Vienna was the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Vienna has intertwined itself with the Middle Ages, the Baroque period and the Grunderzeit.
Vienna is situated on both sides of the Danube River. It soon moved in the 19th and 20th century to modern yet designer creative and artistic architecture. It was home to Sigmund Freud the world’s first psycho-analyst and thus it is called “The City of Dreams”. You will find music in the very air of Vienna. It is home to a number of universities, and Vienna is Austria’s main educational centre.
Schonbrunn Palace
This palace is Vienna’s most important tourist visiting place. It has cultural monuments and has been the former summer residence of Habsburg monarchs. As time passed by and history unfolded new events, in 1996 UNESCO put Schonbrunn Palace on its World Heritage List. Tour tickets can be purchased in advance for the palace.
Schonbrunn Palace holds many musical concerts with Mozart’s music. It is Europe’s most impressive palace complexes. It is done up in Baroque style. The guided tour takes the people through rooms decorated in Rococo style. The rooms are ornamentally decorated with Bohemian crystal chandeliers. You pass through The Round Chinese Room, The Room of Millions mind-boggling decoration with rosewood and with priceless Indian and Persian miniatures right from the floor to the ceiling.
Schonbrunn Palace is about 6 km from the center of this beautiful city Vienna. The palace has gardens which are magnificent and the visitors are unaware as time slips by seeing what you have never seen before. Behind the palace is a sloping park with statues, fountains, a zoo, a botanic garden and plenty more to see and marvel at Schonbrunn Palace.
Hofburg Palace
This palace in Vienna, Austria, has been home to many legendary and powerful people in European and Austrian history. Today the Hofburg Palace attracts a number of tourists to see and admire it from outside and within. The entire complex has eighteen wings. You see the royal apartments, library, museums, church chapel and the Winterreitschule. The whole complex with about 2000 rooms is designed from Gothic to Baroque and Neoclassicist.
It is the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. The gateway to the palace is a monument to admire with statues of Hercules. The tourist sees a Renaissance palace with a clock tower, the Leopoldo Wing and the artistically decorated sculptures in the Labors of Hercules. The palace attracts a number of visitors to its Sissi Museum.
In the courtyard is seen a monumental sculpture of Emperor Francis I of Austria wearing a classical Roman attire. There is a lot more to see at the museums of Hofburg Palace. The tourists will have to revisit it to unravel all its treasures.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral Vienna
The cathedral is a Gothic edifice and is an important Roman Catholic Church in Vienna. The cathedral is decorated with Baroque altarpieces. The North Tower has underground burial place and then the visitors go to the South Tower. Climbing 345 steps take you to the watchman’s tower which is 246 feet above street level. The views from atop are simply outstanding. The tourists observe the modest interiors of the cathedral. It is built of limestone. The roof of the cathedral is patterned ornately with rich colors. There are 123 bells in St. Stephen’s Cathedral. It has a high alter in baroque style with marble brought in from Poland, Styria and Tyrol. There are other alters too. You will find a number of chapels in St. Stephen’s Cathedral.
Vienna State Opera
Welcome to one of the world’s most famous opera. You can enjoy your evening watching the best opera and ballet performances. The place is packed with stars. You will get a chance to see them. The fire curtain separates the stage from the audience. Guided tours are available to the State Opera Museum. The visitors here see photos, stage setting models, costumes and documents that take you on a journey through the times of the Opera Museum.
The months of April, May, June and September bring you enjoyment for free as the opera goes live on Herbertvon-Karajan-Platz. It lies in front of the opera building and you get a chance to be lost in a musical world. It is on the Ring Boulevard, built in 1869. It offers top-class musical theater performances throughout the year.
Prater
Vienna Prater is an amusement park which is full of life and it radiates energy and joy. At this park, the young and the old both are entertained. Time flies at this park. The park is located close to the city centre. It relaxes and refreshes not only the tourists, but also the Viennese who go to Prater for recreation after a day’s hard work.
You will find green open spaces with a natural landscape. In the Wiener Prater area, you will find the main alley, the Krieau and the Ernst Happel Stadium. Visit the Madame Tussaud’s and see the look alike wax figures of famous people. It is a must see attraction for all visitors.
Take a ride on Riesenrand and get a glimpse of Vienna from atop 200 feet. Go up the Giant Ferris Wheel. The Giant Ferris Wheel is a fascinating structure. It is visible from far away in Vienna. Now another wheel has been installed with audio of the history of Vienna with a stage which tells you stories of the Prater in the past. It is a tour where you pass through Roman times with horse-drawn carriages. The Middle Ages provides a glimpse of St. Stephan’s Cathedral and you see the 17th century Vienna depicting military conflict.
At the foot of the wheel, you can have a Viennese buffet or spend time to have a romantic and unforgettable dinner at The Romantic Crystal. Visit the cafe restaurant and have a traditional cuisine among the colorful bustling Prater. Go and have a glass of Viennese wine or a prosecco at the Salettl. If you are with your kids then let them enjoy a party in the cabin on the Ferris Wheel. Then head to the bumper car and the flying swing. Get your photos clicked at the Wheel Photo Shop.
Come to Vienna and visit Prater from March to October. It occupies six million square meters of area with large meadows, water areas and forests. You can relax, refresh, walk, jog, cycle and do much more in your green space at Prater. Go to the summer house restaurant. The green Prater is away from the Entertainment Prater. Follow the signs and take the path you would like to explore. Prater echoes with the sounds of the happy-go-lucky children.
The Natural History Museum
The museum was founded 250 years ago. It stands elegantly all rich in tradition and its excellent architecture. You pass through huge halls displaying exhibits. The visitors admire and curiously look at minerals, gems, rare fossils, skeletons of giant dinosaurs and much more at The Natural History Museum. Even living animals are seen in the aquaria and terraria areas. There are guided tours to take you around and explain the history of the museum. Take a tour to the rooftop and see the beautiful Vienna, the capital of Austria. Visiting this masterpiece classic museum is like an unforgettable event. It is closed on Tuesday. The museum is open from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm. Pay a fee to enter the museum but everyone up to the age of 19 has free entry.
St. Charle’s Church
This church was built between 1716 and 1739 and is a baroque style church. The dome of the church is of green copper and has a height of 236 feet with large windows. The visitors see two large columns depicting scenes from the life of St. Charles Borromeo. The alter panel is artistic. The church houses a small museum with religion exhibits. There is a pond in front with a Henry Moore Sculpture. The history of the church tells you that this outstanding church was built to celebrate the end of the Black Plague.
Albertina
Albertina Museum is situated in the historic heart of Vienna. It has the largest and valuable graphical collections in the world. You will also see some masterpieces from the times of Monet to Picasso and Baselitz. The museum also has a photographic and architectural collection.
The visitors proceed to the part of the museum known as the staterooms. Once here lived the daughter of Empress Maria Theresia. The staterooms have a hue of turquoise, yellow, and green and are sparingly furnished with original furniture. The onlookers are transported back in time as they walk past seeing the gliding carvings, the artistic floors with rose and ebony works.
The Danube Tower
The rotating restaurants in Vienna, Austria stand majestically tall. Its elevators take you up to the restaurants in flat 32 seconds. The height of the elevators is 826 feet.
The visitors from that high enjoy a classic view of Vienna the old city, its woods and everything your sight can stretch up to from this landmark of Vienna, The Danube Tower. The tower has a park with green environs, large meadows, playgrounds, flower beds looking colorful and jogging paths.
The Danube Tower opened to the public in 1964. It is the tallest structure in Vienna. You will find the tower near the northern bank of the River Danube. It was designed by Hannes Lintl. The entire area around The Danube Tower is found in a Morden complex. It is open from 10.00 to 12 midnight. You have to pay a fee to go to the observation platform of the tower. At the top, you get views of the hills in the background.
Kunsthistorisches Museum
This is an art lovers must see museum. You will see a number of art works of European art history, paintings at the galleries and lost cultural mysteries at the Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection.
A rare collection from the treasure chests of Habsburgs. It showcases the Middle Ages art works along with that of the Renaissance and the Baroque era.
Kunsthistorisches Museum is housed in a palatial building with an octagonal dome crowning the museum. If your feet are tired give them a little rest at the first floor cafe restaurant and then continue your journey enjoying ancient history alongside with beautiful paintings.
Vienna offers its tourists all grades of accommodation. Get to a restaurant and order a taste of Viennese cuisine traditional and the new Viennese cuisine. The cuisine here is influenced by many immigrant communities.
Shop on the shopping streets of Vienna. It is fun whether you buy or not everything catches your gaze. Visit the many souvenir shops, pick up an art piece or go in for some rustic specialities. Purchase some crystals, hand-carved small models of Alpine farms, the shopping list is unending, so buy what appeals to you.
Austria’s currency is the Euro. Exchange your home currency at the airport or at a bank. Vienna International Airport welcomes its visitors. It is 19 km southeast of the city center. It runs bus and rail services to the city of Vienna, Austria.
Get going, plan your vacation, check out the visa status, book your flight and a hotel room and start packing your travel bag.
Vienna can be visited in spring and fall. These seasons have a milder weather. Summer months let you enjoy the sunshine of Vienna. June, July and August see an influx of tourists. In winter European’s come to Vienna to enjoy Christmas. Come when you want, but do visit Vienna, Austria.
