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Travel guide – Vienna

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Overview

It is difficult not to be moved to hum a Brahms lullaby or a Strauss waltz as you explore the sights of Austria's beautiful Baroque capital, Vienna, which for centuries was the centre of the splendid Hapsburg Empire. The city remains infused with the grand imperial spirit in the form of magnificent palaces and grand mansions peppering the Innerestadt. The city's cultural heritage is mainly musical, the great classical composers like Strauss, Brahms, Beethoven, Schubert, Haydn and Mozart all having lived and performed here. Today the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the State Opera House help keep alive the city's tradition by offering more classical music performances a year than any other city in the world.

Vienna is a city of music, but it is also synonymous with gourmet fare, cream cakes, superb coffee, the angelic strains of the Vienna Boys' Choir and the proud prancing of the Lippizaner stallions at the world-famous Spanish Riding School.

Vienna started out as a Celtic settlement on the banks of the Danube and became one of the Roman's most important central European bases. Its central location on the strategic river contributed to the city becoming a mighty empire, reaching its peak during the tumultuous reign of the dazzling Hapsburg dynasty. At the end of the 19th century the golden age of empire began to decline as Vienna's coffee houses filled with radical intellectuals like Freud, Klimt and Mahler. The Second World War Nazi occupation left scars, but Vienna survived it all to remain a captivating capital that blends Italian romanticism with a Germanic orderliness.

Most of the city's tourist attractions are within the largely pedestrianised inner city area which was once enclosed by the city walls. The walls have been replaced with the Ringstrasse, a wide ring road. Further out in the suburbs is the thrilling Prater amusement park with its massive ferris wheel, and the opulent Schonbrunn summer palace. Visitors also should not miss a trip to the Vienna Woods, peppered with ancient 'heuringen' (wine taverns).

Climate

Austria enjoys a temperate Central European climate with four distinct seasons. Summers are hot with cool nights. In Vienna and other low-lying cities temperatures during the day can get uncomfortably hot over July and August. Winters are cold, below freezing in January and February. The ski season in the Alps runs from December to April but the mountains are also popular with hikers and climbers over the summer when the weather is usually warm and bright.

Health

No vaccinations are necessary for business visits or general tourism. There is, however, a risk of tick-borne encephalitis for long-term visitors who expect to be visiting rural or forested areas in spring or summer. These travellers should consider vaccination and ensure they take precautions against tick infestation. Water and food are safe. Medical facilities are excellent. Medical insurance is advised unless from the UK - citizens of EU countries can get free emergency medical treatment at public hospitals in Austria on production of a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Bird flu was found in dead swans in the southern province of Styria on 15 February 2006 and stringent measures are being taken to contain the outbreak. The risk is very low for travellers, but all close contact with wild, domestic and caged birds should be avoided, and all poultry and egg dishes well cooked as a precaution.

The basics

Getting Around

Vienna boasts one of the finest public transport systems in Europe; it is safe and easy to use, and consists of punctual buses and trams, a fast U-Bahn (underground) and S-Bahn (railway). Most operate from about 6am to midnight; buses stop earlier but there are night buses on weekends covering the major routes. The U-Bahn is the fastest way to get around the city, while the S-Bahn is the cheapest way to get to the airport. The tram network is one of the largest worldwide and is the next best way of getting about with the added advantage of being able to see the city, although some lines don't operate on weekends. Buses are useful in the inner city where there are no trams. Fares are standard for all forms of public transport, and once validated will allow one journey including transfers in the same direction. Travel passes are available, the Vienna Card is valid for three days and allows unlimited travel on public transport except night buses, and offers discounts at many attractions, shops and restaurants. Taxis are plentiful, reliable and metered, but have a list of surcharges and are among the most expensive in Europe. The most romantic, if expensive way to get about is by horse-drawn carriage, or Fiaker. A car is a burden in Vienna, but can be useful for trips outside the city.

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Travel Guide by www.wordtravels.com
Disclaimer: By its very nature much of the information in our travel guides is subject to change at short notice and travellers are urged to verify information on which they're relying with the relevant authorities. Winter Sunshine Holidays & Globe Media cannot accept any responsibility for any loss or inconvenience to any person as a result of information contained above.