Vienna City

Vienna (German: Wien) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primate city; with a population of about 1.7 million (2.2 million within the metropolitan area), and is by far the largest city in Austria as well as its cultural, economic and political centre. Vienna lies in the south-eastern corner of Central Europe and is close to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.

Vienna offers a variety of sightseeing options. The St. Stephan's Cathedral is one of the City's oldest buildings, combining, as a result of its lengthy construction time, a number of different architectural styles. The Ringstrasse, the former encircling border of the city centre was turned into a magnificent boulevard in the 19th century and is definitely worth a walk. A must for tourists is the Schloss Schönbrunn, the former summer seat and residence of the Habsburgs, with its parks, palm house, butterfly house and world renowned Zoo.

Vienna is a melting pot for what used to be a multinational empire during the Habsburg monarchy. The immigration of Hungarians, Czechs and Poles and other ethnic groups has left its influence everywhere, especially on the surnames of many Viennese inhabitants.Vienna, also described as Europe's cultural capital, is a metropolis with unique charm, vibrancy and flair. It boasts outstanding infrastructure, is clean and safe, and has all the inspiration that you could wish for in order to discover this wonderful part of Europe.

Vienna - a romantically imperial city: Vienna is a dream city for anyone with a romantic streak or an interest in history. Sightseeing opportunities are to be found in abundance. Wander along narrow, medieval alleyways or across imperial squares, view Schönbrunn Palace or the Imperial Palace (Hofburg) in the footsteps of Sissi and Emperor Franz Josef, and marvel at the majestic architecture along the Ring boulevard. Be inspired by an atmosphere steeped in history - which also boasts the comforts and infrastructure of a modern city!

Vienna - city of culture: Vienna possesses a lively and vast array of cultural attractions. Whether classical or experimental theatre, film or dance festivals, opera or operetta, or exhibitions and concerts - no matter when you come and how long you stay, there is sure to be something exciting for you to discover. Or if your tastes are not quite so culturally refined, then visit one of Vienna's famous coffee houses or traditional wine taverns ("Heurige") and work your way through famous culinary specialities.

Vienna - city of music: Vienna has been synonymous with music for centuries, and was home to Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Johann Strauss. This outstanding musical heritage has been preserved right to the present day. The Wiener Philharmoniker is one of the world's top orchestras, the Vienna Boys' Choir is triumphantly successful wherever it tours, and the Vienna Conservatorium has produced innumerable international award-winners in all musical disciplines. Yet Vienna also boasts a lively scene for young people - if you love music, you are sure to profit from Vienna.

Vienna - City of art: Down the centuries, Vienna has always produced and nurtured world-famous artists. The collecting passion of art-loving rulers and monarchs has made Vienna a treasure house par excellence. The Museum of Fine Arts, for instance, is one of the world's largest and most distinguished museums, housing priceless works of art. Art accompanies you wherever you go in Vienna - even some of its underground stations are listed properties (on account of their elegant, ornamental Jugendstil style designed by Otto Wagner)! And Vienna is also uniquely zestful as far as its literature is concerned.

Even by the standards of a city whose dancing horses, cherubic choir boys and imperial palaces attract over eight million overnight stays annually, 2006 will be a busy year for Vienna. The 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth is being commemorated with big budget events including the historic Theater an der Wien’s reopening as an opera house, an exhibition on Mozart’s life designed by Zaha Hadid at the Albertina (www.albertina.at) and the conversion of one of his myriad Viennese residences – the Figarohaus – into a Mozart Museum (Domgasse 5, 512 1791, www.mozarthausvienna.at). Given Vienna’s status as the world’s classical music capital, the fuss is hardly surprising and throughout 2006, all the city’s major music venues – the Staatsoper, Musikverein and Konzerthaus – pay tribute to the city’s adopted son.

With its density of sights, visitors gravitate towards the Innere Stadt, the UNESCO-listed city centre that surrounds the Stephansdom, Vienna’s Gothic cathedral. The centre is a glorious parade of architectural styles, medieval lanes and chic pedestrian shopping streets. Circling it is the Ringstrasse, the boulevard built along the old city walls that symbolises the advent of bourgeois power. Trams 1 or 2 offer an enjoyably cheap tour of its 19th-century revivalism. Beyond the Ringstrasse, districts 4-8 are the best for strolling, window-shopping and appreciating Vienna’s reassuringly slow-paced urban life.

This part of Austria (Upper and Lower Austria) is rather dry and influenced by continental Europe. Cold winds from Eastern Europe and Russia can lower winter temperatures considerable, summer is generally hot and dry.

A sunny autumn day can be spectacular with its coloured leaves.

With its rich architectural heritage, world-renowned orchestras and wealth of coffee houses; it’s no wonder that Vienna is fast becoming one of Europe’s most talked about city breaks. Wander through the tangle of narrow streets of central Innere Stadt and you’re constantly served with reminders of Vienna’s longstanding appreciation of the good life; whether you’re faced with the intricate façade of a high Gothic church or a mighty bowl of Schlagobers – the whipped cream that traditionally accompanies Viennese pastries.