Vienna
"Vienna wasn't just a city, it was a tone that either one carries forever in one's soul or one does not. It was the most beautiful thing in my life. I was poor, but I was not alone, because I had a friend. And Vienna was like another friend." Sándor Márai
Consistently voted the city with the world’s highest quality of life, Vienna is a magnet for the curious. Perhaps best known for its musical heritage, it boasts numerous concert halls and opera houses. It has been playground to some of the greatest composers in history, including Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert. Long a cultural and political hub, Vienna has protected itself from the slow decline of some other European cities: it remains a place of immaculate gardens, charming shops, long boulevards and thriving theatres.
The city has also capitalised on its history as a flashpoint for major events. It was once the last bastion against the Ottomans, and later the seats of both the Holy Roman and Austro-Hungarian Empires, the second a major player in the First World War. During the Cold War, Vienna often served as neutral ground between the United States and the Soviet Union in times of tension.
Unmissable spots include the State Opera, Prater Park, and the buzzing Dachboden bar. The Kahlenberg hill overlooks the city and offers panoramic views. And don’t forget to sample Vienna’s famous bakeries and ice cream parlours.
Exhibitions in Vienna
Viennese Coffee Culture
Places to stay:
Activities
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Austrian Theatre Museum, Vienna: All year
Founded in 1923, the Austrian Theater Museum exhibits permanently sketches, models, suits, decors, and numerous paintings.
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Central Cemetery, Vienna
Astonishing though it may seem today, Mozart was buried in an unmarked plot in December 1791 in St Marx cemetery and no one knows the exact location of his grave.
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Holocaust Memorial, Vienna
The Holocaust Memorial, unveiled on 25 October 2, stands in Judenplatz in the centre of Vienna.
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Imperial Butterfly House, Vienna
In the middle of Vienna's beautiful historical Burggarten, encased in an impressive Jugendstil greenhouse, lies an enclosed little tropical utopia of swirling colourful butterflies and lush rainforest - the Schmetterlinghaus.
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Jüdisches Museum (Jewish Museum), Vienna
The Jüdisches Museum Wien, or the Jewish Museum Vienna, is a museum of Jewish history, life and religion in Austria.
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Konstantin Filippou, Restaurant, Vienna
The restaurant is a very elegant space with a minimalistic interior design built from natural materials. Konstantin Filippou's purist, straightforward cuisine is characterized by an unbridled passion for ingredients as well as an eye for what really matters: the essence of taste.
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Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna: All year
"Museum of Art History", also often referred to as the "Museum of Fine Arts". Its picture gallery includes the works of Albrecht Dürer, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Peter Paul Rubens, Pieter Brueghel and many others.
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Leopold Museum, Vienna
The Leopold Museum, in Vienna's MuseumsQuartier, is one of the city's cultural musts!
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Museums Quartier, Vienna
The Museums Quartier Wien houses several autonomous artistic institutions, ranging from a creativity centre for children to a classical art museum, from headquarters for dance, film, architecture and theatre to forums for new media and art theatre.
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Naschmarkt, Vienna
The Naschmarkt is a great place to go if you feel in need of some healthy, fresh food or an exotic bite. Once a week, this market also becomes a flea market, meeting place for coolhunters.
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Saint Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna
The Cathedral of Saint Stephen is found in the heart of Vienna, between the homes of Stephansplatz, in the main square of the city. The Hapsburgs, the family that came from the famous Princess Sissi, have always had a weakness for this church.
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The Albertina, Vienna
The prints and drawing collection remains the largest in the world and includes works by Michel Angelo, Rembrandt and Schiele, with 1,100,000 pieces in storage, largely because prints can be damaged when displayed in the light.
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The Haus der Musik (House of Music), Vienna
The Haus der Musik (House of Music) in Vienna opened in 2000, and is the first museum of sound and music in Austria.
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The Imperial Treasury, Vienna: All year
Marvel at this spectacular and precious collection at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna. This is probably the best way to get an idea of the power and wealth of the Habsburg family.
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The Prater, Vienna
The Prater, overlooked by the Riesenrad ferris wheel, is one of Vienna's most extensive parks and a favourite with the Viennese for fresh air and exercise.
