Explore the areas and discover our favorite places in the neighborhood

First District &
Inner City

Mariahilf
&
Neubau

Mariahilf & Neubau

Our Raimundhof and Spittelberg Apartments are both located in Vienna’s “Grätzel” (area) Mariahilf. We will tell you all about the best places in this district and reveal our personal insider tips.

History

A brief history of the district Mariahilf: in 1850, five independent communities joined together to form the 6th district of Vienna. After some back and forth about the districts’ boundaries, Mariahilf exists since 1862 in its current version. The name has even something to do with Greece: in the 16th century, Don Juan de Austria, an illegitimate son of Emperor Charles V, led the battle against the Ottomans and is said to have often called “Maria, help!”. His prayers were answered because he won the battle.

Art & Culture

Particularly noteworthy are the Art Nouveau houses by Otto Wagner. These can be admired especially well on a walk from the left Wienzeile towards Karlsplatz. Mariahilfer Church is located directly on Mariahilfer Straße – it is inconspicuous on the outside, but a look inside is well worth it!

With two top institutions of the Vereinigte Bühnen Wien (“United Stages of Vienna”), Mariahilf has a lot to offer theater-wise: the Raimundtheater brings modern musicals to the stage; at the Theater an der Wien you can see great concerts all year round.

The Museum Quarter, located at the end of Mariahilfer Straße, attracts all museum and art lovers. There is also a lot going on in the evening: young people meet at the MQ-typical “Enzi” furniture in the courtyard and spend the balmy summer nights there. So, if you want to see typical Viennese summer night life, just stop by and join in!

For our young (and older) guests, we recommend the “house of the sea” in the former flak tower. Tip: on the roof of the tower there is a café with a great view over Vienna. However, you can only visit this with a ticket to the marine world.

Culinary

Everyone knows that the city of Vienna simply has the best coffeehouses to offer. Mariahilf is no exception: The typical coffee houses Café Jelinek, Café Kafka or Café Sperl are the top addresses of the 6th district. If you want something a little more modern and unusual, visit Brass Monkey or Corns n ‘Pops. During a walk through the Neubaugasse you can discover many small shops with unique drinks and food.

For those who don’t want to search for restaurants for a long time, but rather be right in the middle of the action, we recommend the direct route to “Vienna’s belly”: The Naschmarkt. With 120 market stalls and numerous restaurants and pubs, there is everything you are looking for, from Viennese to Indian cuisine. Tip for all second-hand fans: every Saturday, a large flea market takes place right next to it.

Mariahilf offers also great restaurants elsewhere: The Glacis Beisl, the Amerlingbeisl or the Siebensternbräu are great addresses for good Viennese cuisine and a cozy ambience. In the side streets of Mariahilfer Straße are great pubs with international cuisine; an insider tip of ours is the restaurant Aux Gazelles with Moroccan accents.

Shopping & Nightlife

Well, not much has to be added here: the Mariahilfer Straße is the longest pedestrian shopping street in Vienna and offers everything your heart desires, from all the big brands to small designer shops.

Then, when the shops gradually close and it gets dark, the focus is on the Viennese nightlife. Dancers go to the Camera Club or Lutz Club, the “cosier” ones find a good drink in the “Känguruh” Pub with Belgian beer or at the Laurel Leaf Irish Pub. If it’s a special evening we recommend a cat jump in the adjoining 7th district in the 25h hotel: there is an amazing roof top bar called “Dachboden” with delicious cocktails at fair prices. And of course, an unbeatable view over Vienna!

Excursion to the Spittelberg:
the “village in the city of Vienna”

The Spittelberg is clearly one of the most beautiful parts of Vienna. It is the second largest pedestrian area in the city with many idyllic squares and lanes.

The numerous restaurants and small shops full of crafts offer a homelike atmosphere and are worth a visit when you come to Vienna. Far away from street noise and inner city stress you can relax here in the summer as well as in the winter and recharge your batteries under the big lime trees on the many park benches.While in summer, the Viennese stay here for a long time in the numerous guest gardens with a glass of wine and enjoy the warm nights, the Spittelberg in winter turns into the favourite Christmas market of Vienna.

And rightly so: The stalls and markets have plenty of regional and home-made food to offer and the atmosphere of the “village in Vienna” makes a visit simply unique and contemplative in the often stressful Christmas season. Especially tasty are the freshly prepared potato pancakes; Unfortunately, this is not an insider tip, because here you will be a good 15 minutes in line – but the wait is worth it!