Off-the-beaten-path Vienna

See Vienna through the eyes of a local on my private Off-the-beaten-path Vienna tour! It is for individual travelers interested in exploring local life in neighborhoods of the historical centre of Vienna, less frequented by the general tourist flow.

I want you to experience everyday life in downtown Vienna. How people live here? How did they live in the past? How were the hygienic conditions? Who lives and works in downtown Vienna? Which professions are represented here? Charming hidden courtyards, passageways and medieval streets are along our way. We will peek into places not accessible to crowds.

On our walk you will see the residential part of Vienna’s city center, which dates back from the beginning of the 13th century. We will explore courtyards and buildings east of St. Stephen’s cathedral.

This tour can take place only on workdays.

Off-the-beaten-path Vienna, further information…

The inner city is the 1st district and the historical part of the Austrian capital. The historic center is one of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Vienna, along with the Schönbrunn Palace and its Gardens. Most of the sights are located in this part Vienna and are visited by numerous tourists.

Some of the houses still have a medieval core. Up until 1300 most houses were made of clay, straw and wood. They were either log houses or half-timbered houses. In order to gain more living space, the upper floor of many houses protruded slightly above the ground floor. The streets were dark even on sunny days. The construction of stone houses in Vienna began around 1250. It is assumed that after the construction of the city wall of Vienna in the Babenberg era, there were numerous skilled craftsmen specialized in stone construction. They knew how to apply the necessary technology and could build houses made of stone more cheaply. The characteristic house type for Vienna was the so-called long parcel house. With its gable-side orientation to the street, it mostly had three window axes. Shops and workshops were housed on the vaulted ground floor. The upper floor was reserved for residential purposes. In Vienna a house changed hands very often – on average every 10 years.

Another possibility to experience local life in Vienna is to hike in the Vienna Woods, a traditional recreation area of the Viennese.