From Wikitravel

Vienna [1] (German: Wien) is the capital of Austria. It is by far the largest city in Austria as well as its cultural, economic, and political center. As the former home of the Hapsburg court and its various empires, the city still has the trappings of the imperial capital it once was, and the Historic City Centre is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

[edit] Understand

The area around Vienna has had a human population since at least the late Paleolithic: one of the city's most famous artifacts, the 24,000 year old Venus of Willendorf, now in Vienna's Natural History Museum, was found nearby. Vienna's history begins with the Romans, who founded it in the first century c.e. as Vindobona, one of a line of Roman defensive outposts against Germanic tribes. Vindobina's central garrison was on the site of what is now the Hoher Markt, and you can still see the excavations of its foundations there today.

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. This tremendously influenced the culture that exists there today. Like Munich, its residents are formal, but with small doses of courtliness, polite forms of address, and formal dress attire. The residents of Vienna tend to be equally modern and old-fashioned.

Traditional Vienna is but one of the many façades of this city. Vienna is also a dynamic young city, famous for its (electronic) music scene with independent labels, cult-status underground record stores, a vibrant club scene, multitudes of street performers, and a government that seems overly obsessed with complicated paperwork. However, people are willing to go out of their way or bend the rules a little if they feel they can do someone a favor.

The Viennese have a singular fascination with death, hence the popularity of the Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) as a strolling location and of Schrammelmusik - highly sentimental music with lyrics pertaining to death. Old-fashioned Sterbevereine (funeral insurance societies) provide members with the opportunity to save up for a nice funeral throughout the course of their lives. This service does not exist solely to save their children the hassle and expense - it is considered absolutely mandatory to provide for an adequate burial. Vienna even has the Bestattungsmuseum, a museum devoted to coffins and mortuary science. The country’s morbid obsession may be correlated with its higher suicide rate when compared with the rest of Europe.

Vienna is also famous for its coffee culture. "Let's have a coffee" is a very commonly heard phrase, because despite incursions by Starbucks and Italian-style espresso bars, the Kaffeehaus is still the traditional place to drink a cup of coffee, read the newspaper, meet friends, or fall in love.

[edit] Orientation

To the traveler, the city has a very convenient layout: The 'old town', or city center, is the first district, with Stephansdom and Stephansplatz at the centre of a bullseye. 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 (Kunsthistorisches Museum), and the State Opera House.

Districts 2-9 are gathered within the Gürtel ('belt') Road, which encircles the Ringstraße like an outer belt. Along this, you can find the Prater (amusement) park, the hip quarters of the second district (close to Schwedenplatz), Westbahnhof - a major national and international railway terminus - from which leads the major shopping street Mariahilfer Straße eastwards to the inner city, the Hundertwasserhaus and the Hundertwasser Kunsthaus.

Outside the "belt" road are the Danube Tower (Donauturm), the Belvedere Palace and Schönbrunn Palace, which is the most visited tourist attraction and deservedly so. It was placed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 1996.

The Vienna Tourist Board [2] operates information and booking booths at the airport Arrival Hall, 7AM-11PM and in town at Vienna 1, Albertinaplatz/Maysedergasse.

[edit] Climate

Summer in Vienna is usually warm. Weather in June and July is moderate and sunny with a light summer windy breeze. In August, there are some hot days where it reaches 34 degrees Celsius (93.2 degrees Fahrenheit), but overall, summer in Vienna is pleasant.

Autumn starts around September and it gets colder as it approaches November. A main disadvantage of the Viennese climate is that it is very windy. In the summer this is an advantage, but in the winter, it makes the weather feel colder.

[edit] Get in or out

[edit] By plane

Vienna International Airport [3] (IATA: VIE; ICAO: LOWW) is located ca. 18 km (11 miles) south-east of the Austrian capital near to the town of Schwechat, after which the airport is named. The airport "Wien-Schwechat" is the home base of the flag-carrier Austrian [4] and the budget airlines Fly Niki [5] and Sky Europe [6]. Most European airlines and a significant number of international airlines have direct connections to Vienna from their respective hubs.

There are a number of smaller airports within a two hour commute of Vienna which are served by so-called budget airlines; it is therefore often cheaper to fly to a nearby city and connect by train or bus. Ryanair [7] flies to Linz (1 1/2 - 2 hours by train), Graz (2 1/2 hours by train) and Brno (IATA: BRQ) and Sky Europe [8] flies to Bratislava (1 1/2 hours by bus).

There are three options by public transport to travel to/from the city centre of Vienna.

• Taxi to and from the Airport

As a point of reference, a taxi ride between the airport and the western part of the city centre (District 7) costs around €40 (including extras and tip). A taxi from the Rennweg S-Bahn station (where the S-Bahn to the airport departs) to the airport costs around €25. Taxi prices are negotiable before you climb in! If your destination is north or west of the city centre a pre-booked taxi might be much cheaper. For example, Airport Service Wien [9] offers a flat rate of €27 (max. 3 persons in car) to/from any destination address within Vienna.

• Hotel shuttle

Some Vienna hotels offer guests shuttle service to and from the airport, usually for a fee that's cheaper than a taxi, though sometimes you will share the shuttle with guests from your own or nearby hotels.

• City Airport Train to the Wien-Mitte Railway Station

The City Airport Train (CAT) [10] takes you 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 used mainly by business travellers (or those lured by advertising into believing that there are no alternatives) and is useful if you are in a great hurry. The CAT is owned by the Airport (not by the Austrian Federal Railways) and is heavily advertised in Austrian Airlines cabin announcements upon landing, in terminal transfer buses, and in the airport building itself.

When you leave Vienna by plane, and if you use Star Alliance Flights, Air Berlin, or Fly Niki, your baggage can be checked in at the City Air Terminal at the Wien-Mitte Railway Station, which leaves you baggage-free and more time in Vienna; the price is still high for saving 11 minutes. [Note: If you are flying to the United States, due to extra security measures, you cannot check-in your luggage at the City Air Terminal.]

• S-Bahn (local commuter train) to and from the Airport

Although no longer advertised by the airport management (which prefers to ignore the S-Bahn and promote its more expensive CAT instead), the normal S-Bahn (Schnellbahn) (fast regional train) S7 (or S2) is also direct, merely 10 minutes slower than the CAT and costs just a third: €6.80 return (or €3.40 one way) if bought in advance (and only €3.40 if you have the Wien card), stopping at Wien Mitte, Wien Nord, and Wien Handelskai among others. If you already have a U-Bahn day pass, you only need to add a “Aussenzonen” (outer zone) ticket for €1.70 (has to be bought in advance). Do stamp the ticket to validate it before getting on the S-Bahn, as punching machines are not installed inside the train. Note that you will need to buy a 2-zone ticket (or two 1-zone tickets) to total €3.40 each way to and from the airport.

To reach the S-Bahn station at the Vienna Internatonal Airport, follow the CAT signs for all but the final 50 meters: the S-Bahn and the CAT leave from the same underground railway station, but from different platforms. For more information, check out Vienna's main website[11].

Once you have your 2-zone ticket, you can travel from the airport to any Viennese destination (free transfer for one hour; you don't need to buy further tickets for Viennese bus, subway, or tram lines).

• Bus (Vienna Airport Lines) to and from the city center

There are two direct Vienna Airport bus lines [12] going every 30 minutes between the Vienna International Airport and Vienna's city center.

1. One bus line goes to "Morzinplatz" next to "Schwedenplatz" very close to the center of the city. At Schwedenplatz, you have two subway lines (U4 and U1), as well as buses and trams. In about a five minute walk, you are at St. Stephan´s Cathedral, the very center of Vienna. The trip costs €6 and takes about 20 minutes.

2. The other bus line goes to the two main railway stations near the city center. The bus trip to Südbahnhof (Southern Rail Station) or Westbahnhof (Western Rail Station) costs €6 and takes about half an hour. Usually a bus leaves the airport or the stations every 30 minutes (every 20 minutes in the summer). Costs: Single ride - €6; Round trip - €11. You buy the ticket from the bus driver.

[edit] By train

Vienna is a railroad hub, easily accessible from other major European cities. Overnight trains arrive from places like Amsterdam, Strasbourg, Bucharest, Sofia, Belgrade, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Munich, Moscow, Kiev, Milan, Warsaw, Cracow, Prague, Cheb, Rijeka, Koper, Rome, and Venice. The day trains from Prague take less than five hours, the night train takes less than eight hours. From Budapest, the train ride is 2 1/2 hours. Trains from multiple countries can all be arranged via the Austrian ÖBB train system [13].

There are several cheap train offers to and from Vienna, mainly to destinations in Germany and Italy, but also Strasbourg and some other destinations. These all cost €29 for a one-way seater, €39 for a couchette, or €59 for a sleeper. You have to book quite a bit in advance (to Berlin and Hamburg about two months in advance, especially in summer), but it is definitely worth the effort as it takes you right to the center of the city early in the morning (unlike taking the plane).

There is a special discounted round-trip ticket you can buy if traveling from Budapest called a "kirandulójegy" or excursion ticket in English. For €29 you can buy a round trip ticket between Budapest and Vienna good for four days that will also cover all your local transportation within Zone 100. Since a 3-day transport pass usually costs €12 you're basically getting a round trip ticket for €17! This is an excellent deal, especially if you're planning on going back to Budapest.

NOTE: 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. Look for Südtiroler Platz. Many trains from Germany arrive at the Westbahnhof. Trains to Bratislava (only an hour away) usually depart from the Südbahnhof, but occasionally from the Westbahnhof.

See a scan with the 2008 overview for connections from Vienna to and from Western Europe [14], and a scan from Vienna to South- and Eastern Europe [15].

[edit] By car

Most Austrian highways ("Autobahn") terminate/originate in Vienna.

Unlike Germany, 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 62 mph).

Also a Highway Toll Sticker (Vignette) is a must! Not having one can be really expensive. Usually they can be purchased at petrol (gas) stations.

Drivers in Austria are also required by law to carry certain safety equipment. This includes a reflective vest, first aid kit, and traffic warning triangle.

Parking anywhere within the "Gürtel" (centre-districts 1 - 9) and in specially marked areas is restricted to 120 minutes (between nine and 22 hours, M-F) and subject to a fee of €1.20 per hour unless you have a resident permit. Payment is made by marking the time of arrival on a ticket ("Parkschein"), which can be bought at tobacco shops. Therefore, if you wish to leave your car in the central districts for the period of your stay, you cannot simply park it on the street. You must either book a hotel that offers parking or leave it at a commercial car park (Parkhaus, Parkgarage). These can be very expensive (for instance, €32 per day in the Parkgarage Freyung).

A cheaper alternative is park and ride, normally available at U Bahn stations in the city periphery, for example at U3 Erdberg station (€2.70 per day).

Avoid the A23 Südosttangente at rush hour. Traffic jams are almost guaranteed there.

It should be noted, though, that Vienna is one of the world's cities where it's least necessary for the visitor to have a car.

[edit] By bus

Eurolines [16] is a relatively cheap way to reach Vienna from major European cities, however it is unlikely to be cheaper than a discount airline for longer distances, such as London. Buses usually stop at the subway station Erdberg (line U3).

[edit] By boat

Riverboats on the Danube include connections with Bratislava and Budapest, but it's of little value, unless you just love going on (slow and relatively expensive) riverboats. There is a fast catamaran service to Bratislava [17] for €25.

[edit] Get around

Vienna has a good public transport system [18], which includes commuter rail, underground, trams (trolleys), and buses. The subway system is very efficient and will take you to within a few minutes walk of anywhere you are likely to want to visit.

Within Vienna itself, you can get a single trip ticket for any of these for €1.70 (€0.9 for children and dogs), a 24-hour ticket for €5.70, or a three-day pass for €13.60. A 48-hour version is available for €10. A one-person Wochenkarte (a week ticket covering all means of transport) stands at €14 for lines within zone 100 (all of Vienna), but is fixed for the Monday to Sunday period. A one month pass is €49.50 and is valid from the first day of the month through the second day of the following month.

Note that children up to 14 years need not buy a ticket on Sundays, holidays and during Austrian school vacations. Children between 15 and 19 years of age need not buy a ticket on Sundays, holidays and during Austrian school breakss as long as they attend an Austrian school.

You can buy all kinds of tickets at machines or from counters in or near S-Bahn and U-Bahn stations and in the small shops selling tobacco and newspapers (Tabak). Ticket machines accept Visa/Mastercard credit and debit cards, as well as cash. In trams and buses, you can only buy single tickets, which are more expensive (€2.20 full fare, €1.10 for children). Stamp your ticket at the start of its first use (there are stamping machines on the buses and trams and near the entrances to the stations). You can use one ticket to go in one direction on as many lines as you like, for as long as it takes you to get there. You have to buy another ticket if you stop and get out or if you want to go back in the direction from which you came. Payment is by the honour system. Normally, you don't have to show the ticket or stamp it again when you board, but occasionally inspectors check for valid tickets. If you don't have one, its an instant €60 fine (plus the fare you were supposed to have paid).

If you're staying for a few days and hope to do lots of sightseeing or shopping, the Vienna Card (Wien Karte) [19] is a good deal. It costs €18.50 and is good for 72 hours of unlimited public transit within Vienna. The card also gets you discounts (typically €1 or €2 at the major museums and art galleries) to many attractions and shops. You can buy it at the airport, hotels, and underground stops. Other options for longer stays or multiple parties include weekly and monthly passes, and the eight person day card (i.e. good for one person for eight days, two people for four days, or four people for two days).

The eight person day card (8-Tage-Karte) for €27.20 gives eight non-consecutive days of unlimited travel on U-Bahn and trams until 1AM (just after midnight). There are eight blank lines on the Karte (ticket). Fold the ticket to the desired blank line starting with blank line numbered one. The ticket can be shared by people traveling together. Punch one line per person per day. Trams have a punch machine inside. The S-Bahn and U-Bahn have a punch machine at the entrance. You can travel to the Flughafen (airport) on the S-Bahn using this ticket with an additional €1.70 Außenzonen (outer zone) ticket.

Rail trips to the outskirts of Vienna may require additional fare. For example, a trip to or from the airport on the S7 line is a two-zone ride, requiring either a €3.40 advance purchase or a single zone (€1.70) ticket supplement to one of the timed-use Vienna tickets.

Because Vienna is one of those cities that never sleeps, a dense network of night buses is available for those who have a rather nocturnal approach to tourism. Since 2002, regular tickets may be used on these buses. Most terminate at "Kärntner Ring, Oper", which allows for easy interchange. Intervals are usually 30 minutes, with some busier lines (especially on Friday and Saturday night) going every 15 minutes. On weekend nights, you can also use the S-Bahn between Meidling and Floridsdorf, which has a 20 minute interval.

[edit] U-Bahn

There are five U-Bahn (subway) lines – U1, U2, U3, U4 and U6. The U5 line was never built for whatever reason.

U1 (south – north direction)

Reumannplatz - Keplerplatz - Südtirolerplatz - Taubstummengasse - Karlsplatz - Stephansplatz - Schwedenplatz - Nestroyplatz - Praterstern - Vorgartenstraße - Donauinsel - Kaisermühlen (Vienna International Centre) - Alte Donau - Kagran - Kagraner Platz - Rennbahnweg - Aderklaaer Straße - Großfeldsiedlung - Leopoldau

U2 (south – north direction)

Karlsplatz - Museumsquartier - Volkstheater - Rathaus - Schottentor - Schottenring - Taborstraße - Praterstern - Messe Prater - Krieau - Stadion

U3 (west – east direction)

Ottakring - Kendlerstraße - Hütteldorfer Straße - Johnstraße - Schweglerstraße - Westbahnhof - Zieglergasse - Neubaugasse - Volkstheater - Herrengasse - Stephansplatz - Stubentor - Landstraße (Wien Mitte) - Rochusgasse - Kardinal-Nagl-Platz - Schlachthausgasse - Erdberg - Gasometer - Zippererstraße - Enkplatz - Simmering

U4 (southwest – north direction)

Hütteldorf - Ober Sankt Veit - Unter Sankt Veit - Braunschweiggasse - Hietzing (Tierpark) - Schönbrunn - Meidling Hauptstraße - Längenfeldgasse - Margaretengürtel - Pilgramgasse - Kettenbrückengasse - Karlsplatz - Stadtpark - Landstraße (Wien Mitte) - Schwedenplatz - Schottenring - Roßauer Lände - Friedensbrücke - Spittelau - Heiligenstadt

U6 (south – north direction)

Siebenhirten - Perfektastraße - Erlaaer Straße - Alterlaa - Am Schöpfwerk - Tscherttegasse - Meidling - Philadelphiabrücke - Niederhofstraße - Längenfeldgasse - Gumpendorfer Straße - Westbahnhof - Burgasse–Stadthalle - Thaliastraße - Josefstädter Straße - Alser Straße - Michelbeuern–Allg. Krankenhaus - Währinger Straße–Volksoper - Nußdorfer Straße - Spittelau - Jägerstraße - Dresdner Straße - Handelskai - Neue Donau - Floridsdorf

[edit] By car

Avoid driving a car within the central ring if possible. While cars are allowed on many of the streets there, the streets are narrow and mostly one-way. They can be confusing for a visitor and parking is extremely limited (and restricted during the day). Due to the comprehensiveness of the transit system, you most likely will not need a car within Vienna, except for excursions elsewhere.

Furthermore, it might be a good idea to leave your car at home during rush hours. Vienna's streets can become a little clogged in the mornings and early evenings and the drivers are not really known for being especially polite and friendly.

Pedestrians have the right of way in crossing all roads at a crosswalk where there is no pedestrian signal present. If there is such a pedestrian crossing on an otherwise straight section of the road, there will be a warning sign – you are required to yield to any pedestrian on this crossing! Austrians accustomed to experienced local drivers will step out with little thought and force you to stop, so slow down here and be careful! When driving in a neighborhood this "right of way to pedestrians" is an understood rule at every intersection, although pedestrians will be more careful before they step out. Again, be on the lookout for this – if you see a pedestrian waiting to cross, you should stop at the intersection for him or her.

[edit] By bicycle

Cycling is another option for travelling within Vienna. Vienna's compact size makes cycling attractive. On a bicycle you can reach most places of interest within half an hour. There are many bicycle paths and lanes along major streets, in parks, and by the rivers. However, it can be complicated to cross town because the lanes follow illogical routes.

If your destination is in the outer suburbs, you may consider taking your bike on the U-Bahn or S-Bahn (except in rush hour!). A company called PedalPower offers guided bicycle tours, or bicycle rental deliveries to your hotel (or you can pick them up at the Prater for a discount).

• CityBike [20]: The city also offers free or low-cost short-term "CityBike" rentals at various fixed locations near the central city. You need a credit card to rent a bike or get a Touristcard for €2 a day. You can sign up to the CityBike service at any CityBike station or more conveniently online. The first hour is free, the second one costs €1. Registration costs €1, but counts as credit for the first payment you have to make. If you interrupt your trip for longer than 15 minutes, the following rental will be counted as a new first hour.

[edit] On foot

Walking can also be very pleasant. The inner ring is quite compact with lots of pleasant cobblestoned and paved streets. It can be crossed in about 20 minutes.

Bring a comfortable pair of walking shoes as this is the most common way of getting around.

[edit] Talk

Viennese speak Austrian German, though there is a special Viennese accent all its own. Standard (Northern) German however, the version usually studied by English speakers, will everywhere be readily understood. People in jobs dealing with foreign visitors usually are fluent in English, though English is not as universally spoken as in northern European countries, and signs (including descriptive signs in museums) don't as often include English translations as in some other European countries, so those who don't speak German may find a traveler's phrase book or billingual dictionary useful.

[edit][add listing] See

[edit] Museums

• Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts) [21], €10 (students €7.50 / map €0.50) – Picture Gallery daily except Monday 10AM–6PM, Thursday 10AM–9PM, U2: Babenbergerstrasse; U3: Volkstheater; tram D, J, 1, 2, bus 57A: Burgring Maria-Theresien-Platz (entrance), phone 525 24 0. One of the world's greatest art museums and in a palace that's a work of art itself. Like the Louvre, serious art fans may wish to devote more than a day to its treasures. The mother of all Austrian museums – there is no other word to describe the "Kunst" other than mind boggling. It contains a world-class exhibit of the Habsburgs' art collection, including Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Bosch, and Brueghel. Its, at the very least, a full day’s worth of sightseeing, if you intend to go through it thoroughly and attempt to ponder the importance of each major work. The better approach here is to break up sections of the museum and visit them over a series of days, or if that’s not an option, pick one section and concentrate on it alone. Beginning with another section of the museum, it’s possible to have a lunch or light dinner in the café and then continue through the Picture Gallery until closing time (especially on Thursdays, because the Picture Gallery is open until 9PM). The Museum has an excellent collection of ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art. The coin & medals collection is also exhaustive in its scope. The Museum cafe is a bit pricey, but good, and in a beautiful setting. Like the Louvre, hand-held photography is permitted to help store and recall the numerous mind-boggling beautiful works of art at the Kunst.

• Schatzkammer (Imperial Treasury) [22] – Located in the Neue Hofburg, the Schatzkammer (also known as the Secular and Ecclesiastical Treasures) 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 — perhaps the best on the Continent. Second only to a tour of the Kunsthistorisches Museum itself, of which the Schatzkammer is officially a part, there are 20 rooms of priceless treasures that give a fairly accurate feel for Hapsburg court life over the centuries.

• 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. The Collection of Historical Musical Instruments is self-explanatory, but the jewel of the New Palace is the Collection of Arms. This collection, second largest in the world, houses an immense and exhaustive representation of weaponry from past centuries.

• The Belvedere, Prinz Eugen-Straße 27 (Take tram D, stop Belvedere), ☎ +43/ (0)1/ 79 557 0 (info@belvedere.at), [23]. Open daily 10AM–6PM. Intended as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy, the Belvedere was located outside the city walls. Its two palace segments, the Upper and Lower Belvedere, later became the permanent home of the Austrian Gallery. The Oberes Belvedere (Upper) contains recent Austrian and international art from the past two centuries. Viennese art from the early twentieth century is well-represented in the permanent collection "Vienna around 1900 and the Art of the Classical Modern."  edit

• The Imperial Furniture Collection – Vienna Furniture Museum, Andreasgasse 7, 1070 Wien, phone: +43-1-524 33 57-0. Opening Hours: Tu–Su 10AM–6PM. Wheelchair-accessible. The museum houses the largest furniture collection in the world. It's located just off bustling Mariahilfer Strasse. Take the orange underground line U3 (alight at Zieglergasse, take the Andreasgasse exit). The exhibit displays furniture for all the Austrian emperors since Charles VI (the father of Maria Theresa), furniture by the Thonet Brothers, Jugendstil, and the Viennese Modernist movement. In addition, they show other contemporary Austrian architects and designers, such as E.A. Plischke, Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, Luigi Blau, and Franz West. Besides the permanent furniture collection, the museum also hosts two to three temporary special exhibitions on furniture design and photography each year. You can purchase a single ticket or a "Sisi Ticket," which allows you entrance to the Schönbrunn Palace, the Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum, and the Imperial Silver Collection in the Hofburg.

• MAK - Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Art [24], Stubenring 5, 1st District, phone: +43-1-711 36-0, open: Tu 10AM-midnight (MAK - NITE(c)), W-SU 10AM-6PM. Closed on Monday. Free admission on Saturday. The museum has the MAK Design Shop and a study collection. The museum exhibits contemporary art, design, and architecture. To get there take the Subway U3, Tram 1, 2, bus 1A, 74A to Stubentor, and U4 to Landstrasser Hauptstrasse, City Airport Train from the airport to Bahnhof Wien Mitte. Also part of the MAK is the Depot of Contemporary Art [25] (Gefechtsturm Arenbergpark) in the 3rd district Dannebergplatz/Barmherzigengasse. To get there take bus 74A to Hintzerstrasse or U3 to Rochusgasse. Open every Sunday from May 4 – November 30, 2PM-6PM. Exhibited works include spatial interventions and objects by international artists specifically developed for the MAK. A lovely addition to a visit to MAK is popping over the road for a coffee at the 100-year old Cafe Pruekel.

• KunstHausWien (Vienna House of the Arts) [26], Untere Weißgerberstrasse 13, open daily 10AM–7PM (Every Monday regular admission is half off), Tel: +43-1-712 04 91. To get there, take the street Tram O/N and get off at Radetzkyplatz. Even an avowed hater of modern art can appreciate the KunstHausWien, Hundertwasser's (born Friedrich Stowasser in 1928) major contribution to the Viennese art world. In a time when artists often try to shock the public or merely impress other members of the rarefied gallery subculture, Hundertwasser's manifesto rings out as an utterly reasonable plea: The architecture of KunstHausWien would be a bastion against the dictatorship of the straight line, the ruler and T-square, a bridgehead against the grid system and the chaos of the absurd. Starting with the façade of the building, adapted from its prior life as a furniture factory, there is a Gaudi-in-Barcelona feel to the place. Windows peek out like eyes from curvy, rounded plaster and colorful paint. It's a Disneyland for grownups! Do not miss the Hundertwasserhaus and the shopping village situated about 300m from KunstHausWien.

• Hundertwasserhaus [27] This interesting apartment/office complex is located 5–10 minutes east of the Wien Mitte U-Bahn stop. You can also take tram N, stop Hetzgasse.

• Museumsquartier (The Museum District) [28] is the new cultural district of Vienna since 2001. Though a lot of museums and cultural institutions are situated there, it is not only a place for art. It is also an urban living space and people go there to spend some time, sitting in one of the cafés or perhaps playing boccia. The Leopold Museum [29] and the MUMOK [30] are situated there. If you are interested in visiting a couple of these museums, combination tickets available at the MQ entrance will be cheaper than buying them individually at museum entrances. Note that MUMOK and Leopold has a strict policy of not allowing big bags inside the museum. Even your cameras (unless they can be tucked inside a small carry bag) will have to be deposited outside. MUMOK has a self service locker, which you might want to use when visiting Leopold, since Leopold charges €1 per person for the "cloak room" service. Within MQ you can use the free wireless LAN provided by Quintessenz [31].

• Pathologisch-anatomisches Bundesmuseum Wien (Pathological and Anatomical State Museum) [32] Open Wednesday 3PM–6PM and Thursday 8AM-11AM. On top of restricted hours, the Narrenturm can be hard to find. Housed in a squat tower, which once was an insane asylum (the "Narrenturm" ("Fool's Tower"), this museum contains some of the dustier corners of the annals of medicine. You'll find preserved hydrocephalic infants, wax castings of tertiary syphilis, antique medical devices, and even a laryngeal tuberculous ulcer. The gift shop sells postcards depicting the best of these. Of similar character is the Josephinum [33], take trams 37-38, 40-42.

• Technical Museum [34] – This newly renovated museum near the Schoenbrunn Palace exhibits machines, transportations, electronic equipment, and the like from their first design up to their current form. It also depicts the development of Vienna as a city, on all its technical aspects (recycling, power, sewage, etc). The museum is huge (22,000 square meters) and requires at least two hours to go through. Take trams 10, 52, 58, stop Penzinger Strasse.

• Natural History Museum [35] – This museum was erected as a mirror to its twin museum, Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts). It exhibits various minerals (eg. a collection of meteorites), fossils, stuffed animals, and skeleton reconstructions (among others, dinosaurs' skeletons). It also includes an anthropological section, where you can see the beautiful Venus of Willendorf (which is 25,000 years old!).

• Haus der Musik (The Music House) [36] This relatively new museum is a special museum, in that it attributes great value to interactive learning experience. It covers the history of the Vienne Philharmonic Orchestra, the history of Vienna as a centre of music making (Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Mahler, Schubert and others are documented). In addition there are the more experimental sections of futuristic composition (The Brain Opera) and sound experiences. Highly recommended! Look for the happy hour. Take U1, U2, U4, trams 1,2, 62,65, J and D, stop Karlsplatz/Opernring.

• Albertina [37]– Once a palace, it is now the most popular exhibition space in Vienna, mainly for traditional modern art. The building itself is an experience as well. It is home to a valuable drawing collection, including many works of the German Renaissance painter, Dürer.

• Museum am Schottenstift (Museum at the Scottish Monastery) [38]; only in German). A nice, small picture gallery mainly of Baroque Austrian painting. Take U2, trams 1,2,37-38,40-44, D, stop Schottentor.

• Liechtenstein Museum [39]– A private collection of the Prince of Liechtenstein, it is exhibited in his once Viennese Residence. The richly decorated picture gallery mainly exhibits Baroque paintings, with a nice portion of Rubens. You can get there either with tram line D, stop Seegasse or about 10 minutes by foot from U2 subway stop Schottentor.

• Gemäldegalerie (Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts) [40]; only in German) – A gallery owned by the Academy of Fine Arts, to which Hitler applied before he decided to change to politics. It offers some paintings of Rubens and Bosch. Most interesting are the Renaissance and medieval exponents.

• Freud Museum, Berggasse 19 (Near the Schottentor subway stop (U2) – 10 minute walk, or take tram D, stop Schlickgasse), ☎ +43 1 319 15 96 (office@freud-museum.at, fax: +43 1 317 02 79), [41]. Daily from 9AM–5PM. This small museum is situated in Freud's historic flat, where he practiced psychoanalysis for almost his whole life. However, the collection is limited mostly to documents of various kinds relating to Freud's life; almost all of the flat's contents, including the famous original couch, went along with Freud to London when he fled the Nazis in 1939 and are now in the Freud Museum there.  edit

• Vienna Museum [42] – A museum documenting Vienna's history. It is split into several branches with its main branch at Karlsplatz.

• Otto Wagner used to be the most prominent Viennese architect at the turn of the 20th Century. Two museums are dedicated to his work. At the Wagner Villa, [43]; only in German) you can see his private lodging in a very eccentric design. The villa is also beautifully located in the woods. In the rooms some paintings of Fuchs are exhibited, a painter who bought the house from the Wagner family. His painting were surprisingly influenced by the style of the villa... You can get there with tram number 49 (last stop). Another museum is the Otto Wagner Museum [44] is located at the post office of his original design. At this museum you can see the more serious aspect of his artistic enterprise, that of public life. At the museum you can see some of the original furniture as well as his plans. Near the Schwedenplatz U1 stop (trams 1,2, 21, N).

• Museum of Military History [45] – A huge museum near the southern railway station featuring weapons and military maps from different periods. You can also see the open-top car in which Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the last Austrian prince, was shot in Sarajevo. His death triggered the World War I and the downfall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In the same room as this is the visibly blood-stained jacket he was wearing at the time of the incident. Near the Southern Railway (Suedbahnhof), trams 18, D, O.

• Jewish Museum [46] – A museum documenting Vienna's rich Jewish life including Zweig, Freud, Herzl, Mahler, and Schoenberg. Attached to the museum is a medieval underground synagogue at the Judenplatz and the Stadttempel, the only historical synagogue in Vienna to have survived World War II.

• If you are looking for exhibitions of modern art apart from the MUMOK and MAK there are several other places you could visit: MOYA[47] – The Artists' House [48] – The House of the Arts (see Hundertwasser above) – Atelier Augarten (a branch of the Belvedere) – Kunsthalle (Exhibition Hall) - there are two of them, both branches of the Museum District (MQ) and the Generali Foundation [49] – Essl Collectionin Klosterneuburg (see below).

• Film Museum [50] – Also used as a cinemateque for showing special films. This is an extraordinary related museum is a private museum dedicated to the cult film "The Third Man" shot in Vienna. By the way, this film often plays at the Burgkino at the centre [51].

• Mozart House (Mozarthaus Vienna), Domgasse 5 (Take the U1 or U3 to Stephansplatz. The Mozarthaus is located east of the cathedral), ☎ +43/ (0)1/ 512 17 91 (tickets@mozarthausvienna.at, fax: +43/ (0)1/ 512 17 91-91), [52]. Open daily from 10AM–7PM. This is the Viennese residence of Austria's most famous composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and a branch of the Vienna Museum.  edit

• Small Museums – There are plenty of small museums that follow special interests and are operated privately by the districts or societies. They range from a museum on abortion to the world's only museum on heating systems.

[edit] Castles and Palaces

• Schloss Schönbrunn – [53] Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996, it is not far from the city centre and easy to get to by public transportation: You can take the underground U4 (green line) and get off at Schönbrunn; If you plan on catching a tram, take 10, 58, and detrain at Schönbrunn. Otherwise, take the 10A bus and alight at Schönbrunn. Schönbrunn is the ultimate palace experience in Vienna, because the Hapsburg summer palace can be found here. It is comparable in grandeur to Versailles and is definitely a must-see in Vienna. Its gardens and zoo (the oldest in the world, built for Maria Theresa’s husband in 1752) alone are worth a lengthy visit. The palace has also seen its fair share of excitement over the years, including a meeting between John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khruschchev at the height of the Cold War. The Palace Park offers a lot of attractions, such as the Privy Garden, a Maze and Labyrinth, and the top-of-the-hill Gloriette with its Panorama Terrace. There are two possible tours available without a guide (though guides are available): the Imperial Tour showing 22 rooms and the Grand Tour showing 40 rooms. The price of admission includes an audio or written guide. The shorter tour of Schönbrunn Palace takes you into the west wing of the palace including the apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth (Sisi), as well as the imposing state rooms in the central wing. With the Grand Tour you can visit, in addition to those rooms included on the Imperial Tour, the 18th-century rooms from the time of Maria Theresa. No photos, video taping, or backpacks allowed inside. The palace is wheelchair-accessible and is open all year round:

- Apr 1—Jun 30: 8:30AM–5PM

- Jul 1—Aug 31: 8:30AM–6PM

- Sep 31—Oct 31: 8:30AM–5PM

- Nov 1—Mar 31: 8:30AM–4:30PM

• Hofburg Palace, (To get there, take the underground: the nearest underground station is U3 Herrengasse; tram: Lines 1, 2, D, J, alight at Burgring; bus: Lines 2A or 3A, alight at Hofburg), [54]. This immense palace complex grew into a large, unwieldy series of buildings over the years and was the imperial residence of the Habsburg emperors until 1918. What began as a medieval castle (whose chapel is the only original element of that building to survive) was expanded and redecorated as the Habsburgs’ power increased correspondingly. The Palace Stables and Amalia’s Wing were added in the sixteenth century. The Imperial Chancery Wing, Court Library, and Spanish Riding School was added in the eighteenth. In the last century, St Michael’s Wing was tacked on and around 1900 the New Palace was completed. The contents of each separate building contain so many treasures that the time spent moving from one to another is like opening box after box of fabulous jewels – it's difficult to know when to stop. The Imperial Palace itself now houses the offices of the Austrian President, a convention center, and the Spanish Riding School with its Lipizzaner stallions. The Palace also houses several museums which are open to the public, including the "Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum and Imperial Silver Collection" (Kaiserappartements, Sisi Museum, Silberkammer) where you can visit 22 state rooms (open daily from 9AM-5PM; July-Aug: 9AM-5:30PM. The museums are wheelchair-accessible). These are the residential and state apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph I. and Empress Elisabeth (popularly known as Sisi) and show 19th-century imperial life. The Imperial Silver Collection displays unique items of the glittering world of imperial dining. You can purchase a single ticket for all three museums or purchase the "Sisi Ticket", which entitles you to visit the Schönbrunn Palace, Hofburg with Audio Guide (Imp. Apartments, Sisi Museum, Imp. Silver Collection), and Imperial Furniture Museum.  edit

[edit] Religious buildings

• Karlskirche, Kreuzherrengasse 2, (kontakt@karlskirche.at), [55]. M-F from 09.00-12.30 and 13.00-18.00. Sunday and holidays: 12.00-17.45. Largest Baroque cathedral north of the Alps, designed by the famous architect Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Frescos done by Michael Rottmayr and paintings from the Italian Baroque painters Sebastiano Ricci and Giuseppe Antonio Pellegrini, and the Austrian painter Daniel Gran.  edit

• Kapuzinerkirche, 1010 Wien, Tegetthoffstraße 2, ☎ 512. daily 10.00 to 18.00, 1 and 2 November closed. Notable mainly as the site of the Kaisergruft, a mausoleum housing the tombs of generations of Hapsburg royalty. Adults €4.00; Families €9.00; Seniors, Students, Groups €3.00; Students under 14 €1.50.  edit

• Jesuitenkirche, 1010 Wien Dr-Ignaz-Seipel-Platz 1, ☎ 5125232. 7.00-18.30 daily. Has one of the most elaborate Baroque interiors in Europe.  edit

• Augustinian Friars' Church (Augustinerkirche), Josefsplatz 1. Facing the sculpture in the center of the square, the entrance is small and easy to miss – it's on the left hand wall of the square. Yet another example of the gruesome divide-and-conquer burial strategy of the Habsburg dynasty. It's said that other dynasties waged countless wars to acquire new lands, but "you, happy Austria, marry." Even in death the Habsburgs placated three different churches with the honor of caring for their remains. The best known, the Kapuzinergruft, contain their actual bodies. St Stephens holds their innards (intestines and other parts taken out during the preservation process). But the Augustinerkirche holds, in the Herzgruft (Heart Crypt), all the Habsburgs' hearts. Tours of the Herzgruft are available Monday through Friday at 11AM and 3PM. The tradition began in 1627 with Emperor Ferdinand IV, who wanted to "lay his heart at the feet of the Mother of God" - literally. His heart, and those of his descendants, are preserved in silver jars which are carefully cared for by the Augustinian friars who run the church. When the renovation was underway it was found that the preservative in some of the caskets had evaporated over the years, leaving nothing but a dried-out, mummified heart.  edit

• Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral), Stephansplatz (U1, U3: Stephansplatz), ☎ +43/ (0)1/ 515 52-3526, [56]. High Mass: Sun and public holidays 10:15AM, in Jul and Aug 9:30AM, Guided tours of the Cathedral in English: Mon-Sat 3:45PM, Catacombs (only with guided tours): Mon-Sat 10AM-11:30AM and 1:30PM-16:30PM; Sun and public holidays 1:30PM - 6:30PM; North Tower (great bell): Nov-Mar 8:30AM-5PM, Apr-Jun and Sep—Oct 9AM-6PM, Jul and Aug 9AM-18:30 p.m. South Tower: daily 9AM-5:30PM. Yet another patchwork of architectural styles, but predominantly Gothic. None of the original construction remains—the oldest extant sections are the thirteenth century Giant Gate (Riesentor) and Towers of the Heathens (Heidentürme), both of which are Romanesque. The 448 ft South Tower (Südturm), often known by its Viennese diminutive Steffl (also a nickname for the entire cathedral), was finished in 1433. This is where the Pummerin, a huge bell cast from melted-down Turkish cannons, hangs. Steffl's intended twin, the North Tower (Nordturm), was never finished. In 1511, building in Gothic style ceased due to being out of fashion. Over fifty years later, in 1579, a Renaissance spire was added to the Nordturm to make it look less like the builders had stormed off the job. The main altar has a Baroque panel showing St. Stephen, Christianity’s first martyr. The organized tour is worth it, since some of the finest works of art in the cathedral can only be seen with a guide, such as Emperor Frederick III's red marble sepulchre and the immense Gothic carved Altar of Wiener Neustadt. The aborted North Tower has an observation deck with an amazing view of downtown Vienna. Nearby is the entrance to the catacombs, where legions of bishops and Habsburg body parts are buried (the intestines, specifically).  edit

• The Wotruba Church — A beautiful cubist church on the top of a hill overlooking the woods. There is also an open air planetarium next to the church. To reach the church, take tram 60 to the Maurer Lange Gasse stop and then follow Maurer Lange Gasse up the hill until you see the green signs which point the way to the church. The walk is about ten minutes.

• Kirche am Steinhof — A special church constructed by the Viennese master architect, Otto Wagner. It is situated in a psychiatric hospital on the hills near the wood overlooking Vienna. Very beautiful! Take bus 48a.

• The Old Synagogue — Underneath the Judenplatz (The Jewish Square), you'll find this underground medieval synagogue excavation. Amazingly, the synagogue was destroyed centuries ago, but its existence was remembered by the area's inhabitants up to the 20th Century. If you are interested in Vienna's Jewish side you can buy a combined ticket with the Jewish Museum and the Stadttempel, a well preserved 19th Century synagogue, which is being used as the main city's synagogue by the current growing Viennese Jewish community.

[edit] Other attractions

• Austrian National Library (Österreichische Nationalbibliothek), Josefsplatz 1, ☎ 01/53410-348, [57]. Card catalogs may be an anachronism in today’s digitized world, but the Austrian National Library had the first one in existence, invented by the Habsburg court librarian. Unlike the printed library catalogs of the past, bound into book form, the card catalog could be rapidly updated and the library kept up-to-date. This well-ordered reader’s paradise has a collection that outshines many museums, thanks to its long association with the Habsburg imperial family. It gained an impressive collection when Emperor Josef II dissolved all the empire's monasteries – 300 manuscripts, 3,000 printed books, and 5000 diplomata. The library’s collection is approximately six million items strong and is the largest in Austria. It is a pioneer in digitalizing and placing its collection online. The oldest book in the collection is a fifteenth century Holy Gospels manuscript with scenes representing the four Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) containing the coats of arms of the House of Austria, Styria, Tirol, and Carinthia, then ruled by Albrecht III, the book’s owner.  edit

• Chapel of the Imperial Palace (Burgkapelle) — The original chapel of the Palace, built in Gothic style 1447-1449, was made over in Baroque style. On Sundays and Catholic holidays (of which the Austrians celebrate many), the Court Musicians perform here. This group is made up of members from the Vienna Boys Choir, as well as performers from the orchestra and choir of the Vienna State Opera.

• Parliament — The guided tours in German or English language cost €4 (2€ for students) [58]. Open only when not in use by Parliament.

• Haus des Meeres Aquarium Zoo [59] is a marvelous zoo, with a rain forest glasshouse, tiny apes, aquariums with sharks, and terrariums with reptiles and venomous snakes. It is situated in one of the leftover second world war air raid shelter, a so-called "Flakturm" [60] (check out these links: [61], [62] and [63]). The building carried formerly one of the first radar equipments and is designed to stand a direct bomb hit, an earthquake, and wind speeds up to an overpressure of ten bar. Now there is also a platform on top to allow nice views over the roofs of Vienna. Take U3, stop Neubaugasse.

• Karlsplatz Stadtbahn Pavilion — This city tram stop, designed by Otto Wagner, is located near the Secession Building and Naschmarkt. It is a good example of functional turn of the century architecture – ornate, yet useful. Wagner was one of the most influential architects in Vienna and his style was widely copied.

• Opera House (Wiener Staatsoper) [64] — The Opera House is probably the most-beloved symbol of Viennese arts, and one of the first buildings to be rebuilt in the postwar era. It was built from 1861-1869 under the direction of architects Eduard van der Nüll and August von Siccardsburg for then-emperor Franz Josef I. The first performance was Don Giovanni, an opera by Austrian native Mozart, on 25 May 1869. Though now as well-loved as any member of the family, the architecture of the Opera was barely tolerated by the picky Viennese when it opened. Van der Nüll did not take these criticisms of his work lightly and committed suicide. A few weeks later, von Siccardsburg died of a heart attack. Doubly cursed, the Opera building succumbed to bombs less than 100 years later, during WWII. After ten years of Allied control after the end of the war, many cultural institutions reopened to celebrate the birth of the new Austrian state. This time the Opera opened with an adopted son of Vienna's work: Beethoven's Fidelio. The lush curtains and overall elegance contribute to the atmosphere of the Opera (even the nosebleed seats, so steeply pitched and close to the ceiling a nosebleed becomes a distinct possibility). Post-performance, have some torte at the nearby Sacher Hotel (see entry).

• * Prater (Park) including the Giant Ferris Wheel,, (U1, tram O, 5, 21: Praterstern, S1-S3, S7, S15: Wien Nord), ☎ 729 54 30, [65]. May-Sep 9AM-midnight. The Prater Park began its life, as so many European parks did, as a carriage-riding area for the nobility. It is still a popular place to spend a weekend afternoon with family. An English engineering firm (Walter Basset) built the Giant Ferris Wheel (Riesenrad) from 1896-97. Others of the same era, built for world exhibitions and other parks in Chicago, London, Paris, etc. have long since been torn down. The Riesenrad has become a well-known symbol of Vienna, featured in many movies (most famously The Third Man; also Before Sunrise and Ethan Hawke and picture postcards. It has 15 gondolas, some of which are incredibly ornate and large enough to host an extended family inside, offering a spectacular panorama of the city. The weirdest attraction in the Prater, though, is the Kugelmugel [66], a spherical house (diameter 7.68m) that, after failing to get a planning permit, declared independence from Austria. Originally built elsewhere, it was forcibly carted off to the Prater by Austrian authorities and now sits uninhabited and fenced off with barbed wire.  edit

• Secession Building [67], Friedrichstraße 12 (U-Bahn U1, U2, U4 (Karlsplatz)), Tel. 587 53 07-0, Tu-Fr 10-18, Tue-Sun 10AM-6PM, Thurs 10AM-8PM, Guided Tours Sat 3PM and Sun 11AM and by appointment. Architect Josef Maria Olbrich built this Jugendstil (German-style Art Nouveau) building 1897-98 as a display space for artists working in the new Secession artistic movement. It is topped by a giant, frothy golden ball, lovingly called "Krauthappel" by the Viennese, but the building was definitely not loved when it first opened. Notice a reactionary Viennese pattern here? The Opera building too was hated at first, but at least it wasn't called a "temple for bullfrogs" or "a bastard begot of temple and warehouse" as the Viennese Secession building was. The entryway features the motto of the Secessionist movement: Der Zeit ihre Kunst, der Kunst ihre Freiheit (To the time, its art, to the art, its freedom). Olbrich's mentor Otto Wagner, and also Gustav Klimt, whose astounding Beethoven Frieze is partially preserved in the basement, inspired the building’s design. The ceremonial front entrance is separate from the functional glass and steel exhibit hall in back. Entrance fee included with entrance to Belvedere Palace.

• Spanish Riding School - Spanische Hofreitschule [68] was first mentioned in a document dated 1572 and is the only equestrian institute in the world which follows a Renaissance model of classical schooling. Eleves, or students, begin their training immediately after completion of Austrian primary education (age 15 or 16), and are expected to be both sporty and clever. The school takes its name from a Spanish breed of horse first mentioned in Roman writings. In 1562, Emperor Maximilian II brought some of these Spanish horses to Austria to found a royal stud farm in Kladrub (Bohemia), housing them for a time in the "Stallburg" (oldest section of the Imperial Palace). The present school location was built in 1572. In 1580, Maximilian's brother, Archduke Karl, founded the stud farm in Lipizza near Trieste (now Slovenia). Interest in elegant riding had been growing for about fifty years at that point. During Renaissance times, powerful gentlemen who had already conquered the worlds of finance and politics looked to the writings of antiquity for new learning and an educated lifestyle to which they could aspire. Horsemanship which followed the ancient models described by Socrates and others became the fashion. Xenophon (430 – 354 BC) wrote "Men who understand the art of horsemanship, in truth, look magnificent." Who wouldn't want that? In the new Winter Riding School (built 1729-35), tournaments, masked balls, and other entertainment was held, but this would soon draw to a close – the royal stud farms at Lipizza were threatened by Napoleon several times and twice the precious stud horses were evacuated to Hungary. No photos or video taping allowed.

• The Ring. The Ringstrasse, or Ring Street, circles the very heart of Vienna. Built on the location of the original city walls, its size is a good indication of how much the city has expanded since medieval times, but more importantly it is the most posh area of downtown. Elegant individuals stroll down the street (there really is no other way to move when walking along the Ring) and play the fashion-do/fashion don’t game under their breath before pausing at one of the innumerable cafes lining the way. A traditional Jause (morning coffee break, around 10AM) and then back to the business at hand, seeing and being seen: Vienna’s favorite pastime.

• Gasometer [69], (Directly at subway station U3 Gasometer, 8 minutes away from town-center and St. Stephens Cathedral). If you are interested in the combination of new modern with old historic architecture, take a trip to the gasometers that has been revitalized from gas-tanks to new multi-functional buildings. The gasometers are four former gas tanks, built as part of the Vienna municipal gas works Gaswerk Simmering in 1896-1899. They are located in the 11th district called Simmering. They were used from 1899 to 1984 as gas storage tanks. After the changeover from town gas to natural gas they were no longer used and were shut down. In the time between 1984 and 1997 the gasometers were used as a film location (James Bond: The Living Daylights) and as the location for raves known as Gazometer-Raves. They were revitalized from 1999 to 2001 by the architects Jean Nouvel, Coop Himmelblau, Manfred Wehdorn, and Wilhelm Holzbauer. Each gasometer was divided into several zones for living, shopping and entertainment. The historic outside wall was conserved. Several other facilities including a music hall, cinema, student accommodation, municipal archive, etc. are located inside the Gasometers. There are special guided tours with experts available for visitors.

• Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery), Simmeringer Hauptstrasse 234, phone 760 41. Graves of honor of Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Brahms, Strauss, Schönberg and others. Nov-Feb 8AM-5PM, March, April, Sept, Oct 7AM-6PM, May-Aug 7AM-7PM. Take the U3 to Simmering and then take tram 71 (there's even a Viennese expression "taking the #71 tram" as a euphemism for death) or 6 to get there. The tram stops are named after the cemetery gate next to it, "Zentralfriedhof 1. Tor" is where the old Jewish section is, "Zentralfriedhof 2. Tor" is the main gate. Mozart, Beethoven and other luminaries of the musical world (Schubert, Brahms, Strauss) are buried, or at least memorialized, here. Mozart's body is in a mass grave (as required by the law at that time) in another cemetery – but his memorial is located here with the others. The graves of the composers and other "Ehregräber" (graves of honor) are located in section 32C, near the main road leading from the church. The cemetery has served as a giant park for weekend ramblings since its creation. There are immense monuments shaped like 10ft tall iron canopy beds (within eye shot of the musicians memorial) and other unique shapes. Though it takes some time to get out to the Zentralfriedhof (25 to 30 Minutes total from Stephansplatz), it is worth the trip.

• Lainzer Tiergarten — It's a beautiful natural reserve at Vienna's border with the woods. This reserve used to be the Emperor's private hunting wood with the fancy "Hermesvilla" - the favorite mansion of Empress Sisi in Vienna. Nowadays, the major part of the park is closed in the winter time, but in summer you can see wild pigs, deer, and many Viennese families. For the easiest park entrance take tram 49 to its last stop. Then you need to walk for about 5 minutes until you reach the Nikolaitor. However in Winter or when you want to visit the mansion you have to take tram 60 or 62 to Hermesstrasse station and then change to bus 60B (Note: this bus goes only every half hour during the week). Take the bus to the final stop - just a 5 minute ride - to reach the "Lainzertor" (actually the main gate of Lainzer Tiergarten, which also features a small visitors center). The park is usually open from 8 until dusk (precise opening timetables are posted at each entrance) but all gates - except Lainzertor - are closed for a winter break from mid-November until mid-February.

• Hietzing — A residential area which used to be a village once, but gained importance as the Schönbrunn Palace, was erected nearby. A very beautiful area for a stroll among old villas. Stop - Hietzing (U4, trams 10, 58 and 60), then walk.

• Türkenschanzpark — A very beautiful park commemorating the Austrian victory on the Turks near the city boundary. Nowadays, a tranquil resort in the heart of a nice cluster of villas. Take tram 41 or bus 10A, get off at Türkenschanzpark.

• The Danube Island [70], only in German] — Home to Europe's biggest Rock festival. In Summer, this is a very nice park with a lot of Viennese bathers. There are also floating pubs on the Danube. A nice experience! Take U1, stop Donauinsel.

• Karl Marx' Court is a socialist building complex from the beginning of the 20th Century and is fascinating for people interested in architecture. Take tram D or U4 to Heilgenstadt.

• Soviet Victory Monument — An imposing Soviet style monument near Karlsplatz commemorates the Soviet victory in Vienna over the Nazi army. Take trams 1, 2, 71, D, J stop at Schwarzenbergplatz.

[edit][add listing] Do

• Wiener Metropol [71] is a beautiful little theatre in the heart of "Hernals", mostly frequented by Viennese themselves.

• The Naschmarkt, right at the U4 subway station "Kettenbrueckengasse", is the biggest of Vienna's 22 market places and provides a unique blend of typical Vienna costumely and oriental flair. Stroll through the market and be part of the amazing ambiance. If you like to cook, you will find all the spices you could possibly want at the Naschmarkt. The side of the Secession tends to be more touristy (and thus more expensive) than the side of the "Kettenbrueckengasse". Remember that it is illegal to export antiquities outside of Austria, even if you legally buy them at a market. A nice part of the Naschmarkt are the small restaurants with fresh Italian, Japanese, Greek, and Turkish food. In the summer, they have nice open-air gardens.

• Vienna Boys Choir (Wiener Sängerknaben), [72]. . The Vienna Boys Choir was founded at the pleasure of the Habsburgs. On 20 July 1498, Emperor Maximilian decided to hire six singing boys, the first permanent boys choir attached to the court. He also made arrangements for their education – fringe benefits that are difficult to get from a modern employer. The choir served the monarchy until its demise at the beginning of the first World War. The last Imperial Chaplain, Monsignor Josef Schnitt reestablished the Boys Choir as the "Vienna Boys Choir" in 1924 as a private institution. To earn money, the Choir began to perform outside the Imperial Chapel. Even though they are a not-for-profit organization, the rising costs of educating the choristers from a very young age as well as providing music and all the other variables required made establishing the Verein Wiener Sängerknaben necessary.  edit

• River and Canal tours — In the summer, it's just wonderful to hang out in Museumsquartier in the evenings. The big yard is filled with large fiberglass sofas you can use for free. Optionally, you can buy drinks at the open air bars there. Just ask for a glass you can take away so you can use the sofas. During the day, a visit to Burggarten is highly recommended if you are looking for a more alternative, young crowd. Buy something to eat and drink at a supermarket and join the others on the grass.

• In July and August, there's an opera film festival on the Rathausplatz. Each day, weather permitting, you can watch an opera on a huge open-air screen. On another part of the Square, there are plenty of food stalls (maybe a little overpriced) who offer Viennese, as well as international food. On pleasant summer evenings, the atmosphere can be quite relaxing.

• There are also a lot of other open-air-film festivals in summer, e.g. at the Augarten, the Vienna Turf Krieau, the Prater, and Schloss Neugebäude.

• In the summer, there is also the ImPulsTanz Festival [73] for contemporary dance & performance. They are also good if you are interested in dance workshops.

• The Lainzer Tiergarten (not Tiergarten at Schönbrunn) has several 2-10 km hiking trails, as well as a variety of wildlife. You can see the animals get fed at 2PM every day. Ask any park attendant where the location is.

• Football has a long and vivid history in Vienna. Until about 40 years ago, Austrian football was dominated by a large number of Viennese clubs. Since then, their strength has faded, reflecting the overall decline of Austrian football compared to other European football. Today, only two Viennese clubs are left in the Austrian top football division: Rapid Vienna and Austria Magna. Rapid have won the Austrian league 31 times, more than any other club. They are known as the people's club, having working class roots and regularly attracting fairly big crowds of around 15,000. Home fixtures are played at the Gerhard-Hanappi-Stadion in the 14th district, right next to the subway station "Hütteldorf" (U4). Season usually starts in late July and ends in May, with a break in winter from early December until late February (due to cold weather). Tickets are available at the stadium, at various tobacco shops (Trafik) around town and also on the internet at Skrapid [74] (no English section available!). Ticket prices for league matches range from €18 to €26. Ladies, students, and children will receive considerable discounts. For a schedule of fixtures in English go to Soccerassociation [75], click "Austria" and "Bundesliga".</nowiki>

• ActiLingua Academy, (info@actilingua.com), [76]. . One of the leading schools for German as a foreign language located in the heart of Vienna. ActiLingua Academy offers year-round German courses for adults(16+) and summer school for teens aged 12-17 years. Further information online including free online German lessons for beginners and advanced learners, price calculator, brochure download, etc.  edit

[edit][add listing] Buy

• Naschmarkt with Flea Market, Linke Wienzeile (U4 stop Kettenbrückengasse). Flea market each Saturday 6AM-4PM, all over the year. Need used lederhosen? How about a doner kebab at the Naschmarkt or an Austrian war bond from the first World War? This is the place to go. It is primarily a flea market, though some stalls sell new items such as handwoven wicker baskets or food. Pick through the detritus of an imperial society - you never know what you'll find hidden under that stack of terrible fuzzy sweaters. Couture gowns, Communist medals from all the former Eastern Bloc countries, tobacco pipes, broken pocket watches: the flea market at the Naschmarkt is worth at least a full afternoon of your time. Flea markets are the best possible blend of high and low culture, and a way to truly get to know a city. Walk all the way from the flea market end of the Naschmarkt through the food stall end to arrive at the Secession building, located on the left close to the Karlsplatz metro stop.

• Mariahilfer Straße — The biggest shopping avenue in Vienna, featuring all kinds of stores, many flagship stores from international brands, etc. Stretches from the Museumsquartier to Westbahnhof and can be reached conveniently by subway through stations (east to west) Museumsquartier (U2), Neubaugasse (U3), Zieglergasse (U3), or Westbahnhof (U3/U6).

• Kärntner Straße and Am Graben — Those major shopping avenues in the Inner City bith start at St. Stephan's Cathedral and go south and west, respectively. The stores and brands are usually more luxurious than on Mariahilfer Straße. Go to Stephansplatz (U1) or Karlsplatz/Oper (U1/U2/U4).

• Kohlmarkt — A small street connecting Graben and Michaelerplatz with almost exclusively high-end luxury stores.

• Dorotheum [77] — The main auction site in Austria. Exhibits all sorts of furniture, art, jewelry, and much more. Highly recommended. There are several locations throughout the city, the main one being at Dorotheergasse 17 in the city center. The surrounding streets in this area offer a great many antique shops, where quality and prices tend both to be very high.

• Millennium City [78], only in German) — A medium-sized shopping mall near the bank of the Danube. Take the U6 or S-Bahn to Handelskai.

• Shopping City Süd [79], only in German) — One of the biggest shopping malls in Europe (the biggest by number of visitors) just outside of Vienna, housing a very wide range of stores and brands (it's not a factory outlet center though, prices are the same as in Vienna). Take either the Wiener Lokalbahn (also known as Badnerbahn) to Vösendorf-SCS or local bus lines (you need an additional ticket for going beyond city limits). A cheap alternative is the IKEA bus going nonstop from Oper/Karlsplatz to the IKEA store at the SCS every 90 minutes.

• Fresh Food Markets: [80]]] There are several farm markets in Vienna, where local farmers are allowed to sell their crops.

[edit] Christmas Markets

Most Viennese Christmas Markets [40] are not so much for shopping as for drinking. From midday until the late hours of the night, people gather at Christmas markets to drink mulled wine and chat to strangers.

• Rathaus - Vienna's largest and noisiest Christmas market. It's more a fairground than a Christmas market.

• Spittelberg - Probably the most funky Christmas market in Vienna. It is set in two attractive medieval alleys. Some of the stalls are extensions of shops and the bars of this popular going-out area.

• Schoenbrunn - Not the most lively Christmas market, but set in one of Vienna's most picturesque spots, in front of Schoenbrunn castle. The specialty here is food.

• Resselpark - A small, alternative Christmas market in front of Karlskirche.

• Freyung - Very small market in the 1st district frequented by professionals in their lunch break and shoppers. There are usually few tourists.

[edit][add listing] Eat

Viennese restaurant menus offer a bewildering variety of terms for dishes, most of which the visitor will never have heard of and many of which aren't in the brief lists of menu terms included in phrase books. However restaurants that have any foreign patrons at all usually have an English menu, though you may have to ask for it: the phrase "English menu" usually will be understood even by wait staff who don't speak English. A small bilingual dictionary will be useful for trying to decipher menu listings: at least it will enable you usually to determine what sort of food (chicken, beef, potato, etc.) is concerned, even if you can't tell how it's prepared.

Viennese restaurant portions tend to be large. Recently many restaurants are including more vegetarian options. Most restaurants have daily specials listed on a chalk board or sometimes on a printed insert in the regular menu. These are usually the best bet, though they may not be on the English menu, so you may have to ask to have them explained or try to translate them yourself.

Bread in Viennese restaurants is usually charged as an extra; if there is a basket of it on the table, you'll usually be charged by the piece only if you take some.

Tipping customs are similar to those in Europe and America though tips are slightly smaller; ten percent is usually sufficient in restaurants. Traditionally the way to tip a waiter is to mention the amount of the bill plus tip when you pay; for instance, if the bill is Eur. 15.50 you could give the waiter a Eur. 20 note and say "siebzehn (seventeen)," meaning he is to take out Eur 15.50 for the bill, Eur 1.50 for the tip, and so give you only Eur. 3.00 change. In this situation English numbers will usually be understood. Sometimes in less formal restaurants you can alternatively drop the tip into the money pouch the waiter usually carries.

Credit cards aren't quite as commonly used in restaurants in Vienna as in Northern European countries, so ask if it's important to know before hand.

Smoking is ubiquitous in Vienna, and Austria hasn't yet implemented the sort of regulations limiting smoking that are increasingly common in many other countries, so the non-smoker may find it unpleasant to spend much, or any, time in many of Vienna's restaurants, bars, and cafes. Most establishments have outdoor seating in warm weather, but the tables are so close together and smokers so common that even there non-smokers may find themselves getting fumigated. The listings below will attempt to indicate some of the smokiest and most smoke-free establishments.

[edit] Budget

The traditional Viennese fast food is sausage. You can buy hot sausages and hot dogs at snack bars called "Würstelstand" all over the town. The famous Wiener Würstel is known as "Frankfurter" in Vienna, but many inhabitants prefer Bosna (with onions and curry), Burenwurst, and Käsekrainer (with melted cheese inside).

A relatively new addition to the local snack culture is Döner Kebap, sandwiches of Turkish origin with roasted meat, salad, and yogurt sauce. Places that sell kebap often sell take-away pizza too. Some conservatives are afraid that kebap will gain more popularity than sausages, and perhaps they are right.

Good kebaps can be bought at the Naschmarkt. The lower end of the Naschmarkt (further away from Karlsplatz or city centre) is cheaper than the upper end (closer to Karlsplatz). Another good place to find snacks (especially while going out) is "Schwedenplatz".

By far the cheapest way to get a fast food meal in Austria (and probably the only meal available for under 1 euro) is buying an Austrian sandwich (bread roll + ham/cheese + gherkin) from a supermarket. Most supermarkets will prepare sandwiches to take away at the deli counter (Feinkostabteilung) for no extra charge. You only pay for the bread and the ham. There is usually a large selection of meat products, cheese, and bread rolls available. You point at the combination you want and then pay at the cash register. Freshness and quality are normally better than at a sandwich stand on the street.

You can buy excellent ice cream (Eis) at a number of places. Maybe the most popular is the Eissalon am Schwedenplatz [81] where you can choose from a lot of different flavors, but it's always crowded and you often have to stand in a queue for a few minutes. In the same district is the Zanoni & Zanoni Gelateria [82] located Am Lugeck, just down Rotenturmstrasse from Schwedenplatz towards the Stephansdom, popular with Viennese and tourists for its huge €2 cones to go.

A less crowded, but nevertheless excellent Eis address is Perizzolo in Tuchlauben. Another famous place for ice cream is Tichy [83] on the Reumannplatz (10th District), which is famous for its Eismarillenknödel (small dumplings of vanilla ice cream with an apricot core). You should also try Bortolotti [84] at Mariahilfer Straße 22 and 94. (The latter not open during winter!) - ask particularly for the Campari-Orange Icecream or look for other exotic stuff.

• Esterházykeller, Haarhof 1, ☎ 01/533-3482. Atmospheric old (since 1683) cellar restaurant serving good, cheap, wine, beer, and simple traditional food. Prices budget to moderate. A good place to go if you just want a drink and some grub, but still want to enjoy some local color.  edit

• Vegetasia, Ungargasse 57 and Kaiserstrasse 45, ☎ 01/ 713 8 33 2 and 523 1 091, [85]. Open daily 11:30AM-3PM and 5:30PM-11PM. Chain of vegetarian restaurants. Serves a huge variety of Taiwanese Buddhist vegetarian food (most of it vegan).  edit

• Vego, Neubaugasse 81, ☎ 01/522 59 07. Open daily 11:30AM - 3PM & 6:00PM - 11PM. Indian Vegetarian Restaurant that serves set meals from as low as €5,90. The food is absolutely delicious and you can also have mango lassi.  edit