In addition to exceptional shopping and dining in Vienna’s Innere Stadt, or Inner City, enjoy sightseeing in the outstanding surroundings of the historic core. This is where the city began as a walled community. Today only parts of the wall remain.
Begin your exploration in the ancient square Stephansplatz where Stephansdom, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, dominates. It’s one of the tallest churches in Europe, with a tower measuring 447.5 feet (136.4 meters) high. Even though the building is old, it’s not the oldest church in the inner city. With an 8th-century origin, St. Rupert’s Church or Ruprechtskirche holds that claim.
Find Graben, an attractive street with elegant fountains and a large selection of high-end stores. Stroll along the pedestrian mall that’s built over the filled-in moat that originally surrounded the old section of town during the Roman period. Despite the street’s swank reputation now, note that graben translates to ditch.
In the middle of Graben, look for the massive monument Pestsäule, with gilded figures. In the 17th century, Emperor Leopold I had the monument erected as a memorial for those who died during the plague of 1679. The level of shopping goes up an additional notch on adjoining Kohlmarkt.
Visit Hofburg Imperial Palace where the Hapsburg dynasty reigned for over six centuries until 1918. The sheer size of the complex makes it impossible to see fully in a single day. The silver collection alone is dazzling, with centerpieces that sprawl for 30 feet (10 meters).
Enjoy a run along the popular 3.3-mile (5.3-kilometer) Canal Path beside Danube Canal, an extension of the Danube River. If you need a break from the stone buildings in Innere Stadt, the path could be just the answer.
End your day with fine Austrian cuisine at one of the district’s many restaurants and perhaps attend a world-class opera or ballet.
