Must see!
Oh, Vienna! There’s no doubt that this capital of Austria is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. It features magnificent architecture, many outstanding museums, art galleries, some world-famous landmarks and tourist attractions. It is composed of 23 districts which all have their own names: 1st Innerestadt (city center), 2nd Leopoldstadt, 3rd Landstrasse, and so on.
What To Do:
Although most of Vienna’s major attractions are in Innerestadt, the other inner districts have much to offer, too.
• Travel to the southern extremes of the Prater in Freudenau where you will find Vienna’s premiere horseracing track and one of the oldest in Europe.
• Marvel at the Roman Ruins located beneath Hoher Markt Square. The ancient ruins date back to a time when Vienna was part of the Roman Empire.
• Take a ferry along the Danube (river) to Bratislava in the Slovak Republic and then on to Budapest in Hungary.
• Explore the Theseus Temple, located in the Volksgarten Park. It was built in the early 1800s and is a replica of the Theseus temple in Greece.
• Head to the Belvedere, the finest Palace in Vienna built for Prince Eugene of Savoy, Austria’s greatest military leader.
• See the Schloss Schönbrunn Palace, the most visited sight in Vienna.
Where To Eat:
A must-try when you’re in Vienna is their famous local dish, the wiener schnitzel – traditionally deep-fried breaded veal, also made from chicken or pork. The perfect side dish for this would be the Erdapfelsalat, a potato salad with sweet dill dressing. Check out the following eating places:
• The Danube Tower – 826 feet high, with two express elevators taking you to the rotating restaurant for a splendid view (at 564 feet) within 45 seconds.
• Wurstelstands – Found all over the city. These stands specialize in Frankfurter, Burenwurst or a cheese filled sausage called a Kasekrainer.
Where To Stay:
For a comfortable stay in Vienna, book a room in one of the following places:
• Hilton Vienna Plaza – one of the very few five-star hotels
• The Academia hotel is situated in a quiet residential area; convenient connections by public transport to the centre and the most important sights.
• Kolping Wien Zentral Hotel Vienna – situated in the city center of Vienna
If you arrive in Vienna without hotel reservations, you may need the services of the City Center Tourist Information office in the 1st district, Albertinaplatz / Maysedergasse. It’s open daily 9 A.M. to 7 P.M. There’s another in the airport opposite the baggage carousels that’s open daily 8:30 A.M. to 9 PM.
How to get there:
Vienna International Airport is located 18 kilometers southeast of Vienna. It is often referred to as Schwechat, the name of the nearby town. You can find some cheap airline tickets to Vienna, Austria during the early part of the year. In February or March, a ticket from Los Angeles to Vienna’s Schwechat will only cost around USD400.00.
References:
Worldtravelguide Lonelyplanet.com Viennaaustria.ca Cntraveller.com iExplore.com Vienna.placestostay.com Hostelworld.com
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