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Vienna<br />
Austria<br />
DIALLING CODE +43<br />
CURRENCY €<br />
FROM THE<br />
AIRPORT<br />
Visit the Europcar<br />
desk on arrival<br />
for special easyJet<br />
infl ight rates.<br />
Holiday Taxis<br />
(easyJet.holiday<br />
taxis.com) take you<br />
from home to airport,<br />
then city or destination.<br />
The journey to the<br />
centre costs €30.<br />
Catch the CAT to<br />
the centre. Trains<br />
UP TO €50 Plachutta<br />
(38 Wollzeile, tel: 01<br />
512 1577) Dinner at this<br />
restaurant is a truly<br />
cultural experience.<br />
The house speciality is<br />
traditional boiled beef<br />
with vegetables, using<br />
locally sourced produce.<br />
EXCLUSIVE<br />
Steirereck (Stadtpark,<br />
tel: 01 713 3168) Treat<br />
yourself to an early<br />
Christmas present<br />
at this temple of<br />
gastronomic delight. A<br />
double Michelin-starred<br />
affair, Steirereck serves<br />
up exquisite Austrian<br />
cuisine in a pavilion in<br />
the Stadtpark.<br />
AFTER DARK<br />
LOW KEY Demel<br />
(14 Kohlmarkt, tel: 01<br />
535 1717) Vienna’s<br />
confectioners take<br />
great pride in conjuring<br />
up wonderful Christmas<br />
window displays, but<br />
the unrivalled marzipan<br />
maestro is the pastry<br />
chef at Demel. Drop<br />
by for coffee, cake and<br />
chocolates galore.<br />
LIVE MUSIC Ost Klub<br />
(10 Schwarzenbergplatz,<br />
tel: 01 505 6228) Ost<br />
Klub (East Club) is a<br />
fusion of sounds, mixing<br />
Balkan and western<br />
styles – enjoy dub, funk,<br />
ska, blues and rock. It<br />
has had a loyal crowd for<br />
years who come to party.<br />
LATE & LIVELY<br />
Fluc (5 Praterstern)<br />
Located towards the<br />
river, Fluc is well<br />
worth the trek. DJs<br />
from far-fl ung shores<br />
regularly drop in and<br />
entertain crowds<br />
until the early hours<br />
of the morning.<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
SHOP Get kitted<br />
out like a Habsburg<br />
prince at Loden Plankl,<br />
a traditional Viennese<br />
clothing shop. Classic,<br />
well-tailored garments<br />
can be bought in<br />
this luxury store<br />
(6 Michaelerplatz).<br />
SEE Head to the<br />
Belvedere Palace for<br />
a retrospective glance<br />
at Herbert Boeckl,<br />
a key fi gure in Austrian<br />
modern art. Be sure to<br />
check out the palace<br />
grounds, housing<br />
a Christmas market and<br />
offering a magnifi cent<br />
panorama over the city.<br />
GO By tradition, the<br />
expanse in front of the<br />
Rathausplatz (town hall)<br />
becomes the main focus<br />
of the yuletide festivities.<br />
Besides a Christmas<br />
market, there’s a winter<br />
wonderland with<br />
fantastical diversions<br />
for youngsters.<br />
ESCAPE If you’ve got<br />
a spare day, jump on a<br />
train to Graz, which now<br />
houses the ultra-cool<br />
Kunsthaus art centre,<br />
also known as “the<br />
Blob” for its rounded<br />
façade. Wander around<br />
the exhibitions and then<br />
fi nd a cool restaurant<br />
for lunch, before<br />
heading back. It’s about<br />
two hours from Vienna.<br />
TAXI TAXI<br />
leave every 30 minutes.<br />
Tickets: €9 single.<br />
The Vienna Airport<br />
Lines bus goes<br />
to the city centre every<br />
30 minutes. Tickets: €6<br />
single; €11 return.<br />
BON APPETIT<br />
UP TO €15 Caffé<br />
Latte (39 Neubaugasse,<br />
tel: 01 523 5509)<br />
The ever-popular Caffé<br />
Latte serves up a range<br />
of tasty breakfasts<br />
and brunches<br />
throughout the day.<br />
UP TO €30<br />
Zwolf-Apostelkeller<br />
(3 Sonnenfelsgasse,<br />
tel: 01 512 6777)<br />
This traditional cellar<br />
restaurant comes to life<br />
with live music some<br />
nights. Beat the cold<br />
and enjoy a hearty meal<br />
with local wine or beer.<br />
NO WAY!<br />
A Polish noble, Jerzy<br />
Kulczycki, founded<br />
Vienna’s fi rst café with<br />
a sack of beans given<br />
to him by the Polish<br />
King after he fought<br />
off the Turks in 1683.<br />
Nick Hodge/<br />
vienna-life.com<br />
Zurich<br />
Switzerland<br />
DIALLING CODE +41<br />
CURRENCY CHF<br />
FROM THE<br />
AIRPORT<br />
Visit the Europcar<br />
desk on arrival<br />
for special easyJet<br />
infl ight rates.<br />
Holiday Taxis<br />
(easyJet.holiday<br />
taxis.com) take you<br />
from home to airport,<br />
then city or destination.<br />
The fare to the<br />
centre is about<br />
CHF60 and the journey<br />
takes 20 minutes.<br />
Trains make the<br />
10-minute journey<br />
to the city centre<br />
every 15 minutes.<br />
Tickets: CHF6.20<br />
BON APPETIT<br />
UP TO €15 Delicato<br />
(40 Uraniastrasse, tel:<br />
043 344 8549) A Greek<br />
culinary paradise where<br />
you can dine-in or<br />
take-away the kitchen’s<br />
delicious delicacies.<br />
UP TO €30<br />
Casablanca<br />
(62 Langstrasse, tel:<br />
044 241 6000) Look<br />
out over the busy street<br />
from the vast windows<br />
of this café. Asian<br />
soups and quiches<br />
are available all day.<br />
UP TO €50 Sento<br />
(19 Zürichbergstrasse,<br />
tel: 044 251 1910) The<br />
contemporary interior<br />
Directly from the airport to the city<br />
The most convenient way from the airport to Vienna<br />
and Baden. Departs right outside the arrival hall.<br />
DESTINATION GUIDES | 179<br />
and innovative Italian<br />
menu make this a local<br />
hot spot. Enjoy superb<br />
cuisine and a whole host<br />
of tempting cocktails.<br />
EXCLUSIVE Mesa<br />
(75 Weinbergstrasse, tel:<br />
043 321 7575) The chic<br />
interior of this restaurant<br />
complements the light,<br />
classic menu. Renowned<br />
Austrian celebrity chef<br />
Marcus G Lindner<br />
recently took the reigns<br />
of this fi ne-dining venue.<br />
AFTER DARK<br />
LOW KEY Jules<br />
Verne (9 Uraniastrasse,<br />
tel: 043 888 6666) Take<br />
in stunning city views<br />
over a drink at this bar<br />
on top of the famous<br />
Urania observatory.<br />
LIVE MUSIC<br />
Rohstoffl ager<br />
(Duttweilerstrasse,<br />
tel: 044 439 9090) A<br />
gigantic old milk factory,<br />
which now hosts live<br />
gigs with a focus on<br />
electro, pop and rock.<br />
FOUR POINTS<br />
BY SHERATON<br />
SIHLCITY ★ ★ ★ ★ ★<br />
Guests have the<br />
chance to revitalise<br />
their senses in<br />
the Asia Spa<br />
Sihlcity – enjoy<br />
all-day pampering<br />
in harmony with<br />
mind, body and soul.<br />
Breakfast included.<br />
From €199, book at<br />
holidays.easyJet.com.<br />
LATE & LIVELY<br />
Helvetia Bar<br />
(1 Stauffacherquai, tel:<br />
044 297 9999) The<br />
charming bar staff<br />
serve a hip, friendly<br />
crowd that fl ock here<br />
to rock out at weekends.<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
SHOP Switzerland is,<br />
of course, famous for its<br />
watch-making skills, but<br />
Maurice de Mauriac is<br />
one of few Zurich-born<br />
brands. The watches are<br />
a unique blend of Swiss<br />
quality with futuristic<br />
styles (48 Todistrasse).<br />
SEE Zurich’s sweetest<br />
Christmas market is at<br />
Werdmuhleplatz with<br />
the “Singing Christmas<br />
Tree” children’s<br />
concerts. Until 13<br />
December, children<br />
are arranged and<br />
decorated to look like<br />
a tree and sing carols.<br />
GO Take a stroll along<br />
the car-free quay of<br />
Limmatquai-Rathaus,<br />
which is home to cafés,<br />
and quirky boutiques.<br />
The renaissance-style<br />
Town Hall and the<br />
Wasserkirche (church)<br />
line the banks of the<br />
river nearby.<br />
ESCAPE Titlis has the<br />
highest viewpoint and<br />
the only glacier in central<br />
Switzerland. Experience<br />
the spectacular views of<br />
the stunning crevasses<br />
from the cable car. Take<br />
the 90-minute train<br />
from Zurich.<br />
NO WAY!<br />
Zurich is home to<br />
Europe’s oldest veggie<br />
restaurant, the Hiltl,<br />
which opened in 1898.<br />
Celeste Neill-Duvoisin
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