Two words to know if travelling to Vienna: Wien, the German name for the city, and Wein, the German word for wine. Although they look similar, a transposition of the vowels makes the two diphthongs sound very different, which imparts very different meanings – important to keep in mind when ordering some of Vienna’s delicious wines. Wine is everywhere in Vienna.
What I Learned
Vienna is the only European capital with vines grown within its city limits. While the Romans were here, definitive proof that vines were located inside the walls, in the current First District (the area around the Hofburg and the cathedral), dates only to the late Middle Ages.
Nowadays, there are three primary vineyard areas within the city, (and two other areas, by Sievering and Oberlaa). The Bisamberg, east of the Danube, centering around Stammersdorf and Strebersdorf. Wine growing in Stammersdorf, on the Bisamberg, began in the 12th century. The terroir here favors the Pinot family of grapes.
Trail Name: Stadtwanderweg 5
Trail Type: Mid-distance; almost exclusively paved with paving stone or tarmac, well maintained, and very well-marked.
Length: Total: 10.3 kilometers/ 6.3 miles
Convenient to: Vienna, Austria
Marking: (Mostly) Wooden signs with the words: Stadtwanderweg 5
