A Viennese whirl

THERE are times during the grey Irish winter — especially coming up to Christmas — when you yearn for another kind of city, another kind of shopping experience.

Somewhere with fir trees and snow, with wonderful shops, tempting cafés, gorgeous restaurants. Oh and wonderful walks in the woods would be good, too.

Well it’s never been easier to get to Vienna, and if you’ve been there before you won’t need reminding of its legendary gemütlichkeit (rough translation: cosy goodwill). If not, then isn’t it time you discovered it?

There is simply nothing, though, to beat Vienna in wintertime. Snow covers every Gothic roof peak, icicles adorn every steeple. Old-world shop windows in narrow cobbled laneways are aglow with tempting treasures, and every café beckons you into its warm cosy interior. The wooded hills around Schonnbrunn Palace are a white wonderland with squirrels whisking through the drifts, searching for nuts. The museums are less crowded now, giving more time to discover their wonders. And of course there is the Christkindlmarkt. Once you’ve experienced that, you’ll yearn for it evermore.

And now, at last, it’s easy to get there. The journey used to be a challenge even up to a few years ago, involving several flight changes at least, if not a couple of awkward stretches by train or bus. Of course you could still do it by bus (the London-Vienna coach takes about 24 hours in case you’re tempted), but for the rest of us, thankfully, it is possible to hop on an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin this very afternoon and arrive in time for dinner by the Blue Danube.

Not that the Danube is blue. Sadly no — or around Vienna it isn’t, anyway. More of a windswept grey-brown. Perhaps if you took the boat from that city to Budapest (an entertaining option) you might see a flash of blue now and again, but only briefly. Never mind, the legend lives on and we can still dream as we listen to Strauss’s iconic waltz tune over a Viennese coffee.

Ah yes, coffee. Despite the city’s many other attractions, don’t even think of visiting Vienna if you’re on a caffeine-free diet. The only inheritance the city seems value from the Turks is its coffee culture. Fortunately we’ve become accustomed over the Celtic Tiger years to ordering many different types of coffee here at home so it won’t be too much of a shock to discover the range from which you must choose in Vienna, but the names will be very different.

Ein einspanner, for example, is a strong black coffee with a dollop of whipped cream on top. Ein grosser/kleiner brauner would be either a large or a small black with whipped cream. Schale gold is a large espresso with whipped cream. There are many more, but you will observe a common denominator. Schlagsahne or whipped cream is big business in Vienna, not just on coffee but on cakes.

Viennese cakes are both works of art and totally delectable. Forget your figure, and go for full indulgence. Even choosing carries its own ceremony. You point to the spectacular confection displayed behind glass and this will then be brought to your table, along with the coffee and a glass of water. You’ll need the glass of water after all that schlagsahne. But it also indicates that you can relax and loiter as long as you like, reading the newspapers obligingly supplied, gossiping, observing the comings and goings of elegantly dressed elderlies and fashionable youth.

Viennese coffee houses are an ancient institution, more like a sort of open club where nobility and merchants have mingled for centuries. Empress Elisabeth (Sissi) used to favour Demels on the Graben, while various emperors are reputed to have used a secret passageway from Sacher’s to the Opera House for their dalliances with chorus girls.

Schonnbrunn is only a few stops on the metro from the city centre but a world apart. The summer palace of the Hapsburgs, it’s unbearably romantic in the snow. The Gloriette on the hill above is a stiff climb but well worth it for both the stunning view over the city and the hot chocolate at the café there. It would be hard to find somewhere more atmospheric to bring a loved one.

Wander through the spacious corridors and imagine Elisabeth dancing with Franz Josef — or indeed one of her many devoted admirers — in the great ballroom. Sissi isn’t just history to the Viennese — she’s an icon, a cult, an obsession, evidenced by the plethora of pictures, souvenirs, biographies in every language. Her story bears a strange similarity to that of Diana, Princess of Wales.

The Christmas Market is a feature of Vienna right through to Christmas Eve and you’ll find it in several locations. One is set up in the palace courtyard at Schonnbrunn, and several more are scattered around the city. The main one, though, is outside the Rathaus, or town hall, and it really is magical, no matter how seasoned or cynical a traveller you may think yourself.

As dusk descends, thousands of tiny lights and lanterns illuminate the trees and buildings, while the spicy aroma of mulled wine, gingerbread, candied fruits, roasted chestnuts, wafts from the little wooden booths.

The toy stalls are wondrous places with those old handcarved dolls, puppets and trains that you thought weren’t made any more. There are exquisite blown glass ornaments, too, created to an ancient tradition. Everybody is wrapped up snugly against the freezing night air (whether you approve or not, furs are very much in vogue here), and gemütlichkeit is all-pervading.

Taking a fiaker, or traditional horse-drawn carriage, to dinner at one of the many warm and welcoming restaurants provides the final touch. Incidentally, a fiaker is also the name given to yet another coffee, this time with cognac and — yes, you’ve guessed it — whipped cream.

Flights

Aer Lingus flies daily Dublin-Vienna. Return from €142.

Where To Stay

The Kaiserhof, on Frankenberggasse, close to the city centre, but in a quiet side street, combines old-fashioned charm and courtesy with every modern comfort, plus an amazing breakfast buffet. Doubles from €170 (but check online sites for bargain offers).

Dining Out

Hundreds of delightful restaurants to choose from, and prices compare favourably with this country — expect to pay €10-€15 for a main course of warming goulash or wiener schnitzel, €3-€4 for a stein of excellent draught beer.

Shopping

Karntner Strasse is one of the world’s famous shopping streets, beautiful and expensive. For more unusual souvenirs, wander off into the narrow medieval laneways where tiny windows glow with antiques, silks, strange jewellery. Hand-carved wooden toys and blown glass ornaments are also traditional Austrian souvenirs.