Few of Vienna's residential neighbourhoods have changed so much in recent decades as Freihausviertel, a small pocket of the city's fourth district bordering the historic Wiedner Hauptstrasse and the bustling Naschmarkt, and located just a few minute walk from the Opera House. Formerly a neglected area with broken windows and closed businesses, Freihausviertel has metamorphosed into one of the city's most desirable addresses where people would be delighted to settle down if only there were free apartments available. Along the area's main thoroughfare - - Schleifmühlgasse - - posh boutiques and unique vintage stores blend with hip restaurants and cafes; specialty shops  and art galleries mingle with booksellers and champagne bars; young people enjoy their meals and cocktails, and street festivals are held to make this area even more appealing. A scaled-down version of New York's Meatpacking District or London's Hoxton, Vienna's Freihausviertel today lures some of the city's most creative businesses and boasts great plans for the future.

Dining in Freihausviertel
Whether you fancy a hearty breakfast, a quick lunch, a delicious dinner or just a cocktail before the night out, you'll find ample choice in Freihausviertel. In addition to some of the city's top breakfast locations along Schleifmühlgasse, the neighborhood also offers fantastic Oriental, Portuguese, Italian and Balkan restaurants, as well as cosy coffee houses and lively bars. Nostalgic Brits and Americans would be pleased to know that the only British-American grocery in town is also located here in the area, and lovers of Sekt, authentic Austrian sparkling wine from Burgenland, will feel right at home in Vienna's only bar specializing exclusively in this refreshing drink.

Shopping in Freihausviertel
Wonder what you can buy in Freihausviertel? Well, pretty much anything from the most exceptional individual fashion to vintage and modern furniture, antiques, old musical instruments, cookbooks, beautiful flowers, gourmet food and drinks, speciality items - you name it, they've got it! Perhaps the most unique store sells recycled household objects made by people undergoing treatment from alcohol and drug dependency - a great place to buy useful things for your home or office and help out the people in need. Just stroll the streets, and you will no doubt find something interesting. One thing you surely won't see is the impersonal chain stores - those are an absolute no-no here.