One of the biggest parks in the inner city. When I was small, everyone would tell me never to go there, for it was considered the drugs-park of vienna. growing up I realised that it was mere exageration and this beautiful park became my favourite. there is the vienna river running right next to it, for sure it is not the cleanest, but for me it gives an amazing element of urbanity to the whole area. The river is loosing itself in a dark viaduct-like opening, and saga has it that in this tunnels at other times rave partys would take place. the park itself is beautiful, sourrounded by the city, with the fabulously hideous hotel intercontinental building, and the marble statues leading along the river, that changes it size seemingly daily, according to the weather, next to it you find one of vienna’s most beautiful cinemas, the gartenbaukino, as well as nice cafes, my favorite being the “das kleine cafe”. a wonderful experience is limited to summertime and made me often take the long way round when returning late night: you will find yourself in the middle of all kinds of animals lively running about, 5 hedgehogs, 7 rats, 12 ducks, one badger, mice and a heron. I love to find them there crossing the park.

If you are into Brutalism and would like to see something different in Vienna (apart from Schönbrunn Palace and its historic city centre …) this church is worth the journey. On the basis of a model by Fritz Wotruba, the Austrian sculptor, the church was built from 1974–76. (Photo: Thomas Ledl)

Vienna’s 7th district, called Neubau, is one the city’s hippest neighborhoods. If you want to stroll along the trendy streets of Vienna, have a drink, do some shopping, grab a bite to eat than I would recommend to walk along Kirchengasse, Zollergasse, Lindengasse and Neubaugasse. Looking for some Austrian souvenirs? Here some suggestions: - Get a pack o freshly roasted coffee at the "Jonas Reindl", or "Kaffeefabrik" roasters/coffeeshop.  - Minus Plus hair salon produce their own organic hair products called „Less is more“.  - „Mühlbauer“ hat store is an over 100 years old family business, with a great choice of handmade hats and headgear.  - At „Geschirr Niessner“ you can get one of the famous pastel enamel pots from Riess, manufactured in Lower Austria. - „Sonnentor“ sell organic teas and herbs grown by Austrian farmers. You’ll find plenty of nice coffeeshops and small restaurants along the way.

If Dogs Run Free is a great place to have coffee or a cocktail or both. It is located between Naschmarkt and Museumsquartier and always worth a stop. It has a calm and cool atmosphere. They also serve some great homemade sandwiches. They offer a small but great selection of drinks and at night it is usually packed.  It is designed by two architects and the ceiling installation is changing every year.

The edges of Vienna are striped with forested roads that canopy villas between the trees. One such 'mini palais' belonged to the famous Austrian architect and urban planner, Otto Wagner. To know Vienna, is to recognize the hand of Otto Wagner virtually everywhere in the city. His own self designed family residence would perhaps have been demolished or forgotten had it not been acquired from certain desertion by the artist Ernst Fuchs in 1972. Now pause, and imagine what would happen if a renowned founder of the Viennese school of Fantastic Realism happened to possess such a historical Jugendstil gem; and then decided to outfit it completely with his own imagination, while still maintaining the original visual emotion of the late 19th century. That is The Ernst Fuchs Museum. Even from the street, beneath its' awning of green, the bombastic entrance demands more than a glance. The interior is no less nor different. (The place is so trippy that even my tripped out kids tripped out in the most beautiful way). It's a haze of opulent romanticism married to parasomnia and aesthetic wonder. Simply put, it's a dream.