If you want the original at Café Sacher, arrive early on a weekday or book online in advance, since the outdoor queue is near-permanent. For a no-fuss alternative with the same cake, Aida is faster and considerably cheaper.
Discover Local Vienna: What to Do Around Mercure Vienna
At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Vienna, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?
Vienna in 5 picks
Naschmarkt
Vienna's largest market runs the length of the Wienzeile between Karlsplatz and Kettenbrückengasse, stall after stall of olives, spices and Balkan cheese giving way to tiny eateries. Go hungry and graze rather than sit down for a full meal. Saturdays add a flea market at the far end, worth the extra walk for the junk-shop treasure hunt.
Brunnenmarkt
Less postcard-perfect than Naschmarkt and better for it: this is where Ottakring actually shops, with Turkish, Balkan and Vietnamese stalls sitting side by side and prices a few euros lower across the board. It runs Monday to Saturday, with Saturday morning the liveliest.
Aida
Founded in 1913, this pink-and-brown Viennese café chain sells Sachertorte for around €4.50 a slice, a fraction of what the hotel cafés charge for the same chocolate cake with apricot jam. There are branches all over the centre, so you don't need to plan a special trip.
MuseumsQuartier
One of the largest cultural quarters in the world, packed into a former imperial stable block, with the Leopold Museum and MUMOK a few steps apart. The Enzi benches in the main courtyard are where students and tourists alike sit out a summer evening with a drink from the on-site bars.
Öfferl bakery
A newer name in a city obsessed with old ones, Öfferl has built a following on proper sourdough and a laser focus on ingredients. Several branches dot the centre; pick up a loaf or a pastry on the way back to the hotel rather than settling for the breakfast buffet bread basket.
FAQ
Yes. The hotel's location in the historic centre puts St Stephen's Cathedral, the Hofburg and MuseumsQuartier within a short walk, so you won't need transport for a day of sightseeing in the first district.
Naschmarkt is more famous and easier to combine with sightseeing, but Brunnenmarkt in Ottakring is where Viennese residents actually shop, with lower prices and a stronger neighbourhood feel.
Where to sleep
See Mercure hotels in Vienna, all within reach of these picks.