Vienna Vacations


	One of the great capitals of Europe, Vienna was for centuries home to the Habsburg rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Today the empire is long gone, but many reminders of the city's imperial heyday remain, carefully preserved by the tradition-loving Viennese. When it comes to the arts, the glories of the past are particularly evergreen, thanks to the cultural legacy created by the many artistic geniuses nourished here. From the late 18th century on, Vienna's culture -- particularly its musical forte -- was famous throughout Europe. Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Strauss, Mahler, and Bruckner all lived in the city, producing music that is still played in concert halls all over the world. And at the tail end of the 19th century the city's artists and architects -- Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Oskar Kokoschka, Josef Hoffmann, Otto Wagner, and Adolf Loos among them -- brought about an artistic revolution that swept away the past and set the stage for the radically experimental art of the 20th century. Nevertheless, Vienna is a Baroque city, and as visitors explore churches filled with statues of golden saints and pink-cheeked cherubs, wander through treasure-packed museums, or while away an afternoon in one of those multitudinous meccas of mocha (the inevitable cafés), they begin to feel lapped in lashings of rich, delicious, whipped cream -- the beloved Schlagobers that garnishes most Viennese pastries. The ambience of the city is ornate and frothy: white horses dancing to elegant music; snow dusting the opulent draperies of Empress Maria Theresa's monument; lavish decorations filling the interior courtyards of outwardly severe town houses; a gilded Johann Strauss among a grove of green trees; the voluptuous music of Richard Strauss; the geometric impasto of Klimt's paintings; the stately pavane of a mechanical clock. Magnificent, magnetic, and magical, the city beguiles one and all with Old World charm and courtly grace. It is a place where head waiters still bow as if saluting a Habsburg prince and Lipizzaner stallions dance intricate minuets to the strains of Mozart -- a city that waltzes. Like a well-bred grande dame, Vienna doesn't hurry, and, as you saunter through its stately streets, marveling at its Baroque palaces, neither should you. Vienna related links: Vienna Hotels \| Vienna Vacation Specials Europe Vacations

Weather & When to Go

Austria has two main tourist seasons, the summer and the winter sports season, including the Christmas holidays. The weather usually turns glorious around Easter to mark the start of the summer season and holds until about mid-October, often later. May and early June, September, and October are the most pleasant months for travel; there is less demand for restaurant tables, and hotel prices tend to be lower.

A foreign invasion takes place between Christmas and New Year's Day, at which time many Viennese are already on the slopes of western Austria, and over the long Easter weekend, and hotel rooms in Vienna are at a premium. July and August and the main festivals are crowded times, but again, the Viennese head out for their vacations, so the city itself is relatively calm.

Austria has four distinct climatic seasons, all fairly mild. But because of altitudes and the Alpine divide, temperatures and dampness vary considerably from one part of the country to another; for example, northern Austria's winter is often overcast and dreary, while the southern half of the country basks in sunshine. The eastern part of the country, including Vienna, can become bitterly cold in winter.

Attractions & Excursions

To the Viennese, the most prestigious address of Vienna's 23 Bezirke, or districts, is the First District. Spreading out from the Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral), this inner city is bounded by a circular roadway called the Ringstrasse. Along the Ring stands many magnificent buildings, including the Staatsoper (Opera House), the Kunsthistorisches (Art History) Museum, and the Naturhistorisches (Natural History) Museum.

The Second through Ninth districts surround the inner city (starting with the Second District across the Danube Canal and running clockwise); the 10th through 23rd districts form a second concentric ring of suburbs. A tourist office booklet, "Vienna from A-Z" (AS70), gives short descriptions of some 250 sights around the city, all numbered and keyed to a fold-out map at the back. Vienna is a city to explore and discover on foot. With the exception of the Schönbrunn and Belvedere palaces and the Prater amusement park, most sights are concentrated in the First District, much of which is a pedestrian zone. It is here that you'll come across the Hofberg (Imperial Palace), an enormous conglomeration of museums, apartments, governmental offices, and even a famous riding school.

Vienna's public transportation system is fast, clean, safe, and easy to use. Get public transport maps at a tourist office or at the transport-information offices (Wiener Verkehrsbetriebe), underground at Karlsplatz, Stephansplatz, and Praterstern. The nearest U-Bahn (subway) stop is indicated for most attractions described below.

Entertainment

Vienna is one of the main music centers of the world. Contemporary music gets its hearing, but it's the hometown standards -- the works of Beethoven, Brahms, Haydn, Mozart, and Schubert -- that draw the Viennese public. Vienna is home to four full symphony orchestras: the Vienna Philharmonic, the Vienna Symphony, the broadcasting service's ORF Symphony Orchestra, and the Niederösterreichische Tonkünstler. There are also hundreds of smaller groups, from trios to chamber orchestras. The most important concert halls are in the buildings of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, called the Musikverein and the Konzerthaus.

Cabaret has a long tradition in Vienna. To get much from any of it, you'll need good German with some Viennese vernacular as well, plus knowledge of local affairs.

Film has enjoyed a recent renaissance, with viewers seeking original rather than German-dubbed versions. The film schedule in the daily newspaper Der Standard lists foreign-language films (Fremdsprachige Filme) separately. In film listings, OmU means original language with German subtitles.

Vienna has blossomed in recent years with delightful and sophisticated bars. Head for the "Bermuda Triangle," an area in the First District roughly defined by Judengasse, Seitenstättengasse, Rabensteig, and Franz-Josefs-Kai. Here you will find dozens of bars, both intimate and large, like First Floor, Krah-Krah, and Ma Pitom. Near the Börse on Zelinkagasse is the classy Planter's Club. Back toward Stephansplatz, on Bäckerstrasse, check out Weinorgel, Oswald & Kalb; on Blutgasse, Chamäleon; on Singerstrasse, the Galerie Bar. The American Bar on Kärntner Durchgang has an early 20th-century interior by Adolf Loos. Vienna is increasingly good for jazz, though places where it can be heard tend to come and go. Nothing gets going before 9 PM.

Shopping

You will find the best antiques shops located in the First District, many clustered close to the Dorotheum auction house, in the Dorotheergasse, Stallburggasse, Plankengasse, and Spiegelgasse. You'll also find interesting shops in the Josefstadt (Eighth) district, with prices considerably lower than those in the center of town. Wander up Florianigasse and back down Josefstädter Strasse, being sure not to overlook the narrow side streets.

Several good stores whose stock includes books in English are on the Graben and Kärntnerstrasse in the First District. High quality -- and prices -- define the clothing selections in Vienna. The best shops are in the First District.

Dining

In a first-class restaurant you will pay as much as in most other Western European capitals, but you can still find good food at refreshingly low prices in the simpler restaurants. A Würstelstand sells sausages on the street; for quick, simple snacks, stop in at an Imbiss-Stube-you'll find them at city markets, serving soups and a daily special at noon. Many cafés are also open for lunch, but watch the prices; some can turn out to be more expensive than restaurants. Gasthäuser are simple restaurants or country inns. Wine cellars and wine gardens, or Heurige (for new wine), serve everything from cold cuts and cheeses to full meals. Note: Many restaurants are closed one or two days a week (often Saturday and Sunday).

Lodging: Hotels & Accommodations

Vienna's luxury hotels are located in the heart of the city. Many hotels can be found bordering canals and are within proximity to many attractions.

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	Music Music appreciators will delight in visiting Salzburg, the birthplace of the prodigious pianist and composer Mozart. 2006 marks the 250th aniversary of his birth, and you can join the celebration of this beloved genius at a year-long series of operas, conerts, festivals, and special exhibitions Spanish Riding Reserve a ticket for the incomparable show of Lipizzaner Stallions at the Spanish Riding School, where horses and riders thrill with precision feats of daring and beauty. Window Shop Window-shop the dazzling boutiques of Vienna's Karntnerstrasses, a pedestrian-only street wonderful for people watching and its varied outdoor cafes and restaurants. Opera Dress up in your best formal attire for a night at the opera at Vienna's famous opera house, the Staatsoper, where the world's best performers appear regularly. Museums Spend the day museum hopping in Vienna, where your choices vary from the Werkstatte Museum, featuring one of the finest collections of Art Deco arts and crafts, to the museum house Sigmund Freud.


	Grand Hotel Wien Hotel Imperial Hotel Bristol, A Westin Hotel

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