When in Vienna
Situated on both sides of the river Danube with spectacular architecture spanning many eras, Vienna is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe to visit.
As the capital of Austria and with a population of over 1.6 million people, Vienna is the largest city in the country and is undeniably the financial and cultural centre. A fascinating and turbulent past, with the city forming the capital of one of the 19th century's largest empires, means that Vienna is steeped in European arts and culture.
Following in the footsteps of more than three million tourists in 2004 alone, visitors to the city will find that it is arranged into 23 districts. The Innere Stadt forms the heart and historical centre of Vienna and is surrounded by imposing public and private buildings, parks and monuments. Within the centre tourists can find the town hall, university, parliament, state opera and the Hofburg – the former imperial palace. One of Vienna's most famous sites, St Stephen's Cathedral, is located in the first district.
Due to the distinct districts, tourists can ensure that they see just what they want to see - those keen to surround themselves in glorious architecture can rest assured that industrial and more modern buildings are located in the southern and eastern districts. However, although the city centre does indeed have beautiful Roman, Baroque and classical buildings, visitors are also advised to venture away from the Innere Stadt to the International Center and the United Nations complex.
Music fans will love Vienna, with Viennese operetta performed in the Volksoper and classical concerts in the Wiener Musikverein – the home of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
Vienna is home to a great number of museums and art galleries, affording visitors an opportunity to learn about the Imperial era and see the imperial jewels, as well to view works of arts by the Old Masters. The Military Museum, Technical Museum and the Vienna Clock Museum are also well worth a visit.
As well as the numerous museums, a city break to Vienna often finds people unwinding by taking strolls in the numerous elegant parks and sipping on drinks in one of Vienna's famous coffeehouses. Dating back centuries, the coffeehouses foster a culture of a relaxed way to pass time while trying traditional Austrian food and drink. Vienna's numerous parks make it one of the greenest cities in the world, with small parks in inner city areas and the Viennese Forest reaching to the outer parts of the city.
Getting around the city to visit all the sites is easy and relatively cheap thanks to its extensive bus and tram network. A definite advantage for tourists is that the trams, which are part of the third largest system in the world, are so frequent in the most populated areas that it is not necessary to work out departure times.
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Introduction
