Vienna’s historic centre might be the most expensive area in the city for hotels, but it’s not to be missed for anything else. Centred around medieval Domkirche St. Stephen (look for the cheerful roof tiles), this is the district for major museums and galleries, skating in front of Rathaus in winter and window shopping round the insanely expensive Golden Quarter.

• A brilliantly walkable district, if you just have a few days in Vienna this is where to focus.
• Inner Stadt has the city’s grandest hotels, most historic coffee shops and venerable institutions like the Opera House and the Hofburg Palace.
• The Golden Quarter is one of the most expensive shopping districts in the world – the windows are wonderful.
• Museum Quarter, on the western edge of Inner Stadt is the city’s concentrated complex of world famous art collections, cool cafés and restaurants, art as street furniture and lots going on from the early evening until late.
• Visit Albertinaplatz in the early morning for free tickets to Lipizzaner rehearsals at the Spanish Riding School. The famous dancing white stallion’s official performances cost a fortune.

Innere Stadt’s nearest neighbour is a little quieter, but it’s also home to the Belvedere Palace, so don’t expect peaceful. This is a gorgeously elegant district for boutique hotels and major international brands. Fractionally less expensive than the city centre, but not much.

• Schloss Belvedere is the must-see before all else in Landstrasse. The formal gardens are exquisitely beautiful, even in the depth of winter, and Gustave Klimt’s ‘The Kiss’ hangs in the palace’s formidably famous art collection.

Mariahilf is the city centre district with a distinctively cool personality and a family atmosphere. This is where to find the motherlode of alternative Christmas markets, Esterhazy Park and the Haus des Meers Aquarium, lots of cute (and affordable) shopping, new generation coffee houses and good value mid-range hotels.

Vienna won’t ever run out of grand palaces, but Schöbrunn is the one to beat. The city’s most visited attraction is misleadingly nicknamed, ‘Empress Sisi’s Summerhouse’ but is actually so immense, guided tours are mandatory. Kids will probably prefer the gardens for the world’s oldest zoo and delightfully puzzling maze.

• If you like the idea of staying close to Vienna high society, Schönbrunn’s an excellent district for aparthotels and family holiday rentals.

For a breather from overwhelming opulence, Donaustadt is edgy and youthful Vienna with designer polish. Right on the banks of the Danube, this is the district for city beaches, interesting pop-up shops and clubs, new restaurants and cool beach bars in summer.

• A short U-Bahn ride from Inner Stadt, Donaustadt is one of the city centre’s most affordable districts for apartments, heritage guesthouses, aparthotels and mid-range independent brand hotels.
• Donauinsel (Danube Island) is easily the star of the show in Donaustadt. This 21km floating park is one of the city’s all time favourite places to play at the weekend. Take a picnic and spend the day, it’s packed with family activities and a leading venue for summer festivals.

The city’s breathtakingly lovely Art Deco district is a surprisingly good area for inexpensive hotels, historic guesthouses and budget brand hotels. It’s also where Naschmarkt, one of Europe’s biggest flea markets, sets up shop on a Saturday. And it’s the heartland of cute cinemas, indie cafés and restaurants, young Viennese designers and wonderful vintage stores (Vienna vintage is outstanding thanks to the demand of the city’s annual Ball Season).