Few cities in the world waltz so effortlessly between the present and the past like Vienna. Its splendid historical face is easily recognised: grand imperial palaces and bombastic baroque interiors, revered opera houses and magnificent squares.
But Vienna is also one of Europe's most dynamic urban spaces. A stone's throw from Hofburg (the Imperial Palace), the MuseumsQuartier houses some of the world's most provocative contemporary art behind a striking basalt facade. In the Innere Stadt (Inner City), up-to-the-minute design stores sidle up to old-world confectioners, and Austro-Asian fusion restaurants stand alongside traditional Beisl (small taverns). In this Vienna, it's OK to mention poetry slam and Stephansdom in one breath.
Throw in the mass of green space within the confines of the city limits and the 'blue' Danube (Donau) cutting a path east of the historical centre, and this is a capital that is distinctly Austrian.
Heading into the Innere Stadt will take you to a different age. Designated a Unesco World Heritage Site, the heart of the city is blessed with a plethora of architectural wonders that hint at Vienna’s long and colourful history.
HofburgPALACE
Nothing symbolises the culture and heritage of Austria more than its Hofburg, home base of the Habsburgs from 1273 to 1918. The oldest section is the 13th-century Schweizerhof (Swiss Courtyard), named after the Swiss guards who used to protect its precincts. The Renaissance Swiss gate dates from 1553. The courtyard adjoins a larger courtyard, In der Burg, with a monument to Emperor Franz II adorning its centre. The palace now houses the Austrian president's offices and a raft of museums.
KaiserappartementsPALACE
The Kaiserappartements (Imperial Apartments), once the official living quarters of Franz Josef I and Empress Elisabeth, are dazzling in their chandelier-lit opulence. One section, known as the Sisi Museum, is devoted to Austria’s most beloved empress. It has a strong focus on the clothing and jewellery of Austria’s monarch. Audio guides – available in 11 languages – are also included in the admission price. Admission on guided tours includes the Kaiserappartements plus the Sisi Museum.
Kaiserliche Schatzkammer
The Schatzkammer (Imperial Treasury) contains secular and ecclesiastical treasures of priceless value and splendour – the sheer wealth of this collection of crown jewels is staggering. As you walk through the rooms you see magnificent treasures such as a golden rose, diamond-studded Turkish sabres, a 2680-carat Colombian emerald and, the highlight of the treasury, the imperial crown.
Kaiserliche Schatzkammer
The Schatzkammer (Imperial Treasury) contains secular and ecclesiastical treasures of priceless value and splendour – the sheer wealth of this collection of crown jewels is staggering. As you walk through the rooms you see magnificent treasures such as a golden rose, diamond-studded Turkish sabres, a 2680-carat Colombian emerald and, the highlight of the treasury, the imperial crown.
AlbertinaGALLERY
Once used as the Habsburg’s imperial apartments for guests, the Albertina is now a repository for the greatest collection of graphic art in the world. The permanent Batliner Collection – with paintings covering the period from Monet to Picasso – and the high quality of changing exhibitions are what really make the Albertina so worthwhile visiting.
Haus der MusikMUSEUM
The Haus der Musik is an interesting and unusual museum as it manages to explain the world of sound in an amusing and highly interactive way (in English and German) for both children and adults. Exhibits are spread over four floors and cover everything from how sound is created, through to Vienna's Philharmonic Orchestra and street noises.
KaisergruftCHURCH
The Kaisergruft beneath the Kapuzinerkirche (Church of the Capuchin Friars) is the final resting place of most of the Habsburg royal family, including Empress Elisabeth.
StephansdomCHURCH
Vienna’s Gothic masterpiece Stephansdom, or Steffl (Little Stephan) as it’s nicknamed, is Vienna's pride and joy. A church has stood here since the 12th century, and reminders of this are the Romanesque Riesentor(Giant Gate) and Heidentürme. From the exterior, the first thing that will strike you is the glorious tiled roof, with its dazzling row of chevrons and Austrian eagle. Inside, the magnificent Gothic stone pulpit presides over the main nave, fashioned in 1515 by an unknown artisan.
PestsäuleMEMORIAL
Graben is dominated by the knobbly outline of this memorial, designed by Fischer von Erlach in 1693 to commemorate the 75,000 victims of the Black Death.
Kunsthistorisches MuseumMUSEUM
One of the unforgettable experiences of being in Vienna will be a visit to the Kunsthistorisches Museum, brimming with works by Europe’s finest painters, sculptors and artisans. Occupying a neoclassical building as sumptuous as the art it contains, the museum takes you on a time-travel treasure hunt from Classical Rome to Egypt and the Renaissance. If time is an issue, skip straight to the Picture Gallery, where you'll want to dedicate at least an hour or two to Old Masters.
MuseumsQuartierMUSEUM
The MuseumsQuartier is a remarkable ensemble of museums, cafes, restaurants and bars inside former imperial stables designed by Fischer von Erlach. This breeding ground of Viennese cultural life is the perfect place to hang out and watch or meet people on warm evenings. With over 60,000 sq metres of exhibition space, the complex is one of the world’s most ambitious cultural spaces.
MUMOKGALLERY
The dark basalt edifice and sharp corners of the Museum Moderner Kunst are a complete contrast to the MuseumsQuartier’s historical sleeve. Inside, MUMOK is crawling with Vienna’s finest collection of 20th-century art, centred on fluxus, nouveau realism, pop art and photo-realism.
SecessionLANDMARK, GALLERY
In 1897, 19 progressive artists swam away from the mainstream Künstlerhaus artistic establishment to form the Vienna Secession(Sezession). Among their number were Klimt, Josef Hoffman, Kolo Moser and Joseph M Olbrich. Olbrich designed the new exhibition centre of the Secessionists, which combined sparse functionality with stylistic motifs. Its biggest draw is Klimt's exquisitely gilded Beethoven Frieze.
Wien MuseumMUSEUM
The Wien Museum presents a fascinating romp through Vienna's history, from Neolithic times to the mid-20th century, putting the city and its personalities in a meaningful context. Exhibits are spread over three floors, including spaces for two temporary exhibitions.
Schloss BelvederePALACE, GALLERY
Belvedere is a masterpiece of total art and one of the world’s finest baroque palaces, designed by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt (1668–1745) for Prince Eugene of Savoy. The first of the palace's two buildings is theOberes Belvedere (Upper Belvedere), showcasing Gustav Klimt's The Kiss (1908), the perfect embodiment of Viennese art nouveau, alongside other late-19th- to early-20th-century Austrian works. The lavish Unteres Belvedere (Lower Belvedere), with its richly frescoed Marmorsaal(Marble Hall), sits at the end of sculpture-dotted gardens.
PraterPARK
This large park encompasses meadows, woodlands, an amusement park (the Würstelprater) and one of the city's most visible icons, theRiesenrad. Built in 1897, this 65m-high Ferris wheel of The Third Manfame affords far-reaching views of Vienna.
Sigmund Freud MuseumHOUSE, MUSEUM
Sigmund Freud is a bit like the telephone – once he happened, there was no going back. This is where Freud spent his most prolific years and developed his groundbreaking theories; he moved here with his family in 1891 and stayed until he was forced into exile by the Nazis in 1938.
Schloss SchönbrunnPALACE
The Habsburgs' overwhelmingly opulent summer palace is now a Unesco World Heritage Site. Of the palace's 1441 rooms, 40 are open to the public; the Imperial Tour takes you into 26 of these.
Fountains dance in the French-style formal gardens. The gardens harbour the world's oldest zoo, the Tiergarten, founded in 1752; a 630m-long hedge maze; and the Gloriette, whose roof offers a wonderful view over the palace grounds and beyond.
Because of the popularity of the palace, tickets are stamped with a departure time and there may be a time lag, so buy your ticket straight away and then explore the gardens.
TRAIN
Vienna is one of central Europe's main rail hubs. Österreichische Bundesbahn (ÖBB; www.oebb.at; Austrian Federal Railway) is the main operator. There are direct services and connections to many European cities. Sample destinations include Budapest (€29 to €37, 2½ to 3¼ hours), Munich (€93, 4½ to five hours), Paris (€51 to €142, 11½ to 13 hours), Prague (€49, 4¼ hours) and Venice (€49 to €108, seven to 11 hours).
Vienna's main station is the Hauptbahnhof, formerly the Südbahnhof. Following a massive construction project, it became partially operational in December 2012 and is set for completion in 2015. In the meantime, some long-distance trains are being rerouted among the rest of Vienna's train stations, including the Westbahnhof and Wien Meidling. Further train stations include Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof (which handles trains to/from the Danube Valley), Wien Mitte and Wien Nord.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Vienna's unified public transport network encompasses trains, trams, buses, and underground (U-Bahn) and suburban (S-Bahn) trains. Free maps and information pamphlets are available from Wiener Linien(www.wienerlinien.at).
All tickets must be validated at the entrance to U-Bahn stations and on buses and trams (except for weekly and monthly tickets).
Singles cost €2.20. A 24-hour ticket costs €7.60, a 48-hour ticket €13.30 and a 72-hour ticket €16.50. Weekly tickets (valid Monday to Sunday) cost €16.20.
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