Photo: Martin Furtschegger, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 7th district
Neubau
MuseumsQuartier, Spittelberg, concept stores. The district of Vienna's creatives.
About this district
Neubau is creative Vienna: concept stores and independent labels along Neubaugasse and Kirchengasse, cafés full of people working on laptops, and in between the cobbled Biedermeier lanes of Spittelberg. On the district's edge sits the MuseumsQuartier, one of Europe's largest cultural complexes, with the Kunsthistorisches Museum right across the square. Hardly any other quarter combines world-class culture and neighborhood feel so naturally.
Staying in the seventh means staying with character: Altstadt Vienna is a much-praised boutique hotel where no two rooms are alike, and Hotel & Apartments Rothensteiner on Neustiftgasse combines old-building rooms with fully equipped apartments including kitchens - ideal from three nights up. Big chain hotels are the exception here; small houses with personality are the rule. Price-wise the district sits in the middle: cheaper than the old town, a notch above the outer districts.
With the U2 and U3 around Volkstheater and Neubaugasse you can get anywhere quickly, but honestly: Neubau is best on foot. The MuseumsQuartier, the Kunsthistorisches Museum and Mariahilfer Straße lie right on the district's edge, and Stephansplatz is about twenty minutes away. In the evening you wander from Burggasse across Spittelberg back to your hotel without ever needing transport.
Take time for the district's details: in summer the MuseumsQuartier courtyards with their colorful Enzi loungers are a free meeting spot for half of Vienna, and in Advent the Spittelberg turns into one of the city's most atmospheric Christmas markets. Along Burggasse, Kirchengasse and Neubaugasse you find vintage shops, record stores and small workshops in a density that has become rare. If you like photography, the Biedermeier facades of Spittelberg offer rewarding subjects - best early in the morning or at dusk. This district rewards curiosity more than planning.
The seventh is the first choice for design and art lovers, returning Vienna visitors, and anyone who wants to eat and drink well at night without ending up in tourist traps. It is less ideal for travelers on a very tight budget - individuality has its price - and for families looking for big green spaces on the doorstep; parks are scarce in densely built Neubau. It rarely gets loud, but it is almost always lively.
Creative quarter. You'll find 2 hotels and 2 sights here.
District scorecard
Six dimensions, each rated 1 to 10 against a fixed framework. Not user ratings but our editorial assessment - every number with its reasoning. How we rate
Walkability
8/10The MuseumsQuartier and Spittelberg are in the district, and the old town is about ten minutes away.
How much of the classic Vienna programme you can cover on foot, without a transit ticket.
Sights
7/10The MuseumsQuartier with the Leopold Museum and mumok is a full day in itself.
Density and weight of the sights within the district itself.
Public transport
8/10The U2 and U3 cover the district, and the ring trams are within walking distance.
Metro, tram and rail links, including routes to the airport and main stations.
Nightlife
8/10Around Siebensterngasse and Spittelberg sits the highest density of bars and restaurants in the inner districts.
Restaurants, bars and evening options within walking distance of the hotels.
With kids
5/10Charming lanes, but few playgrounds and little greenery - the MQ is the only real open space.
Playgrounds, green space, short distances and room to breathe.
Value for money
4/10On the higher side: after the Innere Stadt this is the priciest district in our selection, and cheap beds are rare here.
What a night here buys you, measured against the Vienna average.
