Introduction

Vienna is the capital and largest city of Austria. Vienna's history began with the Romans, who founded it in the first century as one of a line of Roman defensive outposts against Germanic tribes. Later Vienna hosted the Hapsburg court for several centuries; first as the imperial seat of the Holy Roman Empire, then the capital of the Austrian Empire, and later of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Today Vienna is a magnificent city with many beautiful buildings and palaces. It is famous for it musical and cultural heritage. The Historic City Centre is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Vienna is the perfect gateway to eastern Europe.

Travel to Vienna

Vienna International Airport (VIE) is located 18 km (11 miles) south-east of Vienna near the town of Schwechat (the name of the airport). Most European airlines and a number of international airlines have direct connections to Vienna.

Taxi between the city and airport costs around €40.

Airport Service Wien offers an airport taxi service for a flat rate of €27 (max. 3 persons in car) to/from any address within Vienna.

Bus - There are two direct Vienna Airport bus lines every 30 minutes between the Vienna International Airport and Vienna's city center. One bus line goes to Morzinplatz next to Schwedenplatz very close to the center of the city. At Schwedenplatz, there are two subway lines (U4 and U1), as well as buses and trams - costs €6 and takes about 20 minutes. The other bus goes to the two main railway stations near the city center Südbahnhof (Southern Rail Station) or Westbahnhof (Western Rail Station) - costs €6 and takes about half an hour. Purchase the ticket from the bus driver.

City Airport Train (CAT) travels directly from the Vienna International Airport to the Wien-Mitte Railway Station in 16 minutes. The return ticket costs €16 or €9 one way. The CAT is owned by the Airport and used mainly by business travellers or is useful if you are in a hurry. When you depart Vienna by plane and use Star Alliance Flights your baggage can be checked in at the City Air Terminal at the Wien-Mitte Railway Station (except flights to the USA).

S-Bahn (local commuter train) to and from the Airport is also direct to Wien Mitte, Wien Nord, and Wien Handelskai stations. It is only 10 minutes slower than the CAT and costs only €6.80 return (or €3.40 one way). At the Vienna Internatonal Airport the S-Bahn and the CAT leave from the same underground railway station, but from different platforms.

International Trains arrive from all over Europe into Vienna. Prague take less than five hours, Budapest is only 2.5 hours away. The advantage of train travel is it takes you right to the center of the city instead of an airport. There are two major train stations, Westbahnhof (West Station) and Südbahnhof (South Station). Südbahnhof does not connect directly to the metro system. The nearest metro station is outside of the station about 400m away.

Car - There is a strictly enforced speed limit of 130 km/h (about 80 mph) on highways. On some highway sections in Vienna, the speed decreases to 80 km/h (about 50 mph). Within towns it is 50 km/h (about 31 mph) and on major roads it is 100 km/h (about 60 mph). A Highway Toll Sticker (Vignette) is required for Toll roads. Usually they can be purchased at petrol (gas) stations. Driving in central Vienna is not recommended and parking is expensive and extremely limited. It is always better to park a car further out and use public transport in the city center.

Eurolines provide coach services to Vienna from major European cities.

Vienna Transport

The city center ('old town') is the first district, it is encircled by the Ringstrasse (Ring Street), a grand boulevard constructed along the old city walls. Along the Ringstrasse are many famous and grand buildings, including the Rathaus [City Hall], the Austrian Parliament, the Hofburg Palace, the Natural History Museum, the Museum of Art History and the State Opera House.

Hop-on Hop-off Bus is an easy and inexpensive way to see the sights of Vienna at your own pace. Get on and off at any of the 15 stops, as often as you wish. Enjoy the Full City tour and see every major sightseeing attraction in Vienna accompanied by a hostess. Shop, see the sights, have fun and create your own itinerary. Buses arrive at each stop once every hour between 10:00am and 4:30pm and the ticket is valid for one day. Commentaries are in German and English.

Vienna Ring Tram operates on a hop-on hop-off basis allowing visitors to explore Vienna’s magnificent ring boulevard, the Ringstrasse, with all its sights such as the State Opera House, Imperial Palace, Parliament, Vienna City Hall and much more while enjoying the audio-visual information offered by the multimedia system! You will find the exact departure times (every 30 minutes!) posted at all the stops with the Ring Tram symbol. [Daily from 10am to 6pm, duration 30 mins]

Subway is the easiest, quickest and cheapest mode of transport to explore Vienna. Tickets can be purchased from ticket counters or vending machines.

Night Bus services start at midnight taking over from the normal bus services.

Walking is the best way to see central Vienna. The inner ring is quite compact with lots of pleasant cobble-stoned and paved streets. It can be crossed in about 20 minutes. As there is a lot to see in Vienna, the best way to traverse the city and its sights is to walk and take the subway or trams. However, a subway ride of less than 2 or 3 stations is probably best avoided since walking will take about the same amount of time.

Vienna Attractions

Hofburg Palace was the imperial residence of the Habsburg emperors until 1918. The Imperial Palace itself now houses the offices of the Austrian President, a convention center, and the Spanish Riding School. The Palace also houses several museums which are open to the public, including the Imperial Apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth (popularly known as Sisi). [Nearest underground station is U3 Herrengasse, tram lines 1, 2, D, J, to Burgring; bus lines 2A or 3A, to Hofburg]

Schönbrunn is the Hapsburg summer palace. Schönbrunn Palace together with its ancillary buildings and extensive park is by virtue of its long and colourful history one of the most important cultural monuments in Austria. Scheduled as a listed monument, the whole ensemble, including the palace, the park with its numerous architectural features, fountains and statues and the zoo – the oldest of its kind in the world – was placed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 1996. [Open daily 8.30am – 5pm, Take the underground U4 (green line), tram 10 or 58,or bus 10A to Schönbrunn]

Schonbrunn Zoo houses more than 4000 animals from each continent. The Baroque Architecture of Schonbrunn Zoo dates back to the days of Empress Maria Theresia and her husband Franz Stephan von Lothringen. The two Giant pandas, Yang Yang and Long Hui who arrived in the Schonbrunn Zoo 2003, are on loan to the Republic of Austria by the People's Republic of China for a period of 10 years. According to the latest estimates, only one thousand Giant Pandas currently live in the wild. Other top attractions include orang-utans, jaguars, koalas, the first elephant born in Europe using artificial insemination techniques, Children's playground and petting zoo and a rainforest house modelled after the ecosystems of Borneo.

Imperial Treasury (Schatzkammer) is located in the Neue Hofburg, the Schatzkammer is the best part of the Hofburg and an absolute must on any tour of Vienna. It contains the Hapsburgs' collection of jewels, crowns, and other valuables.

The New Palace (Neue Hofburg) – The New Palace is the newest and largest section of the Imperial Palace. It contains the Ethnological Museum and three branches of the Museum of Fine Arts. The Ephesus Museum contains classical art from Asia Minor. A collection of Historical Musical Instruments. The Collection of Arms, second largest in the world, houses an immense and exhaustive representation of weaponry from past centuries.

Vienna Prater (Park) is an amusement park and the location of the Giant Ferris Wheel (built 1896-97), one of Vienna’s most famous symbols. It is a point of reference for every visitor with its unmistakable silhouette, clearly visible even from great distances. Marvellous views of Vienna can be enjoyed by visitors throughout the day and night. [Take U1, tram O, 5, 21 to Praterstern, S1-S3, S7, S15: Wien Nord]

Seegrotte Underground Lake is a very popular tourist attraction located 20 km south of Vienna and is the largest underground lake in Europe. In 1912 an underground blasting operation in the gypsum mine went wrong and caused millions of litres of water to flood the lower level galleries of the mine creating the largest subterranean lake in Europe. In the 1930s the mine was opened to the general public as a tourist attraction. During World War II the Seegrotte was requisitioned by the German military forces as the subterranean site offered protection against bombing raids. The Germans built an underground aircraft factory inside the far flung tunnels and 2000 workers were employed to produce one of the first jetfighters of the world, the "Heinkel HE 162 Salamander". This aircraft was one of the secret weapons of the German Luftwaffe. A model of the plane and some original parts are shown inside the Seegrotte. After the war the Seegrotte was reopened as a tourist attraction. [Open daily 9am to 5pm, Adults €9, take U3 (Underground) to Landstrasse station and then Bus 364 or 365 directly to the mine]

Vienna Boys' Choir at the Musikverein, originally founded by the Hapsburgs, together with the Viennese Chamber Orchestra will delight their audience with the unforgettable melodies of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Strauss. The performance takes place in the Brahms Hall, of the Musikverein building, home of the Philharmonic Orchestra, which is regarded as one of the most beautiful chamber music halls.

Vienna House of Music (Haus der Musik) is a modern, interactive museum dedicated to sound and music, and located in Vienna's first district. Spread out over several floors, visitors are invited to playfully make new discoveries, play music and to actively participate in the museum's exhibits. The House of Music was awarded the Austrian Museum Prize for its innovative design and is located in the former Palais of Archduke Charles. At one time the Palais was the residence of Otto Nicolai (1810 - 1849), who composed the opera "The Merry Wives of Windsor" and founded the Vienna Philharmonic concerts. A total of 5000 square meters has been set aside exclusively for areas dedicated to a wide array of approaches to music, and most of all, the experience of music. Vienna is the perfect place to study violin lessons and piano lessons for beginners as there are many prestigious music schools.

Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral) is located in the centre of the city. The organized tour is recommended as the finest works of art in the cathedral can only be seen with a guide. The North Tower has an observation deck with an amazing view of downtown Vienna. Nearby is the entrance to the catacombs, where many bishops and Habsburg royalty body parts are buried.

The Danube Valley Tour is one of the most popular day trips from Vienna, and not to be missed! Travel through gorgeous Austrian countryside and take a scenic boat ride down the Danube River from Vienna to reveal the exquisite beauty of the Wachau Valley. The history and legends of this lovely part of Austria come to life as you wind your way past charming old villages, steep vineyards and mysterious castles. One such castle is the well-known Durnstein, where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned while waiting for his ransom to arrive from England. To complete your superb day trip, you will visit Melk's magnificent Benedictine Abbey, a pearl of the Austrian Baroque style.

Vienna Woods Tour explores the beautiful sites surrounding the southern part of the Vienna Woods on a half day guided coach tour. The tour passes the Roman City of Baden, famous for its thermal springs and travels through the romantic valley Helenental to the former Mayerling hunting lodge which is a commemorative chapel as the place the Crown Prince Rudolph, only son of Emperor Franz Joseph, committed suicide with Baronesse Vetsera in 1889. In the Cistercian Abbey of Heiligenkreuz (1133) you will visit the medieval cloister which houses the remains of the last Babenberger. Your tour continues with a leisurely boat ride on the largest subterranean lake in Europe, the Seegrotte. You'll you leave the Vienna Woods and return back to Vienna, passing the Liechtenstein Castle on the way.

Carnuntum Archaeological Park is located 40 km from Vienna, in the direction of Bratislava. The site offers excavations of an ancient Roman city. Tiberius, who later became Roman emperor, erected a fortified winter camp in the Carnuntum area in the year 6 AD – thereby founding one of the most important cities within the roman empire. Enjoy fabulous moments in the world of the Romans and be witness to the awakening of Rome’s metropolis on the Danube. [Take the train (S-Bahn Line 7, departing at Wien-Mitte)]

Vienna Museums

Natural History Museum exhibits our planet’s history, through the breathtaking diversity of nature and back to the origins of our culture. There are fascinating and valuable precious stones and minerals, rare fossils and gigantic dinosaurs, as well as famous prehistoric works of art. One of the most important is the 25.000 year-old figure of “Venus von Willendorf”, the skeleton of a Diplodocus, the longest terrestrial vertebrate that has ever lived, a giant topaz weighing 117 kg and the valuable bouquet of jewels which Maria Theresia had made as a present for her husband. The museum presents the overwhelming species variety of the animal world, from protozoa to the most highly developed mammals. Objects of more than 200 years old are of great interest, not only on their own account but also as witnesses of nature and historical records for the history of science and the art of taxidermy. Numerous stuffed animals of species either extinct or extremely endangered make the collections truly irreplaceable. [Open 9am to 6.30pm. Closed Tuesday, Adults € 8, Visitor's Entrance: Maria Theresien-Platz]

Museum of Military History is a large museum near Südbahnhof (the southern railway station) featuring the open-top car in which Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the last Austrian prince, was shot in Sarajevo triggering World War I and the downfall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts) is one of the world's great art museums located in a palace. The Museum has an excellent collection of ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art. It contains a world-class exhibit of the Habsburgs' art collection, including Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Bosch, and Brueghel. Like the Louvre, serious art fans may wish to devote more than a day to its treasures. [Adults €10, students €7.50, Daily except Monday 10am–6pm, U2: Babenbergerstrasse; U3: Volkstheater; tram D, J, 1, 2, bus 57A]

Vienna House of the Arts (Kunst Haus Wien) has presented international temporary exhibitions of works by such artists as Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Pablo Picasso, Man Ray, David Hockney, Jean Dubuffet, Joan Miró, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, Christo and Jean Tinguely. [Open daily 10am–7pm, Adults: € 9, Monday half price, Take a tram to Radetzkyplatz, Untere Weißgerberstrasse 13]

The Museum Hundertwasser presents a unique cross-section of the oeuvre of the Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928–2000), including key paintings as well as graphic works, applied art, architectural designs and examples of the artist’s ecological commitment. It is part of Kunst Haus Wien housed in an apartment/office complex is located 5–10 minutes east of the Wien Mitte U-Bahn stop.

Haus der Musik (The Music House) covers the history of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the history of Vienna as a centre of music making (Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Mahler, Schubert and others are documented). Take U1, U2, U4, trams 1,2, 62,65, J and D, stop Karlsplatz/Opernring.

Vienna Museum at Karlsplatz.

MAK - Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Art Stubenring 5, 1st District

The Leopold Museum

MUMOK Museum of Modern Art

Pathological and Anatomical State Museum

Technical Museum near Schoenbrunn Palace

Nightlife and Entertainment

Vienna Mozart Concert at the Musikverein is a special evening out in Vienna. The Musikverein was inaugurated by Emperor Franz Joseph in 1870. Dressed in historical costumes and wigs, the Vienna Mozart Orchestra re-creates the 18th century in this historic concert hall - it's the perfect way to enjoy a little Mozart while you're in Vienna! Note that the Concert regularly sells out weeks in advance.

Schonbrunn Palace Evening Concert is a special two hour evening out in Vienna. Listen to the music of Mozart and Strauss in the superb setting of the Orangery at Schonbrunn Palace. Accompanied by renowned musicians, singers and ballet dancers, the Schonbrunn Palace Orchestra performs the most famous works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Strauss. The orchestra consists of highly talented virtuosos who have trained at the world's best-known conservatories.

Vienna Dining

Vienna hosts many restaurants from great value family restaurants to up-market romantic, fine dining establishments, offering cuisine from around the world. Vienna is famous for its Cafes. Visit one of the many traditional 19th century coffee houses (Kaffeehaus) where you can sit down, relax, and have some coffee.

Vienna's famous dish is the Vienna schnitzel - veal coated with bread crumbs usually served with potato salad. The traditional Viennese fast food is sausage usually bought as hot sausages and hot dogs at snack bars called "Würstelstand" all over the town. The famous Wiener Würstel is known as "Frankfurter" in Vienna, Bosna is sausage with onions and curry, Käsekrainer has melted cheese inside.

Danube Tower Restaurant is a revolving restaurant with great views of Vienna. [Take the U1 subway to VIC / Kaisermühlen. Change to bus line 20B for Danube Tower]

Apple Strudel Show at Schonbruun Court Bakery - In a romantic vaulted cellar beneath Café-Restaurant Residenz is the Court Bakery. Here you can watch expert patissiers preparing a delicious Viennese apple strudel and even sample a piece of piping hot strudel fresh from the oven.

Vienna Shopping

Mariahilfer Strasse is the largest shopping avenue in Vienna, featuring all kinds of stores, many flagship stores from international brands. The avenue stretches from the Museums quartier to Westbahnhof. [Subway Museums quartier (U2), Neubaugasse (U3), Zieglergasse (U3), or Westbahnhof (U3/U6)].

Kärntner Strasse and Am Graben are the major shopping avenues in the Inner City. From St. Stephan's Cathedral walk south and west. The stores and brands are usually more luxurious than on Mariahilfer Strasse. [ Subway Stephansplatz (U1) or Karlsplatz/Oper (U1/U2/U4)].

Millennium City is a medium-sized shopping mall near the bank of the Danube. [Take the U6 or S-Bahn to Handelskai].

Dorotheum is the largest auction house in Central Europe, established in 1707, hosting about 600 auctions a year. The Dorotheum is also Vienna’s largest antique store. You can choose from a huge selection of pictures, furniture, rugs, silver, porcelain, and glass from all stylistic periods, offered at fixed prices. Dorotheum Jeweller is Austria‘s largest jewellery store. The main location is Dorotheergasse 17 in the city center.

Shopping City Süd is one of the biggest shopping malls in Europe just outside of Vienna, hosting a wide range of stores and brands. [Take either the Wiener Lokalbahn to Vösendorf-SCS or local bus lines]

Naschmarkt Flea Market is on each Saturday 6am-4pm all year. [Linke Wienzeile (U4 stop Kettenbrückengasse]

Beyond Vienna

Salzburg While in Vienna don't miss your chance to visit Austria's other great city, Salzburg – the home of Mozart and the beautiful Mirabell Gardens and Palace. On the way to Salzburg travel through the stunning Austrian Alps passing by the beautiful Salzkammergut landscape with its mountains and lakes, and where the Emperor Franz Joseph and his family used to spend their holidays. Discover Salzburg with an afternoon walking tour through the old city. Your guide will show you the most important sights of the old Bishop's Seat including the Cathedral, the Festival Hall, St Peter's Abbey Church and its graveyard (the tomb of Mozart's sister Nannerl). Among the busy shopping streets you'll see no. 9 Getreidegasse, where the famed Wolfgang Mozart was born and lived until he was 17 years old. While passing through the gardens of Mirabell Palace you will see the statue of the Pegasus, the winged horse. On your return journey to Vienna, enjoy great views as your coach passes through Fortress Hohensalzburg, one of the largest medieval castles in Europe.

Vienna is the perfect gateway to visit Eastern Europe:

Budapest is the capital of Hungary and very popular as Budapest is close to Vienna. Take a drive through the enchanting countryside of western Hungary on a guided coach tour to Budapest. A city rich in traditions, it is situated on the banks of the Danube, where you'll be given the opportunity to enjoy lunch and see the main sights of the city. In the afternoon during an extensive coach tour, appreciate the historical and cultural importance of Budapest. You'll view city highlights including Hero's square, Vajdahunyad castle, Opera house, Parliament, Fisherman's bastion, Matthias church and the Citadel.

Prague is is the capital of the Czech Republic and very popular as Prague is close to Vienna. Take a day trip to visit Prague from Vienna. Travel across the beautiful countryside of Moravia and take an extensive city tour of Prague's sights, including the Charles Bridge, National Theater, Hradschin (Royal Palace), the Parisian street, Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square.

Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, is only 60 km (50 minutes by train or car) from Vienna. Trains depart from Wien Ostbahnhof (Sudbahnhof) to Bratislava about every 30 minutes (every two hours at night). This can make an excellent day trip.