ABOUT THE CITY OF VIENNA:No Grand Tour of Europe is complete without seeing Austria’s capital, where people still dance the night away to the haunting strains of the Strauss waltzes. Vienna sits astride the “Blue Danube” and in 2001 the old city centre became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reflecting its historical importance.
Vienna was at the hart of the medieval Holy Roman Empire, and later the might Hapsburg Austro-Hungarian Empire. Reminders of Austria’s illustrious past are everywhere – from the Imperial Palace itself to the Hapsburg burial vault and palaces of Belvedere and Schonbrunn, the latter home to Europe’s oldest zoo. Indeed, Vienna has many famous sights, including the Spanish Riding School, St Stephen’s Cathedral and the Ring Boulevard with its imposing public buildings. Then, of course, there’s the Prater pleasure garden, boasting more than 250 attractions dominated by the giant ferris wheel that features in the iconic Orson Welles film – The Third Man.
With many parks and open spaces, Vienna is one of the “greenest” cities in Europe. It is also renowned for culture, with spending theatres, an opera house, museums and a musical tradition that goes far beyond those stirring Strauss Viennese waltzes, with Beethoven and Mozart amongst former resident composers. Adolf Hitler also lived here, from 1907 to 1913, trying and failing to enter he Academy of Fine Arts. But he’s no more than an unhappy memory, and today’s visitors can not only sample Vienna’s traditional and modern architecture and many cultural opportunities, but also enjoy the fine food, vibrant cafe society and nightlife for which the city is justly famous.
To enjoy Vienna at its most laid back, a visit to Danube Island is a must, with its countless bars, restaurants, night clubs, sports opportunities and sandy beach.
LOCATION OF VIENNA:In the northeast corner of Austria, 40 miles south of the Czech border, 40 miles west of the Slovakian capital, Bratislava, and 50 miles northwest of the Hungarian border. 11 miles from Schwechat international airport.
SERVING AIRPORTS:Vienna International [VIE]
Flight time from the UK: approximately 2 hours 15 minutes
SHOPPING IN VIENNA:The main shopping streets are Mariahilfer Strasse and the pedestrianised Graben and Karntner Strasse with well-known international high street names. Smaller, rather pricey specialist and antique shops crowd the city centre along with a couple of elegant shopping centres, Steffl and Ringstrassen Galerie. For handicrafts, head to the charming little neighbourhood of Spittelberg. Vienna's specialities include chic fashion wear and high-quality handcrafted items, such as glass, crystal, petit-point hand-embroidery and dolls. A variety of markets; the Alt Wiener Flohmarkt (said to be the city's best flea market) is held every Sat behind the Kettenbruckengasse underground station. Shops are closed on Sundays.
EATING OUT IN VIENNA:All price ranges and types (including Chinese, Turkish and sushi); good value by UK standards. Local specialities include Wiener schnitzel (a slice of breadcrumbed veal) and tafelspitz (boiled silverside of beef with chive sauce, grated horseradish and sauteed potatoes). Heurige (wine taverns) are good bets for simple traditional fare and, often, traditional musical entertainment. Nearly 600 cafes serve coffee, chocolates and tempting cakes, among them beugel (a short-crust pastry filled with walnuts), truffeltortes (chocolate biscuits) and Sachertorte (a rich chocolate cake with apricot jam).
YOU SHOULD KNOW:Sigmund Freud discovered what makes us tick in Vienna.
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