Vienna

Vienna's baroque streetscapes and imperial palaces set the stage for a great sightseeing tour or a visit to elegant coffee houses and restaurants of your choice. Although steeped in history, Vienna is at the cutting edge of design, architecture, contemporary art and new directions in drinking and dining.

The large number of baroque buildings we see today were mostly created during the rule of the Habsburgs, namely Empress Maria Theresia and Emperor Franz Joseph. Vienna was also the home of famous composers, artists and great thinkers like Sigmund Freud, Gustav Klimt, Franz Schubert, Johann Strauss.

Famous for its cultural events, historical sights and great museums, it is a city that has a lot to offer for every traveler as the capital of the Republic of Austria and by far the largest city in Austria with its population of more than 1.7 million.

The lively coffee house culture here is world famous. Skipping the "Kaffeehauskultur" (Vienna's coffee houses) is missing out a big part of Viennese culture. Most cafés serve beer, wine and liqueurs. Many serve meals, especially at lunch, and these are often cheaper than in restaurants. Most have a fine selection of Torten (tortes or cakes), some offer other baked goods. Those coffee houses and rustic wine taverns stand alongside top restaurants and shops adding to the very special Viennese charm.

Viennese restaurants offer a vast variety of dishes but every traveler should try the traditional Viennese fast food - sausage. You can buy hot sausages and hot dogs at snack bars called "Würstlstand" all over the town. Sausage can be found in all shapes and sizes.

Although it has a good public transport system, if you plan to visit Vienna you might find that the public transport is a bit difficult for the first timers. It is better to study a map or to ask for advice those who already visited the city. It's not possible to see everything during a single visit so it is better to have a plan.

Emperor Franz Joseph was largely responsible for the mid-19th c. creation of the monumental architecture of the Ring Road (Ringstraße), the grand boulevard surrounding the historical city centre, which is one of the main sights of Vienna.

Vienna’s history dates back to the 1st century a.d. when the Romans established the military camp "Vindobona". By 976, it had become the part of the Duchy of Austria. The city continued to grow and expand, and by 1483, it had become the de facto capital of the Holy Roman Empire under the Habsburgs. In 1867, with the signing of the Austro-Hungarian Compromise, it became the leading city of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and had the building boom to go with it.

Austria participated in two world wars and was defeated but today, Vienna is a peaceful place with little sign of the often violent conflicts in its history.