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vienna: general info
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VIENNA
Calling Code: +43
Austrias capital
Vienna spreads along both sides of the Blue Danube (which as the Viennese are certain to point out is actually muddy brown)
at the very foothills of the Alps. The legacies of Beethoven, Freud, Klimt and Mahler lure visitors to this gracious old-world city, the least
frenetic yet one of the most compelling capitals in Europe. Famous for its trams, cafes and pastry stores, it is a
delightfully civilized and comfortable city and a timeless destination for art, music, and culture.
The city is a smorgasbord of Baroque with a dash of art nouveau. Circling the old town (the Innere Stadt ) is the imposing revivalist architecture of the Ringstrasse Viennas main boulevard. These buildings range from the charming Opera House to the monumental Natural History Museum. Nestled throughout the city are the graceful art-nouveau buildings of turn-of-the century architects Otto Wagner and Adolf Loos. The buildings are one of the many remnants of the artistic and intellectual flowering that took place in Vienna at the turn of the century. Of course the buildings and the citys history are only a backdrop for the daily culture that can still be found in the concert halls opera houses and cafes.
Take a tour of the city to get oriented either on foot or in a Fiaker (a horse-drawn carriage). If youd prefer a more elevated impression of the city go up to the top of the Donauturm (Danube Tower)at 846 ft/258 m it provides quite a panorama from its observation platform and two revolving restaurants. You can see from there that Vienna is quite a large city its sights are dispersed throughout so youll want to buy bus/subway passes for the number of days that youll be there.
The pulse of the city can be found along Ringstrasse. As you walk around the area be sure to take a break at a sidewalk cafe and
taste one of the citys superb pastries. The Viennese invented cafe society and there is no better
pastime than to linger over a torte read a newspaper and watch the
people go by. Each caf has its own personality; while the lavish cafes inside the Ringstrasse are most impressive the smaller ones just outside have a charm and authenticity that should also not be missed.
If the Ringstrasse is the pulse of the city the Innere Stadt (the old city) is the heart. This is where the citys main attractions are located (and since it is a pedestrian zone it is also a great place to stroll). For
a great view of the city, climb the bell tower of the 450-ft-/137-m-high St. Stephens Cathedral. The cathedral, built in 1258, is easily identifiable by the zigzag pattern of its roof tiles. Between St. Stephens and the State Opera House is Karntnerstrasse Viennas main shopping street. Nearby is the Albertina museum which houses more than 200 000 drawings (works by Albrecht Durer among others). At another corner of the old city is the Hofburg Palace a massive complex that contains the Burgkapelle (the chapel where the Boys Choir sings Mass) the Stallburg (where the Spanish Riding School performs on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings) the Imperial Treasuries (Habsburg Crown Jewels) and the elaborate Austrian National Library.
Across the river from the old city is Prater Park an enjoyable amusement park that dates from the 18th century. The parks main attraction is the Riesenrad the giant Ferris wheel seen in the film The Third Man (the film plays every summer in one of the theaters on the Ring) and the goofy statues scattered around the park (one shows a enormous baby taking his tiny father for a walk).
Visitors shouldnt miss the elaborate 17th-century Schnbrunn Palace which was the Habsburg summer home. Often crowded with sightseers it is nonetheless a must-see. Highlights include the State Rooms the Hall of Mirrors (where Mozart made his debut at the age of 6) the magnificent Wagenburg Imperial Coach collection the enormous gardens and the Tiergarten Europes oldest zoo.
If you feel like taking a short excursion out of the city consider having a picnic in the Vienna Woods (beech-covered hills) relaxing in the charming wine gardens attached to nearby vineyards or strolling along the scenic Danube River.
Four nights are really the minimum needed to see Vienna. Additional days could be spent in the region or taking half-day tours outside of town.
Note: Although Vienna is one of the safest cities in the world, travelers have recently become a target of
pick pocketing and purse snatching in the two largest train stations. If you stay alert you shouldnt have any problems.
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Culture