bconnected index 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9
Vienna, culture in capitals Historical notes
baround Useful advice
bzone
Relevant zones
bdelicious
Gastronomy: Life in the cafĂŠs
bperfect
bparty
Cultural events: Concerts for all tastes
Vienna
bmoving
Points of interest
bfun Shows
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Historical notes his is one of the most ancient cities in Europe. From being a mere Slav village between 500 and 15 bc., Vienna (then TVindobona) was taken by the Romans, who made the city a strong border fortress to watch over part of the Danube. Invaded by the Quads and the Marcomans, in 213 AD it began to recover after being practically destroyed. It was the time of the emperor Probus, who developed wine production, although he was unable to avoid the city being destroyed again in the year 400. Taken by the Lombards, the Avars and Charlemagne’s troops, in 881 it fell into the hands of the Moravs of King Svatopluk. Since then, the city has had the Slav name of Wien.
Kingdom of the Babenberg
Vienna, culture in capitals
A practical guide
The city that saw Mozart grow up is now one of the unavoidable places for lovers of culture. Traditional and modern at the same time (like the art of its main works of classical tendency and Art Nouveau), Vienna tops the list of quality of life of the cities of the world, thanks to the tidiness,
cleanliness and security felt in its streets. With a friendly multi-lingual population (in its streets we can hear German, the official language, as well as English, Italian and even Spanish), sometimes optimistic and sometimes fatalistic, travellers who decide to discover the Austrian capital must be
carried away by time in a Viennese café, explore the extensive architecture of its cultural heritage and attend some musical show. Luxury shops, extensive parks and traditional taverns complete a generous offer of attractions for enjoying every corner of this beautiful central European city.
Vienna is located on the east-west route of the river Danube. It is divided into 23 districts and more than two million people live there. The districts are set out in a spiral (like in Paris or other cities). The first of the districts (walled historical centre) is surrounded by the Ring, the circular boulevard where there are the majority of the stately buildings of the city. After the ninth district you are in the circumvallation of the city (Gürtel), and the districts reach the hills of the city’s forest (Wienerwald) and contain numerous taverns (Heurigen) and small villages with vineyards. In this guide, we make a brief tour of the most outstanding places of tourist interest, so travellers can gain a first view of the Austrian capital. We choose the basic items for you to enjoy an unforgettable weekend getaway. In On the following pages, we offer information on districts, monuments and museums, and we discard other elements that require a longer visit.
Shortly after, the city was governed by the Babenberg, who brought their feuds into Vienna, which for the first time achieved the rank of “civitas”. This is the time of St. Stephen’s church and the building of the new walls, which was achieved thanks to the money obtained from the rescue of Richard the Lion Heart, who had been held in Erdberg. New buildings also rose around the Kärntnerstrasse, the Graben and the Kohlmarkt. Frederik II the Bellicose, the last duke of the Babenberg, died in 1246, giving way to the Holy German Roman Empire. The Habsburgs, despite creating conflicts by eliminating privileges, completed the Schweizertrakt of the Hofburg, which had been started by Otakar II, and they gave a great push to the development of the Herrenviertel district, a noble location of the time. During the mandate of Albert I, the St. Stephen’s church choir was built, and also the churches of the Augustines and Our Lady of the Riverbank. Rodolfo IV built the university and destroyed the Jewish quarter to end with some incidents. In 1493 Maximilian I took the city from the King of Hungary, while his son Phillip married Joanna of Castile, the daughter of the Reyes Católicos and the hair to the throne of Castile and Aragon.
The Turks at the doors
In 1522, Charles V gave the power of Austria to his brother Ferdinand who, in 1533, managed to gather the administration of all the states in Vienna (Alsace, Southern Germany, Hungary, Bohemia and Austria). Four years before this, however, Ferdinand I’s power was about to wane. Soliman I, who had just taken Budapest, reached the
walled gates to the city, but the resistance of the 20,000 men of count Salm and the rain saved the city from siege. There was a second attempt by the great vizier Kara Mustafá, but this time the Polish troops were key to the Turkish defeat, which included Mustafá’s execution in Belgrade.
The Counter-reform and Culture
Catholic monastic orders settled in and with them the first Viennese baroque was born, giving rise to the churches of the Dominicans, the Franciscans, the Capuchins and the Jesuits. After the Thirty Years War and the battle of White Mountain, the Counter-reform was imposed once more and the protestant were expelled. Now under the mandate of Leopold I, from 1659, having overcome the second Turkish siege, the baroque Vienna became the epicentre of culture, above all with regard to music and theatre. This was the time of St. Charles, Belvedere, the manufacture of Augarten and the years when the population also increased considerably. Later would come the wars against Frederick of Prussia and the reversal of the alliance in 1756 between Austria and France. Napoleon’s hour came, who took control of the Austrian city on two occasions, being finally defeated in Leipzig and the Holy Alliance was forged in the Vienna congress (which gathered Prussia and Russia, in addition to the Austrian power). From 1815 to 1848, the time of Prince Metternich, were golden years for the city. It was the turn of industrialisation and the Biedermeier, the bourgeois cultural life. The first neoclassical buildings were erected
and the Volksgarten and Burggarten gardens. The walls became a public walkway and music, poetry and literature came to the cultural forefront. A brilliant time that ended with European revolutions and the bombarding of the city by the troops of Prince Windischgrätz. After 1867, Vienna was transformed once more, this time under the mandate of Francisco José. The emperor destroyed the walls and replaced them with the Ring. The Donaukanal was built and the new opera was opened. The districts were extended, the underground was built and the city received the Universal Exhibition of 1873. With two million inhabitants (the fourth largest European city behind London, Paris and Berlin), Vienna reached the cosmopolitan level it has maintained up to today.
Leading figure in the two wars
The son and heir of Francisco José, Francisco Fernando, was assassinated in Sarajevo in 1914. Austria reacted and declared war on Serbia, starting the 1st World War, in which the nation would be defeated in 1918. Austria was broken up and not allowed to join with Germany, something which occurred in 1938. But the 2nd World War started and between the bombs and the Russian troops, Austria was controlled once more by the allies, who divided it into four separate zones. In 1955 Austria recovered its sovereignty and Vienna recovered its splendour of other times, restoring its main monuments and cultural axes.
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bzone Relevant zones Amusement park To the north of the city, alongside the Prater stadium and the Danube, we come to the fairground and amusement park, a less cultural attraction than other options, but one which is sure to please the young and not so young. The Prater has an enormous green area for running and an amusement park dominated by an imposing big wheel (rebuilt after the 2nd World War). Eating places, ice cream and coffee sellers, cycle paths, golf courses and tennis courts, a little train going around the whole area, the planetarium, the hippodrome and the exhibition park (which receives the most important fairs in the city) are others of the numerous attractions of this park which since imperial times has received dances and fun in the Viennese day and night.
Wienerwald
baround Useful advice Vienna does not fall out of line with the central European timetable, that is GMT +1 hour. The Austrian capital’s climate is usually moderate, with long, pretty winters and mild summers. If you want to visit in the winter months, especially from November to March, don’t forget to bring warm clothing as the temperatures usually fall below zero and it generally snows. In the summer months the temperatures are high, but not extreme. The end of the spring is the best time of year for visiting Vienna, with average temperatures around the pleasant 20º C. We must also beware of storms, which can occur at any time of year. Don’t forget that attractions such as the School of Equestrianism, the Vienna Boys Choir and the theatre close in the summer. Austria forms part of the euro zone. Cash payment is very widespread and it is not difficult to find an automatic cash dispenser. Cards are accepted in hotels, restaurants and shops, above all in the centre (Innerstadt). The best option, like in so many cities, is to see it on foot. The main centre of Mozart’s land is the Innerstadt, the area that was inside the walls demolished in the 19th century. In addition to the monumental attractions, it is possible to enjoy the pedestrian streets full of numerous shops and restaurants, as well as the eternal Viennese cafés. The city hall, the city opera and the Fine Arts Museum are very close
to each other, making it easy for travellers to visit. It is difficult to drive in the centre and even more so to park (with car parks difficult to find and generally expensive). In any case, for the most daring (or the most patient), there are several car rental agencies in the airport, an also in the Westbahnhof and Südbahnhof stations. We might also decide to rent a motorcycle of a bicycle. In this last case, they can be rented above all close to the Danube (to easily get on to the cycle paths there are on both banks). There are also agencies in the Westbahnhof, Bahnhof Wien Nord, Bahnhof Floridsdorf, Südbahnhof and Praterstern stations. Bicycles can be taken on the underground and there is generally a good network of cycle paths to get around the city in the most ecological way. The city’s public transport company, Wiener Linien (www.wienerlinien.at), runs a large network of underground trains, local trains, trams and buses. In a country with an eminently European timetable, public transport does not run beyond midnight, and opens from five in the morning. For those who need to get around after midnight there is a night bus service that passes every stop each half hour, leaving from Schwedenplatz. If you decide to get around by underground, you have five lines. Line U1 goes from the north to the south of the city, passing through the centre. Line U3 also
goes through the centre, from east to west. Line U2 goes from Karlsplatz to Schottenring. Line U4 reaches the districts of the north and west, and finally, line U6, which follows the circumvallation (Gürtel). With respect to the trams, Mozart’s city has one of the longest networks in the world. The special noise the trams make when they circulate makes the Viennese call them “bims”. A single ticket for any public transport currently costs 1.70 euros (two euros when bought on the tram or bus itself). Tickets for night buses cost one euro. There are 24-hour, 72-our and one-week tickets. All tickets have to be validated and we are often asked for tickets to be shown for on-board inspection. Tickets may be bought from expender machines and from the Wiener Linien offices, as well as from tobacconists and newsagents. Finally, there is always the option of taking a taxi, all of which have taximeters. We will always pay a lot if we take a taxi at night or on a public holiday. In Vienna it is usual to give taxi drivers a tip (around 10%). Mozart’s city is considered very safe, although it is always best to avoid areas away from the centre, above all at night. The present opening hours of most shops in Vienna are from 9 in the morning until 6 in the evening. The banks open at 8.30 in the morning and close at 5.30 in the afternoon, also with a break at midday (12.30 p.m. – 1.30 p.m.).
This green area of the city (the name of which means “Vienna forest”) is known both for its enormous forest that is the lung of the Austrian capital and for two hills, Kahlenberg and Leopoldsberg, that give an incomparable view both of the city and the Danube. Wienerwald extends from the first foothills of the Alps to the gates of the city. No few people from Vienna decide to do an outing to the Vienna forest each Sunday either on foot or by bicycle, to enjoy the fresh air and the extraordinary views with a good picnic. Beach trees, oaks, carps, pines, crows, deer, boars, salamanders and flycatchers are some of the species that inhabit these unique surroundings. The two hills are reached from Cobenzl on a tree-lined avenue not difficult to climb. This is the same place from which the Austrian troops came down to free the city from the Turks commanded by vizier Kara Mustafá in 1683. As well as the Danube, we can see a large extension of vineyards, the no less impressive Klosterneuburg abbey and the Babenberg castle on the top of mount Leopoldsberg, rebuilt following the siege it suffered in 1529.
Alsergrund This is known among the Viennese as the academic district of the city. Located in the ninth district of the Austrian capital, this place houses the headquarters of several embassies and university departments. If you go out to discover this district, you can make a stop at the Liechtenstein Palace (which now holds the Modern Art Museum), stroll along the Ring avenue and enjoy the innumerable, different restaurants there are in this district, although undoubtedly the tourist star of the area is the Sigmund Freud Museum. The free-thinker lived for a time in this house which is now a museum, at number 19 of Berggasse street. This is a stately building of two floors in which Freud practised psychoanalysis between 1891 and 1938. This year, he fled from the Nazi regime that was hostile to him, and went to London. We can now visit his office, and see a collection of classical statuettes and a couch, a replica of the original that can be seen in the philosopher’s museum in the English capital.
Mariahelf In this area of the sixth district of Mozart’s city is the busiest shopping street in Vienna, Mariahilferstrass, and also the longest street in the city, where you can spend hours shopping in large stores and small trades. You can also drop into the Naschmarkt and Flohmarkt markets that open on Saturday mornings. The busy, lively atmosphere of this district is completed by numerous restaurants, theatres, cafeterias where many Viennese rest, and the odd bar for a drink in the evening.
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bdelicious Gastronomy Life in the cafés Apart from any breakfast, lunch or dinner good travellers decide
of the city that dates back to imperial times). Meatballs are also
to have in Vienna, they must not miss trying some of the numer-
one of the star dishes of the Viennese diet, and we can find them
ous cafés thronging the streets. These are the scenario for the
with different ingredients (potatoes, foie, meat, etc...) and cooked
social and daily life of the people of Vienna, a custom that dates
with bread and lard, as the basis of a broth or accompanying
back to 1683 (with a curious origin, coffee was a booty that
a soup. Nor must we miss the typical sausage from one of the
Vienna took after defeating the Turks, without knowing it was
numerous street stands (würstelstand).
coffee – café in some languages). To accompany the coffee, you
As well as other better-known drinks, you can try the Johann-
can have tiny sweets, marzipan, round rolls and almond and
Kattus sparkling wine, of great tradition among the Viennese. If
sugar biscuits, some of the delights of Viennese cakes.
you visit the city in winter, one icy night you can try hot wine from
Of the numerous dishes one can try when visiting the Austrian
any street stand to overcome the low temperatures.
capital, mushrooms in breadcrumbs are particularly important, as
To eat in Vienna, it is good to do so between 12 and 2 at midday.
well as oxtail with paprika, fried chicken, beef in breadcrumbs or
If having dinner, go to a restaurant after 6 in the evening and no
beef cooked with radishes (cooked slowly, one of the specialities
later than 9 p.m..
bparty Cultural events
Concerts for all tastes
Dancing and Carnival season
Jazz Festival
From 2nd January to Carnival Tuesday (one day before lent), there are numerous dances and carnival events throughout the city, such as in Hofburg, in the Neues Rathaus or the Musikverein.
Several premises in the Austrian capital fill with the fans of this genre in the first two weeks of July.
Opera Ball This is the star of the carnival balls and takes place in Staatsoper on the Thursday before Carnival. It is an event where the youngsters of the city are presented in society.
Haydn Festival Different places are involved in this meeting with culture, held in the third week of February or the first week of March.
Easter Market This is held in the second week of Easter in the Freyung and craft work and natural elements can be bought.
Vienna Spring Festival A meeting for opera lovers, concerts and theatre performances, which take place in various places in the Austrian capital from mid-March.
Vienna City Marathon This sports trial takes place at the end of April, starting in the Arbeiterstrandbadstrasse/Wagramerstrasse and finishing in Heldenplatz.
Vindobona Dances
Burgkapelle Mass The famous Vienna Boys Choir sing at this liturgy in the Hofburg from September to December.
Cinema Biennale At the end of October, several cinemas in the city offer a special programme with titles for all publics, and other locations such as underground stations, parks and popular streets in the Austrian capital.
National Festival On 26th October, Austria celebrates the National Festival of the Right to Neutrality, with numerous shows and cultural events.
Modern Wien This is a contemporary music festival that normally takes place in the month of November and which offers shows in several premises of the city, and especially the Konzerthaus.
Christmas market From mid-November to late December, Vienna receives several Christmas markets such as the Christkindlmark, along with the Rathaus (where in addition to the market, you can also enjoy different choir groups singing Christmas carols).
These shows start on 15th May and the special thing about them is that they take place on a boat that leaves from Schwedenplatz quay and does a small cruise on the Danube.
New Year Ball
Danube Island Festival
New Year concert
This is a contemporary music festival that starts at the end of June.
Known around the world is the New Year Concert, which is held in the city’s philharmonic.
Both in Hofburg and in Innerstadt, on the night of the 31st December different balls are held to celebrate the arrival of the New Year.
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bmoving Points of interest St. Stephen’s Cathedral
The centre and symbol of the city, its construction began in the 12th century. The main peculiarity of this impressive jewel of architecture with Romantic, Gothic and Baroque remains, is a roof of shiny coloured tiles. After the 2nd World War, the authorities had to carry out huge reconstruction work on the cathedral, as a fire (its second) destroyed a large part of its artistic value. Although the work is not concluded, it has important elements that you must not miss, such as its very tall spire (137 metres), the pagans’ towers, the Giant and Bishop’s Porches, the duchy crypt and the pulpit by Maese Pilgram.
Spanish School of Equestrianism
For over 400 years, the horses have shown the best of equestrianism in the speciality of taming, with paused, elegant movements. The horses are Spanish pureblood (the reason for the name of the school) crossed with Karst. The stables contain the Lipizzaner Museum, which shows the history of these horses of such repute, in addition to offering the possibility of seeing some of the animals currently in the imperial stables. Evening shows and morning trainings can be watched, both by booking in advance.
Hofburg
This is an imperial location of a size impossible to take in at first sight, so on a first visit it is best to see the imperial rooms and decide on some museum and church. It was the place of the Imperial Palace
until 1918, and is now the palace used by the president of the nation. A labyrinth of treasures, Hofburg holds a conference centre, several museums, the chapel where the famous Vienna Boys Choir sings and the room where the horses of the Spanish School of Equestrianism give their shows. The imperial apartments present the private rooms of the Empress Sisi and Emperor Francisco José, as well as numerous dining rooms and lounges, which show a small part of the riches of one of the most important empires in European history. It is said that at this time there were as many subjects as portraits. The imperial crown of the German Roman Holy Empire, the crown of the Austrian Empire, the Burgundy treasures and that of the Order of the Golden Fleece are others of the jewels that can be seen, as well as the Austrian National Library, a very valuable baroque piece.
Belvedere
The Belvedere Palace, one of the most representative buildings in Vienna and a jewel of baroque architecture, was built in 1721 for Prince Eugene of Savoy and is located in the outskirts of the Austrian capital. Today it has been erected on an imposing, admired late baroque construction and has three palaces, High Belvedere, Low Belvedere and Schwarzenberg, each one having a specific use. Don’t miss the large meadows, the wide flowerbeds, the several ponds and innumerable statues in the gardens in the purest style of Versailles.
bmoving Points of interest The Schwarzenberg now operates as a sumptuous luxury hotel. The High Belvedere (Oberes Belvedere) is essential for the views it gives of the whole city, in addition to its numerous works of art that include the classical, romantic, Biedermeier of the 19th and 20th centuries. Most visitors come to see “The kiss” by Klimt at close hand, in addition to other works by Klimt himself, by Egon Schiele or Oskar Kokoschka. Finally, in the Low Belvedere (Unteres Belvedere, the last to be built), also with a cultural use, it is possible to contemplate works that belong to the Middle Ages and the Baroque periods.
Academy of Fine Arts
Capable of rivalling the museums of the Paseo del Prado as we are told by those who know, this centre was built with the idea of holding part of the cultural legacy of the Habsburgs, and is now divided into five departments. The museum’s large staircase will take you to the galleries of antiques, coins and Ancient Egypt and the East. There is an art room (with the curiosities of the former art collections and objects of the imperial family that will surprise you), a painting gallery (with works by renowned painters of the like of Durero, Velázquez, Rafael, Rembrandt, Rubens, Tintoretto and Tiziano) and a collection by Brueghels. Rectangular in shape, it is in Maria Theresa square (opposite the Natural History Museum) and holds a dome of 60 metres in height. The interior of the palace that houses this museum is decorated ostentatiously with marble, stucco and gilt work
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Other places of interest
Schönbrunn Palace
In its beginnings, it was the summer residence for the court of the Habsburgs from the 18th century until 1918, in a new attempt to rival Versailles through art and the gardens. It was built on the land where the Katterburg castle was located, destroyed by the Turks in 1529. It has several lounges, a total 1,411 rooms (40 open to the public), a carriage museum and a puppet theatre that gives shows for children. UNESCO World Heritage, it includes a gardened palace and a triumphant arch behind the palace. The Palmenhaus, iron columns supporting the ceiling and the glass walls, is from the late 19th century. You can book tickets in advance to enjoy a concert in the palace greenhouse, a space with plants and specimens brought from all around the world and which are preserved with special methods against the adverse conditions of the Viennese climate. As a curiosity, a zoo was built inside the Schönbrunn complex to entertain the court, and with time has become the oldest zoo in the world.
Albertina
This museum is in Albertinaplatz (which gives it its name), with access from Augustinerstrasse, right behind the opera. In the centre of the square is the equestrian statue of archduke Albert in front of the Danube fountain. It originally held the engravings and aquarelles of prince Albert of Saxony, and years later developed into a museum to hold the graphic works of the German, Austrian, Spanish, Flemish schools and the Italian Renaissance. Its interior has an impressive background, which can hardly be displayed in a rotating manner with temporary exhibitions, which are usually highly varied. The museum’s baggage includes drawings by Da Vinci and Rafael and works by Durero, Manet, Rubens, Rembrandt and Klimt, amongst others.
Museum district
This enormous cultural complex, MuseumsQuartier, is located in the former imperial stables and opened its doors in 2001. It is now one of the epicentres of world culture, amongst other things thanks to its enormous size. You mustn’t miss the Leopold Museum and the Modern Art Museum. An international centre of dance, a museum for the youngest and the centre of architecture of the city, as well as innumerable activities, are concentrated in this huge area. The MuseumsQuartier is very pleasant and receives thousands of students in search of culture and some of its most modern cafeterias.
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bfun Shows
borganized
your notes
Watch a football match in the Viennese Prater, see the city’s night life in the “Bermuda Triangle” or go to a good film. But it would be a crime not to go to a concert of classical music in the city that receives most events of this kind in the year throughout the world. Each day’s agenda in the country of Mozart is generous and you are sure not to be disappointed and be able to enjoy a show, just like the monarchs of its time, in an imperial complex. Music
Austria is known worldwide for its extraordinary musicians, and this fame is due to the large number of geniuses who were born, have lived and performed in Vienna, and the great institutions such as the Vienna Opera and the Musikverien, which throughout history have been the stage for musical shows of the highest quality. Since the 18th century, the city has become a true paradise for lovers of classical music and opera. Masters such as Gluck, Haydn, Mahler and both Strauss created works with a style that became called “Viennese classicism” in the history of music. They all felt a special fascination for the imperial capital. W. A. Mozart had his first successes as a child prodigy in the Schoenbrunn palace, playing the piano for the sovereign Maria Theresa, and settled in Vienna in 1781 to compose the majority of his works for the city. Beethoven also came to Vienna in his youth and never left. Something similar happened to Brahms, who came to Vienna from Hamburg to have lessons from Beethoven and was impressed by the imperial capital. Vienna probably stages more classical music concerts that any other city in the world. In addition to the official season of concerts (from September to June), there are innumerable annual festivals and special events that occur throughout the year. For those with a younger taste, Vienna also offers punk and pop concerts. In the Vienna Opera, each day there are almost a hundred operas, operettas and ballets. The splendid building is a fatuous, romantic framework for you to enjoy any performance. One more it is best to book in advance. A smaller centre is the People’s Opera, with performances of lighter works, although some musicals can also be seen. The Vienna Boys’ Choir is an institution in Mozart’s city. The choir was created in 1498 and along with members of the Vienna Opera choir and orchestra formed the Hofmusikkapelle, which performs at the Imperial Palace Chapel Mass all year. Although it is not the only place where you can hear them and enjoy a unique show. The famous choir also leaves its print on the Brahms Auditorium, the place for chamber music performances of the Musikverein, in the Vienna Opera and the People’s Opera. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra plays at the Musikverein. The traditional televised annual New Year’s concert is broadcast around the world. Another option is to hear the Vienna Symphonic Orchestra that plays in the Wiener Konzerthaus. This complex also presents performances by the Wiener Singakademie choir and international orchestras. The tradition of the imperial balls has continued up to the present day, so we also recommend you go to one for a unique show. The dance ball season usually coincides with Carnival. The most important event on the calendar is the Opera Ball, as well as the Emperor’s Ball and that of the Philharmonic. Young and not so young take the opportunity to develop or assure social relations and wear long dress. An invitation is needed for such an important spectacle.
Theatre
Theatre, just like music, has a great tradition in Vienna. Today there are more than fifty theatre halls in the city, but the Burgtheater (Palace Theatre) is the most famous and sought after by the Viennese. This impressive building is the oldest and one of the most important theatre stages in the German language.
Sports
Snow sports stand out above all (jumping, downhill, Nordic skiing, racing or biathlon), due to the climate, the altitude and the layout of the country. Vienna receives millions of tourists each year in search of the excellent ski slopes offered by the Austrian capital. To go to a football match in the Prater is another option recommended for ball-lovers.
Information In Vienna, there are two tourist offices to answer your queries in the city centre (in addition to the one in the airport). They have numerous guides, such as the Kunst & Genuus, Architecture and Konzert-Cafés.
Obere Augartenstr. 40 (01) 24 555 Am Albertinaplatz, 1 (01) 24 555 www.info.wien.at
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