Hotel Bristol Vienna

Vienna offers a potent mix of opera and Opec

Last Updated: June 13, 2011

I am not an oil minister, UN diplomat or mezzo soprano. Why should I go? Vienna is a tourist’s paradise, with museums housing baroque masterpieces and gifts to the Habsburg royals. St. Stephen’s Cathedral punctuates the centre of Vienna with its lacy spires, and palaces dot the landscape. For the kids, there is also a highly-rated zoo, the Tiergarten Schonbrunner.

How do I get there? Abu Dhabi residents will have to stomache an extra hour’s car ride to catch the only direct flight to Vienna in Dubai.

When should I go? Spring, summer, fall--any time of year but the harsh winter.

What should I know? Forget vegetarianism. Austria takes its cue from Germany, where pork and potatoes are king. Fresh fruit is extraordinarily pricey, so stock up at your hotel’s breakfast.

Both offer drama, the glitter of wealth and the opportunity to be packed uncomfortably close to others for hours. You must go yourself to judge the quality of the acting.

High art and political power mix in this city's leafy streets, and business travellers here will get a taste of both.

First, meet up with old pals at any of the five-star establishments clustered near the opera, including the Hotel Bristol, an old-world marvel favoured by the UAE's Opec delegation. For a more lively scene, stroll down to the InterContinental, the hangout of the Venezuelans, Iranians and, we are told, Libyans.

If your budget is not on their scale, drag your suitcase to the Levante Parliament, a modern designed hotel tucked behind the government hall. It sits by the subway that will shuttle you across the Danube to the UN complex, where diplomats debate human trafficking and nuclear renegades.

Have lunch at its well-priced cafeteria, which serves an international menu of salmon sashimi and chicken cordon bleu. After a rough day of multilateral negotiations, walk across the river to Prater amusement park, where teenagers frequent the Ferris wheels and haunted houses while their elders can enjoy a drink in the park. Should you be weary of work associates, shell out €3.50 (Dh18.44) to send them on one of the many whirlygigs equipped with disco lights and a pulsating soundtrack - that will guarantee headaches all round.

Chef Reinhard Gerer Vienna Hotel Bristol Korso | How to Do good things

Learn how to make a fabulous three course meal from chef Reinhard Gerer at the Hotel Bristol Korso, Korso bei der Opera in Vienna. He starts with a Salmon-Lobster Sandwich as an appetizer, follows it with Pike with Potato-Marjoram Sauce and Sauteed Flat Mushrooms and finishes with Rice Tarts on Orange Sauce for dessert. Learn how to cook spectacular regional dishes in Great Chefs of Austria. Each episode transports the viewer to Austria’s finest hotels, where one of the nation’s top chefs gives step-by-step instructions on how to make exquisite delicacies. Fascinating historical facts are given about the recipes, as well as tips to transform each culinary marvel into a meal to remember.

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