Vienna is constantly reinventing itself, with a new immersive Mozart experience and a stunning contemporary art scene.

In a continent teeming with history, Vienna – frequently dubbed the city of music as Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Strauss all composed some of their best works here – stands head and shoulders above other European cities. The Vienna Museum Quarter is Europe’s biggest, with 60 cultural establishments spread across 645,000 square feet, including fine art icon the Kunsthistorishces Museum, its scientific counterpart, The Natural History Museum, and the Leopold Museum, which houses the largest Egon Schiele collection in the world. One of the world’s most iconic ballroom dances was created here back in the 1750s, and the city is still waltzing along in sweeping graceful turns: the Austrian capital hosts 450 balls annually while the Vienna concert schedule includes more than 15,000 events of various sizes and genres, from lavish operas at the Konzerthaus to more intimate concerts at venues including the Maltese and Franciscan churches.

Leo Grand Hotel

But just like the best tourist destinations, Vienna continues to rejuvenate itself to win over the hearts of new visitors, from the opening of irreverent Baroque-style hotels to the creation of an immersive Mozart museum, keeping classical music relevant.

I’m here to check into new boutique hotel the Leo Grand, a 76-room heritage property that’s just steps away from Vienna’s top attraction, St Stephen’s Cathedral (Mozart is buried here, as is Formula 1 champion Niki Lauda), which opened in 2022 following extensive renovations. Situated in a historic Baroque building, my Grand Royal Room is brimming with cute details, like feathered lampshades and an oversized floral headboard but it’s the 400- year old beams crisscrossing the ceilings and windows that are the room’s calling card. Art pieces are scattered throughout the hotel, with walls featuring prints by contemporary artists like Eva Schlegel and Carsten Fock alongside framed portraits of Emperor Leopold I, who the hotel is named for (he’s also captured on the hotel’s one-of-a-kind wallpaper). Outlandish, playful and brilliant, striped and leopard-print sofas are juxtaposed against a period fireplace upheld by cherubs in the lobby, while a croquembouche tower in an ornate brass vessel topped with ostrich feathers adds a further quirky flourish.

Neoclassical Cool

It wouldn’t be a trip to Vienna without sitting down to a classical music performance, but with so many music venues, where to start? The Vienna Tourist Board recommends swinging by Musikverein, where the annual New Year’s Concert with the Vienna Philharmonic is broadcast to a global audience. A Neoclassical building designed to resemble a Greek temple, I’m bowled over before I’ve even stepped over the threshold by its front façade, which is dramatically illuminated at night. The evening we visit, the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra perform St Paul, an oratorio by Mendelssohn, with conductor Renaud Capuçon also doubling as a lead violinist. The venue’s lively acoustics heighten the sweet sounds of an army of violins, the dazzling depth of the brass section and the thrilling drama of the timpani drums and cymbals.

Following a renovation that took several years, the Austrian Parliament reopened this January and tours are free – you can even borrow books from the library. With architecture influenced by ancient Greece, the cradle of modern democracy, the building has stood here since the 1880s, and features handpainted glass ceilings and a new glass dome above the National Council Chamber. Our guide tells us that we’re standing in what was the first multinational parliament in the world, where those that didn’t understand German once resorted to throwing ink wells at one another and pounded the desktops repeatedly to make themselves heard.

The Ring Tram is a great way to see the major cultural sites

Vienna’s contemporary art scene received a boost with the opening of the Heidi Horten Collection last year, with plenty of noteworthy pieces from the late Austrian billionaire on show. At an auction in the mid-90s, the prolific collector snapped up 30 pieces, says PR manager Pia Sääf. A showcase of German expressionism and American pop art, Sääf takes me through the museum’s three levels; there are pieces by Egon Schiele, Andy Warhol – including his famous Nine Multicoloured Marilyns – Keith Haring and Roy Lichtenstein, while Horten’s beloved jewellery and haute couture dresses, including pieces from Yves Saint Laurent and Givenchy, will delight fashionistas.

Post-tour, I meet Agnes Husslein-Arco, art historian and founding director of the museum. “I knew Heidi for 35 years and helped build her collection. We were very good friends and she was a very private person,” she says, adding that the museum will later display the Marie-Antoinette pearl from Horten’s jewellery collection, worth a cool US$35 million.

Immerse Yourself in Mozart

There is no escaping Mozart in Vienna – he composed some of his most memorable works including The Magic Flute and Requiem here – and his portrait is used to sell chocolates, magnets, T-shirts and just about every other tourist memento. Designed to appeal to a young audience unfamiliar with the great composer’s work, the Mythos Mozart experience begins by revisiting his death in a room lit by 1,500 candles with Requiem playing; the mood is mournful and moving.

Mythos Mozart

Next, guests tour Vienna in 1791 (animated murals bring the city to life) to get a feel for how the composer lived, while in World Music – Mozart’s Little Night Music, visitors can interact with instruments from all over the world and watch musicians playing along to A Little Night Music on a screen (there’s an Indian guy playing drums and an old Chinese lady playing a zither). For the finale, Turkish-American new media artist Refik Anadol used artificial intelligence and millions of data points on Mozart to create a visual world in Magic Flute – Mozart Forever. It’s an impressive, immersive tribute to the great composer’s enormous talent. As my brief cultural tour of Vienna comes to a halt, I reflect that Austrian satirist Karl Kraus’ teasing quote, “the streets of Vienna are paved with culture, the streets of other cities with asphalt,” hasn’t lost its meaning. The way we experience culture may be changing, but Vienna continues to be as culturally relevant as ever.

Dining in Vienna – Schnitzels, Sachertorte & More

Hungry? The Leo Grand hotel GM Isabella Wexberg recommends a boiled beef schnitzel from Plachutta, which also serves the authentic Wiener Schnitzel. Wexberg also singles out Café Landtmann for the “perfect patisserie”, including strawberry shortcake and traditional ring cake with marzipan. To sample iconic Viennese dessert Sachertorte, head to the Hotel Sacher, where it was originally created; this iconic dense chocolate cake features a thin layer of apricot jam and is served with unsweetened whipped cream.

Sacher

If you visit the Austrian Parliament, pull up a stool at new restaurant Kelsen Bistro for beef soup and grammel dumplings, best enjoyed on the outdoor terraces, which open up previously unseen views of central Vienna. Elsewhere, the beautifully minimalist space Wrenkh is great for local food like mushroom schnitzel with buttery parsley potatoes and tartare sauce, while local beer houses such as Bermuda Brau serve similarly hearty dishes including spaetzle (Central European egg noodles) loaded with cheese and caramelized onions, and apple strudel

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