Stroll Through the Heart of Vienna After the Lockdown

Wake up, the sun is shining! The weeks of home quarantine now are history. Let us share our Salon neighbourhood tips for around town with us – for beautiful hours of sun without breaking the rules.

We are slowly returning to our old and trusted way of life after weeks of quarantine that felt like an endless bad dream from a past life. The Spring weather and endless hours of sun are calling us to come out. But what is there to do when the world of art and culture is still snoozing out of bounds?

What does the city have to offer? We have been checking out our neighbourhood near Mariahilfer Straße and beyond the local district at Hotel Schani Salon and have taken the time to discover, observe and enjoy the places around us.

Spring Awakening in Mariahilfer Straße

We are a central, boutique hotel situated in Vienna Neubau – the city's 7th District. Our haven is in the heart of Mariahilfer Straße, a hotspot for fine dining, local and ultramodern shopping experiences, as well as culture. We still can't go back to the entertainment and amusement programme on offer B.C. (Before Coronavirus), but opportunities for enjoying open-air leisure activities have re-appeared. Now, all we have to do is to use our creative ideas and improvise. The best Ideas emerge from this more often as not, right?

Are you ready to take a walk through our neighbourhood with us? Then lean back and accompany us on a stroll through our city and its sights.

1. Mobile Cultural Feast

Culture is on hold at the moment and we are experiencing a dry spell like never witnessed before. So, we've tied our thirst for knowledge into a bundle and got on the road – in the truest sense of the word. We went on a cultural sightseeing tour of Vienna, whether on foot or using electromobile "horsepower" such as Tier or Lime & Co. We became more at home in our own local surroundings numerous museums, buildings, churches, and theatre façades later. Another style of cultural feast.

2. City Hiking Route (Stadtwandweg) 4A: Ottakring

We are really proud of being the greenest city in the world, being true Viennese  and being able to use this privilege. There is a City Hiking Route right through the centre of Vienna for green moments, close to nature. We have chosen City Hiking Route (Stadtwanderweg) 4A. It starts at the U3 Terminal at Ottakring, which can be reached from Neubau in just a few minutes. The route goes from the heart of Ottakring to the Vienna Woods and is 10 kilometres long. Average walking time is two and a half to three hours. More Information on the hiking route is available here.

3. Geocaching in Neubau

GPS treasure hunt and sightseeing in one. You can combine both with Geocaching and discover Vienna's Neubau District and its treasures. What do you need to join in? Well, a smartphone with GPS, motivation and a good pair of shoes are a start. You can collect quite some mileage in no time, depending on how dedicated you are. You can register directly at the official website and go looking for all the geocaches (hiding places) spread throughout Neubau and across other districts. Freely, flexibly and for as long as you want.

4. Social Meetings

Social Distancing? No thanks! Lazy bones was yesterday and the weeks before.
Stop a while in the green heart of Vienna Mariahilf, the neighbouring 6th District, for a relaxing chat with social distancing to others or for mobile sightseeing at Esterházypark. Directly next to the Vienna Flak Tower and Vienna's Aqua Terra Zoo Haus des Meeres you can meet yogis, walkers, dog lovers and us, too. In the future, there will be water features, fountains and cool spots to help you chill out in the heat. Not just cool, but really cool.

5. Walk-in & -out Afternoon Tea

Comfort has no routine in Vienna city centre. Coffee and cakes are served in traditional and modern Viennese style. When in our neighbourhood, we head straight to an ice cream parlour we love: La Gelateria Romana. This ice cream shop has Italian authenticity and pure ice cream and coffee pleasure. Alternatively, the sweet-toothed might enjoy Eiskarussell or Brasserie de la Marie. Café Jelinek and Café Kafka offer a genuine Viennese coffee experience and the perfect sweet to go with it. We would also like to invite you to our coffeehouse, the Schani Kaffeesalon, as a guest of our establishment.

PS: Our worries will soon recede – we'll soon be returning to our old daily routines. Everything's also ready in Vienna's Neubau – so see you soon.