Your future holidays in Europe

Vienna is the capital of the Republic of Austria. It is by far the largest city in Austria (pop.~ 1.7m), as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre. As the former home of the Habsburg 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.

Understand

The low-lying Danube plain in and around what is now 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 own history began with the Romans, who founded it in the 1st Century CE as Vindobona, one of a line of Roman defensive outposts against Germanic tribes. Vindobona's central garrison was on the site of what is now the Hoher Markt (the "High Market" due to its relative height over the Danube), and you can still see the excavations of its foundations there today.

Vienna hosted the Habsburg 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, which finally fell in 1918 with the abdication of the last Emperor Karl I. The court tremendously influenced the culture that exists here even today: Vienna's residents are often overly formal, with small doses of courtliness, polite forms of address, and formal dress attire. One of the many paradoxes of the quirky city is that its residents can be equally modern and progressive as they are extremely old-fashioned.

Traditional Vienna is but one of the many façades of this city, the downtown area of which is a UNESCO world heritage site and sometimes begrudgingly compared to an open air museum. But 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 Kaffeehauskultur is still the traditional way to drink a cup of coffee, read the newspaper, meet friends, or fall in love.

Orientation

To the traveler, the city has a very convenient layout: The 'old town', or city center, is the first district, with the Stephansdom and Stephansplatz at the centre of a bullseye. It is encircled by the Ringstraße (Ring Road), a grand boulevard constructed along the old city walls, which were torn down at the end of the 19th century. 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 mostly gathered within the Gürtel ('belt') Road, which runs parallel to and encircles the Ringstraße like an outer belt. In these districts you can find the Prater (amusement) park and the other, hip quarters of the Second District (close to Schwedenplatz) as well as the Jewish quarter, Südbahnhof (southern Rail Station) and Westbahnhof (Western Railstation) - a major national and international railway terminus, currently undergoing massive renovation (see travel) - from which the major shopping street Mariahilfer Straße leads eastwards toward the inner city, the Hundertwasserhaus and Hundertwasser Kunsthaus in the 3rd, and the Belvedere Palace.

Outside the "belt" road, among other sites are the Danube Tower (Donauturm) and notably Schönbrunn Palace, which is one of the most visited tourist attractions 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.

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 and humid 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 rather windy and usually overcast during these months.

Get in or out

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.

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, Dortmund, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, Moscow, Minsk, Kiev, Milan, Warsaw, Cracow, Prague, Rijeka, Koper, Split, Zurich, Bregenz, Rome, and Venice. The day trains from Prague take less than four and a half hours, the night train takes a little under nine hours. From Budapest, the train ride is roughly 3 hours.

Vienna's three main stations, Wien Südbahnhof (Southern Railstation), Wien Westbahnhof (Western Railstation), and Wien Landstrasse/Mitte are all undergoing serious expansion and renovation works, with Südbahnhof close to and Landstrasse currently being torn down, and the main thoroughfare of Westbahnhof presently closed until 2011. It is advised to take extra time when departing from these stations as the temporary provisions are not always easy to navigate.

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). If you have an ÖBB Vorteilscard which costs less than €20 for people under 26 years and €100 for older people there are plenty of cheap train offers whithout limitation. So you can go to Strasbourg or Venice for €19 in coach and €39 in couchette, but you need not book weeks in advance.

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 Vienna's 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. One way tickets to Budapest can be bought in advance for 19€ but these places are limited.

NOTE: As stated above, Südbahnhof, Westbahnhof, and Landstrasse/Mitte are all currently undergoing enormous expansion and renovation programmes, so be sure to plan in extra time when departing from these station or transferring there. At the moment, Südbahnhof does not connect directly to the metro system (the new station will). The nearest metro station is outside of the station about 400m away, keeping the large road (the Gürtel) on your right, the Belvedere Palace behind you. Look for Südtiroler Platz. Many trains from Germany arrive at Westbahnhof, the main hall of which is closed until Fall 2011. Trains to Bratislava (only an hour away) usually depart from Südbahnhof, but occasionally also from 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].

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 ("Schnellstraße") it is 100 km/h (about 62 mph).

A Highway Toll Sticker (Vignette) or a GO-Box, depending on vehicle class, is mandatory, and heavy fines are levied for not having either. 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.

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).

By boat

Riverboats on the Danube include connections with Linz, 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 €28 and for €30 on weekends (one way). There is also a fast hydrofoil service to Bratislava [18] for €33 return and €21 one way (€28 and €16 if you go from Bratislava to Vienna and back) and a fast hydrofoil service to Budapest [19] for €109 round trip and €89 one way. The Hungarian hydrofoil also carries passengers between Vienna and Bratislava for €39 round trip and €29 one way.

Get around

Vienna has a good public transport system [20], 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) [21] 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 summer nights, you can also use the S-Bahn between Flughafen Wien and Floridsdorf, which has a 60 minute interval.

U-Bahn

There are five U-Bahn (subway) lines – U1, U2, U3, U4 and U6. Contrary to popular belief, the U-Bahn lines are not numbered sequentially with a missing U5. The number refers to the district that the line originates from.

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 - Philadelphiabrücke (Bhf. Meidling) - 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 77.119.65.196 15:43, 3 December 2008 (EST)

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.

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 (except in rush hour when it's forbidden!) or suburban trains (S-Bahn, regional trains), for your bike you need to buy a children's ticket. 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 [22]: 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.

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.

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.

See

Museums

• Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts) [23], €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) [24] – 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 Habsburgs' 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 Habsburg 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), [25]. 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." The Orangerie houses temporary exhibits and a collection of medieval tapestries is located in the former stables. The tapestry collection in on view from 10:00 am until 12:00 noon, so plan your visit accordingly.

• 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 [26], 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 [27] (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) [28], 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 [29] 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) [30] 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 [31] and the MUMOK [32] 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 [33].

• Pathologisch-anatomisches Bundesmuseum Wien (Pathological and Anatomical State Museum) [34] 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 [35], take trams 37-38, 40-42.

• Technical Museum [36] – 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 [37] – 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) [38] 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 [39]– 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) [40]; 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 [41]– 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) [42]; 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), [43]. 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.

• Vienna Museum [44] – 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, [45]; 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 [46] 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 [47] – 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 [48] – A museum documenting Vienna's rich Jewish life including Zweig, Freud, Herzl, Mahler, and Schoenberg. Three sites are available for one combined ticket: two museum sites and the main synagogue. Attached to the museum at Judenplatz are the archeological remains of a medieval synagogue. The Stadttempel, the only historical synagogue in Vienna to have survived World War II, is accessible on through the guided tour. Call ahead for times.

• If you are looking for exhibitions of modern art apart from the MUMOK and MAK there are several other places you could visit: MOYA[49] – The Artists' House [50] – 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 [51] – Essl Collectionin Klosterneuburg (see below).

• Film Museum [52] – 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 [53].

• 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), [54]. 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.

• 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.

Castles and Palaces

• Schloss Schönbrunn – [55] 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 Habsburg 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), [56]. 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.

Religious buildings

• Karlskirche, Kreuzherrengasse 2, (kontakt@karlskirche.at), [57]. 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.

• 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 Habsburg royalty. Adults €4.00; Families €9.00; Seniors, Students, Groups €3.00; Students under 14 €1.50.

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

• 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.

• Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral), Stephansplatz (U1, U3: Stephansplatz), ☎ +43/ (0)1/ 515 52-3526, [58]. 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).

• Votivkirche, 1090 Wien, Rooseveltplatz 8 (U2 Schottentor), ☎ 14061192, [59]. One of the most important Neo-Gothic religious architectural sites in the world, constructed between 1856 and 1879. (48°12′55″N,16°21′31″E)

• 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.

Other attractions

• Austrian National Library (Österreichische Nationalbibliothek), Josefsplatz 1, ☎ 01/53410-348, [60]. 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.

• 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) [61]. Open only when not in use by Parliament.

• Haus des Meeres Aquarium Zoo [62] 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" [63] (check out these links: [64], [65] and [66]). 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) [67] — 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). Inexpensive standing room tickets are made available for every performance and sold the day of the performance. The line forms about 2 hours prior to the performance. Post-performance, have some torte at the nearby Sacher Hotel (see entry). Guided tours in a number of languages are offered throughout the desk. The line at the front side door forms about 1/2 hour before the tour.

• * Prater (Park) including the Giant Ferris Wheel,, (U1, tram O, 5, 21: Praterstern, S1-S3, S7, S15: Wien Nord), ☎ 729 54 30, [68]. 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 [69], 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.

• Secession Building [70], 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.

• The Schmetterlinghaus Hofburg Wien 1010 tel 01/5338570 or 01 5332018 fax 01 5322872 email info@schmetterlinghaus.at April - October : Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 10 - 16.45 Saturday Sunday & all public holidays 10 - 18.15 November - March: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 10 - 15.45 Saturday Sunday & all public holidays 10 - 15:45 Adults €5:50 Seniors €5 Students with ID €4:50 Children 3 - 16 years €3 [71], a tropical greenhouse with an amazing collection of live butterflies, will delight both children and adults.

• Spanish Riding School - Spanische Hofreitschule [72] 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 [73], (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 [74], 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.

Do

• Wiener Metropol [75] 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), [76]. . 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.

• 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 [77] 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 [78] (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 [79], click "Austria" and "Bundesliga".

• ActiLingua Academy, (info@actilingua.com), [80]. . 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.

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 [81] — 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.

• Schleifmühlgasse — This little cobbled lane on the edge of the Fourth District is home to many excellent contemporary art galleries, as well as some fine restaurants, an English video rental shop, etc. Take any of the U-Bahnen to Karlsplatz and walk.

• Millennium City [82], 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 [83], 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: [84]]] There are several farm markets in Vienna, where local farmers are allowed to sell their crops.

Christmas Markets

Most Viennese Christmas Markets ("Christkindlmarkt", "Adventmarkt" or simply "Weihnachtsmarkt") [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, punch, and chat to one another and the occasional stranger.

• Rathaus - More of a fairground than a Christmas market, this is Vienna's largest and busiest incarnation.

• Spittelberg - Probably the most delightful, though often quite packed Christmas market in Vienna, the Spittelberg market is scattered over a series of lanes lined with picturesque early 19th century Biedermeier houses (many of them former brothels, which is the reason the area was spared early 20th century urban renewal). Some of the stalls are extensions of the shops and bars of this normally rather sleepy area.

• Maria-Theresien-Platz - A relatively new market between the two museums and en route to/from the MuseumsQuartier (MQ). It is easy to maneuver than some and the quality of the goods is better than most.

• Schönbrunn - One of the better markets with higher quality goods and a more festive atmosphere in front of Schönbrunn palace. It is easier to spread out here and the specialties are food, handmade soaps, and candles.

• Belvedere - Another recent addition to the city's Christmas markets, the market in front of the Belvedere palace is spacious and emphasizes the homespun.

• Resselpark/Karlsplatz - A small, alternative and more rambunctious Christmas market in front of Karlskirche.

• Freyung - A fine market in the First District frequented by locals and professionals on their lunch break and downtown shoppers. There are usually few tourists.

Further afield a famous and overly bustling Christmas market may be found at Grafenegg castle [www.grafenegg.at]. Entry is €7, children under the age of 12 are free.

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.

Budget

The traditional Viennese fast food is sausage in all shapes and sizes. You can buy hot sausages and hot dogs at snack bars called "Würstlstand" 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 or "Eitrige" (with melted cheese inside).

In addition to this, the local snack culture also includes more Yugoslavian and Turkish varieties of fast food, such as the Döner Kebap, sandwiches of Greek and Turkish origin with roasted meat, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and yogurt and/or hot sauce. Places that sell kebap often sell take-away slices of pizza too.

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), and the right lane (facing away from the city centre) is reserved for mostly sit-down eateries. Another good place to find snacks (especially while going out) is Schwedenplatz, also on the U4 and U1 line.

By far the cheapest way to get a fast food meal in Austria (and probably the only meal available for just over 1 euro) is buying an Austrian sandwich (sliced brown bread + ham/cheese + gherkin) from a supermarket. Supermarkets with a deli counter (Feinkostabteilung) will prepare sandwiches to take away at no extra charge. You only pay for the ingredients. There is usually a large selection of meat products, cheese, and bread rolls available here, too. You point at the combination you want, can also mention the max total you can pay, 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 [85] 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 [86] 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 [87] 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 [88] 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, [89]. 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.

• Vegetasia, Ungargasse 57 and Kaiserstrasse 45, ☎ 01/ 713 8 33 2 and 523 1 091, [90]. 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).

• 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.

• Cafe Restaurant Kent (Eat like the locals - eat Turkish!), Brunnengasse 67, A-1160 Wien. At first approach, this looks like a greasy kebab joint strictly for Turks... but struggle past the first room and you will find a large garden and huge restaurant serving moderately priced food with an infinite supply of free Turkish bread! Good for veggies and meat eaters alike. Also try the Turkish breakfast. Expect to pay under 10€.

• Kolar, Laudongasse 8, 1080 Wien., [91]. Nice Pubs/Beisls. They have a tasty "Fladenbrot" and they offer their own beer.

• Maschu Maschu 1, Rabensteig 8, 1010 Wien (close to the Schwedenplatz underground station), ☎ 01/533 29 04, [92]. So-Mi 11:30AM-midnight, Do, Fri, and Sat until 4PM.. Good for veggies and meat eaters alike. Maschu Maschu is an Israeli fast food joint that serves some of the best falafel in the world. A healthy and gut busting falafel and beer should cost around €7 and leave you set up for the day (they also serve a wide range of other Middle Eastern meals).

• Maschu Maschu 2, Neubaugasse 20/Ecke Lindengasse 41, 1070 Wien (close to Neubaugasse undergroundstation), ☎ 01/990 47 13, [93]. 9:30AM-midnight. Much the same as the other Maschu Maschu, Maschu Maschu 2 is a trendy hang out place in the art student area of the city, and so it has a unique vibe of its own.

• Mensa at the NIG, Universitätsstrasse 7, 7ht floor, 1st district, near the University of Vienna (Dr. Karl Lueger Ring 1), [94]. (NIG is the Neues Institutsgebäude - a house of the University of Vienna.) During the summer you can sit outside and enjoy the sun. You have a nice view over the roofs of Vienna. € 4,50.

• Pizzeria Mafioso, 1150 Wien, Reindorfgasse 15.. The cheapest (but really good) pizza in town.

• Tunnel, Florianigasse 39, A-1080 Wien, [95]. Really cheap, student's place. Nice breakfast, live music every day at around 9PM.

• Cheap Sushi — In these really cheap but still decent enough places you can have sushi sets starting at around € 3.- and you can get stuffed for around € 6: Soya, Mariahilfer Straße 81, A-1060 Wien, ☎ +43 1 5860601. , Natsu in the 6th district, Gumpendorfer Straße 45, A-1060 Wien, ☎ +43 1 5812700. and another Natsu in the 7th district, Burggasse 71, A-1070 Wien, ☎ +43 1 5221903.

• Cheap Supermarkets — If you have a very limited budget, the cheapest supermarkets are: Hofer [96] (recommended), Mondo [97], and Lidl [98].

• Chattanooga, Graben 29A, close to Stephansplatz, ☎ 9251185. Fast food versions of local food. Not bad if you are on a budget and do not have much time to spare. Mains at €9.

• Wiener Deewan, 1090 Wien, Liechtensteinstraße 10 (Close to Schottentor subway station), ☎ 533500. Young, urban Pakistani restaurant: "all you can eat, pay as you wish." You can mix your own menu from a variety of curries, meat, rice, salads, and sauces.

• The Highlander, Sobieskiplatz 4, 1090 Wien, [99]. Offers own beer and a nice variety of dishes (including vegetarian dishes) at a small square inside the 9th district. Might not be one of the cheapest in the cheap section, but definitely worth the price.

• Schnitzelwirt Schmidt,, 7th district, Neubaugasse 52, [100]. Listed in nearly every Vienna guidebook and for good reason. The traditional Viennese food is excellent and served in truly prodigious portions, yet fairly cheap by Vienna standards (€5-€15 for a full meal). The Bauernschmaus ("Farmer's Feast"), a nearly incapacitatingly large schnitzel plate, which in combination with any of the wonderful on-tap beers, may necessitate an afternoon nap.

Cheap speciality stores:

• Manner Factory Shops [101] (famous Viennese sweets, especially "Schnitten") 1170 Wien, Wilhelminenstrasse 6.

Mid-range

• Reinthaler 1 Gluckgasse 5, 1010 in the Innerstadt just south of the Kapuzinerkirche. One of the better traditional Beisl restaurants, with old fashioned food priced below comparable places. Daily specials usually include a couple of vegetarian options. Good non-smoking section.

• Pat's Brainfood Plankengasse 4, 1010 Wien, 0664/2038303 Mo-Thurs 11.30AM to 3.30PM, Fr 11.30AM to 3PM, closed weekends and holidays. [102] Tucked away on a little side street of Neuer Markt is this wonderfully creative and fresh soup and salad joint with a weekly rotating menu (see website) and take-away. Standing room only.

• Levante 1010 Wien, Wallnerstrasse 2, Tel. 533 23 26. Part of a world-wide (but small) chain which has several branches in Vienna. The one on Wallnerstrasse is full service and the most conveniently located for most visitors. Authentic Middle-Eastern restaurant serving mostly Turkish and Greek dishes with some Viennese daily specials. Good place for both meat-eaters, for the kebabs, and vegetarians, for the many Middle Eastern salads.

• WOK, Operngasse 20, 1040 Vienna, (just beside the Naschmarkt, directly opposite the Technical University Vienna) +43/1/585 21 02, daily 11AM-2:30PM, 5:30-11PM wok-vienna@aon.at, [103]. A nice and cozy restaurant offering a variety of South-East Asian cuisine. You can get Chinese, Thai, Malay, and Indonesian dishes. Also, you can ask the friendly owner if she would offer you some home-made dishes not available on the standard menu.

• Akakiko Singerstrasse 4, 1010 Wien [104]. Part of a local chain; the branch on Singerstrasse, just off the Graben, is conveniently located for visitors and is non-smoking. Informal and popular place serving authentic, reasonably priced Japanese and Korean dishes. The menu has a vegetarian section. Quick service by efficient waiters.

• Brezl-Gwölb, Ledererhof 9, 1010 Wien, (close to Am Hof and Judenplatz, between Färbergasse and Drahtgasse, a bit hidden) +43/1/533 88 11, info@brezl.at [105]. Daily 11:30AM-1AM. A very nice restaurant with a cellar dating back to the 17th century and the furniture consists of parts from three centuries. A place that deserves the label "gemütlich". They play classical music and serve some really unique dishes.

• Figlmüller, Wollzeile 5, 512 61 77, [106]. Daily 11AM-10:30PM. Famous for Wienerschnitzel. They claim to have the biggest schnitzel in the world. If you are not really hungry, one may easily be enough for two people (just ask for a second plate). Traditionally, you would want a potato salad with that.

• Le Bol, Neuer Markt 14, 0699 / 1030 1899 [107]. Fine French Provencal-style fare with a communal table at the center and a smoking section only at the back, goat cheese salad is highly recommended (€6,90).

• Kuishimbo, im Majolkahaus, U4 Kettenbrückengasse, Linke Wienzeile 40, A-1060 Wien, Mobile: 0699/1194.06.73. The smallest Japanese restaurant in town. All the dishes are home made. Owners claim that they pay attention to a proper balance of ingredients. Being full can also be healthy! The place is so small that there is no bathroom inside. You have to use the one on the Nashmarkt. The Japanese soups "Udon" are excellent. Drink included you will pay around €11.

• Mythos, Mariahilferstr. 111/Webgasse 45, ☎ +43 1 96 90 2111. Open daily 11AM-midnight. A nice family-run Greek restaurant open on Sundays and holidays, with a good variety of items to choose from. €5-20 per dish.

• Supermarkets — Compared to America, for instance, most supermarkets are just medium-sized. But especially in Vienna you can find one at almost every corner (except for the first district where there are only a few, most prominently the large Julius Meinl on the Graben, see next section). These markets have regular prices: Billa, Zielpunkt, Spar. If you are looking for a more American-sized store try Merkur, especially the one at Mariahilferstraße/Kirchengasse. Most of these regular priced stores will prepare you sandwiches of your choice solely for the cost of their ingredients.

Splurge

• Hollmann Salon [108] Grashofgasse 3 / Heiligenkreuzerhof, 1st District. Phone +43 1 961196040 - essen@hollmann-salon.at Modern Austrian Cuisine in one of Vienna's most beautiful courtyards from the baroque period.

• Dukai in the Grand Hotel [109] Kärntnerring 9. On Saturday and Sunday they have a buffet of impressive standards where you will leave satisfied..

• Daihachi in the Hotel de France [110] Schottenring 3, 31 368. Sushi bar popular with business travellers. Serves fresh and tasty fish that comes at a high price.

• Procacci [111] - Göttweihergasse 2, 1010 Wien, 512 22 11, Bar: Mon-Sat 11.30 - 01 h; Restaurant: Mon-Sat 11.30 - midnight, closed Sunday Excellent northern Italian fare with a range of fine specialties. Slightly small portions but an extensive wine list to drown this particular sorrow in. Reservations recommended.

• Artner [112] - There are two incarnations of this famous winery's restaurants, one in the 4th district, Wieden, in Florgasse 6 (503 50 33, Mo - Fr: noon to midnight, Sa, Sun and holidays: 6PM to midnight) and a newer, slightly chicer one on Franziskanerplatz downtown (Franziskanerplatz 5, 503 50 34, Mo - Sun: 10AM-2AM), just opposite the Kleines Cafe. Both offer creative, fresh fare that tends to be on the lighter side than most Austrian cuisine. Excellent wine cellar, reservations recommended.

• Fabios [113] — Tuchlauben 6, 1010 Wien, Tel: +43 1 532 2222, fabios@fabios.at. Italian fish restaurant combined with bar/lounge for Vienna's glitterati. Quality is excellent, but prices are steep, with main courses around €30-35. Bar open Mon-Sat 10.00-01.00, restaurant 12.00-23.30. Closed Sun.

• Plachutta [114] — Wollzeile 38 is a very nice restaurant that specializes in beef. Try the Tafelspitz, it comes in a copper pan and still is in the soup it was cooked (the soup alone is worth a trip to Vienna). The chef claims that they prepare more than 100 kg of beef each day. Probably 3 to 5 waiters will be at your disposal. Reservation is recommended.

• Tenmaya [115] Krugerstrasse 3, 512 73 97, Open daily 11:30AM-2:30PM and 5PM-11PM. Traditional Japanese restaurant and setting that serves everything from kaiseki to teppanyaki. Reservations are recommended for this popular restaurant.

• Expensive Markets — If you feel the urgent need to buy delicacies, you can visit Meinl am Graben [116], a legendary store in the first district (1010 Wien, Graben 19). It is still worth a visit even if you don't intend to buy anything, because you will find things you probably never heard of! The store holds just about every kind of wine you can think of, has a great selection of pastas, chocolate, and cheese. Also Meinl am Graben has some of the best coffee around. The store has two stories of unexpected surprises.

• Why not go to the Danube Tower Restaurant on a sunny day and have a look over Vienna from the rotating restaurant. Take the U1 subway and get off at VIC / Kaisermühlen. Change to the bus line 20B and get off at the Danube Tower (you have to pay for the elevator first: €5.90 for adults).

Drink

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Wine

New wine is usually enjoyed at a Heurigen (wine bar licensed to sell the new vintage). Austria in general, but especially the area around Vienna, produces quite a large amount of wine each year. It's not often exported and white is more common than red. Grüner Veltliner is a common white wine served almost everywhere. Officially the new wine season begins on November 11 (St Martin's Day), but as early as September, some partially-fermented new wine (called Sturm which is cloudy, because it has not been strained) is available around town in 2L green bottles (try the Naschmarkt – sometimes the vendors will have samples, it is less strong than wine, about 4 percent alcohol ). Taverns can call themselves Heurigens whether the wine they serve is their own or not – for genuine in-house product look for a Buschenschank. This is a particularly Viennese Heuriger which can only be open 300 days per year or until their supply of house-made wine runs out. Heurigen can be found e.g. in Grinzing, Sievering (19th district) and Mauer & Rodaun (23rd district) areas, but also in almost every suburban area in Vienna. Even in the center, there are some Stadtheurigen. While the Heurigen of Grinzing are bigger and more famous with tourists, they are often a rip-off. If any of the year’s vintage lasts until next year, it officially becomes Alte (old) wine on the next Saint Martin's Day. The Heurigen in the South of Vienna or in Perchtoldsdorf are much cheaper and serve the same quality as the Heurigen in Grinzing. Also in the Northern suburbs, you can find cheap and somewhat authentic Heurigen. Try the towns of Stammersdorf or Hagenbrunn, for example Karl Matzka [117], hard to reach by public transport.

After a long day, the perfect place to relax among Viennese are the Heurigen in the suburbs. Somewhat akin to a beer garden, except with wine, these tiny treasures are the only places authorized to serve new wine. New wine is made from the first pressing of the grape and can appear a little cloudy. Be careful, it's stronger than you might think! This is why it's served in very small glasses, .25L and up. Some Heurigen serve food, either elaborate Viennese specialties or very simple bread and cheese platters. No matter which one you choose, you're guaranteed to enjoy yourself. Just hop on a convenient outbound tram line, take it to the very last stop, and look for buildings with large, evergreen foliage hung over the doors. Each one is unique, but all are a good bargain. Locals invariably have a favorite: ask around.

Cafés

If you come to Vienna and don't try some coffee, you've missed one of the great reasons to come here. Vienna has a reputation for having an excellent coffee culture. You should at least visit one of the countless traditional 19th century coffee houses where you can sit down, relax, and have some coffee. But please, never just order "coffee", for you could deeply offend the Herr Ober, the "senior waiter" of the coffee house. Vienna prides itself of its dozens of varieties of different coffees: Order a "Kleiner Schwarzer" if you want black espresso, a "Kleiner Brauner" if you want espresso with a little milk, a "Melange" if you prefer a cappuccino-style mix of coffee and milk and a "Kaffee Verkehrt" (or in the more modern places a "Kaffee Latte") if you like latte macchiato-style coffee with lots of milk. Most cafés in addition to coffee serve beer and wine and sometimes liqueurs. Many serve meals, especially at lunch, and these are often cheaper than in restaurants.

Important: Unless you are at a takeaway coffe shop like Starbucks, never order coffee to go. All you'll probably get is a bewildered reaction by the staff. In Vienna, coffee definitely is slow food.

In the Innenstadt:

• Café Hawelka, Dorotheergasse 6 1010 Vienelephone: +43 (1) 512 82 30 Fax +43 (1) 32 815 31, open 8AM to 2AM Sun and hol 10AM-2AM, closed Thu [118]. Just 100 m from the Stephansdom, hidden in a side street, is one of the most famous "intellectual" cafes in Vienna. Established in 1939, it's surprisingly cheap for its location and its fame and can get quite cozy. Josephine Hawelka (former owner, deceased 2005) was proud of the marriages she caused by placing random people together at tables. Try the "Buchteln". Usually quite smoky.

• Café Landtmann, Dr. Karl Lueger-Ring 4 (near the Rathaus), +43/1/24 100 - 0, [119]. Open daily 7:30AM-12PM. Old café, used to be frequented by Sigmund Freud. Delicious food and desserts. Menu of the day for around €11.

• Tirolerhof, (established in 1900) 1010 Wien, Führichgasse 8, just behind the opera and near the Albertina you will find this quaint, traditional café with art deco accents.

• Café Prückel, [120] (established in 1903) 1010 Wien, Stubenring 24 (Luegerplatz). Quite the hang-out in the evening, during the day this cafe is a bit more laissez-faire. Live piano music every Mon, Wed, and Fri from 7PM-10PM.

• Demel Kohlmarkt 14 A-1010 Tel: +43/1/535 17 17-0 Fax: +43/1/535 17 17-26 wien@demel.at. Good pastries are ubiquitous in Vienna, but Demel is considered by many to have the best of all and indeed was once the pastry caterer to the Imperial household. As a result of this it is usually jammed with tourists, thought their amusing marzipan display window can be admired even from the street. Outdoor seating in warm weather, but the inside is more atmospheric. Partly smoke-free. Open daily from 10AM–7PM.

• Kleines Café, ("small cafe") 1010 Wien, Franziskanerplatz 3. As the name suggests, this café is rather small. It was created by architect Hermann Czech during the 1970s for notable Austrian actor Hanno Pöschl, who still owns it. It's a popular meeting place for artists and actors (or would-be variants) and enjoys an excellent location in a quiet square inside the city. The few seats are often occupied but hang around and they are vacated regularly. Seating on the square in fine weather, a bit smoky at peak times.

• Cafe-Museum Operngasse 7 1010 Vienna Phone/Fax: +43 1 586 52 02 [121]. This cafe was designed by famous architect Adolf Loos, however the interior has been entirely refitted (now even from its rather cooler 80s atmosphere). Serves food as well as coffee, teas, and other drinks. Casual, quiet atmosphere; good non-smoking section.

• Cafe Central Corner Herrengasse/Strauchgasse [122]. One of most famous Vienna coffee houses, recently authentically restored. Beautiful premises inside the Palais Ferstel, it is a bit more expensive but worth it. There is an occasional pianist that is delightful to hear, and a good non-smoking section.

See also Alt Wien under Bars and Beerhouses.

Outside the Innere Stadt:

• Das Möbel [123] 1070 Wien, Burggasse 10. Hip café in Vienna's trendy 7th district. Take a close look at the tables, chairs, and lamps: Every piece of furniture is unique and for sale.

• Espresso [124] Burggasse 57, Mon-Sat 8AM-1AM. Further up the road from "Das Möbel" is a very cool little 50s style cafe with good tunes and an eclectic crowd. Owned by the nearby bar "Wirr".

• Cafe Europa, Zollergasse 8, 1070, 5263383. The scenester meeting place in recent years, the cafe is often bursting at the seams. But good tunes, decent service prevail. Good people watching and decor.

Bars and Beerhouses

• Alt Wien, Bäckerstrasse 9, tel 01/512-5222. This cafe/restaurant/bar is on a very medieval-looking lane in the central district and is a time warp of another kind: its folky-bohemian atmosphere could convince you you're in North Beach or Greenwich Village, circa 1967. Liveliest late.

• The American Bar (sometimes called the Loos American Bar or Loos Bar), Kärntner Durchgang 10 1010 Wien tel: 01/5123283 e-mail: office@loosbar.at, open Thu - Sat 12PM-5AM, Sun - Wed 12PM-4PM [125]. This bar will delight fans of Art Deco. Famous for its architecture and interior decoration by architect Adolf Loos, it's a time warp of Vienna from 1908 when it opened. Drinks are expensive, but very good and the price is worth the experience. This is a quiet, sophisticated bar, where boisterous behavior or very casual dress will not be appropriate. Usually smoky due to small size. There's outdoor seating in warm weather but there's not much point in using it since the what justifies the prices is the interior. Note that groups and sight-seers are not admitted.

• Chelsea, [126] Lerchenfelderguertel, U-Bahnboegen 29-31 (between the U6 underground stations Thaliastrasse and Josefstaedterstrasse), 407 93 09 chelsea@sil.at. Daily 6PM-4AM, Su 4PM-3AM. A wide range of international beers, often full house and dense. Prices okay, 1/2L of beer is €3.1.

• Flex [127] Donaukanal, (U2 or U4 Schottenring, Abgang Augartenbrücke), 533 75 25 office@flex.at. You haven't been to Vienna if you haven't been to the Flex - particularly if you are younger than thirty. Situated next to the "Donaukanal", a part of the Danube, it's the meeting point of the off-mainstream, bohemian, artsy people. During the summer nights when it's warm, there are always a lot of people sitting on benches outside the club. It's easy to socialise and make new friends. Inside the club you can enjoy bands and DJs. At the bar you can ask for free soda water.

• Siebensternbräu (7-Stars-Brewery) [128], Siebensterngasse 19. An excellent Biergarten a few blocks East of Mariahilferstr. They serve their own brews, which are all excellent. There is the usual assortment of bar food, friendly staff, and outdoor seating underneath an old Linden tree in the middle of a hidden courtyard. Move indoors well before 11PM, because a local noise ordinance requires the bar to shut down the patio and the interior tables fill up quickly (even more so than usual).

• Schweizerhaus [129], Prater 116, 7280152 13, Mar 15-Oct 31 11AM-11PM. Large beer garden in the Prater, some say they have the best beer in Vienna andthey also offer traditional Austrian dishes at moderate prices. The Schweizerhaus is also well-known for its excellent "Stelze" (knuckle of pork).

• Shiraz [130], Stadtbahnbogen 168, 1090 Vienna. Phone: +43.664.3355555, info@shiraz.at. This is a small and pretty comfortable, rustic-style bar in the "city railway bows". You can smoke water pipes and listen to "chill out" music. The owner, a Persian, socialises with all his customers. Everything is worth its price and you really feel that this bar is something special. Its a good place to relax.

• Stiegl´s Ambulanz [131], Altes AKH Hof 1 Alserstraße 4, 1090 (subway station U6, Alserstraße) +43.1.40211500, ambulanz@stiegl.at. The Stieglambulanz is a good bar run by the Stiegl brewery where you can enjoy Stiegl's beers. Stiegl is one of Austria's best common beers. The Ambulanz is popular for students with its modern furnishings and relaxed atmosphere. Try the "Paracelsus", which you only get in Stiegl breweries.

• Europa, Zollergasse 8 (near U3 Neubaugasse). One of Vienna's most popular meeting points, Europa is an ideal place to relax with a fine drink after a tiring day. €3.5 for a big beer.

Nightlife

Vienna doesn't have the reputation of being a huge European party city, the denizens of the fair city of music rather preferring so-called "Sitz-clubbings" (seated clubbings where you pay entry and drink sitting down with very little dancing) to actual clubbings. Still, when night falls, the Viennese let go of some of their inhibitions. If you're walking around the center of town, you're bound to run into touts passing out vouchers for free drinks or waiving door fees. During the summer, restaurants stay open late into the night, so even if you're not looking for a club scene there is likely to be something for you. If you are looking for something a little less gemütlich, see below.

• Flex [132] - This probably main club venue of Vienna is down on the Wien Kanal, a feed of the Danube. Take the U2/U4 to Schottenring, taking the Schottenring exit, then walk, keeping the river on your right, until you get to a bridge. There take the stairs down: the club is on the canal itself). There are loads of tables in front of and on top of the club in summer and an enclosed bar in the colder months with the club next door.

• Fluc [133] - Fluc and its downstairs sister Fluc Wanne (meaning "tub"), where the real dancing happens, are a bit cheaper and good alternative to Flex. Take the U1/U2 to Praterstern, head upstairs and from there head towards the ferris wheel ("Riesenrad"). It's on the roundabout but a little difficult to find because most of the club is underground.

Also check out Roxy at Operngasse 24 on the corner of Faulmangasse in the 4th District (take U-bahn to Karlsplatz and walk). This is also a bit hidden and has more mainstream nights designated to hip-hop and so on. It's very small so show up on the early side. Camera Club is a good alternative for a night out as well (take U3 to Neubaugasse and it's just up the corner from Mariahilfer Straße and Neubaugasse). For extra posh go to Passage, in an old and refitted underground passageway at Burgring 1 just outside the Burggarten gates. For a more Latin-flavored night, try Club Habana at Mahlerstraße 11 in the First District.

A major gay bar in town is Why Not in the First District at Tiefer Graben 22. Friday night is 70s night, Saturday is more main stream music, but they don't do house music which can, at times, be a godsend. It's for a younger crowd and only for "oldies" (meaning over 26) who really are in the mood to dance. Camera Club is more of a meat market, Saturday night is gay night (see above).

Sleep

As is the case with restaurants, Vienna's hotels have not yet responded to the same extent as have hotels in many other countries to the increased number of guests nowadays who want non-smoking accommodations. Non-smoking rooms are in limited supply, and hotels with non-smoking floors are rare, so even if you have a non-smoking room you may find that the public areas of the hotel, including sometimes the corridor outside your room, are heavy with tobacco smoke. A nice alternative to hotels would be vacation rentals.

Budget

• Europapart Vienna apartments

Contact

Vienna has a large number of mostly free wireless hotspots in bars, restaurants, and cafés (see drink section). MuseumsQuartier has free wireless internet.

If you're a European student you can make use of the eduroam service[179]. The University of Vienna[180], the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration[181], the Technical University[182], the Medical University of Vienna[183], the University of Applied Arts Vienna[184], the University of Music and Performing Arts[185] as well as the Austrian Academy of Sciences[186] are part of this programme in Vienna.

Stay safe

Vienna is potentially one of the safest cities in the world for its size. There are no slums or districts you should avoid. In general, you can visit any part of the city at any time of the day without taking many risks — just use your common sense. At night, though, it is wise to avoid parks, as well as the area within and around Karlsplatz station and Schwedenplatz station. The drug scene at Karlsplatz hangs out there during the day, but they do not care at all about tourists. Just ignore them and they will ignore you. The Prater (fair grounds/amusement park area) is said by some locals to be less safe at night, though more in reference to pickpockets than anything else. As in any major city, watch out for pickpockets who grab and run when boarding the U-Bahn (subway). There are few racist assaults in Vienna, but its streets and public-transport facilities are littered with racist (anti-black) graffiti. Some areas around the Prater and around the Westbahnhof are spots for prostitutes to ply their trade. Female travellers walking around there alone at night might feel uncomfortable.

Recently there have been some reports of fraud around Karlsplatz and Ressel Park area, also near the ring. The usual scenario is that someone will stop you and ask for directions. A couple of other guys show up claiming to be police, showing a badge (must be fake). They ask if you were getting drugs from the other guy and then will ask for your passport and wallet for verification. When you are busy trying to convince them that your passport is valid, one of them sneaks out some money from your wallet. Best to tell them that you want to go to the police station — there is one at Karlsplatz U-Bahnstation. It's a minor annoyance, but it's better to be careful. In a different case of fraud they try to convince you that your money is counterfeit money and that they have to inspect it. As always use common sense: policemen are ought to approach you in a very distinctive way (you will notice if they do so), the badge must have Polizei (police) and the Austrian coat of arms [187] and/or the Austrian flag located somewhere on it.

Do not walk on the bike lanes and cross them like you would cross any other road. Some bike lanes are hard to recognize (e.g. on the "Ring" in Vienna) and some cyclists drive rather fast. Walking on bike lines is not only considered to be impolite, but it may also happen that you are hit by a cyclist.

Cope

Get out

• Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, is only 60 km (50 minutes by train or car) from Vienna. In the past, prices were one-fifth of what they are in Vienna, but now you pay pretty much the same. From the Donaukanal, you can catch the brand new (but rather expensive) ferry. [188] Trains to and from Bratislava leave about every 30 minutes and also every two hours at night. A round trip ticket including public transport in Bratislava (ask for a "EURegion Ticket Bratislava") costs only €14. Most trains depart from Wien Ostbahnhof (Südbahnhof).

• Györ, Hungary, is a gateway city for Vienna, half way between Budapest and Vienna.

• Sopron is a historic town, in the part of Hungary closest to Vienna.

• Gumpoldskirchen is a picturesque wine growing village half an hour's train ride south of Vienna. Its a good destination for wine tasting and hill walking, especially in autumn. To get there take the S-Bahn train at Wien Südtiroler Platz (take U1 to get there) or Wien Meidling (take the U6 to get there), trains are going about every 30 Minutes.

• The Carnuntum archaeological park [189] is located 40 km from Vienna, in the direction of Bratislava. The site offers excavations of an ancient Roman city. It is worth a one-day visit. You can get there by train (S-Bahn Line 7, departing at Wien-Mitte, within walking distance to the city centre or take U3 or U4 to get there), trains leave every 60 minutes, travelling time is 56 minutes.

• Seegrotte [190] — 17 km south of Vienna is the largest underground lake in Europe.

You can hitchhike to Brno: take the tram to Brunner Straße. There is main road from Vienna to Brno, so thumbing there should be very easy. There is also enough space for sleeping.

Places around Vienna

• If you need a regional supplement (Aussenzonen) on your Vienna train card, this map will tell you.

• Klosterneuburg - Town and monastery on the Danube

• Sammlung Essl - Contemporary Art [191] — Sammlung Essl, Kunst der Gegenwart. With its 5,000 artworks, the Essl collection provides an excellent overview of Austrian painting since 1945. This overview is presented in the context of international art. It is a private art collection featured in a newly built museum. How to get there? Take the U4 Subway to 'Heiligenstadt' (the end-station) then an additional 10 minutes by bus or S-Bahn to Klosterneuburg-Kierling.

• Laxenburg castles [192]

• Wachau valley - A beautiful, windy valley of high cliffs, vineyards and romantic, crumbling medieval castles, one of which played prison to Richard I of England [193] (Richard the Lionheart) during the Crusades

• Stift Melk [[194]] - Baroque monastery which is a UNESCO World heritage site in the Wachau valley

• Schloss Hof [195] - The former country seat of Prinz Eugene of Savoy

Special credits to Wikitravel. Based on work by Mark Sheffield, Wikitravel user(s) Hokiesvt and Vidimian, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.

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