna: A stylish boutique hotel located steps from the central Karlsplatz metro, perfectly positioned on the Ringstrasse to walk to major attractions. It offers a modern marble décor, art from the owner’s private collection, a 120-year-old antique elevator and a fantastic spa to revitalize tired feet after a long day in the museums. The Amauris also has outstanding breakfasts courtesy of Glasswing, its popular Michelin-starred restaurant. 

Where to eat

Jola: A different and distinct fine dining vegan experience, with a constantly creative menu involving local vegetables and fruits. Located close to the action in the old town and with just eight tables, the set menu has an optional wine pairing. Jola currently holds a Michelin star and a Green Michelin star for sustainability. 

Glacis Beisl: Classic Viennese cuisine with a large indoor and garden area, located steps from the Leopold and the Museum of Modern Art in the MuseumsQuartier. If you’re only going to have one melt-in-your-mouth Wiener Schnitzel (and you’ll want more than one), this is a great place to enjoy it.