Vienna's grand designs: Chris Beanland discovers the capital of style
VIENNA, a fine imperial capital renowned for its opulent buildings such as the Schonbrunn Palace, the Opera House and the art nouveau Karlsplatz Station, sparkles with gold-laden glory of days gone by.
Today's Vienna, though, is increasingly hip with stylish hotels, skyscrapers, buzzing bars and Hapsburg-era galleries filled with contemporary art. The city's annual Design Week, which runs until October 5, underlines its status as one of Europe's most influential design capitals.
MUST-DO'S
Create everything from a pair of trainers to a child's toy during Design Week.
Kunsthaus, the old Thonet furniture factory, is now a renowned museum of craft, art and design on Untere Weissgerberstrasse 13 (kunsthauswien.com).
Here you can learn about how shoes are made, while children can get in on the act, too, by creating toys such as miniature animals at the Zoom Children's Museum, Museumsplatz (kinder museum.at), which is full of lots of interactive exhibits.
Take a guided tour of the workshops at furniture maker Kohlmaier, renowned for its sofas and tables. Blue chairs will be dotted around the city centre as part of a Design Week treasure hunt.
MUST-BUYS
The shop at the Museum of Applied Arts MAK, Stubenring 5 sells gorgeous water glasses made by Voslauer Polka, bowls by Krenit and Peleg Design's wine bottle holder, which resembles a snake charmer's rope and is a fun visual illusion, below.
The MAK shop can also print any poster from its archive of thousands. Select one from the catalogue, say a print of Gustav Klimt's famous The Kiss, and 10 minutes later you can pick up a finished full-sized print that will fill an A1-sized frame.
The new city centres around DC Tower 1, an 820ft black glass sliver which has drawn as much attention here as The Shard in London
MUST-SEES
A whole new district of Vienna is rising up towards the clouds. Donau City is its answer to London's Canary Wharf, with its sleek glass skyscrapers.
The new city centres around DC Tower 1, an 820ft black glass sliver which has drawn as much attention here as The Shard in London.
Designed by famed French architect Dominique Perrault, it is the tallest building in Austria and home to the new Meli¡ Vienna Hotel, which has a viewing platform at the top.
KNEES UP
The city's answer to Munich's Oktoberfest, Wiener Wiesn-Fest (wienerwiesnfest.at) runs until October 12 and features huge tents where you can watch bands thump out Tyrolean drinking songs as you sup steins of the local Gosser beer with men in lederhosen and women in dirndl. There's plenty of folk dancing too.
CAFE CULTURE
A new breed of contemporary cafes has joined Vienna's traditional plush cafe houses. Liebling at Zollergasse 6 is a former hat shop with stripped wood floors, exposed beams and an original fireplace.
The menu offers everything from traditional coffee with cream to cappuccinos and homemade cakes.
REST ASSURED
Vienna's cool cats can't stop purring about The Guesthouse (dialling from the UK: 004315121320) designed by Sir Terence Conran.
Modelled on the Boundary Hotel in London's Shoreditch, the light and airy rooms of this boutique bolthole feature Sixties-inspired furniture and fittings, wood floors, rainforest showers, books and huge picture windows.
Staff are impeccably clad in designer threads. Doubles from £180 a night, room only.
MUST-VISIT
Zaha Hadid's new library teeters on the edge of Prater Park as it tilts at 45 degrees.
It is stunning: everything is gleaming white, including floors, walls and ceiling. Bridges and pathways snake around it in futuristic fashion.
For a taste of traditional Vienna, next door is Prater Funfair which has been a pleasure ground since 1766.
Ride the Riesenrad, the 212ft tall Ferris Wheel built by Englishman Lieutenant Walter Bassett Bassett in 1897, and which featured in the Bond film The Living Daylights.
FINE DINING
Hotel Lamee's new restaurant Bloom (cafebarbloom.com), in Vienna's centre oozes opulence. Leopard prints, dark woods and bright cream chairs grab your eye as you feast on Viennese breadcrumbed chicken served with potato salad.
After dinner head to the roof terrace for a digestif. The view over St Stephen's Cathedral and the city's rooftops is breathtaking.
THE KNOWLEDGE
British Airways (0844 493 0787/ ba.com) offers return flights from Heathrow to Vienna from £121. Vienna Design Week, until October 5. Vienna tourism: wien.info