Travel: Vienna, Austria

THE standing ovation lasted for nearly 20 minutes, punctuated by periodic shouts of "bravo" from ecstatic members of a most satisfied crowd. They, like me, had just witnessed the work of Gustav Mahler in the glorious setting of Vienna's Musikverein.

With 2011 being the centenary of the composer's death, this was a fine showing of his work (Symphony No 9 performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra), and there could not have been a more fitting symbol for my trip to Austria's capital than the long and appreciative applause, for Vienna is a city worthy of such acclaim.

Before my plane touched down, I was compelled to admit that my knowledge of Europe's ninth largest city would have stretched no further than a few scribbled lines on a piece of scrap paper. However, I was assured I would discover a place rich in history and culture, but rightly as proud of its modern-day outlook as well as its past. I was not disappointed.

The base for my trip was The Ring, billed as "Vienna's casual luxury hotel" in the heart of the city. At first, the cynic in me winced at the word "casual", believing it might afford the host a cop-out should things not reach the high standards hinted at by the stunning 19th-century faade and impressive interior. I could not have been more wrong.

The Ring's take on "casual" is to provide you with a relaxed setting, while at the same time, adhering to very high standards of service and luxury; and, in my experience, this is not as easy to achieve as it sounds.

One of the hotel's focal points is undoubtedly its bar, Drings, which draws you in with a unique-looking frontage displaying ever-changing art installations and, more importantly, a seriously large and well-chosen selection of spirits and cocktails. The staff are second to none, marrying bar craft with great service, to create an environment that proves hard to drag yourself away from. With a bar as good as that, it was a wonder I spent any time in my room at all, but the 68 spacious rooms are decorated in a palate of warm browns and calming creams that are conducive to relaxation.

I was happy to log my positive comments in the behemoth of a guestbook (about 2.5 feet by 1.5 feet in size) along with some of the guests who had come before me, including the likes of the Sex Pistols, Elle Macpherson, Beyonc, Kevin Spacey, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Clapton and the Pet Shop Boys.

You can't come to Vienna and not take time to explore the city's Museumsquarter, where Gustav Klimt is something of the headline act. His seminal piece, The Kiss, along with the world's largest collection of his paintings, is on display at the magnificent Belvedere.

Beyond the big names, there are a number of talented lesser-knowns making their mark on Vienna's art scene, such as Norwegian Per Dybvig whose Hunter Hare Dog concoction has to be seen to be believed. This rather chaotic work features a group of cigarette-smoking hares who terrorise their human and canine subordinates with guns. The exhibition is presented as a series of pencil drawings and comes together in a striking short film.

For a man who rates a trip to the shops about as highly as a visit to the dentist, it surprises me that I am able to report (favourably) on Vienna's retail scene. It helps that the city has a fully functioning and ridiculously efficient tram service, words I type through gritted teeth as an Edinburgh resident lamenting the depressing waste of 400 million. Anyway, back to Vienna.

The city has an exciting and bustling market - the Naschmarkt - where the wares on offer range from what can fairly be described as utter tat (think broken alarm clocks at Glasgow Barras circa 1986) to some high-end stuff and a few hidden gems - if one has the patience to delve. The assault on the senses is quite something, especially in the enclosed enclaves of the food stalls.

Vienna also boasts an impressive array of shops, with an undoubted highlight being Vintage Flo. Now, I have no obvious interest in female fashion (and even if I did, I'd hardly be admitting it here), but Vintage Flo is a bastion of fashion gems through the ages and many of the garments have only ever been worn on the world's premier catwalks or by celebrities, making this boutique a must for those keen to own a piece of fashion history.

All that shopping gives one a hunger, and you can't visit Austria and not try the schnitzel, an escalope coated in breadcrumbs and fried. While this dish receives a definite thumbs-up, the undoubted dining highlight of my weekend was the cheese risotto with suckling pig served up at Halle Caf. This modern eatery, in the heart of the Museumsquarter, was a highly appealing setting for lunch with its tall windows and cluster of low-hanging lamps. The food was exceptional.

If you had asked me if I thought spending more than 15 million refurbishing an early 19th-century greenhouse just to provide another place to eat represented good value for money, I would have referred you to my mini-rant above about the frustration that comes from wasting money.

However, the Palmenhaus is a triumph, and it is easy to see why it is one of the city's most popular restaurants. Overlooking the Burggarten (Hofburg court garden), the 2,000 square metre glass edifice is a light and airy setting that does wonders to lift the mood. In the late 1980s, this 128 metre-long greenhouse had fallen into disrepair, but now, as I sit there, chomping on a glorious chunk of beefsteak, I reckon it is 15 million well spent. Registering a ten on the quirk-o-meter is the aptly-named Holy Moly restaurant aboard Badeschiff, a converted transport ship docked on the Danube.

The darkly-lit space, with DJs spinning tunes for a hip Viennese crowd, kept up what had become a holiday-wide theme of casual combined with effortlessly good service. And you'll have to trust me when I tell you the Holy Moly pig cheeks are a must.

But where better to end my trip than in one of the city's renowned and much-loved coffee houses, where I was able to enjoy a slice (OK, two slices) of truffle torte at an elegant marble table under the radiant light of exquisite chandeliers while lazily perusing the day's papers.

The concept of lingering is positively welcomed in Vienna's coffee houses - it's part of the culture - as opposed to being frowned upon as is often the case elsewhere. It's an ethos that sums up a city that's as relaxed in itself as it is when welcoming and entertaining visitors. n

Rooms at The Ring cost from 325 per room, based on two sharing, including breakfast (www.theringhotel.com or [phone]).

British Midland International flies daily between Edinburgh (via London) and Vienna from 165 return, including taxes and charges (www.flybmi.com).

The CAT (City Airport Train) runs from directly outside Vienna airport to the heart of the city and costs €16 return.

For more information about Vienna, visit the tourist board's website (www.vienna.info). A Vienna Pass costs €18.50 and gives discount at up to 210 outlets and unlimited travel on trains, trams and buses for 72 hours. A coffee and a cake in one of the city's cafs costs around €7 and entry to the major museums and art galleries costs around €11.

• This article was first published in the Scotland

on Sunday on 10/04/2011