podtour
The Prater: Strauss, the Ferris Wheel and The Third Man
Before the Giant Ferris Wheel came a hunting ground; before The Blue Danube, a flat on Praterstraße. Follow the stories on the way to the fairground.
Jewish Leopoldstadt: audio walk in Vienna
Vienna's Jewish quarter as a place of life and of loss: the ghetto of 1625 and its expulsion, with a Spanish infanta laying the foundation stone; the market that grew out of it; the island of 60,000 Jewish residents; the Strauss ballroom that became a school and then a deportation camp; and the Sephardi and Ashkenazi temples that burned in 1938.
What this walk is about
You start in front of a church built on top of a synagogue: its foundation stone was laid in 1670 by the Emperor and his wife, an infanta from Madrid. You walk down the street that was the main street of a Jewish town of 104 houses, watch a market grow out of the gap the expulsion left behind, and find out why, two centuries later, this island was called "Matzah Island". On the Kleine Sperlgasse you hear waltzes: this was the site of the Sperl of Johann Strauss the Elder, then a school and, in 1941 and 1942, Vienna's largest collection camp. You hear the story of a boy of almost twelve who remembered who was watching from the street. Then a pause on the Taborstraße, at the house where Johann Strauss the Elder and his son fought over Vienna's music. You finish on the Zirkusgasse, where the descendants of the Jews expelled from Spain had a temple inspired by the Alhambra, and in front of four columns that recall the temple on the Tempelgasse.
- Start
- An Infanta's Foundation Stone
- Finish
- Tempelgasse 3 and the Stone on Ferdinandstrasse
- Who it is for
- A walk for anyone curious about Jewish history and remembrance.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk is mostly level.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
An Infanta's Foundation Stone
- 2
A City of a Hundred and Four Houses
- 3
The Market Born from an Expulsion
- 4
The Island of Matzah
- 5
Come Rain or Shine: The Sperl
- 6
The School That Hummed
- 7
Who Was Watching?
- 8
The War of the Two Johanns
- 9
The Alhambra of Zirkusgasse
- 10
Four Columns Without a Temple
- 11
Tempelgasse 3 and the Stone on Ferdinandstrasse
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Vienna, before you go
The big squares can make you feel you ought to hurry. Vienna rewards looking at façades and allowing a proper pause; combine its compact old centre with transport when changing areas.
More walks nearby
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
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on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
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One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.