Vienna

In Vienna, the city chosen every year to have one of the highest quality of living in the world, a tourist can find a dense and rich plethora of art and culture accompanied by a fine living style and historical foundation.  No wonder Vienna is special. It is inspirational and enlivens those who want to take something back from a visit to this great city.

Car drivers won’t have any problem orienting themselves in Vienna, as the city is laid out in concentric circles: The famous Ring Street, a tourist attraction in it of itself, is the cities innermost traffic circle and follows the old city wall.  Laid within is the so called first city district of the old city center where visitors come across thousand year old buildings! One of the most impressive is the St. Stephan Cathedral which is one of the most magnificent cathedrals in the world.  Tip: New years at St. Stephan’s Cathedral is a great experience! A Viennese waltz begins at midnight as thousands of new years celebrators spin themselves in three-fourths time… What a show!



All of the important attractions reside in the first district, and are easily reachable by walking; you don’t even need to buy yourself a train ticket!  Just go for a stroll and you will undoubtedly run into many great places that you will be happy you didn’t miss.

Not far from St. Stephan’s Cathedral you can visit the Spanish Court Riding School and watch the Lipizzaner prance, however be aware that the tickets can only be ordered in advanced and are very difficult to get.  Right next to the riding school is the Vienna Hofburg, the former residence of the Habsburg and the current office of the Austrian government. There are many museums to be visited surrounding this building, however it could take a good two full days to see everything.  Luckily there is always time to take a break and grab a seat in one of the many surrounding cafes or even on the grand courtyard. It’s almost breathtaking to think that the Hofburg represents over six centuries of European culture.  Fans of Elizabeth of Austria (1837-1989), also known as “Sissi”, will recognize the building from the similarly named film, “Sissi”. A perfect museum for those who want to learn more about the Elizabeth of Austria’s life is right inside of the newly opened Sissi.

For those who want to take a trip into their dreams should head to the Castle Schönbrunn after their visit to the Hofburg.  Austrian’s “Versailles” was erected by Kaiser Leopold (1640-1705) in celebration of his siege over the Turks. The gigantic castle is home of over 1400 rooms, where baroque and rococo styles are beautifully intertwined.

One should definitely rent a rental car in Vienna because after taking your Habsburg tour, it is highly recommend to resort back to one of the many little villages in the Austrian forest for a taste of real Viennese culture. The graveyards where Shubert, Beethoven, Braham, Mozart, and may more famous figures were buried are just outside of the city. You can easily take a walk through this poignant piece of land and amerce yourself in philosophy and think about the meaning of life.  Vienna, with its long history and its many inhabitants offers the fabric for great memories.